LCS selling retail
 

What is your take on this? My LCS sells retail (advertising it now for Black Friday and still more expensive than on the shelf at target). I have noticed for years that my local target and walmart hardly ever have the "hot" products. As an example, I have not seen any Topps Chrome Update Megas on the shelves. It is pretty clear he has a deal with the distributor or each store to grab the retail product before it lands on shelves. Or, he may have people go out and grab it as soon as a re-stock happens each week. Frankly this pisses me off but maybe I am the only one. If he was selling at the same price as retail maybe I could live with it but he does not....quite a markup.

I don't like it either!! I have one LCS that has it and blatantly it is known they go around to stores and buy it up to mark up and sell in shop. Another LCS I believe somehow gets it from his distributor.

No one likes it.

It's business.

Flipper shop boooiiiiisss out and about

some hobby shops have a retail distributor that can provide them with product, some have people go and clear stores and bring everything in to sell to the shop, which they then mark up and resell.

if the shop has a retail distributor, I have no issues with it because they usually don't gauge pricing too much (from my experience), what I have an issue with is buying the product from someone they send to the stores and clear them out.

The only wax the LCS around here sells is retail. It's whatever, they can do what they want, but it's eyerolling that they don't even try to make their prices close to reasonable (I once saw on their fb feed $60 for a Topps Flagship blaster...just LOL)

They can get it through the distributor from what I understand. But I know a couple around me go to all the stores (Walmart, Target, etc) buying it up and then marking it up. I don't ripx, so I am indifferent. But it's a business. So it's no different than buying and flipping a card or anything else.

[QUOTE=towerymt;19716865]It's business.[/QUOTE]

Bad Business but business

A lot of LCS's are selling retail. This became more of a reality when they could not longer get hobby directly from Topps/Fanatics or when their distributors lost their contracts with Fanatics. I know many of them are getting retail from distributors. Some are also buying directly from the flippers. I see the flippers all the time trying to sell retail at my LCS. Many times at cost, which amazes me.

[QUOTE=everyone;19716851]What is your take on this? My LCS sells retail (advertising it now for Black Friday and still more expensive than on the shelf at target). I have noticed for years that my local target and walmart hardly ever have the "hot" products. As an example, I have not seen any Topps Chrome Update Megas on the shelves. It is pretty clear he has a deal with the distributor or each store to grab the retail product before it lands on shelves. Or, he may have people go out and grab it as soon as a re-stock happens each week. Frankly this pisses me off but maybe I am the only one. If he was selling at the same price as retail maybe I could live with it but he does not....quite a markup.[/QUOTE]

My LCS had the Topps Advent Calendars on sale for the flipper price of $125 even though they can get product directly from Topps. Gross.

Mine has started carrying retail but his prices are good so I don't mind it -- if I'm in the market it's nice to not have to sweat big box hopping and to be able to pick up a variety with one stop in the shop. But buying up local stock or up-charging as a boutique item is pretty lame and I don't like shops doing that.

There are lots of LCS now that can't get a Fanatics account and have to do what they have to do just to have sealed product on their shelves. I heard an interview with an owner who was in that situation and he said he sells retail for no profit just to keep customers coming in. It's a business.

Many times, its not the actual LCS out there scouting boxes, but someone who brings them in to sell. Additionally, for most products, retail is available via distributors.

Fanatics, Panini & distributors sell retail blasters/megas direct to dealers. Not everyone clears shelves at Walmart for their stores.

Card shops are the pawn shops for box flipper bois.

Many folks will buy Black Friday deals online and flip that product to shops and at shows.

These middlemen simply increase prices for everyone.

It’s hard for them to get by on a fast food wage.

It’s scary, but some do it because they get a high off it.

LCS selling retail
 

And you nailed it, why I only buy wax on Black Friday Or if I’m lucky enough to get in release window via Topps. My LCSs go for market sale price.

Understandable, they’re a business that has to pay rent, staff etc. Doesn’t mean I have to like it and choose to pay.

Edit… forgot, the local stores Target/Walmart are only recently starting to put baseball products back on shelves (since Covid) and very limited, flagship fatpacks and SC blasters as an example. No hangars or blasters. No Chrome.

They are also filling customers demand. There are a lot of people that want to rip some product that can't afford $200, $400, $800 or more for a hobby box.

Here in S. Ontario there's no Target, Walmart and Costco don't carry sports cards so it's our only chance to get retail.

