AI Guidelines & Disclosure
Our Commitment to Transparency
At Fan-Tastic Cards & Comics, we believe in being upfront with our customers about how we operate. As a small business committed to efficiency and accuracy, we use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help us serve you better. This page explains how, when, and why we use AI—and the safeguards we have in place to ensure quality and accuracy.
How We Use AI
1. Product Cataloging & Descriptions
What We Do:
We use Shopify's built-in AI feature to help catalog sports cards, Pokémon cards, and other collectibles. The AI analyzes product images and generates structured descriptions including player names, teams, sets, card numbers, manufacturers, and special attributes.
Our Quality Control:
- Every AI-generated description is reviewed by our trained staff
- We cross-reference details with trusted sources like SportsCardPro.com, PriceCharting.com, TCGPlayer.com and Beckett
- We manually verify card attributes, parallels, and special features
- Final pricing is always determined by human expertise and current market data
Why We Do This:
AI helps us list products faster and more consistently, which means we can offer a larger selection and keep our inventory up-to-date for collectors.
2. Blog Content & Educational Materials
What We Do:
We use AI writing tools to help draft blog posts, guides, and educational content about collecting, grading, investing, and card preservation.
Our Quality Control:
- All content is written or heavily edited by our team
- We fact-check statistics, dates, and industry information
- Personal experiences and store-specific details are always human-written
- We cite sources and link to authoritative references
- Content reflects our authentic voice and expertise
Why We Do This:
AI helps us organize our thoughts and produce helpful content more efficiently, allowing us to share more knowledge with the collecting community.
3. Marketing Images & Graphics
What We Do:
We occasionally use AI image generation tools to create graphics for social media, blog headers, promotional materials, and website design elements.
Our Quality Control:
- AI-generated images are clearly distinguishable from product photography
- We never use AI to misrepresent actual products
- All product photos are authentic images of the actual items we sell
- Marketing graphics are reviewed for brand consistency and appropriateness
Why We Do This:
AI-generated graphics help us create engaging visual content without the high cost of professional design services, keeping our prices competitive.
4. Customer Service & Communication
What We Do:
We may use AI tools to help draft responses to common customer inquiries or to organize support tickets.
Our Quality Control:
- All customer communications are reviewed and personalized by our team before sending
- Complex questions and concerns are handled directly by staff
- We never use automated chatbots—you always talk to a real person
- Personal customer data is never used to train external AI models
Why We Do This:
AI helps us respond more quickly to routine questions, but we believe in the human touch for customer relationships.
What We DON'T Use AI For
To be clear, there are critical areas where we rely exclusively on human expertise:
- Authentication & Grading Assessment - Our trained staff visually inspects every card
- Pricing Decisions - Market analysis and pricing strategy are human-driven
- Customer Negotiations - All buying, selling, and consignment discussions are handled personally
- Appraisals - Collection valuations require human expertise and judgment
- Final Quality Control - Humans make the final call on everything we publish or sell
Our AI Ethics Principles
Accuracy First
We treat AI as a tool to enhance—not replace—human expertise. Every AI output is verified before it reaches our customers.
Transparency
We disclose our use of AI openly and honestly. If you ever want to know whether specific content was AI-assisted, just ask.
Data Privacy
We do not share customer data with AI platforms. Any AI tools we use comply with our Privacy Policy and data protection standards.
No Deception
We never use AI to create fake reviews, testimonials, or misleading product representations. Authenticity matters to us.
Human Accountability
Our team takes full responsibility for all content, descriptions, and communications—whether AI-assisted or not.
Product Photography Policy
Important: All product images on our website are authentic photographs of the actual items we have in stock. We do not use stock photos, AI-generated images, or photos from other sellers to represent our products.
What You See Is What You Get:
- Sports cards, Pokémon cards, and collectibles are photographed in-house
- Images show the actual condition, centering, and attributes of each item
- Multiple angles are provided for high-value items when possible
- Any image enhancements (brightness, contrast) are minimal and do not misrepresent condition
Questions or Concerns?
We're committed to using AI responsibly and ethically. If you have questions about our AI practices, want to know if specific content was AI-assisted, or have concerns about accuracy, please reach out:
Email: support@fan-tasticshop.com
Phone: (828) 505-0933
In-Store: 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, 12pm-5pm Sun
We value your trust and are always happy to discuss how we operate.
Updates to This Policy
As AI technology evolves and our practices develop, we may update this disclosure. We'll note the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and notify customers of significant changes.
Our Promise:
AI is a tool we use to work smarter, but our commitment to accuracy, authenticity, and customer service is 100% human. We're collectors and enthusiasts first—technology just helps us do what we love more efficiently.