release delays

[xelloss1012]

I remembered a few years ago when The Cup was about two months late and it was in the middle of summer. Apparently hockey is still in the minds of many at that time, especially on eBay and money was definitely not scarce for many.

In the case of your favourite NHL team going to the Cup Final, the only actual months the players have completely off are July and August in that case since pre-season is in September.

Anyway, now tell me a year in the last five that there were not the number of delays that you can count on one hand? Any sets that have a lot of hard-signed signatures (and some heavily GU-oriented) generally will have the most delays.

I hate to say it, but Upper Deck still has a lot of product that many people want and do not mind waiting for. On the secondary market, UD products gets the most money still, compared to Panini or ITG.

[SkyFire47]

I have an ideal.... now don't think too much into it as I have been saying this for the past 3 years. When UD is thinking of who to get to sign their famous stickers for autograph cards. Why don't they think ahead. Start 1 year in advance of the release date. That way they have a supply of autos of players.
As for GU'ed UD has destroyed the hobby by putting out pieces of players who hasn't played for the team in years, example Phil Kessel - Boston colours.
If they worked a year ahead, or at least got a extra few hundred auto's of players, it would allow them to stay closer to their release dates.
When your on time, you get the money, when you keep ticked collectors off you get the money, but not as much as you hoped for,.

1. UD still has current sets they are putting out. reserving autos for next year when they need them for this year's releases doesn't help the situation. also, player can only sign so much at a time.

2. UD already works on products months to years in advance already.

3. it makes no business sense for UD to buy jerseys and simply discard them because a player has switched teams. even then, planning a release a year ahead of time can't account for rookies who start playing at the beginning of the season or trades that occur or free agents that get signed.

easiest solution would be if the card companies simply stated card releases 2 months farther out than they originally intend to release. they'd be accurate almost everytime.

myself? i hear so-and-so release date is November, i think December-Janary. card companies have been consistent enough in their delays, its pretty easy to just tack on +1-2 months. the only constants are Victory comes first, Cup comes last.

[razzamaztaz]

Doesn't matter much? Even if I were to buy only UD, I sure would want them to keep the release dates, it's especially annoying when they even just two days ahead of time postpone it. Then you're sitting there with saved money, perhaps you've sold off some stuff just to get that box, and then it's delayed. Personally I think they every time loose a certain nr of customers this way, I have ended up skipping several products I originally planned buying cause by the time they have been released I've bought other stuff. And I know others who have done the same. So, by being honest and truthful with real dates, perhaps they could increase sales with, say, 5%. This doesn't concern the Cup and such, that always sells, I'm referring to less hot brands. As Shappy says, they get their money, but they should be able to get more money. It's simply poor marketing and poor leadership.

>If a person doesn't buy any Panini or ITG products, who cares? I'll wait for the UD stuff.

[Slapshot4]

I'm pissed last week sold some of my cards to my lcs because I needed cash for some crown. I look yesterday and it's delayed only a week but still. Why change it last minute. It's frustrating waiting for a product that your icing to brake and you have to wait longer. And you guys think crown will be good this year?

[razzamaztaz]

That's the sort of stuff I mean, ok a week isn't long but still. Has happened to me many times, you sell stuff cause you're really excited about a release, and you get your money about to order, and then it's delayed. I've really had it by now.

As for crown, probably as last year, most average boxes got a horrible payback, but the design will be unique.

[Slapshot4]

Same with spa horrible payback fun to break

[razzamaztaz]

SPA is among the worst paybacks there are really, to be honest I think that product sucks quite horribly, if they included a little more worthwhile for collectors (like actually doing good basecards or more inserts) it'd be good. I'm not sure how many SPA boxes I have broken, and seen other breaks, where the real cash payback is around $10. But that's for another thread eh ; )

[centrehice]

SPA is the most Non-Rewarding Issue in Card History.

01-02 UD Stanley Cup Champs the best in UD History.

[StuBedaso]

I DO like that Panini has cross-sectioned their auto cards from Zenith into every other set last year to try to avoid redemptions, however, it's double-edged sword.

The more product out there, the better the competition, and thereby, the product- will improve.

Unfortunately, it isn't working that way.

Once Howe signed onto ITG, I thought, "Great! This will give twice the chances for high odd/ low numbered hits!". The next day, he signed with Panini, and now, even if I get a Howe Auto from 1995, it won't be worth squat, because Panini will completely saturate the market with them.


The idea of pushing back a product to include a few more live autos/ auto-JSYS/ dual autos, etc. is completely fine with me. Push it back a month, max, but, PLEASE!!!!!

PLEASE don't over saturate the hobby with Crosbys, Ovies, Gretzkys, Orrs, Howes, Roys, Marios, etc....

These are the hits we find, and break into a cold sweat over. Don't take that away from us.


My 2 sense.

[mjohansson90]

As far as I can remember, SPx and SP Game-Used are not full of hard-signed autographed cards. Aside from the Letter Marks in SP Game-Used, is the rest not stickers. When you've released these products in January for the past several years, how is it that you now can't release these products on time. Same goes for Black Diamond. What was in that product that caused over a month delay? Very few autographs, and they were all stickers. If it does away with all redemptions, that so be it. But I doubt these massive delays will.

Derek