Sealed vs No Shrink vs Damaged box, explained
Japanese booster boxes are sold in three conditions on the market: shrink-wrapped ("sealed"), no shrink, and damaged box. Here is what each term means, what it says about the packs inside, how we check and guarantee them, and which one to pick depending on whether you resell sealed product or open packs.
- Sealed (shrink-wrapped)
- No Shrink
- Damaged box
- Which to buy
- Authenticity guarantee
- Shipping from Japan
Sealed (shrink-wrapped)
A sealed box is a complete booster box with the factory shrink wrap intact. It is the standard product for resale: buyers can see the wrap has not been opened, and it is the condition our full authenticity guarantee is written for. In our shop these are listed simply as Box (Pokémon, ONE PIECE) and dispatch in 2–3 business days after payment.
One thing shrink wrap does not tell you is whether the box inside is pristine. Japanese boxes are shipped and stored in cartons and can have light shelf wear on the corners under the wrap; that is normal for sealed product and is not a defect.
No Shrink
A No Shrink box is a complete booster box that ships without the factory shrink wrap. Boxes come to the Japanese market this way for several reasons: shops open the wrap to check contents or to display the box, distributors remove it for certain products, and some are opened for authentication. The booster packs inside stay factory sealed and are never opened.
Because the wrap is gone, we authenticate every No Shrink box before it ships: the shrink is removed if it was still partly on, and both side flaps of the box are opened so the contents can be verified. That check verifies authenticity only, and it is why No Shrink boxes take 5–7 business days to dispatch, a little longer than sealed boxes. They are listed separately as Pokémon Boxes (No Shrink) and are usually priced below the sealed box of the same set. If you need the box with the original shrink wrap intact, choose the regular Box listing instead.
Tape Cut (Union Arena)
Bandai's Union Arena boxes are factory-sealed with tape rather than shrink wrap, so "No Shrink" does not apply to them. A Tape Cut box is a Union Arena box that has been opened for authentication: the tape seal is cut and the box is opened to verify the contents, while every booster pack inside stays factory sealed. These are listed as Union Arena Boxes (Tape Cut), dispatch in 5–7 business days, and are priced below a box with the tape seal intact.
Damaged box
"Damaged box" (the box-damage grade used by Japanese shops) describes a booster box whose outer box is dented, creased, scuffed or torn, while the packs inside are factory sealed and unaffected. It is a cosmetic grade for the box, not a statement about the cards. Damaged boxes are typically the cheapest way to buy sealed packs of a set, and they are the right choice when the box itself will be opened.
We do not run a separate damaged-box grade: a box in our shop is either shrink-wrapped, No Shrink or Tape Cut, and we do not sell a box as sealed if the wrap or tape is not intact. If a parcel arrives with shipping damage, contact us within 14 days under the return policy; how we pack to prevent that is shown on the packaging page.
Which to buy
| You want to | Buy | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Resell sealed boxes | Sealed (shrink-wrapped) | Buyers expect intact wrap; the full authenticity guarantee applies with an unboxing video. |
| Open the packs yourself, or sell loose packs | No Shrink, or loose packs | Same factory-sealed packs at a lower box price; the wrap has no value once opened. Loose packs are sold in sets of 50 with the pack inspection included. |
| Cheapest sealed packs of a set | Damaged box, where offered | Cosmetic box damage only; not sold in our shop as a separate grade. |
Authenticity guarantee
Shrink-wrapped items carry a full authenticity guarantee. To claim it, film an uninterrupted unboxing video that starts from opening the outer shipping carton and continues through opening the product. Sealed packs and PSA slabs are inspected before they ship; that inspection verifies authenticity only. Wrong or damaged items can be returned within 14 days under the return policy. How parcels are packed is shown on the packaging page.
Shipping from Japan
We ship with FedEx, DHL, UPS and Japan Post, all tracked. Dispatch times are counted in business days from payment confirmation (weekends and Japanese public holidays excluded): sealed boxes 2–3, single cards up to 5, sealed packs and No Shrink boxes 5–7, PSA graded cards 7–10. Express carriers (FedEx, DHL, UPS) typically take 2 to 3 business days in transit; Japan Post, used for single-card orders by default, takes 5 to 10. Single-card orders ship at a flat rate; everything else is charged at the actual carrier rate for your address, shown at checkout before you pay.
Pre-orders ship on the Japanese release day. If an order mixes pre-order and in-stock items, everything ships together once the pre-order is released. Buyers with a VIP account can also choose Hold for later shipment at checkout: pay for the items only, we store them, and shipping is billed when you request delivery from your account page, so several holds can go out in one box.
Registered buyers get 5% off at checkout on orders of ¥100,000 JPY or more, whichever condition they buy. Register as a buyer or read the Pokémon wholesale guide for the full terms.
About the seller
AWESOME CARDBANK JAPAN is operated by M&D Inc., a registered company in Kobe, Japan (Japan Corporate Number 1140001136398, established November 2024). We ship Japanese trading cards to card shops, resellers and collectors worldwide and post daily packing and shipping updates on Instagram. Company details are on the company page.