Panini and Topps direct accounts are all forced to carry blasters/megas/etc these days. It isn't all scooping up local big box stores, they get allocated cases of it direct

My LCS got a bunch of 2021 football retail. I guess the flipper bois are dumping at cheap prices.

[QUOTE=baseballbunez;19717050]Panini and Topps direct accounts are all forced to carry blasters/megas/etc these days. It isn't all scooping up local big box stores, they get allocated cases of it direct[/QUOTE]

Yes...mine gets their blasters and megas directly from Topps. They had Bowman Chrome U football Hobby/Megas/Blasters today. Didn't scoop up any retail from a big box store. I'm fine with this as long as their price is reasonable.

buy online

A retail store selling a retail product. I don't see what the issue is?

It's not 2020 anymore. As many have pointed out, most LCS aren't rushing to the big box stores and clearing the shelves.

I have no problem buying retail at Walmart and Target, Covid is over.

[QUOTE=davidantx;19717098]I have no problem buying retail at Walmart and Target, Covid is over.[/QUOTE]Lucky you. I go to 4 different Walmarts and 3 Targets regularly and rarely find any sports cards. One Walmart simply doesn't sell them anymore. The other ones are all wiped out of anything good as soon as shelves are stocked. I found some Score football hangar packs at one Walmart recently and that was like finding water in the desert.

I had pretty strong opinions on it when it started happening. But, I don't buy wax anymore so it doesn't bother me.

I do wish that kids had options to get stuff that wasn't so marked up. My son likes to open packs but we don't do much of it because the price is so far out of line with the value. He ends up buying more NBA singles.

[QUOTE=Bunny Hop;19716924][B]Mine has started carrying retail but his prices are good so I don't mind it [/B]-- if I'm in the market it's nice to not have to sweat big box hopping and to be able to pick up a variety with one stop in the shop. But buying up local stock or up-charging as a boutique item is pretty lame and I don't like shops doing that.[/QUOTE]

Same with mine. Some are even lower than you get in the stores.

[QUOTE=rms13;19717112]Lucky you. I go to 4 different Walmarts and 3 Targets regularly and rarely find any sports cards. One Walmart simply doesn't sell them anymore. The other ones are all wiped out of anything good as soon as shelves are stocked. I found some Score football hangar packs at one Walmart recently and that was like finding water in the desert.[/QUOTE]


This [emoji817]

[QUOTE=rms13;19717112]Lucky you. I go to 4 different Walmarts and 3 Targets regularly and rarely find any sports cards. One Walmart simply doesn't sell them anymore. The other ones are all wiped out of anything good as soon as shelves are stocked. I found some Score football hangar packs at one Walmart recently and that was like finding water in the desert.[/QUOTE]

I find baseball at least half the time I go to Targets in the 909 area code. I don't buy retail anymore since I have learned the hard way that buying Fanatics produced retail is like going back to a toxic ex who mistreats you and gives you a new std each time you see her.

The insane prices (30-45 bucks for blasters), high print runs that result in watered down "hits" and niceties, and suspect quality have killed wax buying for me.

Technically if they have Hobby accounts, then they aren't supposed to have retail accounts as well, but we all know, no one is enforcing that..

My LCS sells retail for cheaper than my local Big Box store. There is one less link in the chain that way.

Almost every LCS that mostly sells retail boxes won't last. It's just not sustainable with margins for retail a lot lower than during COVID. If you opened up a shop and had a bot to buy all the stuff for cheap, you cleaned up. The ship has mostly sailed for retail to be profitable aside from a few products.

Topps sells retail products to direct account LCS' now..
Not every SKU, but megas, blasters, sometimes value packs..
Topps has been doing that since beginning of 2023.

It’s their business to operate how they see fit. I really don’t care-at all.
I will say however from owning/operating a LCS a while back…
Generally speaking, the timespan of the new or back into cards person’s buying relationship with their favorite shop is generally a honeymoon like period of time, especially if spending significant amounts of money. As they become more aware of how online sources often offer the same products at better prices than in the LCS their gradual migration can be quickly accelerated by seeing retail with big markups. Not insulting someone’s intelligence and being as transparent and fair as possible will always help to preserve that relationship a bit more- even if the saavy buyer only comes in for supplies, an occasional impulse rip or to browse for singles.
This is why I always spent a good amount of time and effort in finding and stocking as many fair valued products from the previous few years as possible. Saying “TCU is red hot and I need to have boxes available regardless of the sticker price” may be a profitable stance for some, but when the prices to stock went far beyond what I consider a fair rip I’d just stop stocking it and try to steer people into some similar products that don’t necessarily promise an ass whoopin.
It’s a fine line for those involved- business owner AND customer.

