Results 1 to 10 of 15
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08-21-2010, 05:30 PM #1
Tough time for card shops?
Like 3 local shops around the Tampa area have all went under. I just got back into collecting and went to go to shops around here and looks like they have all either moved or just went under. Sucks for guys looking for some local collecting or just browsing.
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08-21-2010, 05:41 PM #2
Well card shops have been hurting for years and the economy has been Great Depression bad for the past couple of years so it makes sense that they would be out of business. Plus Florida's economy hasn't been great either.
Selling all my cards here updated as of July------------> Hidden Content
Baseball Autograph and Game Used Only Trade Page: pwaldo.webs.com/
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08-23-2010, 02:25 AM #3
I have not had a local card shop for the last 18 years. I miss the days when I could go down to the local shop. These days I have to travel at least an hour or more to reach a shop. It stinks.
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08-23-2010, 07:48 AM #4
I used to enjoy going to my LCS to buy and trade but there prices are to high now. E-bay is the place to buy/sell singles and sites like SCF is perfect for buying/selling/trading. You have several sites you can buy boxes from usually 30-40% cheaper than at a LCS. It's sad to see, but customers want the most value for there money.
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08-23-2010, 10:59 AM #5
the only time I visit my LCS is to buy storage boxes. he is way overpriced on everything else.
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08-23-2010, 11:17 AM #6
I must say otherwise. I have 2 Shops in a 10 mile radius. One shop is way over priced and prob. never has business due to his attitude. The shop I go to does well, his prices are better than a lot of well known sites on the internet and very friendly.
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09-01-2010, 05:01 AM #7
I wish I could find one to buy some storage boxes. Had to buy off internet and pay shipping. Sux.
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09-01-2010, 06:38 AM #8
Card Shops pretty much stay in business by selling tcg and having card game tournaments.. its been that way for awhile now. As far as Sports cards go as someone already said singles ar BY FAR cheaper on ebay and boxes are cheaper aswell. Variety plays a factor aswell..I collect football but I also collect Benchwarmers, TNA wrestling and other non sports cards which my local shops dont have but I can get them all with free shipping from most sites.
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09-02-2010, 09:05 AM #9
As Seahawks Fan said, shops can't survive anymore simply by selling sports cards. If they're not offering some kind of extra customer service or promotions (TCG/CCG tournaments, in-store box busting promotions, etc) and diversifying their stock, they're not going to last long. The only way to stick around with the the attitude that customers are an inconvenience and all cards priced at or above high book value is if the owner has deep pockets and/or owns the building and doesn't rely on the shop for solvency.
Sadly, lots of card shops had diversified into comics in the mid to late 90s, and both markets crashed about the same time, wiping out a substantial number of shops in a short couple of years. Also, with the advent of the online market place, similar to how you see so many struggling shopping malls, if you can buy the exact same product online and have it be cheaper, even after shipping, the stores have to make some effort to draw customers into the shops. If I can buy a shirt for $20 online, or $45 at JC Penney, why bother going to the mall? And if I can get a box of cards for $40 shipped from Blowout or Dave & Adam or pay $65+tax and be ignored by the clerk at a hobby store, which is the logical choice?
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09-02-2010, 02:21 PM #10
Howdy, thankfully Tom, my lcs, still is in biz but poss. not for long for him either. He does hold a pokemon tourny every sat. & that brings in a bit of biz, actually may be keeping him afloat...
If the Sabres or Bills arent doing good his sales arent to good so being in a sports town doesnt help sales if hometown teams suck, he does move a bit of Kanes stuff since hes a local tho Upper Deck has gotten on Pats dads back for selling Tom items to sell in his store. Cant they mind thier own biz...
Toms prices are usually sooooo low i think hes not worried about profit tho it does help keep 1 afloat & tho i HATE the bay, he does do a little selling there to offset things occasionally, & that doesnt help a whole lot since every1 there wants it for nearly free.
His biz card is on my Gordon page, give him a call, he may have something u need or want & would appreciate the biz.
I have to go twice as far to see him, about 8 miles roundtrip, but hes still around !!!! for now...
The Tyrant
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