C3 Membership & Trade Rules

How C3 Card Exchange works

Every trade and purchase on C3 is authenticated by our team. Both members ship their items to us, we check each package in, we call both parties to confirm, and only then do the items go to their new owners. Nobody sends a collectible to a stranger and hopes.

Trade, cash or both

On C3 you can trade item for item, buy with cash, or combine both to even out a trade. Cash added to a trade is handled like a sale: the member receiving the cash pays the sales commission for their plan, and the member paying it pays the 3% buyer protection fee on the cash portion.

How payment works

C3 never holds the money for a deal. When cash is involved, the buyer pays at checkout when the deal is agreed. The payment splits right away: C3's fees go to C3, and the seller's share goes into the seller's own Stripe account, where it stays until the item passes authentication and carrier tracking confirms delivery to the buyer. If an item fails check-in, the buyer is refunded in full.

To sell or receive cash on C3, you connect a Stripe account when you register. Stripe verifies your identity and collects your tax information. Discount codes and gift cards can't be used on deals.

Free account

Anyone can join C3 for free. Free accounts include:

Browse the exchange and list up to 10 items
2 verified trades a month, each side valued up to $100
8% commission on cash sales; extra trades 3% per side
$7 check-in per package, in the standard check-in queue

Match alerts, price history, featured listings, higher trade values and lower fees come with a paid plan. Upgrade anytime.

Paid plans

Plan	Monthly / Annual	Trades a month	Commission	Check-in	Free check-ins
Starter	$4.99 / $49.90	10	6%	$6	-
Collector	$9.99 / $99.90	30	5%	$5	1
Dealer	$24.99 / $249.90	100	4.5%	$5	3
Elite	$59.99 / $599.90	300	3.5%	$5	8

Annual plans include 2 months free. Elite members are looked after personally by our account team.

Confirmation call on every shipment

For every package that comes through C3, we personally call the member who sent it and the member receiving it to confirm the mailing address, each item in the shipment and the details of the trade or purchase. A shipment does not go ahead until both parties confirm.

Confirmation calls are recorded for the protection of both parties. We tell you at the start of every call that it is being recorded, and recordings are used only to confirm transactions and resolve disputes.

Check-in

One check-in covers one package. We open it on camera, match each item to its listing, check authenticity (cert number for slabs; print, texture and holo pattern for raw cards), confirm the condition, photograph it and re-pack it. If an item doesn't match its listing, the transaction is cancelled and the item is returned to its sender at the sender's cost.