Fanatics keeps on raising prices, yet people continue to buy....why?

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by awz50

Interesting take on this and you are not wrong..

I was at Target the other day and the Excel rep was restocking. I was the only person besides her looking at the cards. I said to her, “Remember when they used to swarm you and take it right out of the box?” Without skipping a beat she said, “They just don’t know I’m here. This isn’t my usual time.” I was back there two days later and anything remotely decent was gone again.

I guess the only difference from ‘20-‘21 is that flippers would have been waiting in the aisles for the off chance of an unexpected Excel visit.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

The truth is something I’ve been saying for a long while now, but no one wants to hear or acknowledge: Fantastics still isn’t charging enough!

Whether it’s because of breakers, gamblers, collectors, sellers, flippers, bots, Goldin, whoever or whatever is irrelevant. They keep selling out of every new product they release in a timely manner. That means it’s too cheap. I know that makes some people here angry, especially the ones who are priced out, but it’s basic economics.

How will we know when they’re charging enough? When something like Gilded, or Cosmic, or Dynasty just sits there on the website for a while. When people don’t post on here about being bummed their pre-order attempt failed, when breaker slots go unfilled, when we see clearance blasters at Target again, etc.

You're probably right.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by whitmm

When was it $65-75 a box? Give a time frame. And then think about some major world events that may have happened that caused a shift in the sports card world.

Prices were going up well before Fanatics got involved.

I paid less than <$70/box for Archives from my local LCS in 2018/2019/2020 ($400 for a half case).

I skipped 2021 & 2022 because I didn't like the designs.

Last year (i.e. 2023), I paid $83.33 a box (i.e. $500 for a half case).

So this years' price ($130/box) is roughly a 50% increase from last year.

[mfw13]

I think two other factors that are contributing are the fact that Bitcoin is over 100K, and the stock market is within 5% of it's all-time highs (reached last month).

So people with money to invest (a category which I think overlaps quite a bit with sports card collectors and gamblers in general) are doing VERY well.

And that means A LOT of disposable income is floating around out there....

[scotchtape0]

Originally Posted by Poorboy

The house (fanatics) can’t win every single
Time
Even in Vegas folks get to win a little
Even accidentally lol

Believe it or not, there are still products that Topps releases that you can make a profit on if you are willing to put in a little work. I ripped a lot of Series 1, 2 and Update Jumbos in 2024 and did well. Stadium Club, Allen & Ginter, Heritage can all be profitable. Stay away from the high end products, Bowman and Chrome and there is still value.

[eastbayak]

Originally Posted by scotchtape0

Believe it or not, there are still products that Topps releases that you can make a profit on if you are willing to put in a little work. I ripped a lot of Series 1, 2 and Update Jumbos in 2024 and did well. Stadium Club, Allen & Ginter, Heritage can all be profitable. Stay away from the high end products, Bowman and Chrome and there is still value.

Shoot, one could just avoid current/future releases and load up on select BO Black November deals and do quite well (from a ripping, flipping and/or holding perspective).

[Twalk1975]

The increases have made it really easy to sit out on most products. My net spending on wax is way down even if the prices of the products that i do open are doubled.

[rms13]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

I was at Target the other day and the Excel rep was restocking. I was the only person besides her looking at the cards. I said to her, “Remember when they used to swarm you and take it right out of the box?” Without skipping a beat she said, “They just don’t know I’m here. This isn’t my usual time.” I was back there two days later and anything remotely decent was gone again.



I guess the only difference from ‘20-‘21 is that flippers would have been waiting in the aisles for the off chance of an unexpected Excel visit.

Still can't keep cards on the shelves at any of the local Target and Walmart where I live.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

The truth is something I’ve been saying for a long while now, but no one wants to hear or acknowledge: Fantastics still isn’t charging enough!

Whether it’s because of breakers, gamblers, collectors, sellers, flippers, bots, Goldin, whoever or whatever is irrelevant. They keep selling out of every new product they release in a timely manner. That means it’s too cheap. I know that makes some people here angry, especially the ones who are priced out, but it’s basic economics.

How will we know when they’re charging enough? When something like Gilded, or Cosmic, or Dynasty just sits there on the website for a while. When people don’t post on here about being bummed their pre-order attempt failed, when breaker slots go unfilled, when we see clearance blasters at Target again, etc.

I agree with this. I am still amazed at how fast Prizm basketball and football get scooped up at $800-900 a box. What a bargin!!! Also, to your second point and this happens on every release. WTF is Fantatics charging x for a box of y. That is so ridiculous. Next sentence, wtf. What is up with the three box limit. I wasn't able to get a second order in before in sold out.

