Bettendorf company that kept client's trading cards promises return

A collectible card company in Bettendorf says it's well on the way to resolving the complaints that led to a Better Business Bureau alert against it.

Global Authority in Bettendorf started offering a free trading-card grading service in May 2010. Collectors were invited to submit trading cards for a free grading and valuation.

Once the service was performed, customers were to receive an automated email that offered options for the return or special packaging of the cards in certified sleeves or encapsulated holders.

Card traders began complaining to the Better Business Bureau after months went by without hearing from the company, and some customers said Global Authority did not respond to their demands to return the cards.

Global Authority CEO Demian Werner said Friday that "We apologize, and everything is going to be shipped out by the 29th (of August)."

He said the company is working with the Iowa Attorney General's Office to address the complaints, but he is not working with the Better Business Bureau because of disagreement with its process.

Werner said that because of the economy, the company was not able to staff the service adequately and a backlog of ungraded cards developed during a period when he was away from the business on other matters. He said the issue could have been avoided by better communication with customers.

"We're at fault for being poor communicators," he said.

The company will no longer offer the free grading service to the general public and instead will it limit it to pre-approved customers.