eTopps collectors, did I get screwed here?

[JDOE]

Hi all, I'm new here, but also at eTopps.com. The first IPO (initial product offering) I attempted to buy was Stephen Strasburg's RC that was offered not long ago for 1 week.

I ordered 2 of them at 8:47AM the day it was initially offered. There was a max run of 1999. The eTopps site continued to feature the card for the entire week.

Today, I was contacted by eTopps to say "Sorry, due to high demand not everyone got all of the cards they ordered and in some cases some people didn't get any".

Now, I know Strasburg is a hot commodity right now, and I expected them to sell out, but I have two questions for you collectors out there:

1. Was I really too late; I mean, do they release them for sale at midnight and everyone bought them up before I ordered?

and

2. If that is the case, then why can't eTopps simply put a "sold out" tag on the item or something? Are they unable to count?

These cards are already going for $50 or more on ebay, and the IPO was $8. eTopps recommended I go to the trading floor to buy one at the new ridiculous prices.

I feel like I got shafted. I wasn't very happy with their auto response either; enough to the point where I don't know if I want to buy anymore Topps products. I've spent thousands of dollars on Topps and other products and I want other collectors' opinions before I do something that drastic.

I understand things like this happen, but it rubbed me completely the wrong way. I don't even blame those people who buy 100 copies of hot prospects and then turn around and rip off the collectors.

I just thought I ordered in plenty of time, especially since there was no indication on the site that they were sold out all week. They also recently sold Pablo Sandoval autos numbered to 99 and at least they put a sold out tag on that when it sold out in minutes.

[spuds1961]

They might be leaving it to get hits to their site.I wouldn't be mad,I'd kind of expect someone like strasburg sold out within the first hour.

[gladdyontherise]

They were gone quick, i know someone who requested three and was lucky to get 1

[Botie1996]

Yea, some guy probably refreshed his page every second and bought 1000 of em.

[JDOE]

So, should I expect every card of any half-decent player to sell out minutes flat then? Is the only strategy to wait until the minute the card you want is released and pray like heck you click "buy" in time? Or is Strasburg an unusual case?

It just figures the first time I attempt to buy a card on there, I get shut down.

[bob9826]

i know someone who bought 5 and only got 1 so really its luck of the draw

[meuandthelot]

Your order goes in, and they are allocated later in the week..having the cards up really has nothing to do with availability(That desc is made upon your order, if you were allocated or not)

Like this week..I ordered bright and early Monday, but won't know until they're released.

**The eTopps Baseball Cards Available This Week Are:
Pedro Alvarez 2010
Adam Wainwright 2010
Evan Longoria 2010
Drew Storen 2010--RRO's are usually gone FAST!


This week's 2010 etopps Baseball Cards are on sale until Monday, 06/28/10 03:00 AM ET and Thursday, 06/24/10 1:00 PM ET . To order a card, click the "Add to Cart" check box underneath the player card(s) you want to order and then click the "Submit Order" button. To order all of the cards available this week, click the "Select All" check box and then click the "Submit Order" button at the top of the page.

[sportzking]

That's one of the reasons why I don't buy etopps cards anymore. It's like a luck of the draw contest in which Topps decides if you get a card or not. This has happened to me multiple times in the past.
That and the fact they only offer autographed cards to people who has the cards in their account that are unshipped. Who wants to pay for something and let someone else hold it for a year?