Memory Lane Sports Review

(If you'd like to skip this article and see our top pick for a memorabilia retailer, click here.) We’re a nationwide group of memorabilia enthusiasts who created this Website to protect and inform consumers. It's estimated that over half of all memorabilia on the market is fake. With this in mind, our goal is to ensure people buy items that are both authentic and well-priced.

Overview

Memory Lane Sports offers products from the NFL, NASCAR, MLB, NCAA, NHL and NBA. In addition to autographed collectibles, Memory Lane has a lot of unique items for sports fans including piggy banks, door knockers, stadium replicas and snow globes. Memory Lane Sports also has a retail outlet located in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Memorylanesports.com follows a simple layout but navigating the pages can be tricky. The number of links on the homepage, for example, makes finding the right product category somewhat difficult.

This retailer provides a clear and visible link to their authenticity guarantee. In this statement, they guarantee all of their autographed items to be 100 percent authentic. Memory Lane also provides information about the vendors they do business with.

If there is a problem, the company can be contacted via a toll-free number, e-mail or an automated "contact us" form. There is no clear information readily available concerning their refund or return policy. There is some information about the company's history, however, there is no information about the company's founders or owners on the website.

The Good

  • Good selection
  • Authenticity guarantee and information about vendors

The Bad

  • No information about refund or return
  • No information concerning personnel
  • No content library

Our top pick for 2008:  SportsMemorabilia.com

SportsMemorabilia.com, which has been selling memorabilia online since 1996, is our top pick across the four fields of authenticity, price, ease of shopping and service.

SportsMemorabilia.com features a comprehensive authenticity guarantee and formal relationships with the major memorabilia wholesalers. All items come from organized athlete signings which were witnessed and logged.

The site is professional, easy to navigate and the one-page checkout is simple to use. They employ HackerSafe, THAWTE and 128-bit SSL to secure online transactions.

Searches on Google and Better Business Bureau for “SportsMemorabilia.com” yielded no negative mentions or complaints against the company. There have been no reported instances where a product was returned for lack of authenticity.

The site ranks #1 in Google’s organic (unpaid) search results for terms like "sports memorabilia" and “memorabilia”. Websites don’t pay for placement in these rankings— they are a reflection of Google’s trust in the site and the Website’s age.

In addition to a nice product assortment, the site includes other resources such as a blog and resource library. Information about the company’s background and founders is easy to find. The SportsMemorabilia.com staff, reached both via 800 number and email, was courteous and knowledgeable.

>>Read more about SportsMemorabilia.com