[QUOTE=LVDan;19717482]It’s their business to operate how they see fit. I really don’t care-at all.
I will say however from owning/operating a LCS a while back…
Generally speaking, the timespan of the new or back into cards person’s buying relationship with their favorite shop is generally a honeymoon like period of time, especially if spending significant amounts of money. As they become more aware of how online sources often offer the same products at better prices than in the LCS their gradual migration can be quickly accelerated by seeing retail with big markups. Not insulting someone’s intelligence and being as transparent and fair as possible will always help to preserve that relationship a bit more- even if the saavy buyer only comes in for supplies, an occasional impulse rip or to browse for singles.
This is why I always spent a good amount of time and effort in finding and stocking as many fair valued products from the previous few years as possible. Saying “TCU is red hot and I need to have boxes available regardless of the sticker price” may be a profitable stance for some, but when the prices to stock went far beyond what I consider a fair rip I’d just stop stocking it and try to steer people into some similar products that don’t necessarily promise an ass whoopin.
It’s a fine line for those involved- business owner AND customer.[/QUOTE]

This is a great comment and good point!

My LCS sells retail at fair prices and will blowout the stuff that doesn’t sell the year after. Within 20 minutes drive I have 2 targets, 4 Meijer, 1 Walmart, 1 B&N. Retail is easy to find for me.

it is a scummy move if it is marked up but most LCS owners are scumbags

i wonder how many of the stores selling retail refused to bend the knee

[QUOTE=ThoseBackPages;19717580]i wonder how many of the stores selling retail refused to bend the knee[/QUOTE]

I'd be more interested in finding out how many are buying retail products at the distribution level pricing directly from Fanatics. Which seems to be a good amount based on the comments in this thread.

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Distributor pricing for 2024 Bowman Chrome U Football blasters is $24.

[QUOTE=baseballbunez;19717050]Panini and Topps direct accounts are all forced to carry blasters/megas/etc these days. It isn't all scooping up local big box stores, they get allocated cases of it direct[/QUOTE]

This.

Topps 100% sells retail direct to their dealers. With prices as insane as they are, A LOT of people buy blasters/hangers etc so it’s smart business to sell these.

While I’m sure some shops are wiping out $30 blasters at Target to sell for $40, this is not what the majority of larger, established shops are doing.

I’m surprised so many people commenting think that’s what’s happening.

Could it be more and more retail products are being sold online through sites like SSC ? Hobby stores simply order from there and then put their little markup on it rather than paying people to stalk Walmart and Target ? Could just be the companies that stock retail stores just aren't getting the allotment they used to ?

Ever since the breakers boom the production is mainly being sent to the larger breakers. The small LCS have a harder time now to get any product in the store. They get what they can and have to markup to make a profit to stay in business. As long as people want to rip product themselves many will pay that markup at their LCS because they can not get the product elsewhere or the difference is so little between their LCS and the online sellers they choose to support their LCS.

[QUOTE=theplasticman;19717126]I had pretty strong opinions on it when it started happening. But, I don't buy wax anymore so it doesn't bother me.

I do wish that kids had options to get stuff that wasn't so marked up. My son likes to open packs but we don't do much of it because the price is so far out of line with the value. He ends up buying more NBA singles.[/QUOTE]

big league hobby boxes are $50 or less.

in a perfect world, hobby stores would have plenty of hobby product to sell to customers. And retail would be the cheap fun rips they used to be.

however, we're in a far from perfect world anymore. even before covid, retail was getting more attention, thanks to the multitude of exclusives added to the lineups, from parallels and inserts to full sets like Fire or Holiday mega boxes.

the hobby has adapted to retail products being in more spots than just the target checkout line.

I only dislike that it encourages stealing.

My LCS will buy retail but of course a lot lower than MSRP as they have to make something, fine......but when people come in with brand new product willing to sell it for like half the price and don't work at Wal-Mart in the extreme case they have some discount an it's still bought no questions asked, people will just steal. My area Walmart already has open packs/boxes sitting there as apparently they don't care about loss prevention so now you have people just steal so there's nothing on shelves, sell it for cheap so if you have retail you actually bought you can't sell it lol and prices get jacked up at the LCS.

