** GROUP CASE BREAK RULES/GUIDELINES - Read Before Posting!! **

[blowoutcards]

Please read through this post carefully if you are interested in participating in any Group Case Breaks.



General Rules and Guidelines:

- Host must be at least 21 years of age at time of submitting the Group Break. (Appropriate identification/verification will be required)

- Host must have been an active member of the forums for at least 12 months and must have good standing in iTrader feedback or equivalent (eBay, past order history, etc...)

- Host must have 50 iTrader with at least 25 from sales/trades

- All cases for Group Breaks must be purchased through Blowout Cards.

- New hosts may have only one break consisting of one case open at a time

- New hosts may not run any group break clubs. Veteran hosts (at the discretion of the admins/mods) may have one active group break club.

- All participants of the break must be a member of the Blowout Cards Message Board. (this means no YouTube group breaks or breaks hosted elsewhere.)

- All cards must be shipped after each break. Hosts may not keep cards back to ship later even if requested. (This does not include base as long as it was decided not to ship base in advance.)

- At this time breakers.tv/vaughn.tv is not an approved hosting venue because it does not yet have the ability to record and save the video. If you use breakerstv, you must also broadcast simultaneously on another site like ustream where your video is being recorded.

- Hosts participation in their own break: Previously, this was only allowed in the monthly club breaks. Now that hosts are live streaming the entire Group Break, we've decided to allow hosts to participate in their own break. With mods performing randoms and breaks being streamed live and recorded, the Group Breaks are now very transparent and this will allow more "case-splitting" or "case-sharing" type of breaks. These requirements listed below must be met before a host is eligible to join their own break:
* Host must stream the entire break live with more than 1 of the participants watching.
* Host must have completed 3 breaks successfully and without major issues.
* Video of live stream must be kept on file with ustream for 45 days after the break is moved to completed.
* As with all other breaks, randoms must be performed by a mod or admin.
Please contact us if you aren't sure you qualify.

- Be careful whenever you engage in any personal transaction online, whether here or at any other online venue. Please do your due diligence and protect yourself by sending Online Payments as goods (not gift) and fund the payment with a credit card to be fully protected. Blowout Cards is not responsible for any failed transactions between members. However, we have these rules in place to help protect our members. Use caution and Report any suspicious activity to us right away!

- We recommend that breaks be kept to sealed case products. This lessens the risk of not getting any projected case hits.

- We reserve the right to limit the number of active breaks by a host at our discretion.

- Only certain formats are allowed: Team, Slot, Slot w/team, Player (view past breaks for examples).

- All slots in the break must be awarded a card. No slots may be shut out.

- Hosts are encouraged to limit any potential profit to approximately 10% of the Group Break's product price.


Stage 1 - Post a new Group Break in the Testing Waters area.

- New threads in the Join New Group Breaks Here Forum will not be visible to the public until the break details are reviewed by an Admin/Mod. If you don't see your thread within a few days, it means that it hasn't been released...Please DO NOT Post Again or send PM's as notification emails are sent to the moderators.

- If the pricing and format are within the guidelines, the host will be asked to submit proof of age to us. Once that is completed, the Group Break will be open to the public and members may reserve slots with the host. Please note that although hosts do go through a preliminary approval process, participants should still do their own due diligence and only join if they are comfortable with dealing with the host.

- Be advised that prices do change daily. At this point, the case price has not been quoted and the price has not been locked in (this happens when the break actually fills and is moved to active in the next step). It is the host's responsibility to check the website and keep up to date on the pricing for the product. If the break takes longer than a few days to fill or if you feel the pricing on the product may change soon, please contact us to lock in the price now. Otherwise you incur the risk of price changes or sell outs on that product.

- When submitting a new group break, you must include a breakdown of the costs. Failure to do so will result in the break automatically being deleted and not reviewed. The more detail given, the easier and faster your group break may be opened.

Example:

$2800.00 for a 18 Box Case 2008 Topps Triple Threads Baseball Hobby
Divided by # of Slots

$2800/38= $73.68 Direct Slot Cost

+ $0.50 Supplies (Sleeves, Toploads, Padded Mailer, Shipping Label)
+ $3.00 Projected Shipping

$77.18 Subtotal

+ $2.54 Online Payment Fees (Online Payment fees are 2.9% +.030; $77.18 x 0.029 + $0.30)

$79.72 total

$79.50 Group Break Slot Price, additional slots @ $77.50

- No more than 2 breaks per 7 day period can be submitted per perspective host.

- DO NOT begin collecting payments or post your Online Payment/email address until the break is official and has been moved to the "Active/Open Breaks" section. Failure to do so will result in suspensions. Please see below for steps to move the Group Break to active.

- Once the break has been filled, proceed to Stage 2 below.


Stage 2 - Move a new Group Break to the Active area.

- When the break is full, Host must "report" the thread to notify us that the break is ready to be moved and to get a price quote. An order will be created to lock in the product at the quoted price and the Host will receive the order number which will be posted in the thread. The Break will then be moved over to the Active section.

