POCKET PALS CARD GRADING
ALPHA TERMS OF SERVICE

Last Revised: August 7, 2026

These Alpha Terms of Service (the "Terms") govern use of https://pocketpalsgrading.com and the alpha card-submission, grading, authentication, imaging, encapsulation, certification, support, and related services offered by Big Data 5 Inc., doing business as Pocket Pals Card Grading ("Pocket Pals", "we", "us", or "our").

The alpha website does not currently require customer accounts. By accessing the website, creating a submission, sending a card or other collectible to Pocket Pals, paying a return-shipping invoice, or otherwise using the Services, you agree to these Terms.

If you do not understand or agree to these Terms, do not use the Services or send items to Pocket Pals.

1. WHO MAY USE THE SERVICES

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. If you are under the age of majority where you live, you may use the Services only with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian.

A parent or guardian who permits a minor to use the Services accepts responsibility for the minor's submission, shipping, payments, communications, and compliance with these Terms.

Pocket Pals currently accepts submissions worldwide, subject to applicable law, carrier availability, customs requirements, operational limitations, and our right to decline a submission.

Customers are responsible for complying with laws, customs rules, import/export requirements, duties, taxes, and carrier requirements applicable to their location.

2. ALPHA SUBMISSION SYSTEM

The alpha website uses a submission form rather than customer accounts. You must provide accurate, current, complete, and non-misleading information when creating a submission.

Each alpha submission is currently limited to a maximum of 10 cards.

After a successful submission, Pocket Pals generates a unique submission number. You must print the confirmation or packing slip and place it inside the package with the cards.

Cards received without a valid submission number or sufficient identifying information may be delayed, held while we attempt to identify the owner, or returned at the owner's expense where reasonably possible.

You are responsible for keeping your email address, telephone number (if provided), return address, card information, and declared values accurate.

Pocket Pals is not responsible for delay, misdelivery, added expense, or inability to contact you caused by incorrect or incomplete information you provide.

3. GRADING, AUTHENTICATION, AND ACCEPTED CARDS

Pocket Pals provides trading-card grading, authentication review, imaging, measurement, condition assessment, labeling, encapsulation, certification, quality control, and related services.

The exact process used may vary by card type and by the capabilities available during the alpha program.

Pocket Pals intends to accept a broad range of trading cards and custom or novelty cards at launch.

Acceptance of a card for review does not guarantee that the card will receive a numerical grade, authenticity determination, certification, or encapsulation.

A card may receive a non-numerical designation, custom/novelty designation, altered designation, counterfeit/questionable designation, or may be returned without encapsulation when appropriate.

Pocket Pals may decline to grade or encapsulate an item that is unsafe, contaminated, outside supported dimensions, materially altered, damaged beyond safe encapsulation, prohibited by law, suspected to be stolen, or otherwise unsuitable for the Services.

A Pocket Pals grade is a professional opinion concerning condition at the time of inspection.

Grading may involve judgment, and another grader, company, collector, marketplace, or buyer may reach a different conclusion.

A grade does not guarantee present or future value, resale price, liquidity, marketplace acceptance, or a matching grade from another grading service.

4. SUBMISSION PREPARATION AND SHIPPING TO POCKET PALS

You are responsible for safely preparing, packaging, and shipping cards to Pocket Pals.

You are responsible for selecting the inbound carrier, shipping service, tracking, packaging method, and any insurance you choose to purchase.

The official alpha submission address is:

Pocket Pals Card Grading
1760 W 2nd Ave
Office 101
Vancouver, BC V6J 1H6
Canada

You should retain tracking records, proof of shipment, proof of ownership where available, and clear photographs or video showing the front and back of each submitted card and the condition of the package immediately before shipment.

Risk of loss, theft, delay, misdelivery, customs seizure, or damage while cards are in the custody of an inbound third-party carrier remains with the card owner.

A carrier tracking event stating "delivered" does not by itself mean the package has completed Pocket Pals intake.

