Cancellation & Escrow Fee Policy
Rookie is escrow + validation only. We don't grade, store, or ship cards — the seller ships directly to the buyer. These rules protect both sides when an order is cancelled.
The three rules
- Rookie's escrow fee is always retained. It covers custody of funds and dispute-review readiness. It's earned the moment the buyer funds escrow.
- Cancellation penalties are paid party-to-party. Rookie never keeps a penalty — it flows from the cancelling side to the injured side.
- You cannot cancel after ship. Once tracking is validated, disputes go through the claims flow — not cancellation.
Full matrix
| Scenario | Item refund | Escrow fee | Penalty | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer cancels within 1h, before ship | 100% | Retained | None | — |
| Buyer cancels after 1h, before ship | 97% (3% to seller) | Retained | 3% → seller | — |
| Buyer cancels after ship | Not allowed — use claims | — | — | — |
| Seller cancels before shipping | 100% | Retained | 5% credit → buyer | Hit |
| Auto-cancel (missed 3-day ship-by) | 100% | Retained | 5% credit → buyer | Hit |
| Mutual cancel | 100% | Retained | None | — |
| Trade cancel by either party pre-ship | Item returned | Retained both sides | 3% of declared value | — |
Seller cancellation quota
Three seller cancellations (or auto-cancels) in any trailing 60-day period auto-suspend selling privileges. This exists so sellers don't use cancellations as a re-pricing tool after a card appreciates.
Ship-click enforcement
- Orders over $250 — carrier service with signature-on-delivery is required. Seller must confirm at the "Mark shipped" step.
- Orders over $500 — insured shipping is required. Seller uploads the carrier's insurance receipt at the "Mark shipped" step.
- All orders — 4 seller photos (front, back, condition, packed) + a validated tracking number are required before funds are considered escrowed.
Fund release
Funds release to the seller when the buyer confirms receipt, or automatically 3 days after delivery if no claim is filed. This matches the industry-standard inspection window for trading cards.
This policy is versioned. Existing orders always follow the terms in force at funding time.