Which COMC auction fee applies to the seller?
The September 29 service table, rechecked October 29, lists the following ordinary routes. These are auction-service deductions, not a complete cost basis for a card. Record earlier acquisition, consignment, upgrade and transport costs separately.
Treat the service name as part of the calculation. Direct-to-Cash starts with cards you send in; Cash can use cards already held on COMC. The same sale price can therefore sit beside a different earlier expense history. Do not compare only the largest displayed payout percentage.
Compare fixed-price COMC and direct eBay selling
| Route | Published auction deduction | Destination / opening bid |
|---|---|---|
| Cash or Direct-to-Cash, below $1,000 | $5 plus 8% of sale price | Configured cash payment / $9.99 |
| Cash or Direct-to-Cash, $1,000 or more | 5%; no listing fee | Configured cash payment / $9.99 |
| COMC Store Credit | 4%; minimum $0.99 | COMC balance / $0.99 |
| eBay Live from existing inventory | 5%; minimum $2 | COMC balance / $0.99 |
Worked comparison: a $200 sale does not produce the same kind of proceeds
Assume a hypothetical card sells for $200. Under the stated Cash schedule, the modeled deduction is $5 + ($200 × 8%) = $21, leaving $179 before any other applicable costs. Under the ordinary Store Credit schedule, $200 × 4% = $8 leaves $192 in the COMC account. The extra $13 in the second result is account credit, not evidence of an extra $13 deposited in a bank.
A separate hypothetical $1,200 cash sale produces $1,140 after the modeled 5% auction deduction. Neither example is a prediction of the selling price, a quote for an actual card or a profit calculation. If you paid $160 for the first card and previously spent another $12 preparing it, those expenses still matter after the auction settles.
Write the collecting goal beside the result. A seller who intends to buy more cards on COMC may value a credit balance differently from someone who needs outside cash. If you later convert credit, obtain the applicable conversion quote; do not silently treat the credit-auction route as the cash route.
What should I check before pressing Send to Auction?
COMC’s transfer instructions use Inventory Manager, Actions and Send to Auction, followed by service selection and acceptance of the terms. They warn that some routes require Elite processing and that non-Elite or e-Pack items can incur a $2 upgrade. Inspect the specific item’s options before adding that amount to a budget or assuming it is absent.
Our pre-submission check is to match the inventory item number with the front and back images, confirm the selected service and payout destination, and save the accepted terms. For several similar parallels, place the serial number beside each item number. A correct player name alone does not identify which copy you authorized for sale.
Keep scheduled listing, live bidding, auction end and buyer payment as separate events. The transfer page describes assignment of a start date, while the fee table gives broader listing estimates. Neither is a guaranteed date when you can spend the proceeds.
- ItemInventory number and exact copy
- RouteCash, credit or Live service
- DeductionsAuction plus earlier costs
- SettlementPayment actually received
Schematic. An original record structure for comparing routes without confusing an auction result with settled proceeds.
Can I cancel, and what happens if the buyer does not pay?
COMC’s Auction Seller FAQ says submissions cannot be cancelled once submitted. It describes a pending-sale period of two weeks, during which the item stays locked. An unsuccessful sale returns to inventory with the minimum auction fee charged; submitting it again creates another fee. For a lock lasting more than 14 days after the auction ends, the FAQ directs a support request with the item number.
A useful reconciliation has one row for the failed attempt and another for any later sale. Do not delete the first fee merely because the second attempt succeeds. Likewise, mark the card available again only when its inventory status changes, rather than offering a locked item to another buyer.
Event-specific terms can differ from the ordinary table. Before entering a themed or Live event, save that event’s service choice and deductions. A promotional headline does not replace the terms attached to the particular submission.
Frequently asked questions
Is the auction ending price my profit?
No. Subtract the actual selling deductions and the card’s acquisition, preparation and other costs. Confirm buyer payment before recording settled proceeds.
Can I treat Store Credit as a bank payout?
Keep it in a separate account-credit column. If you need outside cash, compare the applicable conversion quote before choosing a route.
Should I resubmit an unsold card automatically?
First reassess demand, price evidence and the accumulated costs of another attempt. A second auction does not erase the first attempt’s fee.
Is a special event guaranteed to use the ordinary fee table?
Read the specific event and service terms. Save the applicable schedule with the item before submitting.
Sources
Product checklists, definitions, and policies can change. These sources were reviewed on 2026-10-29.
- COMC auction services and feesSeptember 29 table: cash, credit and Live routes, minimums and cash-out exception. Reviewed October 29, 2026.
- COMC Auction Seller FAQCancellation, pending sales, unsuccessful auctions and repeated fees. Reviewed October 29, 2026.
- COMC inventory-to-auction instructionsService selection, Elite upgrade and listing-date assignment. Reviewed October 29, 2026.
Card Collector Capital publishes educational research, not financial advice. Card prices, populations, checklists, and grading policies can change. Verify the exact card and current information before buying, selling, or submitting a card.