The state of the hobby and the future. (my perspective with PICTURE). Your thoughts please.

[doniceage]

After seeing this I was curious because I had essentially given up on checking the card section when I'm in a store that carries them after being largely unable to find anything retail over the last year. I stopped by the Target near my house and was slightly surprised to see that while the section was nearly cleaned out they still had 3 GQ blasters and a Topps Series 2 blaster on the shelf. There was a fair amount of non-sports stuff and a handful of Hockey and football but not very much of that either.

I ended up grabbing 2 of the GQ blasters just for fun. I figured I'd keep one to trade down the road and open the other just because I hadn't opened any packs in months. It was a good call. The very first pack had a Ryan Mountcastle auto in it and the GQ cards are always interesting to begin with.

As for the future of the hobby I don't know that it has ever been more cloudy. I keep checking for news and I'm still not seeing much that outlines how the Fanatics deal with roll out. From what I can tell they have a horrible quality control and customer service reputation. I've never dealt with them directly but that part does make me nervous. I think my biggest worry for the hobby going forward is that the combination of products being snapped up as soon as they hit the shelves and flipped for 50% (or more) higher prices is preventing a lot of kids that would be the future of the hobby from even getting started. I know it would have kept me out as a kid even though I loved baseball. Had it kept me out as a kid I wouldn't have found my old collection when I was cleaning out my parents home a few years back and I would have never gotten back into the hobby. But there is always the chance that they manage to handle this well and put out a variety of products to suit collectors from the entry level to the ultra premium level. I'm just not holding my breath for that outcome based on the current data available.

Here my thoughts when you talk about a entry product. They have been made and as you say it affordable but how many people buy it as it never has any value. It just cool to have cards if that suits you which I would say for most folks collecting cards they rather have things. As the entry brand like UD Collector Choice for all the sports was affordable but do you remember folks clamoring after it (NO). Even the young kids want the high end stuff and to my amazement the kids I see at show have better cards than myself from time to time.

Glad you found some retail as like you I tend to pick up a box here or there when I can, As it not going to break the bank if you only get a box or two once a month or so,

DON

[doniceage]

My thoughts are a little different than the mainstream collector, but I have not noticed much of a difference with retail products other than it being more expensive which is the trend across the hobby. Retail product is present at all of the Walmarts that I have gone to over the past couple of months and I have even been lucky enough to get some basketball at Toys R Us. It is all about timing for me and luck I guess and it looks like collectors have stopped getting retail and quite honestly found other things to do.

I used to get a box or two every month, but with the prices that has been limited to a box every few months if even that unless I sell stuff from my PC which I am hesitant to do. Many of my friends have stopped getting wax and joining breaks b/c of the cost so that brings about the question if high priced group breaks and wax and driving away people and setting people into a black hole. In a simple one worded answer, nope.

The hobby has attracted new investors and if we like it not people are driven by the almighty dollar and even though the true collector that focuses on their personal collection might be dwindling, the hobby is a very good place as long as everyone keeps pumping money into it.

Yes, it is definitely luck if you can get some basketball. I assume if your a hockey guy you sell that and buy some stuff for your pc. As you said those folks are driven by the Almighty dollar and in the past all the wax was being bought as it could be flipped but since it not the case anymore more collectors can get retail like my picture shows. I am wondering how long folks will keep pumping money into it as I see it coming to a screeching halt at some point.

DOn

[chakhae1]

Yes, it is definitely luck if you can get some basketball. I assume if your a hockey guy you sell that and buy some stuff for your pc. As you said those folks are driven by the Almighty dollar and in the past all the wax was being bought as it could be flipped but since it not the case anymore more collectors can get retail like my picture shows. I am wondering how long folks will keep pumping money into it as I see it coming to a screeching halt at some point.

