Condition Guide

Exactly what every grade means — sneakers, sealed product, singles and apparel.

How to read our condition grades

Every item is graded before it's listed, and anything beyond the standard for its grade is photographed and called out in the product description. If you want more detail on a specific item, ask us before you buy — we'll send photos.

Sneakers

Grade What it means
Deadstock (DS / BNIB) Brand new in box, never worn, all accessories included. The box itself may have minor warehouse wear.
Very Near Deadstock (VNDS) Tried on or worn briefly indoors only. No visible wear on the uppers or sole. Box included.
Used / Pre-Owned Worn. Condition described and photographed individually for each pair. May or may not include the original box.

Minor factory flaws — glue marks, slight stitching irregularities, small paint imperfections — are normal on sneakers and are not treated as faults. Scuffs and dents on the shoe box are also normal in transit; where a box arrives to us with significant damage, we say so on the listing before you buy.

Sealed Pokémon TCG

Grade What it means
Factory Sealed — Mint Original manufacturer shrink wrap. No dings, dents or shelf wear. Display-grade for the collector market.
Factory Sealed — Near Mint Original manufacturer shrink wrap. Very minor shelf wear possible — slight corner dings, faint creasing — but no dents.
Factory Sealed — Light Damage Shrink wrap intact, but visible outer-box damage: dents, scuffs, creasing. Always disclosed and photographed. The cards inside are unaffected.
Pre-Owned (opened) The box has been opened. Contents disclosed individually. Not graded as sealed.

Pokémon TCG singles

Code Grade What it means
NM Near Mint Pack-fresh or close to it. Sharp corners, no scratches, no edge whitening.
LP Lightly Played Minor wear on close inspection — slight edge whitening or surface scuffs.
MP Moderately Played Visible wear: corner whitening, surface scratches, light creasing.
HP Heavily Played Significant wear: corner damage, edge whitening, creasing, scratches. The card is intact and usable.
DMG Damaged Major wear: bends, creases, water damage, ink marks or similar.

Graded singles

Graded cards are sold by their slab grade — PSA 10, PSA 9, BGS 9.5, CGC 10 and so on. The slab is photographed and the grade on it is the source of truth. We do not crack slabs.

Apparel

Apparel is brand new with original packaging and tags unless the listing says otherwise. Archive pieces are described individually, and any flaw is photographed.

If it doesn't match

If an item arrives in a condition we didn't disclose, email support@theretailer.com.au within 7 days of delivery with photos and your order number. See the returns policy for what happens next.

Still need a hand?

Message us on Instagram or email support@theretailer.com.au — we answer every message within 24 hours.

Contact us

Last updated 19 August 2026