Upper Deck, hobby boxes and hobby shops!

**jbudny** · 07-29-2011, 05:54 PM

I was just speaking to a dealer while on vacation about two hours from my place. He told me that he had just signed a recent contract with upper deck agreeing to not sell on eBay, in order to keep on being able to purchase hobby boxes. If they catch him selling on eBay, he will no longer be able to buy hobby boxes straight from UD.

Not sure why UD is doing this, I understand everything sells on eBay for less then at card shows or shops usually. I just think we have eBay to thank for keeping the hobby afloat through the recession.

Anybody else hear about there LCS signing the same deal?

**CJ1510** · 07-29-2011, 06:23 PM

I dont know about mine signing a deal like that but I think that it's good. I feel like this is to help keep shops in business, maybe almost like a "revolt"(due to lack of a better term) or something. I guess its like saying "I wont sell on ebay(which can hurt shops) in order to keep others open". I could be totally wrong and UD has some other reason for this but this is how I see it. I remember a few years back my LCS closed b/c he couldnt compete w/ online shopping and ebay. I just recently found another one and I really enjoy being able to get a few packs every so often since I didnt have it for awhile. The contract could keep that from happening.

**CJ1510** · 07-29-2011, 06:28 PM

After posting the comment above i though of this...It could also be a way to sell more. If you read my above post I didnt have an LCS for awhile which meant I couldnt buy packs and I could only buy singles off ebay. UD doesnt make a profit off someone buying singles off ebay. Keeping the shops open would in turn make them money b/c the shops would buy boxes, the boxes sell, the shop buys more from UD. Does this make sense?

**jbudny** · 07-29-2011, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by CJ1510 View Post

After posting the comment above i though of this...It could also be a way to sell more. If you read my above post I didnt have an LCS for awhile which meant I couldnt buy packs and I could only buy singles off ebay. UD doesnt make a profit off someone buying singles off ebay. Keeping the shops open would in turn make them money b/c the shops would buy boxes, the boxes sell, the shop buys more from UD. Does this make sense?

that makes a lot of sense. I feel buying sealed boxes is a waste of money. You spend $100 and you are lucky to get $40 worth of cards back, almost all of them probably not for my pc. I would much rather buy $100 worth of singles and get what I want!

**gretzky99** · 07-29-2011, 07:21 PM

UD is trying to keep their boxes off of ebay. If the only people that can buy from them are their registered dealers then all boxes would have to go through them. in turn, they only way they should get on ebay is if someone buys them from a registered dealer, and if they did that they would be losing money.

i understand what they are trying to do by controlling the market - i just don't think it will work unless all card companies do it.

i know i won't buy any UD cards if the prices on singles go up. i'll just buy ITG and Panini. and in the end i think most people will do the same.

**nhanna68** · 07-29-2011, 07:23 PM

I see both sides. As being younger I don't have the large funds to rip box after box for my PC. Ebay is great for finding my needs and having access to cards. But it does suck that when I do come across a hit such as a game used card that I'd be lucky to sell for a buck or 2, or some auto of a guy who will probably never make the NHL. Its going to be interested to see where this goes.