Panini Rewards Program

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Panini America, the global leader in licensed sports and entertainment collectibles, today announced that this week’s release of 2014 Score Football, the first NFL- and NFLPA-licensed trading card product of the 2014 season, will include the debut of the company’s groundbreaking Panini Rewards program. More than two years in the making, the in-pack Panini Rewards program – available as both a smartphone app and a web platform – will allow fans and collectors the ability to earn points that can be used to acquire autographed and memorabilia trading cards featuring the players and teams of their choice, as well as unique collector experiences in the future.

Panini America officials developed the Panini Rewards Platform with a focus on developing a system that delivered more value to collectors by giving them the ability to choose autograph trading cards and other items through an established point value system tied to Panini Rewards. The Panini Rewards Platform gives collectors the ability to earn points by scanning randomly inserted Rewards cards with their mobile devices. The Panini Rewards program will debut in other sports beginning with 2014-15 NBA Hoops Basketball (September) and 2015 Donruss Baseball (February 2015).


Panini Rewards points cards are randomly inserted into packs of 2014 Score Football; collectors can use their Panini Rewards smartphone app to scan the QR code on those cards to claim the points; collectors can also manually enter their points cards on the Panini Rewards website. Collectors can exchange their points immediately for any available single cards in the Panini Rewards inventory, or accumulate points to earn higher-value cards, other collectibles and unique Panini experiences.

The Panini Rewards points never expire and collectors will be able to view every available Panini Rewards card immediately using the Panini Rewards smart phone app or on the Panini Rewards Platform website.

“The Panini Rewards Program is a truly revolutionary development for the entire trading card industry and will offer us the chance to effectively eliminate and further reduce redemption cards from our products, replacing them with Panini Rewards Points that collectors can use to acquire any available card immediately,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop. “This program has been in development for more than two years and we are excited to finally share it with collectors.”

Other highlights of the program include:
Upon a product’s launch, collectors will have immediate access to Panini America’s available single-card inventory directly from their mobile devices.The ability for collectors to choose their own replacements from the Panini Rewards Platform.The Panini Rewards Platform will be accessible via both web- and app-based applications for iOS and Android devices.Panini America officials worked with Kodak to implement a high-resolution image-capture solution designed to recreate the experience for collectors to view memorabilia and autograph cards for every available card on the Panini Rewards Platform.

Future Rewards Platform enhancements will give collectors the ability to self-authenticate their trading cards to ensure authenticity and eliminate issues related to potential counterfeit trading cards on the secondary market.

The Panini Rewards app and website are both live now. Tomorrow, right here on The Knight’s Lance, we’ll have a comprehensive FAQ post that addresses many of the collector questions that have surfaced since Panini America officials first announced the Panini Rewards program during the 2014 Industry Summit in March.

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FAQ: Panini America Addresses Most-Asked Questions on the Panini Rewards Program



It’s been the topic of almost-constant conversation since Panini America officials first teased its existence to rave reviews during the 2014 Industry Summit in Las Vegas. Now, after three months of hearty hobby banter and almost two years of hardcore research and development, Panini America is ready to unveil its vaunted Panini Rewards Program in this week’s release of 2014 Score Football.

To adequately prepare collectors for what to expect from the revolutionary program that is available on both web and smartphone app platforms, Panini America officials have compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions that have surfaced from collectors since March. You can peruse those at length below.


Collectors can download the Panini Rewards app now on the iTunes App Store and on Google Play. The Panini Rewards website can be viewed here.

Now, to the questions. The following FAQs include several general questions as well as more specific questions culled from several collecting resources. If you have additional questions, submit them to @PaniniCSM on Twitter using the hash tag #PaniniRewards and we’ll address them as necessary.

What is Panini Rewards?

• Panini Rewards is a new paradigm in card collecting. You receive and collect Panini Rewards Points that can be used to acquire your choice of cards from the Panini inventory.
• With Panini Rewards, you will be able to see the cards available in the vast Panini inventory by visiting the “Redeem Rewards” link on PaniniRewards.com.

When does the Panini Rewards program begin?

• The Panini Rewards program and website will launch with the release of 2014 Score Football. It will follow in basketball with the release of 2014-15 NBA Hoops Basketball and in baseball with the release of 2015 Donruss Baseball.

How is this different from redemptions?

