The downtown store has twelve copies of a popular single. The north store has none and has already turned away two customers. Moving four copies sounds simple until one store subtracts them before the other confirms receipt and the company temporarily loses track of the cards.
A transfer should preserve custody from source count to destination placement.
Create the transfer before packing
Example transfer request:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Transfer | TR-118 |
| From | Downtown |
| To | North |
| Items | 4 Near Mint copies, Set A, collector 144 |
| Source location | Case Backstock, Box HV-3 |
| Requested by | North manager |
| Approved by | Inventory manager |
| Needed by | Friday, 3 p.m. |
The request should identify exact cards or fungible quantity, not "some copies of the blue card."
Count and pack at the source
The source employee should confirm:
- identity, printing, language, finish, and condition;
- quantity physically present;
- source storage location;
- any serial, grading, or high-value identifiers;
- packaging or tote ID;
- employee and time packed.
If only three qualifying copies are found, ship three and record the one-copy short pack. Do not mark four sent because four were requested.
Use an in-transit state
Once the tote leaves Downtown, the cards are no longer available for sale there. They are also not yet available at North.
Use a transfer state such as:
- requested;
- approved;
- packed;
- in transit;
- partially received;
- received;
- cancelled.
Do not add four to North while leaving four saleable at Downtown. That creates eight apparent copies from four physical cards.
Confirm custody during transport
For employee-carried transfers, record:
- tote or package ID;
- employee taking custody;
- departure time;
- expected destination and arrival;
- sealed or counted condition when appropriate.
For a carrier, retain the tracking reference and shipment time. Avoid putting unnecessary card values or customer information on an external label.
Receive by actual count
North opens the tote and finds three correct copies plus one Lightly Played copy.
Receiving should record:
| Result | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Expected Near Mint | 4 |
| Received Near Mint | 3 |
| Condition mismatch | 1 Lightly Played |
| Missing | 0 physical cards, 1 NM variance |
The receiver should not mark four Near Mint copies received and fix condition later. Accept the three correct copies, hold the mismatch, and create an exception tied to TR-118.
Place before making available
Received cards may still be in a transfer tote. Use a receiving or staged state until they reach their destination row or case.
Example destination:
North > Sales Floor > High-Value Case > Drawer 2
The three Near Mint copies become available after placement. The Lightly Played copy goes to condition review.
Reconcile both locations
After the transfer:
- Downtown on-hand Near Mint decreases by 4 when custody leaves;
- North on-hand Near Mint increases by 3 when correct receipt is confirmed;
- one card remains in transfer exception / condition review;
- the transfer shows requested 4, shipped 4, received-as-requested 3, exception 1.
The company still owns all four physical cards throughout, but saleable location and condition change with custody.
Use this transfer checklist
- Exact item or quantity scope:
- Source location and count:
- Destination and need-by time:
- Approval:
- Packed quantity and employee:
- Tote / package / tracking ID:
- In-transit custody:
- Received quantity by identity and condition:
- Missing, damaged, or mismatched items:
- Destination placement:
- Both location balances reconciled:
- Exception owner and due time:
A transfer is complete when the destination can find and sell the received cards, the source no longer promises them, and every mismatch still has an owner.