Each item in THE COLLECTORATE’s inventory is assigned a unique hexadecimal number. This number is affixed to each item by means of a small sticker that stays with the item throughout inventory, sales, packing, shipping, and direct to you. These stickers are produced exclusively for THE COLLECTORATE, and have a special adhesive that allows them to be removed.
THE COLLECTORATE ID© allows you, the collector, to be certain you receive the exact item you selected on our website. You get to choose right down to the individual action figure.
Now you can hand pick items just like you were there!
What’s more, that number will never be used again. It belongs to you only!
The Collectorate Shield Rating System© is meant to be the customer’s guide to the quality of a collectable they are considering for purchase. Each item in our inventory is graded for quality of packaging on the same 0.5 to 5.0 Shield Scale using 0.5 increments. The Shield Rating assigned to an item is based upon two indicators...
Our Shield Rating System allows for more detail in rating an item’s packaging. Using the C-Scale, most items are sold between C-7 and C-9. That’s just 3 categories. We use 10 possible categories in that same range; allowing us to be much more precise. All of the Shield Ratings concentrate on the condition of a product’s packaging. The collectable item itself is always in mint factory sealed condition unless otherwise noted. The packaging, however, can vary widely in condition. Since most collectors do not remove the collectable piece from its packaging, the condition of that packaging becomes very important
The Collectorate Shield Rating© provides a series of filled, or partially filled, Collectorate Shields, and the corresponding numerical value, for each item on our website. Customers should always take note of the Shield Rating for each item they are considering for purchase. Our staff graders are brutally honest! They are collectors first, and they tell you what they themselves would want to know in making a decision.
A flaw can be a dent, crease, scratch, printing blemish, or ding. It can be on the card, bubble, or box and may be located on the front, back, sides, corners, top, or bottom.
THE COLLECTORATE SHIELD PACKING© system helps ensure that your item arrives in the same condition as when you selected it on our website. While the shipping carrier does play a part in that process, much of the damage in transit can be avoided with proper packing. THE COLLECTORATE SHIELD PACKING© system is a 4-step process designed to maximize the protection of your items during shipping and transit. These steps may seem simple but our personal experience as collectors has shown us that these steps are not common practice everywhere.
All action figures are stored in a Protective Plastic Case!
And shipped to you while protected by it “if you choose to include” the case.
It really is that simple!
If there is a protective case made that fits, and we can obtain the case, we will store the figure in it
and make it available to you.
Why???
We actually CLEAN the plastic bubble of Action Figures
before they go into the protective plastic case!
We are collectors, first and foremost!
We want other collectors to be able to obtain what they need for their collections
and have access to good quality collectibles.
To that end, here are our core beliefs...
In The Long Term...
You Can Build A Higher Quality Collection For Less Money With Us!
Everybody’s Different!
And That’s A Good Thing!
Many collectors prefer to keep their collectibles in the original packaging.
Being able to obtain an action figure that is stored in and shipped in a protective plastic case is helpful in building their collection.
However, we know that some collectors open their collectibles
and therefore do not want or need a protective case.
Why not have it both ways?
By default protective cases will not be included with your order. This "opt out" is the standard setting.
However, each listing indicates whether a protective plastic case is available for the collectible and its cost.
To include the case you can click ON the small box next to the case and a green check mark will appear in the box. When you click on the green check mark the case is included with your order and the cost of the protective case is automatically added to your total.
Now you can get ALL of your action figures in protective cases,
or SOME of them with and some without,
or even NONE of them with protective cases.
It’s Your Collection, You Are In Control!