- Host may now post his Online Payment email and begin to accept payments.

- Once payments have been accepted, arrange payment for the order that was created. Hosts should avoid any situation where the money is held for any time longer than necessary. If the product is a presell, do not hold the money until the product is live; once payment is received in full, pay for the order in full (use your better judgment as well. If you've received all but 1 payment, do not hold the money for weeks until you receive the last payment. You can send us partial payments if necessary.)

- When sending an Online Payment to the host, protect yourself by sending as goods (not gift) and fund the payment with a credit card to be fully protected. While you may save the host (and yourself) some money by sending it as a "gift", you may eliminate your chance of filing a claim/dispute/chargeback should the need arise.

- The Host should post the order number and tracking in the first post when available. Please keep your members updated and give reasonable notice for any changes.

- Randomization must be performed by a mod/admin unless permission for a host run random is given by Blowout. Please report the post to ask for a randomization.

- Host run randoms are subject to specific rules: http://www.blowoutcards.com/forums/g...ml#post5745684

- Host must use delivery/signature confirmation on all shipments.

- Break must be streamed live/continuously and recorded for future viewing. All breaks must be broadcast/recorded in HD (720 or better). You are limited somewhat by the broadcast - ustream or breakerstv may not actually stream HD; however, an HD camera will still show perfectly clear on these sites. Nice USB HD cameras are very affordable. (houdini recommends: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/produc...c930e-business)

- All of the product should be in view at all times during the live streaming. This will eliminate any doubts and concerns about swapping boxes/packs and any other similar issues. It may be difficult to choose a camera angle that allows this, but it can be done. Please show the case seal (top and bottom) in the beginning and from that point on, leave all the boxes and packs in view of the camera. Here is a link of a Blowout TV break that shows a good example of how to follow this rule http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FROiZ...B4A17412A3B9E7


- Monitor your chatroom at all times. If any participant wishes to see another view (or close up) of a seal, you should oblige them - this is true for case, box, pack... everything. Also, be willing to show each individual box of a case if the participants request it. In any highend break, you should show all seals of every box and inner box (like National Treasures, Dynasty, Flawless, Immaculate, etc).


- Be advised that prices do change daily. Once you gauge the interest, purchase your case first before you intend on doing the group break. Otherwise you incur the risk of price changes or sell outs on that product.


"Live Draft" Breaks -------------------------

- If a "live draft" style of break is being held (participants choose players, teams, etc. rather than having them randomly assigned), the slot selection process must be performed exclusively on the Blowoutcards forums. Ustream will also be allowed under certain conditions: 1) There are too many participants to have the draft posted directly in the forums. 2) The participants' ustream IDs are posted beforehand to verify his identity. 3) The chat is recorded as the video stream so that there is a record of the draft.

- The host shall provide his/her default player rankings for the product. The rankings need to be posted in the first post of the initial group break thread.

- The host must set a time/date for the "live draft" to take place once the break is approved. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required for the draft date/time. If a participant cannot make it to the "live" draft time/date then he/she needs to submit a ranking of players to the host. If the participant does not submit a ranking of players, then the host's rankings will be used to make the selections for the missing participant.

--------------------------------------------------


Stage 3 - Move Group Break to Completed area

- Once your break has been completed and sufficient time has elapsed for the packages to arrive the host must "report" the break thread so that the mods/admins can move the thread to the completed section.


Failure to follow these rules and other requests by moderators will result in suspension/termination of Group Break host privileges.


-----------------------------------------------

Host run randoms:

To get approval, a host would only need to meet a few prerequisites:


- Must have been a host for more than 1 year with more than 10+ completed breaks without any issues.


- Must have screen capture software that works with ustream

- Must have successfully posted a test random

Rules for host run randoms:

- Must be stated clearly in the OP of the break that the host will run the random prior to accepting sign ups

- Host must give at least 1 hour's notice prior to random to allow all participants to view the random live

- Video must be saved on ustream and posted in thread. Video must remain saved on ustream until the break is moved to completed by a mod.

www.blowoutcards.com/forums/group-case-breaks/587669-host-run-randoms-tutorial-screencast-tutorial.html

[admin_blowoutcards]

Rules updated! Please Read if you plan on hosting or participating in a Group Break

[iluvfish2]

Rules updated based on recent feedback and discussions regarding Online Payments.

- When sending a Online Payment, mark the payment as "goods". While you may save the host (and yourself) some money by sending it as a "gift", you eliminate your chance of filing a claim/dispute/chargeback.

[iluvfish2]

Guys please take a look at the rules as they have been updated.

You MUST include a price breakdown with all group breaks (this should save some PM's from mods to hosts and speed up the approval process).

2ndly given the problems we have been having, if you start accepting payments for your group break before it is moved from testing waters to approved you will be punished. Effective immedatly starting punishments will be 30 day bans from hosting group breaks and may go as far as break cancelations. This is becoming a big issue and multiple users have been warned. This is one of the ways we have to help keep the moderators in tune with what is happening on the forums.

