The Buyer Protection Program is one of the fundamental guiding principles upon which MEARS was founded. We realize that collectors are looking for quality, certainty, and security when it comes to buying and selling memorabilia for their collections. Since our inception, MEARS has operated under the guidelines that if you purchased an item that MEARS evaluated and it was later proven to be something other than what MEARS claimed, MEARS would guarantee that you, as the purchaser, were not out of pocket for the expense of that purchase. This principle has become even more important now that MEARS members are selling items through our website.
In the past, this Buyer Protection Program has protected the collector and will continue to protect the collector through a wide range of remedies, which include:
- MEARS purchasing the item outright thereby removing all financial responsibility from the collector.
- Refunding a portion of the purchase price. This occurs in the instance when MEARS has made a minor error in the evaluation, which does not affect the overall authenticity of the piece itself.
- MEARS will work with an auction house to assist the purchaser in returning the item for a full refund.
- Locating a similar or comparable item to replace the original one evaluated.
The key to our ability to offer this guarantee and these services is the use of our worksheets and grading concepts. MEARS goes to great lengths to evaluate and grade all items with consistent accuracy. The Buyers Protection Program is designed to allow the purchaser to review all the details of our evaluation so that an informed purchasing decision can be made.
MEARS also encourages buyers to ask questions before purchasing to ensure their comfort and understanding of the item they are considering, especially with respect to grading, since the grade, in many cases, is a key element of the pricing and the long term value of any item.