Well Done Upper Deck

[cardscardscards]

I opened this topic expecting a discussion on how quality control is total garbage and that it's turning a lot of us off, but instead this is a price thing. I am with you all - the prices are outrageous. I've actually turned over to e-pack for my current collecting fetish - 18-19 UDS2. It's waaaaay cheaper to buy a box on there than at my LCS where boxes actually go for $150+. One of these days I'll have the cards I want for myself shipped over. When I sell enough to be able to afford the shipping.

However, back to topic, prices are egregious and not only that, the quality control has been absolute BALLS for 2020-21. I can't believe the NHL and NHLPA licenses a company that can't even produce correctly, but in the end they only care about their almighty $. Still, UD's equipment must be in eff all shape to break every single card that gets printed. I mean seriously... with lasers and modern equipment, you can still produce cards that are totally off center???

I was planning on buying some Artifacts boxes, but the prices coupled with atrocious quality has turned me completely off. I'll keep to e-Pack until they run out of what I want.

[subban7677]

A quick note - UD did raise the source price of Series 1 by a buck a pack. That's $24 per box right there. Anything else since then is a result of a combination of the insane demand, a little profiteering, and the mysterious yet happens every time "scarcity" out there. As @canucksfan007 astutely points out, this is a current hobby-wide trend that is not limited to hockey. Prices in the other sports (which have always had a larger following in the US) are insane right now due an influx of new hobby participants and increased demand. There's little glimpses of it everywhere - my LCS runs 2x/week live auctions on Facebook, and there's guys there who have never bought cards before (at least not to this extent) getting in almost every night and causing higher bids on cards that two years ago would have almost been an afterthought. Some of that is a bit of hobby naivete but in the end, it still causes the price to go up on singles and the secondary market. Look at how quickly players see spikes -- Tyler Toffoli pops a hat trick against the Canucks and his YG shoots up from $10 to $40 overnight. The market is literally reacting game-by-game right now. We've never seen anything like this before. Will it be sustained? I don't know, but I'm really glad I got my new Habs stuff before this madness started. LOL

I got Suzuki, Toffoli and Anderson Young Guns at rock bottom prices. My Roy RC and Price Young guns are worth 3 to 4 times what I paid. But I also sold a Draisaitl Young Guns for about $15 shortly after release, so there's some good news stories and some bad news stories.

[RGM81]

I got Suzuki, Toffoli and Anderson Young Guns at rock bottom prices. My Roy RC and Price Young guns are worth 3 to 4 times what I paid. But I also sold a Draisaitl Young Guns for about $15 shortly after release, so there's some good news stories and some bad news stories.

Yep. Haha It's wild to think that not *too* long ago someone could come up to you and say, "$75 for a Price YG?" and one would pass, saying, "Too high." LOL

[RGM81]

Wholesalers do server a purpose though.

Clearly, Upper Deck doesn't want to be in the distribution business. There's a lot of effort that would go into the distribution of their products across North American (and the world, really). It takes a lot of staff.

It's why the middle man exists in so many industries. Companies don't want to deal with that aspect of things themselves.

Not only that.... but having the middle men ensure that product is out of UD's hands quickly, and products are "sold out".

That's part and parcel of why they contracted out the ePack distribution to COMC.

[skgord]

I gave up buying boxes years ago. I might buy a few packs once in awhile. I mainly just buy the cards I need instead of buying boxes or too many packs.

[leafer70]

As a set collector I couldn't agree more but unfortunately, I believe I'm in the minority. Sellers are loving the crazy upswing in the market because profits are at an all-time high but for someone like me who never sells (buy & trade only), it sucks. I love busting wax and for the 1st time ever, I had to pre-order Series 2 and fortunately I managed to get half-a-dozen boxes at a reasonable price because the pre-sale price has gone up substantially in the last couple weeks, assuming you can still find it! I only collect OPC and S1/S2 but I would usually buy the odd box of Artifacts, SPA etc. every year just for fun, but no more. I used to do a lot of online breaks for fun as well but that has all but stopped. From a completely selfish point of view, I can't wait for the bubble to burst and the hobby goes back to pre-pandemic status but I doubt that will happen anytime soon, if at all.

[Cunnuc]

I have even seen articles in newspapers over the last 6 months about the demand for rookies across all sports. It is finally hitting hockey. I do not buy many boxes since I have not liked Upper Deck in a long time and 95% of my purchases were ITG boxes. I have bought some boxes over the last couple years just because I was bored. I did like the articles I read and honestly it is nice to see the demand for rookies in hockey finally but I am being pushed away busting wax entirely. I may do something like OPC Platinum upon release because obviously the price will go up after each shipment to the Upper Deck Diamond Dealers.

[doniceage]

Just picked up last year UD 19/20 for around $63 a box.
9E410547-5E69-4903-B219-7A74CCAE07A9_1_201_a.jpeg
Heck, had a chance to pick up a Allure case at a awesome price but they sold out in a day. It is one reason I do not like breaking new products as the product usually falls down in prices down the road. Picked up some older 11/12 H&P at a rock bottom price of $30 a box which I will grab anytime it is that low. Love busting that stuff for fun and it makes for some good times when the shows scene and Covid puts a damper on getting out of the house.


DON

[cjb]

where did you buy that?

[mooneyes]

I opened this topic expecting a discussion on how quality control is total garbage and that it's turning a lot of us off, but instead this is a price thing. I am with you all - the prices are outrageous. I've actually turned over to e-pack for my current collecting fetish - 18-19 UDS2. It's waaaaay cheaper to buy a box on there than at my LCS where boxes actually go for $150+. One of these days I'll have the cards I want for myself shipped over. When I sell enough to be able to afford the shipping.

However, back to topic, prices are egregious and not only that, the quality control has been absolute BALLS for 2020-21. I can't believe the NHL and NHLPA licenses a company that can't even produce correctly, but in the end they only care about their almighty $. Still, UD's equipment must be in eff all shape to break every single card that gets printed. I mean seriously... with lasers and modern equipment, you can still produce cards that are totally off center???

I was planning on buying some Artifacts boxes, but the prices coupled with atrocious quality has turned me completely off. I'll keep to e-Pack until they run out of what I want.

My only issue with this is how can a local card shop compete with an online one? They can't obviously. Sign of the times I guess but I enjoy going to an actual card shop. Will be hard for them to stay open I would think.