This is a very simple thing to avoid. Once the break is full, all the host needs to do is "report a post" (its the little red triangle at the lower left of every post) and ask that it be moved. By reporting the post, all moderators will recieve notification and it should be moved shortly.

[iluvfish2]

- No more than 2 breaks per 7 day period can be submitted per perspective host.

Rules updated. Group Break Hosts.....Please read the rules! In the past 2 weeks there have been over a dozen new breaks submitted and most are not following the rules set in place.

[otmack2o]

This has been added to the group break rules:

Originally Posted by Rules

Once your break has been completed and sufficient time has elapsed for the packages to arrive the host must "report" the break thread so that the mods/admins can move the thread to the completed section.

Hosts, please make sure to do this for all breaks that you host. If you have old breaks out there that can be moved please "report" them so that they can be moved and the Active section can be cleaned up. Thank you!

[iluvfish2]

A quick repost so that hopefully these will be reread and followed. There were multiple breaks this morning that did not follow this basic request and were not approved. Break requests do not have to have as throughout as a breakdown as it included as an example, but the more info you provide, the easier it is to check numbers and mor than likely the quicker your break will be approved and/or posted.


"- When submitting for a group break, you must include a breakdown of the costs. Failure to do so will result in the break automatically being deleted and not reivewed. The more detail given, the easier and faster your group break may be approved.

Example:
- $2800.00 for a 18 Box Case 2008 Topps Triple Threads Baseball Hobby
------- 38 Divided by Slots
- ----------
---- 73.68 Direct Slot Cost
------ .50 Supplies (Sleeves, Toploads, Padded Mailer, Shipping Label
----- 3.00 Projected Shipping
- ----------
---- 77.18 Subtotal
----- 1.03 Multiplied Online Payment Factor (Online Payment fees are 1.029% +.030)
- ----------
---- 79.50 Group Break Slot Price, additional slots @ 77.50

[iluvfish2]

Updated example since Online Payment fees have changed.

[iluvfish2]

Another reminder to please submit with a full breakdown. Breaks will not be reviewed without this!

- When submitting for a group break, you must include a breakdown of the costs. Failure to do so will result in the break automatically being deleted and not reivewed. The more detail given, the easier and faster your group break may be approved.

Example:
- $2800.00 for a 18 Box Case 2008 Topps Triple Threads Baseball Hobby
------- 38 Divided by Slots
- ----------
---- 73.68 Direct Slot Cost
------ .50 Supplies (Sleeves, Toploads, Padded Mailer, Shipping Label)
----- 3.00 Projected Shipping
- ----------
---- 77.18 Subtotal
----- 2.54 Multiplied Online Payment Factor (Online Payment fees are 2.9% +.030)
- ----------
------79.72 total
- ----------
---- 79.50 Group Break Slot Price, additional slots @ 77.50

[admin_blowoutcards]

The Group Break rules/guidelines have been updated. Please review thoroughly before participating in a Group Break. A few of the noted changes include requiring the host to submit some form of identification to verify age qualifications and to obtain a price quote and order number as verification that the product is purchased through Blowout Cards. Please be patient as we transition current and new breaks to the updated rules/guidelines.

[admin_blowoutcards]

There has been a lot of discussion in our forum about group breaks and reasonable profits. After a detailed review, we've updated the rules/guidelines. Hosts are encouraged to limit any potential profit to approximately 10% of the Group Break's product price. Slot pricing calculations and terms of the break will be posted as always, and participants can review and join at their own discretion.

[blowoutcardsadmin]

We have updated the group break rules for new hosts:

General Rules and Guidelines:

- Host must have been an active member of the forums for at least 12 months and must have good standing in iTrader feedback or equivalent (eBay, past order history, etc...)

- Host must have 50 iTrader with at least 25 from sales/trades

- New hosts may have only one break consisting of one case open at a time

- New hosts may not run any group break clubs. Veteran hosts (at the discretion of the admins/mods) may have one active group break club.

- All cards must be shipped after each break. Hosts may not keep cards back to ship later even if requested. (This does not include base as long as it was decided not to ship base in advance.)

- At this time vaughn.tv is not an approved hosting venue because it does not yet have the ability to record and save the video. If you use vaughn, you must also broadcast simultaneously on another site like ustream where your video is being recorded.

[blowoutcardsadmin]

To get approval, a host would only need to meet a few prerequisites:

- Must have the "Approved Group Break Host" title from Blowout.

- Must have screen capture software that works with ustream

- Must have successfully posted a test random

Rules for host run randoms:

- Must be stated clearly in the OP of the break that the host will run the random prior to accepting sign ups

- Host must give at least 1 hour's notice prior to random to allow all participants to view the random live

- Video must be saved on ustream and posted in thread. Video must remain saved on ustream until the break is moved to completed by a mod.

[houdini]

Host run randoms tutorial & screencast tutorial

[blowoutcardsadmin]

Randoms will be performed on random.org whenever possible.

Clearly if random.org is down, another random site like alphabetizer.flap.tv may be used.