Shortboxed
Shortboxed is a mobile-first two-sided marketplace and auction platform for buying and selling collectible comic books, serving individual collectors, comic dealers, and comic shops across the US, Canada, and UK via web, iOS/Android apps, and a Walmart Marketplace storefront.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Shortboxed does
Shortboxed operates a two-sided marketplace and auction platform for buying and selling collectible comic books, serving individual collectors, comic shop owners, and comic dealers primarily in the United States, with buyer reach extended to Canada and the United Kingdom. The platform combines a standard marketplace with three auction formats (Curated Auctions, Community Auctions, and Hosted Auctions), and integrates with the major third-party grading services (PSA, CGC, and CBCS). A flagship 2026 partnership with PSA introduced a streamlined Grade & Sell program in which collectors ship comics directly to PSA, after which graded books are automatically listed on Shortboxed auctions within seven days. The technology stack is a mobile-first marketplace distributed via iOS and Android apps and a web platform, with integrated auction infrastructure, quality-control verification for books valued over $250 (and HQ-routed verification for orders over $1,000 or international shipments), and a proprietary pricing-data layer aggregating sales from Shortboxed, eBay, Heritage Auctions, and other public sources on a daily basis.
The business model is commission-based: Shortboxed charges sellers a 10% marketplace commission (13% for the Grade & Sell consignment program), a 3% buyer processing fee on non-ACH payments, and shipping fees differentiated by book type and destination. Distribution is multi-channel, including the direct-to-consumer apps and web platform, a Walmart Marketplace storefront launched in October 2025 with 75,000+ comic book listings, and on-site consignments at major comic conventions (SDCC, HeroesCon, NY Comic Con). The platform is privately held, incorporated as Shortboxed, Inc., and appears to be bootstrapped or lightly funded with only one disclosed early-stage round in 2021 from Boost VC and Expansion Venture Capital; founder and CEO Gene Miguel and co-founder/CTO Bj Abordo lead an 11-50 person team headquartered in San Francisco with operational support in Santa Ana, California.
Shortboxed firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shortboxed
- Legal name
- Shortboxed, Inc.
- Website
- https://shortboxed.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shortboxed is a mobile-first two-sided marketplace and auction platform for buying and selling collectible comic books, serving individual collectors, comic dealers, and comic shops across the US, Canada, and UK via web, iOS/Android apps, and a Walmart Marketplace storefront.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shortboxed industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Comic Book Marketplace
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comic Books & Graphic Novel Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAH)
Keywords
Where Shortboxed is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shortboxed business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Marketplace Commission: Shortboxed charges sellers a 10% commission fee on sold items in the marketplace. There are no listing fees; sellers only pay when a book sells. Payouts are processed within 24 hours of delivery confirmation via PayPal, direct deposit, or check.
- Grade & Sell Consignment Fee: The PSA x Shortboxed Grade & Sell program charges a 13% consignment fee (higher than standard 10% due to expedited end-to-end handling). Sellers pay a single fee based on final sale price with shipping covered by buyers.
- Buyer Processing Fees: Buyers are charged a 3% processing fee on non-ACH payments. Sales tax is collected where applicable. No buyer premium or additional payment processing fees are charged.
- Auction Shipping: Shipping fees are charged to buyers: $15 flat for one graded book plus $4 each additional graded book; $8 for one raw book plus $1 each additional raw book. International shipping: $40-70 for Canada, $70+ for UK.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Marketplace - 10% seller commission |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Grade & Sell Program - 13% consignment fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Buyer Processing Fee - 3% on non-ACH |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Graded Book Shipping - $15 flat rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Raw Book Shipping - $8 for books under $250 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | International Shipping - Canada and UK rates |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Shortboxed product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shortboxed operates a two-sided online marketplace for buying and selling collectible comic books, offering both a standard marketplace and three auction formats (Curated, Community, and Hosted Auctions). The platform additionally provides the PSA x Shortboxed Grade & Sell service, enabling collectors to ship comics once for grading and have them automatically listed on Shortboxed auctions, with quality verification for higher-value books.
Product overview
Shortboxed is a two-sided comic book marketplace and auction platform featuring a curated marketplace for raw and graded comics, three distinct auction formats (Curated, Community, and Hosted Auctions), and the PSA x Shortboxed Grade & Sell service for streamlined grading-to-sale workflows. The platform operates via web and mobile apps (iOS/Android), providing pricing intelligence from aggregated sales data, and integrates with Walmart Marketplace for expanded distribution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shortboxed Marketplace A curated online marketplace for raw and graded comic books with thousands of listings from dealers, comic shop owners, and individual collectors across the US, Canada, and UK. Offers single-item checkout, automatic shipping label generation, quality verification for books over $250, and a 10% seller commission with no listing fees.
- Shortboxed Auctions Three auction formats for comic books: Curated Auctions (full-service consignment with books shipped to Shortboxed HQ), Community Auctions (sellers list alongside other sellers and ship directly to winners), and Hosted Auctions (sellers run their own themed auctions with custom minimum bids).
- PSA x Shortboxed Grade & Sell Streamlined grading and consignment service built with PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) that lets collectors ship comics once for grading, then automatically routes encapsulated books to Shortboxed auctions for listing within 7 days, with payout within 48 hours of buyer payment on a 13% consignment fee.
