Making money from cards

[max91ess]

I've always been tempted to try to sell cards and try to finance my collection, but I'm just not sure that getting a foothold in the industry would be feasible for a student like me. Maybe though. I always get the feeling like I spend enough on cards without investing from a business standpoint haha.

Good luck man, I hope it works out for you.

i'm a student btw, its possible

[kapital]

buying large lots and selling individually is the way to do it! I bust a lot of boxes and cases, and i do it for the fun of it, i expect to lose some money, and i do, there are ways i make up for these loses, but any money i make goes right back into the hobby, by me spending the money on cards i really love, my PC cards. I have a lot of cards for sale now, i can sell a large lot that when priced individually will make you money. I have no problem with you profiting off a deal with me, actually i wouldnt have it any other way! anyone can look through my bucket, or message me with what they are interested in, and i can let them know what i have.

[Craig2]

I'm the worst person to give advice on this topic......I have no concern about making/losing money off the hobby. I'll overpay for certain cards, and I'll sell mine cheaper or give cards to those I like.

[roy.the.greatest]

You won't make big money on cards. You'll maybe buy a $10 card on eBay, then resell it for $25 on a card show... $15 of profit for all this trouble? Well, no profit after all since it will cost you $15 of gas to go to the card show to sell your card purchased on eBay! :)

[Phoenix]

The only sure way to make money off cards is not buying them. Ebay "steals", bulk buying, and mass box busting are crapshots and in the long run you'll end up losing money

[Care4Card]

The only sure way to make money off cards is not buying them. Ebay "steals", bulk buying, and mass box busting are crapshots and in the long run you'll end up losing money

Not all are crapshoot.

Being educated about the hobby and the sport gets you a long way with these buyings.

[cygnusx1]

It is possible. It requires patience, lots of knowledge, and you have to enjoy the hobby. Over the past 3 years of just trading, buying and re-selling cards (I have only ever busted one box and do the occasional pack) I have made approx. $7000 profit.

Another smart thing to do is make a chart of how much you're spending vs. what's coming in. While it may seem great that a card you bought for $5 at a show is selling for $12 on ebay, remember that once you factor in supplies, shipping, fees, etc. it's not much of a profit.

Bulk lots can be profitable, but you have to do your research! Make sure you know EVERYTHING that you are getting, don't just blindly pick up a lot thinking that it's a great deal, because chances are the guy who's selling knows exactly what he's doing. Buying bulk supplies (for example bubble mailers) definitely comes in handy.

When buying singles for re-sale, be sure to not only check recent sales of the item, but also check long-term for possible trends. It may be a card that recently sold for $50, but only because that week the player scored 2 hat tricks. Next week the card is back down to $10.

All in all, you just have to be really smart about what you're doing and have fun. Good luck!

[cygnusx1]

Also, it is hard to make big gains immediately. Work your way up, build an inventory, and use trades to your advantage.

[Craig2]

I find it's not worthwhile to worry about profits from cards.

I look at the time I'm putting in to finding cheaper deals and flipping them, and I just don't see it being worth it. Unless I'm going to be making $50+ an hour through cards, I'm better off just devoting that time to other means of making money. If I make anything, great, but it's just a hobby.

[Phoenix]

I work to make money, I collect hockey cards because it's fun. It just seems to me to be too much trouble and too many headaches to make it worth my while to try and make money on.

Over the past 3 years of just trading, buying and re-selling cards (I have only ever busted one box and do the occasional pack) I have made approx. $7000 profit.

So, just over $2000 a year profit. Sounds like a lot, but think of how much time you spent to get there. Just not worth it to me. There are much better ways to make a quick buck.