Before someone says why wouldn't they sell for more on Marketplace.....LCS has no trail and I doubt police are scouring local card shops doing interviews but if someone constantly has retail product selling for dirt cheap on marketplace it'll set off a red flag and I'm sure walmart employees etc do check those for items that have been stolen.

I have a secret collective of people around the country that goes into every big box store daily and clears all the product. They then ship it to me, where I store it in a giant warehouse until the price goes up due to demand. Once the prices all go up, I will sell it all and be rich.

That's why you can't find any product on the shelves.

[QUOTE=bigdog2003;19725343]I have a secret collective of people around the country that goes into every big box store daily and clears all the product. They then ship it to me, where I store it in a giant warehouse until the price goes up due to demand. Once the prices all go up, I will sell it all and be rich.

That's why you can't find any product on the shelves.[/QUOTE]

The Hunt Brothers of trading cards

Shop owner here. I don't clear out retail shelves.

People bringing in retail to flip to LCS was more during the Pandemic. Someone tried to bring in 4 full displays of pokemon 151 poster collections to flip to me last week. I turned him away.

LCS can get retail from distribution. My upper deck retail comes from Southern Hobby. I also buy off the Target website for Panini retail since I don't have a Panini direct account. Topps direct offers Mega/Monster Boxes to us but usually just once and its gone forever.

Don't just assume your LCS is clearing out retail spaces. We have many other avenues to get product.

[QUOTE=armyml;19725400]Shop owner here. I don't clear out retail shelves.

People bringing in retail to flip to LCS was more during the Pandemic. Someone tried to bring in 4 full displays of pokemon 151 poster collections to flip to me last week. I turned him away.

LCS can get retail from distribution. My upper deck retail comes from Southern Hobby. I also buy off the Target website for Panini retail since I don't have a Panini direct account. Topps direct offers Mega/Monster Boxes to us but usually just once and its gone forever.

Don't just assume your LCS is clearing out retail spaces. We have many other avenues to get product.[/QUOTE]

Yeah but if someone brings in 10 Topps Chrome Update megas for example for $20 each you'll likely buy right? Which just encourages stealing. Obviously you aren't gonna buy something you can't sell lol but I'd love to know how many LCS with the conscience not the clear shelves also have the conscience to turn away product they think is stolen. I doubt many, and thats just as bad and hurtful to the hobby if not more than just buying off people who clear the shelves.

[QUOTE=ThatGuyPal;19725562]Yeah but if someone brings in 10 Topps Chrome Update megas for example for $20 each you'll likely buy right? Which just encourages stealing. Obviously you aren't gonna buy something you can't sell lol but I'd love to know how many LCS with the conscience not the clear shelves also have the conscience to turn away product they think is stolen. I doubt many, and thats just as bad and hurtful to the hobby if not more than just buying off people who clear the shelves.[/QUOTE]

I guess eBay encourages stealing then.

I guess card shows where a dealer offers you less than market encourages stealing.

I guess anywhere that buys items from customers encourages stealing.

[QUOTE=ThatGuyPal;19725562]Yeah but if someone brings in 10 Topps Chrome Update megas for example for $20 each you'll likely buy right? Which just encourages stealing. Obviously you aren't gonna buy something you can't sell lol but I'd love to know how many LCS with the conscience not the clear shelves also have the conscience to turn away product they think is stolen. I doubt many, and thats just as bad and hurtful to the hobby if not more than just buying off people who clear the shelves.[/QUOTE]Are you turning away $20 megas? I suspect you'd have no problem buying cheap with no questions asked.

[QUOTE=ewokpelts;19725196]big league hobby boxes are $50 or less.[/QUOTE]

But then they can't hit a huge card. If it was really about "only wanting to open boxes", there are plenty of cheap options. It's not, it's about gambling. I laugh when I hear the "there needs to be a cheaper option for kids", there are plenty of cheaper options if kids just want to open packs. Family Dollar has packs for $1.25, sometimes they ring up $1.00 depending on markdowns. Go buy some packs from there. Oh, that's right, you can't hit a 1/1 MLB Debut patch from those, so its not really about collecting. Family Dollar football gravity feeds even have autos. They do color parallels for basketball and football. Dollar Tree sometimes has packs.

I don't have a problem with shops buying what comes into them. A lot of younger shops trying to break in do this to get product and I think that's more than fine and part of trying to get up and running.

Where I have an issue is a store like Card Collector 2 who really cried out for people to come in and flip to him during the pandemic and well after he was established. I try to respect local folks and not call people out but that guy really went out of his way to beg for it on social media and I'm not surprised he's been at this now over a decade and can't get space to do his thing at the national. Last year he had a commercial space according to his social media. Not a table like dealers, but something else.

