ProxyMTG is a print-on-demand service. That means each order is produced after you place it, and while we aim for consistent, high-quality results, there can be small differences from run to run. This page explains what’s normal, what’s not, and what we’ll do if something arrives wrong.
Quick Summary
Minor variations can happen with print-on-demand.
True defects are rare—but if they happen, we’ll make it right.
If your order arrives damaged, misprinted, or unusable, contact us and we’ll review and resolve quickly.
1) What “normal variation” means (and why it happens)
These are common, acceptable variations in print-on-demand trading cards that do not usually affect sleeved play:
Minor alignment variance (slight front centering differences)
Small color shifts between print runs (brightness/contrast/tones can vary)
Minor cut tolerance variance (small differences in edge position)
Surface/finish variance (slight differences in sheen, texture, or gloss level)
Printed “holo stamp” style graphics (if included) may vary slightly in clarity/contrast because they are printed ink, not a physical foil stamp
Sleeves change perception. Many customers find that minor alignment or finish variance becomes much less noticeable when cards are sleeved and shuffled in a normal deck.
2) What counts as a defect (eligible for resolution)
A “defect” is something that makes a card damaged, unreadable, unusable, or clearly incorrect compared to what you ordered.
Examples of defects include:
Print defects
Major misprints (missing elements, wrong card face, wrong back)
Severe blurring/pixelation that makes text unreadable
Significant color banding or streaking
Large ink smears or transfer marks
Cut/size defects
Cards cut to the wrong size (noticeably inconsistent vs the rest)
Severe off-center cuts that intrude into borders/text in a way that’s clearly wrong
Physical damage to edges beyond normal handling tolerance
Damage in transit
Water damage
Bent/crushed cards due to packaging failure
Tears or punctures
Order accuracy defects
Wrong quantity vs what you paid for
Missing items
3) What is not considered a defect
To reduce confusion, these situations are typically not eligible under the Quality Guarantee unless they rise to the defect threshold above:
“I expected it to match my authentic card exactly” (print-on-demand proxies vary by nature)
Minor alignment differences that don’t intrude on text/borders in a major way
Slight color differences vs your screen (screens vary widely)
Minor surface specks or tiny marks that do not affect readability/use
Damage caused by customer handling after delivery
“Taste” issues (e.g., preference for brighter/darker print) unless it’s clearly a severe print error
4) Our Quality Guarantee (what we’ll do)
If your order arrives with a qualifying defect, we’ll do one of the following after review:
Reprint / replacement (most common)
Partial refund (if only a subset of cards are affected and you want to keep the rest)
Full refund (rare, usually for severe issues affecting the entire order)
We decide the resolution method based on the defect type and what’s fastest and fairest for you.
5) How to report an issue (fastest path to a fix)
To help us resolve quickly, email us within the window below with:
Order number
A short description of the issue
Photos (required for most quality claims):
one photo of the full order / stack
close-up photos of the affected cards
photo of packaging if shipping damage occurred
Where to send: [email protected]
6) Time window for quality claims
Please contact us within 14 days of delivery for quality issues or transit damage. If something seems off, reach out right away—waiting makes it harder to verify and fix.
7) Contact
Email: [email protected]
Contact page: https://proxymtg.com/contact-us/