5. INTAKE AND HANDLING

After a package reaches Pocket Pals, we may open it, photograph or record the opening, count and identify the cards, compare them with the submission record, document visible condition, assign intake statuses, and contact you regarding discrepancies.

Pocket Pals may create and retain photographs, scans, measurements, notes, package-opening records, and other documentation for grading, authentication, quality control, certification, fraud prevention, dispute handling, training, research, and improvement of the Services.

6. ALPHA GRADING FEE AND RETURN-SHIPPING PAYMENT

Qualifying submissions accepted during the alpha program currently have a $0 grading fee.

There is no required grading payment for a qualifying alpha submission.

Customers remain responsible for inbound shipping and for all applicable return-shipping costs.

After grading is complete and the cards are ready to be returned, Pocket Pals will send the customer an invoice or payment request for return shipping.

Cards may be held until applicable return-shipping charges are paid.

Return shipping may be offered through Canada Post, UPS, FedEx, or another carrier reasonably selected or made available by Pocket Pals.

Available services, rates, delivery estimates, signature options, tracking, customs charges, duties, taxes, and other carrier charges may vary by destination.

Unless otherwise stated, amounts quoted by Pocket Pals are in Canadian dollars (CAD).

Any payment method or processor available for an invoice will be shown when payment is requested.

Pocket Pals may change, limit, suspend, or end the alpha program, including the $0 grading offer, at any time for future submissions.

Any charge that will become the customer's responsibility will be disclosed before that charge is incurred or collected.

7. RETURN SHIPPING

Completed items will be returned to the return address provided by the customer unless Pocket Pals agrees to another address in writing.

Customers are responsible for ensuring the return address is complete and accurate.

Third-party carriers are independent businesses.

Pocket Pals does not control or guarantee carrier performance, tracking accuracy, delivery dates, customs processing, routing, signature practices, claims decisions, or package security after a shipment is handed to a carrier.

The card owner is responsible for deciding whether to purchase or request insurance or additional carrier coverage where such options are available.

Pocket Pals does not act as an insurer and does not provide insurance or guarantee reimbursement for loss or damage unless Pocket Pals expressly agrees to specific written coverage for a particular submission.

8. RISK OF LOSS; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

You acknowledge that sending collectible cards involves risks, including loss, theft, physical damage, environmental damage, delay, misdelivery, carrier error, customs action, and changes in market value.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the card owner assumes the risk associated with shipping cards to Pocket Pals and shipping cards back from Pocket Pals through third-party carriers.

Pocket Pals is not responsible for acts or omissions of Canada Post, UPS, FedEx, customs authorities, postal operators, or other third parties.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Pocket Pals and Big Data 5 Inc., together with their directors, officers, employees, contractors, agents, affiliates, and service providers, will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages; lost profits; lost opportunity; emotional distress; loss of use; loss of goodwill; market-value changes; or other consequential economic loss arising from or related to the Services or submitted cards.

Pocket Pals does not guarantee that a slab will prevent every form of damage or deterioration, or that every defect, alteration, or authenticity issue will be detected.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability, warranty, remedy, or consumer right that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

Any broader waiver or limitation is effective only to the maximum extent permitted by law.

9. CUSTOM AND NOVELTY CARDS

Pocket Pals may accept custom, novelty, photograph, artist-made, or otherwise non-standard cards for review or encapsulation.

Unless Pocket Pals expressly states otherwise for a particular item, acceptance of a custom or novelty card does not mean the item has been authenticated as an officially manufactured trading card.

Pocket Pals may use a label or designation such as "Custom", "Novelty", "Not Authenticated", or another appropriate description to prevent confusion.

A customer must not use Pocket Pals branding, labels, certification numbers, or slabs to misrepresent a custom or novelty item as an officially manufactured or authenticated trading card.

If you provide photographs, artwork, names, logos, text, or other content in connection with a custom item, you represent that you have the rights and permissions necessary for Pocket Pals to receive, reproduce, process, photograph, display internally, label, and encapsulate that content for the requested service.