[QUOTE=mrb842;19726229]I don't have a problem with shops buying what comes into them. A lot of younger shops trying to break in do this to get product and I think that's more than fine and part of trying to get up and running.

Where I have an issue is a store like Card Collector 2 who really cried out for people to come in and flip to him during the pandemic and well after he was established. I try to respect local folks and not call people out but that guy really went out of his way to beg for it on social media and I'm not surprised he's been at this now over a decade and can't get space to do his thing at the national. Last year he had a commercial space according to his social media. Not a table like dealers, but something else.[/QUOTE]

But why care what any business does? If you don't agree with their practices, don't shop there. It's not the end of the world if you can't get a box of Chrome Update. What if distributors started doing prices to reflect the price on the secondary market, would that be an issue? The only reason these shops can buy it up and sell it at a higher price is people are willing to pay it. I personally won't pay marked up prices for retail, but that's just me. I'll just not open that product. The LCS I go to has retail all the time. They had WNBA Select blasters the last time I went. I wasn't paying $50 for a blaster, so I didn't buy any. It's not hard to just say no.

Why care what any business does? Because I'm a customer. It's not like there's an LCS or hobby shop every mile or so. With prices the way they are it isn't even much of a hobby -- it's more of a side hustle. And that's stupid.

[QUOTE=Bunny Hop;19726266]Why care what any business does? Because I'm a customer. It's not like there's an LCS or hobby shop every mile or so. With prices the way they are it isn't even much of a hobby -- it's more of a side hustle. And that's stupid.[/QUOTE]

I see blaster boxes on clearance all the time, buy those. If it's just a hobby and you want to open packs, there are plenty of options.

Nothing wrong with it being a business, or side hustle, like you call it. If somebody is willing to pay $50 for a blaster, why would you sell it for less? Anybody that's looking for retail to open should come here, our WalMart has boxes of everything any time I go. Sports, Pokemon, doesn't matter.

[url]https://www.blowoutcards.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=retail[/url]

[QUOTE=bigdog2003;19726226]But then they can't hit a huge card. If it was really about "only wanting to open boxes", there are plenty of cheap options. It's not, it's about gambling. I laugh when I hear the "there needs to be a cheaper option for kids", there are plenty of cheaper options if kids just want to open packs. Family Dollar has packs for $1.25, sometimes they ring up $1.00 depending on markdowns. Go buy some packs from there. Oh, that's right, you can't hit a 1/1 MLB Debut patch from those, so its not really about collecting. Family Dollar football gravity feeds even have autos. They do color parallels for basketball and football. Dollar Tree sometimes has packs.[/QUOTE]

This is a total 180 from your other post.

[QUOTE=Patsfan;19716854]I don't like it either!! I have one LCS that has it and blatantly it is known they go around to stores and buy it up to mark up and sell in shop. Another LCS I believe somehow gets it from his distributor.[/QUOTE]

Every time I see card shop owners do this, the first thing I immediately notice about them is that they are usually fat

[QUOTE=Patsfan;19716854]I don't like it either!! I have one LCS that has it and blatantly it is known they go around to stores and buy it up to mark up and sell in shop. Another LCS I believe somehow gets it from his distributor.[/QUOTE]
I know a shop that does that, but sells it for market price,

If Walmart or Target does not have it, the customers have to come to his shop to buy them and its the same price as walmart or target...
Keeps buyers coming back to his store

[QUOTE=bigdog2003;19726239]But why care what any business does? If you don't agree with their practices, don't shop there. It's not the end of the world if you can't get a box of Chrome Update. [B]What if distributors started doing prices to reflect the price on the secondary market, would that be an issue?[/B] The only reason these shops can buy it up and sell it at a higher price is people are willing to pay it. I personally won't pay marked up prices for retail, but that's just me. I'll just not open that product. The LCS I go to has retail all the time. They had WNBA Select blasters the last time I went. I wasn't paying $50 for a blaster, so I didn't buy any. It's not hard to just say no.[/QUOTE]

Ummmmm, they already do. They have lowered initial allocations but then they list them at secondary market price on the sell sheets a week or two later.
Then, if you don't buy X amount of their stuff at secondary market prices, they will lower your initial allocations on the new stuff.
And while they are at it, they sell on Dealernet instead of to their existing clients. Wherever they can make the most money.