Expired Redemptions? How can this be?

[TysonX504]

I know that, I have been saying IF IF IF IF IF they were do away with the expiration, and I am sure they could make a storage space for these redemptions. I REALIZE they are expired, but what I am trying to say is why should do have this issue? They can't store a few thousand cards?

I totally agree, I hate redemptions as much as the next collector, but they are part of the hobby. We don't know why we have them, it could be UD not getting them to the players in time to sign and get them back to them or the players just not getting them back on time. You also have to remember that the company makes more then just hockey. They've got the baseball redemptions, basketball, football, all of that. And from every product it would build up stock very quickly.

[lakingsfan91]

Oh I fully know what they make, I still don't see how tough it is to keep track/stock of all these cards. I don't hate them, I just don't see why they have them? If you can't make a card in time, don't have a redemption. Or at least try to make them asap. I don't know, laziness it seems like.

[TysonX504]

Oh I fully know what they make, I still don't see how tough it is to keep track/stock of all these cards. I don't hate them, I just don't see why they have them? If you can't make a card in time, don't have a redemption. Or at least try to make them asap. I don't know, laziness it seems like.

Only way to fully know would be ask them and find out if they have a answer. Best way to ask them imo would be their facebook page.

[zunato]

Oh I fully know what they make, I still don't see how tough it is to keep track/stock of all these cards. I don't hate them, I just don't see why they have them? If you can't make a card in time, don't have a redemption. Or at least try to make them asap. I don't know, laziness it seems like.

So you are saying that 10 years from now if you open product from the 06/07 season you still would want that Shawn Horcoff Auto redemption?


You also have to remember that if UD were to lose their NHL license they would probaly have to destroy all those redemptions they have been saving or store them hoping they get the NHL license back.

[RGM81]

I think an issue that is not being addressed is that UD CONTRACTS players to sign cards, which will later be made, but a lot of the time these players will not obey such contract and sign.

I'm amazed that it took this long for someone to say it, and even more amazed that nobody has acknowledged it since.

Redemptions exist because the player/agent, either of their own volition or due to unforseen circumstances, doesn't get the cards back to Upper Deck in time for the packout. Look at the Andrei Kostitsyn The Cup RC situation as a textbook example. As the story goes, Andrei signed the cards and then turned them over to his agent, who either lost them or the cards were damaged/lost while being shipped back to UD. UD made replacements and tried to get Andrei to sign the new cards - he basically told them to shove it. You'll notice that from the time of the 06-07 Trilogy Ice Scripts until the Habs Centennial set, AK46 didn't have a single hard-signed auto and UD was using up their stickers from his rookie auto signing sessions. Finally, after 3 years they got him to sign the cards. I've been told by shop owners that handle a bunch of autographs signings for UD that there are certain players that refuse to sign cards even though they are under contract. Sometimes the player's contract with UD expires and they don't renew. Look at Alexander Radulov - do you think that he's going to be signing any cards for Upper Deck in the near future?

It's not as simple a matter of "UD sucks, why does it take them 3 years to get a card made" that you're making it out to be. The card IS made at the same time as all the other cards in the set, what's missing is the player's autograph, and sometimes that's the sticky issue.

[lakingsfan91]

No one on the face of this thread gets my issue. It isn't about how long it takes. It is about why do redemptions expire? Because it takes to long in their eyes to make it? Get it made as soon as possible, then stick it in a file cabinet. In a storage room, in the back of UD. That is my beef, so be it if it takes 5 years for Brad May to sign a auto card out of 350. I wouldn't care. As long as I know I am getting said card, rather then getting no card, or a replacement that I have no idea what it could be.

[hossa18sens]

UD just can't hold onto these cards forever. I agree that space wise it wouldn't be a lot even when you factor in all other sports.

Where do you draw the line though? 20 yrs from now I wouldn't expect to get the the auto of xxxxxx. Space and tracking has a value as well and I guess UD has decided it is more valuable than customer satisfaction 20 yrs down the road.

Most redemptions are for auto's of whoever. The cards are made but not signed. UD needs to give you something for that player that may never sign so the give out the ones that have expired. Not everyone will be happy in the end no matter what.

[30ranfordfan]

I am glad we're on the same page. I think any confusion was on my part, sorry :)

I'll use a good example, off the top of my head:

I've noticed recently that Walmart has acquired some older wax for sale. Specially boxes of 96-97 Collector's Choice can be had for about $30.

Now, these boxes will contain 'You Crash The Game' cards. It was a 30 player set, each player got 3 identical cards..... that had a game date stamped on it from that season (actual dates of games, that the player's team would play in).

If a player scored a goal in the game whose date was stamped on the card, you could mail the card back to Upper Deck for a special edition set of 30 cards, plus you got a special foil version of the specific player you redeemed. It was a really cool idea at the time (and I did redeem a few of them).

So.... that was from the 96-97 season. Are you saying that they should still be honoring those redemptions if I bust a box and find that I have a couple of winner cards?

[lakingsfan91]

I am glad we're on the same page. I think any confusion was on my part, sorry :)

I'll use a good example, off the top of my head:

I've noticed recently that Walmart has acquired some older wax for sale. Specially boxes of 96-97 Collector's Choice can be had for about $30.

Now, these boxes will contain 'You Crash The Game' cards. It was a 30 player set, each player got 3 identical cards..... that had a game date stamped on it from that season (actual dates of games, that the player's team would play in).

If a player scored a goal in the game whose date was stamped on the card, you could mail the card back to Upper Deck for a special edition set of 30 cards, plus you got a special foil version of the specific player you redeemed. It was a really cool idea at the time (and I did redeem a few of them).

So.... that was from the 96-97 season. Are you saying that they should still be honoring those redemptions if I bust a box and find that I have a couple of winner cards?

I'd rather them honor it, then honor nothing. At least honor it. From a business stand point.

[ono94]

Space=money--more money spent on storage and tracking of unused redemptions equals less profit which then makes the products sell for more money. If you spend 2.99 on a pack of cards, get a redemption 5 years later--which has then cost UD the (a) price to make the card (b) the money to store the card (c) the money to track the card and (d) the money they lost having to produce a different card to give to someone who's card was damaged or lost by the player. Now UD has no way of knowing how much to budget for all sorts of things and that is no way to run a business.

And next time you buy a winning lottery ticket---don't wait five years to redeem it--they won't give you the money either.