10. CERTIFICATION, IMAGES, AND PUBLIC RECORDS

A graded or encapsulated card may receive a unique certification number and may later be connected to a digital grading report, card images, condition information, subgrades, population information, a QR code, or a public certification-verification page.

Pocket Pals may make card-related certification information public, including certification number, card identity, assigned grade or designation, card images, grading information, population information, and certification status.

Pocket Pals will not intentionally publish personal contact, payment, or shipping information as part of a public certification record.

Pocket Pals may deactivate or correct a certification record if the slab or label is counterfeit or tampered with, the card is removed or replaced, the certification was issued in error, fraud is suspected, or deactivation is reasonably necessary to protect the integrity of the certification system.

11. PRIVACY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Pocket Pals processes personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy.

By providing an email address or telephone number, you authorize Pocket Pals to contact you regarding your submission, intake, grading, authentication, discrepancies, return-shipping invoice, payment, shipping, support, legal or policy notices, and other administrative matters.

The alpha service does not require a customer account.

Customer support and formal dispute communications may be sent to support@pocketpalsgrading.com .

12. SERVICE AVAILABILITY AND CHANGES

The alpha Services are experimental and may contain errors, be incomplete, change without notice, experience interruptions, or be temporarily unavailable.

Pocket Pals may modify its grading processes, standards, website, submission requirements, accepted card types, slabs, labels, turnaround estimates, shipping options, reports, and alpha program terms for future submissions.

Any turnaround time or completion estimate is an estimate only unless Pocket Pals expressly provides a written guarantee for a particular submission.

Delays may result from volume, card type, research, equipment, staffing, supplies, quality control, customer response time, shipping, customs, or other operational circumstances.

13. PROHIBITED USE

You may not use the Services to commit fraud, submit stolen property, knowingly misrepresent counterfeit property as authentic, interfere with the website or submission system, introduce malicious code, falsify grading reports, copy or counterfeit Pocket Pals slabs or labels, create false certification numbers, misuse another person's information, harass staff or customers, or violate applicable law.

14. GOVERNING LAW; EXCLUSIVE VANCOUVER FORUM

These Terms and any dispute, claim, proceeding, or controversy arising from or relating to the Services, a submission, a card, grading, authentication, shipping, payment, certification, or these Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the applicable federal laws of Canada, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except to the extent mandatory law provides otherwise.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and agree that any lawsuit, claim, proceeding, or other court action against Pocket Pals or Big Data 5 Inc. must be commenced and maintained only in those courts.

Before starting formal proceedings, you agree to send a written dispute notice to support@pocketpalsgrading.com and make a good-faith effort to resolve the matter informally.

The notice should identify the customer, submission number (if applicable), relevant certification number (if applicable), the issue, supporting information, and the requested resolution.

Nothing in this section overrides a mandatory consumer-protection, small-claims, jurisdictional, or other legal right that cannot lawfully be waived or restricted in the customer's jurisdiction.

15. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Pocket Pals or its licensors own the Pocket Pals Card Grading website content, branding, logos, slab and label designs, grading reports, certification system, software, databases, grading and measurement methods, graphics, text, images created by Pocket Pals, and other proprietary materials, subject to third-party rights in submitted card artwork and trademarks.

Third-party trading-card names, artwork, game titles, manufacturers, logos, sets, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.

Pocket Pals is not necessarily affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by those third parties.

16. GENERAL TERMS

If a provision of these Terms is found unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, it will be limited or removed only to the extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue in effect.

A failure by Pocket Pals to enforce a provision is not a waiver of the right to enforce that provision later.

Pocket Pals may assign these Terms as part of a merger, sale, financing, reorganization, corporate restructuring, or transfer of business assets.

Pocket Pals may update these Terms for future use of the Services. The current version will display a Last Revised date.

Your continued use of the Services after revised Terms become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms, subject to applicable law.

17. CONTACT INFORMATION