Nuts and Bolts: Dealing with Cards On Hold

DEALING WITH CARDS ON HOLD

The average review time is 6-8 weeks at the time of this writing. Unfortunately, when a submitted card is placed On Hold by the reviewer, it adds more time to the wait. We hope you’ll find some answers here as well as some tips to help you avoid further delays.

Why Are Cards Put On Hold?
A submitted card is typically put On Hold because the original reviewer needs a second opinion from another reviewer or from GCU Admin on whether the design meets the Submission Guidelines. There may be other reasons that come into play, but that’s the main one.

What Happens After a Card is Put On Hold?
Either the card will be Approved following review or it will be Returned for Edits or Declined. If the card is Returned for Edits, proceed as normal.

What Can I Do If My Card is Placed On Hold?
Wait until you hear from the reviewer. Have patience. If you haven’t gotten notice of a change in the status of your card after a reasonable amount of time has passed (a reasonable amount being closer to a few weeks rather than a few days), contact the review team. Follow these steps and do not skip any:

• To send an e-mail, reply to the e-mail notification you originally received.
• Include the card’s PID# in the subject line—very important!
• In the body of the e-mail, include how long you’ve waited for the On Hold card to be released (it’s helpful to include a date when you received the notice).
• Please don’t harass the reviewers every other day with messages. If they have to keep replying to your e-mails, they won’t have time to actually review cards.
• Please exercise patience and use restraint. We know you’re frustrated. Be cool.
• If all else fails, post a message on the Forum. Include the PID# of the card. This should be a last resort. And do not hijack someone else’s thread by tacking a “me too” on a reply to their post—there’s a good chance your post won’t be seen by anyone who can help.

How Do I Know If a Card is Placed On Hold?
You should receive a notice from the review team. If not, see below for how to check card status in your Manage Cards section.

How Can I Find a Card That’s Been Put On Hold?
When you’re logged in to GCU, go to Manage Store >> Images & Cards >> Manage Cards. You can do a search by card status (Pending-Held is the one you want in this case).

Do Not Edit Cards Placed On Hold
Do not edit the images of cards On Hold. When you make changes to a card under review, you are wasting your time and the reviewer’s time because the delay will be even longer as the confusion is sorted out. Besides, wouldn’t you feel foolish if the original card was okay, but your edit had problems and was declined or Returned for Edits? If a card is Returned for Edits, that’s a different story.

How Do I Avoid Having Cards Put On Hold?
Reading, understanding, and applying the Submission Guidelines would be an excellent start. If you’re submitting a series of cards, get pre-approval for the first one (see Pre-Approval For Card Series with Fast Track for everything you need to know) to save time and effort.

In the meantime, if you have cards On Hold, use the time to create fresh new designs for your store, learn more about GCU’s Submission Guidelines, or check this Community blog for loads of helpful information on many topics of interest to artists.