- Shortboxed Mobile App Native iOS and Android applications providing mobile access to browse, buy, sell, and participate in Shortboxed auctions, with the same marketplace and account functionality as the web platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- SemperFi Comics achieved 100% sell-through rate across three hosted auctions with combined sales of $2,743 in one month.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Shortboxed
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Shortboxed technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Shortboxed partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WalmartcoreWalmart has launched Shortboxed as a digital marketplace within Walmart Marketplace, offering over 75,000 comic books. This partnership is part of Walmart's broader strategy to grow its collectible goods category, competing with eBay. Shortboxed benefits from Walmart's massive customer base and logistics infrastructure while Walmart gains expertise in the comic book collector market.
- PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)corePSA and Shortboxed partnered to create the Grade & Sell program, enabling collectors to submit comics for grading through PSA with graded books automatically listed on Shortboxed auctions. This partnership reduces shipping from three legs to one, speeds time to market to 7 days after delivery, and provides faster payouts within 48 hours of buyer payment. Danny Gomez, Head of Pop Culture Business Development & Sales at PSA, described it as removing friction from the selling process.
- VeeFriendsminorShortboxed announced a collaboration with VeeFriends at NY Comic Con as part of Walmart's collector investment initiatives. The collaboration aims to make collecting more accessible, secure, and engaging for fans and families.
- CGC (Certified Guaranty Company)coreShortboxed accepts books graded by CGC or CBCS for their Curated Auctions. CGC census data is integrated into product listings showing grade distribution. The platform verifies CGC-graded books over $1,000 before shipping to buyers.
- CBCS (Comic Book Certification Service)coreShortboxed accepts books graded by CBCS for their Curated Auctions, similar to CGC integration. The platform supports both major comic grading services.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Shortboxed competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- StockX: Authenticated-goods marketplace with comparable buyer/seller dynamics, take-rate model, and focus on collectibles. While focused on sneakers and streetwear, its marketplace architecture and authentication model parallel Shortboxed's quality verification approach.
- eBay: The dominant general collectibles marketplace and Shortboxed's most direct competitor for comic book listings. Walmart explicitly positioned its Shortboxed partnership as competing with eBay, underscoring the direct overlap in buyer-seller audiences.
Direct peers
- Whatnot: Live-auction marketplace that has aggressively expanded into comics alongside trading cards, sports cards, and other collectibles. Overlaps with Shortboxed on community-driven auction mechanics and seller tooling, though Whatnot's livestream format is a distinct differentiation.
- Heritage Auctions: One of the largest auction houses for comics and collectibles, frequently cited in Shortboxed's pricing data aggregation. Competes in high-value comic auctions but with significantly higher buyer premiums (20-25%) than Shortboxed's 10% seller commission.
- HipComic: Comic book marketplace and auction platform with similar target audience of collectors and dealers. Closest pure-play competitor in the comic-specific online marketplace niche.
- ComicConnect: Long-standing online comic auction house and dealer, directly comparable in offering graded and raw comics through curated auctions. Competes for the same professional dealer and serious collector customer base.
- MyComicShop: Online comic retailer with an extensive catalog of back-issue comics and grading services. Represents the more traditional comic retailer model that Shortboxed positions itself as a modern, mobile-first alternative to.
Others
- PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator): Grading partner integrated into Shortboxed's Grade & Sell workflow. While not a direct marketplace competitor, PSA's broader marketplace and pricing data products intersect with Shortboxed's offerings and represent a potential adjacent competitor.
- CGC Comics (Certified Guaranty Company): Comic grading service whose census data Shortboxed integrates into listings. Not a marketplace competitor itself, but CGC's parent company Collectors Universe operates auction and pricing-adjacent services that overlap with Shortboxed's intelligence offering.
Emerging players
- Goldin: High-end collectibles marketplace (sports cards, memorabilia) with auction mechanics comparable to Shortboxed's Curated Auctions. While primarily sports-focused, it represents the premium-collectibles marketplace playbook Shortboxed is replicating in comics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shortboxed social profiles
Digital presenceShortboxed financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shortboxed leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Shortboxed funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shortboxed M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shortboxed
What does Shortboxed do?
Shortboxed operates a two-sided online marketplace for buying and selling collectible comic books, offering both a standard marketplace and three auction formats (Curated, Community, and Hosted Auctions). The platform additionally provides the PSA x Shortboxed Grade & Sell service, enabling collectors to ship comics once for grading and have them automatically listed on Shortboxed auctions, with quality verification for higher-value books.
Is Shortboxed a public or private company?
Shortboxed is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shortboxed founded?
Shortboxed was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shortboxed based?
Shortboxed is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shortboxed make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Marketplace Commission is the primary driver. The others are grade & Sell Consignment Fee, buyer Processing Fees and auction Shipping.
Who are Shortboxed's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are StockX and eBay. Direct peers are Whatnot, Heritage Auctions, HipComic, ComicConnect and MyComicShop. Others are PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) and CGC Comics (Certified Guaranty Company). Goldin is listed as an emerging player.
Does Shortboxed have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shortboxed.
What industry is Shortboxed in?
Shortboxed's product category is Comic Book Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAGAH, Comic Books & Graphic Novel Collectibles Retail. Its NAICS code is 459120 and its SIC code is 5945.