• Redemptions are linked to a specific card of a specific player. Panini Rewards gives the collector more control to select the card they want based on inventory available in the Panini Rewards inventory.
• Reward Points can be used immediately. There is no waiting.
• Inventory will be added to the Panini Rewards website every week.

What will happen to my redemptions?

• Nothing. Your current redemptions will be honored as stated by our longstanding existing policy.
• Panini America remains dedicated to fulfilling all outstanding redemptions.
• Redemption cards are made available as they are received. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Panini America, Inc., will send a comparable card in its place if the specified card is not available to ship within four months of a consumer’s request for replacement.

Can I trade-in existing redemptions for Panini Rewards points?

• Not at this time. Current redemptions will be honored as stated in our existing policy. Panini will explore all options to provide superior service to our customers which may include trade-ins.
• Future phases of Panini Rewards may include the ability to trade existing redemptions for Rewards points.

What are Panini Rewards Points?

• Rewards Points Cards are randomly inserted into Panini America products. To add those points to a Panini Rewards account, collectors can scan the unique QR code on the card with the Panini Rewards smartphone app, or manually input the code via the Panini Rewards website.
• Panini Reward Points can then be traded immediately for cards available in the Panini Rewards inventory or accumulated over time.

Can I purchase Panini Rewards Points?

• No. You can obtain points through purchasing Panini America products that contain Rewards Point Cards, or, on occasion, at special promotional events.

How do I know how many Panini Rewards Points I have?

• Click “Home” (depicted by an icon of a house) on the Panini Rewards Mobile App. You will see your username and the current total of your Panini Reward Points. In addition, your Panini Reward Points are displayed on PaniniRewards.com.

Are Panini Rewards Points transferable?

• Panini Reward Points are not transferable.

What is the monetary value of my Panini Rewards Points card?

• There is no direct monetary value for the Panini Rewards Card or Panini Rewards Points.

Do Panini Rewards Points expire?

• Panini Reward Points have no expiration date. You can continue to accumulate them as long as you are a registered user of Panini Rewards.

Will all Rewards Cards have the same point amounts?

• No. Point values will vary.

Will players have differing Rewards Point values?

• Yes. Player point values will be determined by a number of factors, including level of collectiblity and on-field performance. Individual player point values could fluctuate in real-time based on the aforementioned factors.

What happens to high-end cards? Will they get Rewards Points or be listed as a redemption?

• While the ultimate goal of the Panini Rewards System is to completely eliminate the redemption card, that’s not an entirely realistic scenario. Although points cards will eliminate the vast majority of redemptions, there are key product-making players who must appear in a product. When those players’ autographs aren’t available for packout, they will appear in traditional redemption-card form.
• The Panini Rewards System by no way changes our drive to receive every autograph card that a product plan calls for. The Panini America Acquisitions Team will continue tracking all outstanding autographs until they’re returned.

Why are there more memorabilia cards than autograph cards in the Panini Rewards inventory right now?

• This is part of the initial launch of the Panini Rewards System based on existing inventory. New items will be added to the Panini Rewards System weekly and with the launch of each new product.  Over time, we expect the ratio between memorabilia cards and autograph cards on the Panini Rewards System to be fairly even.
• Obviously, most memorabilia/patch cards will be live in products. However, there are some circumstances where those cards may not be available at the time of packout. In that case, they will go live on the Panini Rewards System. To ensure randomization and fairness among collectors in regard to prime swatches, specific sequential numbering and possible inscriptions, we have incorporated this disclaimer: “The image depicted is just a representation of the card.  The exact card you acquire may have different memorabilia patches or a unique rendition of the signature.”
• The same standard to ensure randomization and fairness among collectors also exists as it relates to Serial Numbered cards. Panini’s Rewards team will not take requests for specific serial numbers.

Does Panini hold back memorabilia cards from packing out into product for the Rewards System?

• Absolutely not.  Memorabilia cards that exist on the Panini Rewards System may not make pack out of a product, but our goal is to always ensure they are live in Panini products. Some reasons for this may be that they were pulled during the Quality Control process and it was too late to insert them back into the product, they are from expired redemptions or from replacements.
• In the future (as with a number of Panini America special promotions to award collectors such as Black Friday, Father’s Day, wrapper redemption programs, etc.), Panini America may choose to make special products from the acquisition of marketing assets to create exclusive Panini Rewards cards in limited quantities or unique experiences which can be acquired through Panini Rewards Points.
• Stay Tuned and subscribe to the The Knight’s Lance Blog so you don’t miss any promotional programs.