DOn

People have drastically stopped purchasing retail wax after the stores put limitations to what can be bought and even the legal issues that took place all over the United States. I have also heard stories of people waiting over night in line to get wax in the morning and that is not even the worst of it. The worst side of the hobby really came out in the earlier days of the pandemic but thankfully it looks like that is slowing down now. It was literally the only thing that was posted and talked about on the social media outlets that I am a part of and to be honest it was sickening!

I don't really sell anything from my collection unless I want to buy wax or I need money for some other reason and with wax being as expensive it is and most of the cards being semi PC, I have not really sold much since the pandemic started.

[doniceage]

People have drastically stopped purchasing retail wax after the stores put limitations to what can be bought and even the legal issues that took place all over the United States. I have also heard stories of people waiting over night in line to get wax in the morning and that is not even the worst of it. The worst side of the hobby really came out in the earlier days of the pandemic but thankfully it looks like that is slowing down now. It was literally the only thing that was posted and talked about on the social media outlets that I am a part of and to be honest it was sickening!

I don't really sell anything from my collection unless I want to buy wax or I need money for some other reason and with wax being as expensive it is and most of the cards being semi PC, I have not really sold much since the pandemic started.

See that is the thing that is not the case now. I have two Wal marts where it is first come first serve. So the picture I showed up above anyone could have took all the wax. As you can see almost all the football and all the basketball was picked clean as soon as it was put out.

Just a fyi so after 6 days without being stocked there was only 1 blaster box of Allure hockey so to say folks have drastically stopped is not quite true from where I live. It slowed down but it still sells out. Two years ago stuff had clearance tags on it to just move it. LOL.

DON

[chakhae1]

See that is the thing that is not the case now. I have two Wal marts where it is first come first serve. So the picture I showed up above anyone could have took all the wax. As you can see almost all the football and all the basketball was picked clean as soon as it was put out.

Just a fyi so after 6 days without being stocked there was only 1 blaster box of Allure hockey so to say folks have drastically stopped is not quite true from where I live. It slowed down but it still sells out. Two years ago stuff had clearance tags on it to just move it. LOL.

DON

The overall activity on places such as Facebook has stopped from being almost completely focusing on what people were finding at retail locations to just a brisk sample now. I think people have realized that retail is not that great and things have gone back somewhat to what they used to be pre pandemic.

I have talked to a couple of collectors at Walmart over the years and the overwhelming thing I get from them is that they have a problem. They spend the entire day going to as many Walmarts and Toys R Us's as possible to see what they can get. During the pandemic the numbers of these people went bonkers, but like I said as people found better things to do or whatever else it was and the focus on retail has lessened. For me I just get what I can and I do not make it a hobby goal to buy all the retail wax I can.

Hockey will never be popular to the mainstream collector and you can find retail hockey wherever you go but that's a story for another day lol.

[doniceage]

The overall activity on places such as Facebook has stopped from being almost completely focusing on what people were finding at retail locations to just a brisk sample now. I think people have realized that retail is not that great and things have gone back somewhat to what they used to be pre pandemic.

I have talked to a couple of collectors at Walmart over the years and the overwhelming thing I get from them is that they have a problem. They spend the entire day going to as many Walmarts and Toys R Us's as possible to see what they can get. During the pandemic the numbers of these people went bonkers, but like I said as people found better things to do or whatever else it was and the focus on retail has lessened. For me I just get what I can and I do not make it a hobby goal to buy all the retail wax I can.

Hockey will never be popular to the mainstream collector and you can find retail hockey wherever you go but that's a story for another day lol.

