Yes—photograph the package from every side before opening an expensive Pokémon slab. A Pokémon slab is a graded card sealed in a hard plastic holder, and the photos can document whether shipping damage was visible before you handled it. Photographs do not guarantee a refund or insurance payment. They do, however, create a clearer record for discussions with the seller, marketplace, payment provider, carrier, or insurer.
Table of Contents
- What should the photographs show?
- Should you record the unboxing?
- Inspect the slab and card separately
- What should you do after finding damage?
- What can the evidence actually prove?
What should the photographs show?
Start while the parcel remains sealed. Use bright, even light and place the package on a clean surface where dents, punctures, wet areas, and crushed corners will remain visible.
Capture enough detail to connect the parcel's condition to the shipment: Keep the original files because they may contain useful date and time metadata. Redact your address and tracking number before posting images publicly, but preserve unedited copies.
- The unopened package from all six sides
- Every seam, seal, corner, dent, tear, puncture, or stain
- The shipping label and tracking number
- Any "fragile," insured, or signature markings
- A close-up and a wider view of each damaged area
Should you record the unboxing?
For a high-value slab, a continuous unboxing video can show the transition from sealed parcel to exposed contents. Begin with all sides of the package, then keep the box, your hands, and the slab in view. Open carefully without cutting deeply into the parcel.
A blade that reaches the inner packaging could create new damage and weaken your position in a dispute. Show each layer as you remove it, including padding, sleeves, cardboard, bubble wrap, and the slab itself. Avoid stopping the recording until you have inspected both faces and every edge of the holder.
Inspect the slab and card separately
Check the plastic holder before focusing on the card. Photograph cracks, chips, separated seams, deep scratches, cloudy areas, loose labels, or movement inside the case. Then inspect the card through the holder.
Look for a shifted card, bent corner, surface change, or loose fragment, but distinguish visible damage from glare or marks on the plastic. Do not crack open the slab to investigate. Removing the card destroys its graded-holder status, can cause additional damage, and may make it harder to establish what arrived in the package.
What should you do after finding damage?
Stop handling the slab once you have documented the problem. Keep the shipping box, label, tape, padding, sleeves, and every other packing material in their received condition.
Create a simple record before contacting anyone: Contact the seller or marketplace promptly because reporting windows vary. Follow the platform's stated process before arranging a return, and obtain written instructions about packaging, insurance, and who must file any carrier claim.
- Save the listing, order details, price, tracking page, and seller messages
- Note the delivery time and when you opened the parcel
- Photograph the slab's certification number and grading label
- Compare the damage with the seller's listing photographs
- Write a factual description without guessing when the damage occurred
What can the evidence actually prove?
Package photographs can show visible condition at a particular point, but they cannot always identify when damage happened. An intact outer box also does not rule out impact damage or inadequate internal packing. Likewise, timestamps and video help establish a sequence but are not conclusive on their own.
A reviewer may consider the listing images, packing method, tracking events, return inspection, and the terms of the sale or shipping coverage. Your strongest record is a consistent set of unedited photos, continuous video, written messages, and preserved packaging. Do not discard any shipping material until the transaction, return, and any related claim are fully resolved.
