The Consignment Playbook: COMC vs McSports vs TCGPlayer — Net Proceeds by Platform

Where you list a card matters as much as what grade it got.

Three platforms dominate the consignment landscape for graded trading cards: COMC, McSports Auctions, and TCGPlayer. Each has different fee structures, audience types, and turnaround times. Picking the wrong one can mean leaving 15-20% of your net proceeds on the table.

This is a practical framework for deciding which cards go where — based on real data from operating a $17,500+ portfolio across all three platforms.

Platform 1: COMC (Check Out My Cards)

Fee structure:

• 10% commission on final sale price

• $0.50 per-item processing fee (batch-dependent)

• Cash out via check ($3 fee) or store credit (no fee)

• Store credit can be recycled into new inventory purchases

Audience:

• Set-price marketplace — buyers browse and purchase instantly

• Strong traffic from collectors searching specific cards

• Excellent for mid-range graded singles ($20-$200)

• Chinese-language and monopoly-position cards perform well here

Turnaround:

• Submission to listing: 4-8 weeks (Basic), 2-4 weeks (Premium)

• Sale to payout: 2-4 weeks after sale confirmation

• Total cycle: 6-12 weeks from submission to cash

Best for: Premium TAG 10 slabs, monopoly-position Chinese cards, mid-range inventory ($30-200 NAV). The store credit recycling feature makes COMC ideal for operators who reinvest proceeds into new inventory.

Platform 2: McSports Auctions

Fee structure:

• Fixed percentage commission (varies by agreement, typically 10-15%)

• No per-item listing fees

• Payout via check or direct deposit after auction close

Audience:

• Auction format — buyers bid competitively

• Good for cards with uncertain market value

• Works well for lower-value inventory that needs volume to move

• Less ideal for premium slabs where auction pressure can compress prices

Turnaround:

• Submission to auction: 2-4 weeks (batch scheduling)

• Auction runs 7-14 days

• Payout: 2-3 weeks after auction close

• Total cycle: 4-8 weeks from submission to cash

Best for: Tier C inventory (NAV under $40), cards that have been sitting 90+ days on COMC, and bulk lots. Never consign premium TAG 10 slabs here — auction dynamics can undervalue them.

Platform 3: TCGPlayer

Fee structure:

• 10% commission on final sale price

• $0.30 + 2.5% payment processing fee

• Seller pays shipping ($0.55-$1.22 per order)

• Direct deposit available for payouts

Audience:

• Largest TCG marketplace in North America

• Instant purchase format — no waiting for auction close

• Strong for raw singles, modern sets, and play-grade cards

• Graded slabs sell but the audience skews toward playable cards

Turnaround:

• Listing to sale: varies (can be same day or months)

• Sale to payout: 3-5 business days

• Total cycle: instantaneous to weeks, depending on pricing

Best for: Raw singles, low-grade slabs, and cards you need to move quickly. TCGPlayer is the fastest path to cash but has the highest effective fee load when shipping is included.

The Tiering Framework

Here's the decision tree for routing inventory:

• Tier A (NAV >$100, TAG 10): COMC fixed-price. Premium slabs need set-price exposure, not auction compression.

• Tier B (NAV $30-100, TAG 9/10): COMC first. If unsold after 90 days, move to TCGPlayer for faster turnover.

• Tier C (NAV <$40): McSports auction or TCGPlayer. Volume matters more than per-card margin here.

• Monopoly cards: COMC only. When you're the only listing, set-price control is everything. Never auction a monopoly position.

• Stale inventory (90+ days): Reprice and move to TCGPlayer, or bundle into McSports auction lots.

  
  

Net Proceeds Calculator

Let's say you have a TAG 10 Gengar ex with an estimated sale value of $80. Here's what you actually keep:

• COMC: $80 - $8.00 (10%) - $0.50 (processing) = $71.50 net (or $74.50 if you take store credit and save the $3 check fee)

• McSports: $80 - $12.00 (15% max) = $68.00 net (assuming auction hits estimate — could be lower)

• TCGPlayer: $80 - $8.00 (10%) - $2.30 (processing) - $0.55 (shipping) = $69.15 net

COMC wins on premium slabs by $2-6 per card. Across 50 cards per quarter, that's $100-300 in recovered margin.

When to Pull and Relist

A card sitting on one platform for 90+ days isn't a pricing problem — it might be a platform problem. The audience on COMC is different from the audience on TCGPlayer. If a card isn't moving:

• Check if competitors have undercut your price on the same platform

• Consider whether the card type matches the platform audience (playable vs. collectible)

• Pull and relist on a different platform with a fresh listing

• Bundle stale singles into auction lots for volume clearance

The platform is part of the product. Match the card to the audience.

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Disclaimer

This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or business advice. All examples, frameworks, and templates are provided as general guidance for trading card sellers. Always do your own research and consult a qualified professional before making business or financial decisions. BlueVioletPoke LLC and its authors are not liable for any losses or damages resulting from the use of this content.