Living in Kentucky there is alway some hockey left. I cannot believe when the pandemic hit that they would even leave hockey on the shelves during the lockdown in Canada. Always feel free to share a story for another day LOL


DON

[don sanford]

I feel that the pandemic had a lot to do with the flippers taking over the retail product earlier this year. You had people not working and bringing in more money than they previously made with the weekly supplemental unemployment payments and stimulus handouts. They had cash in hand and time on their hands to go around and buy out the Targets and Walmarts as soon as the products were put on the shelves, if it even made it that far. A lot of this people were not collectors I’m sure as they probably couldn’t tell Mickey Mantle from Mickey Rivers. I was in a LCS when a lady came in and just spent over $1500 at Target and told the owner she wanted $3100. He asked what do you have, she said I don’t know but here’s my receipt. He did not buy from her and she left all mad and said I’ll just go to another store then.

I’ve seen retail available at Walmarts and online availability at Target and Walmart. I don’t blame Target for not stocking cards anymore due to the behavior of people camping out in the parking lot overnight, fighting and threats to employees and vendors.

I’m not so sure than 5-10 years from now that the values will still be there. It seems like Topps and Panini cranked up the print runs due to the perceived “demand”.

I don’t buy wax boxes as I collect single players I like and I usually will pick up a Topps factory set.

Hopefully the hobby returns to a more “normal” state, whatever that may be, so we can enjoy our hobby for what it is.

[doniceage]

I feel that the pandemic had a lot to do with the flippers taking over the retail product earlier this year. You had people not working and bringing in more money than they previously made with the weekly supplemental unemployment payments and stimulus handouts. They had cash in hand and time on their hands to go around and buy out the Targets and Walmarts as soon as the products were put on the shelves, if it even made it that far. A lot of this people were not collectors I’m sure as they probably couldn’t tell Mickey Mantle from Mickey Rivers. I was in a LCS when a lady came in and just spent over $1500 at Target and told the owner she wanted $3100. He asked what do you have, she said I don’t know but here’s my receipt. He did not buy from her and she left all mad and said I’ll just go to another store then.

I’ve seen retail available at Walmarts and online availability at Target and Walmart. I don’t blame Target for not stocking cards anymore due to the behavior of people camping out in the parking lot overnight, fighting and threats to employees and vendors.

I’m not so sure than 5-10 years from now that the values will still be there. It seems like Topps and Panini cranked up the print runs due to the perceived “demand”.

I don’t buy wax boxes as I collect single players I like and I usually will pick up a Topps factory set.

Hopefully the hobby returns to a more “normal” state, whatever that may be, so we can enjoy our hobby for what it is.

Both companies have definitely cranked up the demand. As you can see they raised their prices and now the shelves are full unlike the pandemic. Thanks for chiming in. Love the story about the lady asking for double her money at the LCS.

DON

[don sanford]

Both companies have definitely cranked up the demand. As you can see they raised their prices and now the shelves are full unlike the pandemic. Thanks for chiming in. Love the story about the lady asking for double her money at the LCS.

DON

I forgot to mention that the owner of the LCS offered her $2K in cash on the spot but since he wasn't going to give her a 100% return she wanted no part of it. She would have made nearly $500 in profit for less than an hour of work since the 2 Target stores near this shop are about 10 minutes away in different directions so travel time to Target, plus checkout time and time to the LCS was under an hour I'm sure. The owner told me he buys product off the street when he can't get his orders but he has to be able to sell it and couldn't at her price,

[richloughlin]

"It’s hard to break even busting wax. Isn’t that sort of the allure though"?

I think this statement from "turnpipe" kind of sums it all up. There are a lot of folks in the hobby now that are not collectors, but speculators. They look at a retail or hobby box in the same way they would buying a scratch-off lottery ticket; hoping for that one big hit for a small amount of money invested. Collectors on the other hand trade on boards like this one, attend sports card shows, look for deals on ebay, etc. At least with this strategy, you either get more of what you want (trading), or possibly get a deal where you can flip a make a decent profit (card shows). At the end of the day, some of us are SPECULATORS (more than we care to admit it), some are COLLECTORS and some of us are a combination of both.

I believe there's alittle gambling or speculation in most of us to varying degrees. That being the case, there's an old saying on Wall Street: "Nobody ever lost money making a small profit."