Can a collector be alerted when their favorite team, player or product is entered into the Rewards System?

• Not in Phase 1. But in future updates, collectors will have the ability to setup team, player and product preferences and receive push notifications when those preferences are added to the Panini Rewards Inventory.

Will collectors have the option to wait on high-value players or do they just receive Rewards points?

• Collectors will be able to wait as long as desired for their existing redemptions or for those cards inserted as redemptions in the Panini Rewards era.

Will the collector have limits on the number of the same card they can select in the Rewards Points system?

• Yes. It will be capped at a maximum of five of the same card; but will be less on cards with shorter print runs.

What prevents people from hoarding points?

• Nothing. One of the many advantages of the Panini Rewards system is that it gives collectors the ability to get something they want. If that means accumulating enough points to get what they want, provided it remains in inventory then that’s how the points can be used.
• In future phases of the program, the Panini Rewards Inventory system will include unique, event-based experiences and the opportunity to participate in player interactions.

Will Rewards Points impact how a trading card product is initially built?

• Absolutely not. Our goal remains to build the most compelling and collectible trading card products on the market every time. That will not change.

Will Panini hold back high-end cards from product to place on the Rewards system?

• Absolutely not. Previous redemptions that were exchanged by customers before they were returned by the athlete become Panini America inventory and will eventually be loaded to the Panini Rewards System when they become available.

Are points tied to specific releases?

• No. Points carry the same value across all products.

What if I don’t have a Smartphone?

• You can manually enter the Rewards Card code into PaniniRewards.com by clicking “My Rewards” if you do not have a smartphone.

Claiming Panini Rewards

Can individual collectors purchase cards from the inventory directly?

• No. Cards cannot be purchased directly from the Panini inventory. You can have your choice of cards from inventory with enough Panini Rewards points.

What if I can’t find the card I want?

• Panini has an extensive inventory of high value cards and intends to offer as many as possible on PaniniRewards.com. Some cards may not be in our inventory. Keep checking back as we will be adding cards continuously.

About the Panini Rewards Mobile App
Panini Rewards Card Scanning

What is a QR Code?

• A QR Code is a machine-readable code consisting of black and white squares, typically used for storing internet addresses or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone.

Why don’t I receive points when I scan a Panini Rewards Points card?

• There could be a problem with the camera on your mobile device. Check to make sure that enough light is available on the QR-Code while scanning.
• You can manually enter the Panini Rewards Card code on My Rewards at PaniniRewards.com, if you cannot scan the code with your mobile device.
• You may have already scanned that particular Rewards card and received points. The points on a Rewards card can only be claimed once.

Can I scan a Panini Rewards Points card multiple times?

• You can scan Panini Rewards Cards multiple times, but the points on a Rewards card can only be claimed once.

What if my Panini Rewards Points card is not readable?
You can manually enter the Panini Rewards Card code on My Rewards at PaniniRewards.com, if you cannot scan the code with your mobile device.

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Panini America’s
pioneering
Panini Rewards program
is on the verge of becoming a lot more rewarding. Over the course of the next several weeks, Panini America officials will be adding more than 25,000 individual cards to the
Panini Rewards inventory, the first major update of a planned 250,000-card inventory addition that will take place gradually over the next several months.

The newly added inventory will feature cards from Panini America’s baseball, basketball, football, hockey and Americana products from 2007 to present and will include low-numbered insert and parallel cards, autographs and memorabilia cards.

“We’ve been pleased with the preliminary phases of the Panini Rewards platform and how consumers are utilizing the system,” said
Jason Howarth, Panini America’s Vice President of Marketing. “One of the biggest benefits of the program from the very beginning is that it gives collectors unparalleled freedom to choose the cards they want with their available Panini Rewards Points. The more viable options we can add to inventory, the more beneficial this program becomes for everyone. This planned massive inventory update will be phased in over a period of months to the Panini Rewards platform and will greatly enhance the Panini Rewards experience.”

Be sure to check the
Panini Rewards website
often as new cards will be added on an almost-daily basis in the coming weeks.