What does the GradeThread buyer guarantee cover?

The Grade Accuracy Guarantee covers an item that arrives 'materially not as graded' on an area the certificate documented — where the actual condition is meaningfully worse than the certified grade and its disclosed defects. The certificate's structured disclosure (the documented flaws and the 1.0–10.0 grade across five factors), plus the coverage map showing which zones the photos documented, is the reference point. When an approved claim falls within that documented scope, we refund the grading fee and grant a free re-grade.

What does 'materially not as graded' mean?

A difference big enough to change the deal: a significant defect that wasn't disclosed on the certificate, or wear well beyond what the grade represents — on an area the certificate's photos actually documented. Normal, already-disclosed flaws and intentional design features (factory distressing, raw hems) are not covered, and neither are defects in zones the photos never showed (every certificate marks its coverage), because the grade never claimed to cover them.

How do I file a claim?

Open the item's certificate, note its certificate number, and submit a claim with your contact email, a description of how the item differs from its grade, and any supporting photo links. You don't need a GradeThread account. A reviewer compares your claim against the certified disclosure and coverage map and records a decision.

Does GradeThread issue refunds?

Yes — but specifically a grade-fee-back remedy, not item value. When a claim is approved and the issue falls on a documented area, GradeThread refunds the grading fee the seller paid and grants a free re-grade. We do not refund the item's purchase price or shipping — those are covered by the marketplace's buyer protection, which this guarantee complements rather than replaces. Our remedy is scoped to what we're responsible for: the accuracy of the grade.

Who can file — do I need an account?

Any buyer of a graded item can file, with no account required. We only collect the contact details and evidence needed to review the claim, and that information is kept private to the review process.

GradeThread-Verified Trust Promise

The buyer trust guarantee

A GradeThread grade is only as valuable as it is trustworthy. Our Grade Accuracy Guarantee makes the grade financially meaningful: if a graded item arrives materially not as graded on an area the certificate documented, we make it right — refund the grading fee and grant a free re-grade. You file a claim, and we review it against the exact, certified condition report the item was sold with.

What the guarantee covers

The guarantee applies to a graded item — one sold with a GradeThread certificate — that arrives in a condition meaningfully worse than the certificate represents. The certificate is the reference: it carries an objective 1.0–10.0 grade across five weighted factors and a structured disclosure of documented flaws. A claim succeeds when the item differs from that record in a way that materially affects the deal.

Anchored to the certificate

We judge every claim against the certified grade and its disclosed defects — not against opinion.

Independent mediation

A reviewer compares your evidence to the disclosure and records a decision with a written rationale.

Accountable grades

Confirmed misgrades feed grade review and our published accuracy reporting.

What “materially not as graded” means

“Material” means a difference large enough to change the deal — not a trivial discrepancy. In practice, a covered claim usually involves one of these:

An undisclosed defect. A significant flaw — a hole, stain, broken zipper, or structural damage — that does not appear in the certificate’s disclosed defects.
Condition well below the grade. Wear materially heavier than the assigned tier and factor scores represent.
A different item. The item received is not the item the certificate was issued for.

Not covered

Flaws already disclosed on the certificate, and intentional design features (factory distressing, raw hems, acid washes) graded as styling — these are documented before you buy. Defects in an undocumented area — a zone the seller’s photos never showed, marked on every certificate’s coverage map — are out of scope, since the grade never covered them. Buyer’s remorse, fit, the item’s purchase price and shipping, and changes that happen after delivery are also outside the guarantee.

How mediation works

1. File a claim. Open the item’s certificate, note its certificate number, and submit the claim form with your contact email, a description of the difference, and any supporting photo links. No account needed.
2. We review. A reviewer compares your claim against the certified disclosure — the grade, the factor breakdown, and the documented defects — and may follow up for more detail.
3. Decision & remedy. We record an approved or rejected decision with a written rationale. When a claim is approved and the issue falls on an area the certificate documented, we issue the remedy automatically: a refund of the grading fee plus a free re-grade. Approved claims also confirm a misgrade and feed our grade-review process.

The remedy: grade-fee-back + a free re-grade

When our grade was wrong on a documented area, we make it right by refunding the grading fee the seller paid and granting a free re-grade — that’s the cost of the grade we got wrong, back, plus a fresh look.

We do not refund the item’s purchase price or shipping — those stay with the marketplace’s buyer protection, which this guarantee complements rather than replaces. Our remedy is scoped to the thing we’re responsible for: the accuracy of the grade.

Coverage-gated. Every certificate shows how much of the garment the seller’s photos documented. The guarantee covers only the zones that were actually shown — a defect in an area the photos never documented is out of scope, because the grade never claimed to cover it. Full-coverage submissions earn the widest guarantee.

Buyer guarantee FAQ

What does the GradeThread buyer guarantee cover?: The Grade Accuracy Guarantee covers an item that arrives 'materially not as graded' on an area the certificate documented — where the actual condition is meaningfully worse than the certified grade and its disclosed defects. The certificate's structured disclosure (the documented flaws and the 1.0–10.0 grade across five factors), plus the coverage map showing which zones the photos documented, is the reference point. When an approved claim falls within that documented scope, we refund the grading fee and grant a free re-grade.
What does 'materially not as graded' mean?: A difference big enough to change the deal: a significant defect that wasn't disclosed on the certificate, or wear well beyond what the grade represents — on an area the certificate's photos actually documented. Normal, already-disclosed flaws and intentional design features (factory distressing, raw hems) are not covered, and neither are defects in zones the photos never showed (every certificate marks its coverage), because the grade never claimed to cover them.
How do I file a claim?: Open the item's certificate, note its certificate number, and submit a claim with your contact email, a description of how the item differs from its grade, and any supporting photo links. You don't need a GradeThread account. A reviewer compares your claim against the certified disclosure and coverage map and records a decision.
Does GradeThread issue refunds?: Yes — but specifically a grade-fee-back remedy, not item value. When a claim is approved and the issue falls on a documented area, GradeThread refunds the grading fee the seller paid and grants a free re-grade. We do not refund the item's purchase price or shipping — those are covered by the marketplace's buyer protection, which this guarantee complements rather than replaces. Our remedy is scoped to what we're responsible for: the accuracy of the grade.
Who can file — do I need an account?: Any buyer of a graded item can file, with no account required. We only collect the contact details and evidence needed to review the claim, and that information is kept private to the review process.

A grade you can stand behind

Sell with a verifiable certificate and a condition-backed guarantee — the strongest trust signal in resale.