Fanatics is probably be wise and slower increasing the pricing every year to avoid sticker shock. At some point (maybe? ha ha), they will reach the tipping point of actually having inventory. That will be when the price increases stop. Since these sports have new releases almost weekly, it is really advantageous to sell out and get everything out the door.

[Grave252]

The hobby changed during Covid. Most people know this, but a lot of longtime collectors don't want to admit it. Fanatics (and other manufacturers) aren't in business to appease collectors, they are in business to appease the gamblers and speculators. The hobby is now an unregulated casino, and it's going to stay that way. As long as they can continue to sell out product, they'll increase print runs and product lines. Every new product is a new slot machine for someone to play.

[vwnut13]

The price of crack keeps going up, yet people continue to buy....why?

[whitmm]

To all those that think Fanatics caters specifically to breakers, if you ordered as many cases and as often as they do, Fanatics would take care of you as well.

[ThoseBackPages]

addiction and debt will rule the hobby in 2025

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

The truth is something I’ve been saying for a long while now, but no one wants to hear or acknowledge: Fantastics still isn’t charging enough!

Whether it’s because of breakers, gamblers, collectors, sellers, flippers, bots, Goldin, whoever or whatever is irrelevant. They keep selling out of every new product they release in a timely manner. That means it’s too cheap. I know that makes some people here angry, especially the ones who are priced out, but it’s basic economics.

How will we know when they’re charging enough? When something like Gilded, or Cosmic, or Dynasty just sits there on the website for a while. When people don’t post on here about being bummed their pre-order attempt failed, when breaker slots go unfilled, when we see clearance blasters at Target again, etc.

You are correct. It's business 101. People just get upset because they are no longer the target audience for things they collect (or rather boxes of things they collect). They have found other people who are willing to pay more to open wax, so they are justifiably charging what those other people will pay, thus leaving some people behind, who had already developed their own affinity (addiction?) to opening wax at previous prices, but no longer want to/can at the increased prices. It is what it is.

[towerymt]

Never Gonna Give You Up

[cnote81]

On the bright side, the panic created by poorly staggered releases and people over extending themselves on breaks or sealed product made for some really nice deals on singles the past few months.

I wonder if fanatics is looking at what the conversion rate is for new entrants in the hobby becoming long time participants. As others have pointed out, feeling like you've been ripped off over and over doesn't create a consumer experience that breeds loyalty.

[towerymt]

Originally Posted by Grave252

The hobby changed during Covid. Most people know this, but a lot of longtime collectors don't want to admit it. Fanatics (and other manufacturers) aren't in business to appease collectors, they are in business to appease the gamblers and speculators. The hobby is now an unregulated casino, and it's going to stay that way. As long as they can continue to sell out product, they'll increase print runs and product lines. Every new product is a new slot machine for someone to play.

You may quote me:

Originally Posted by towerymt

And people still calling The Business by it's wrong name, The Hobby

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showth...9#post18580319

[whitmm]

Originally Posted by cnote81

On the bright side, the panic created by poorly staggered releases and people over extending themselves on breaks or sealed product made for some really nice deals on singles the past few months.

I wonder if fanatics is looking at what the conversion rate is for new entrants in the hobby becoming long time participants. As others have pointed out, feeling like you've been ripped off over and over doesn't create a consumer experience that breeds loyalty.

Depends, what percentage of product being purchased directly from Fanatics/Topps is the end consumer and how much is resellers?

Because I'm guessing most of their direct customers haven't felt like they've been ripped off over and over.

[tmar214]

Originally Posted by mfw13

I paid less than <$70/box for Archives from my local LCS in 2018/2019/2020 ($400 for a half case).

I skipped 2021 & 2022 because I didn't like the designs.

Last year (i.e. 2023), I paid $83.33 a box (i.e. $500 for a half case).

So this years' price ($130/box) is roughly a 50% increase from last year.

Cost in 2020 was $73 so he must have just been taking a loss to get rid of it. 83.33 was roughly last years wholesale cost. Seems like you were able to get products cheap because he had no demand for them and now you're comparing it to retail price which you were buying products for way under all these years anyway.

[redauto5]

My hobby enjoyment used to be primarily ripping wax and breaking down the carcass into its constituent parts for sale on Ebay, keeping back some stuff for the PC. I was mostly very discerning in what I ripped and did it at the case/multiple case level.

As wax prices continued to rise, I slowed way down. I'm not down with gambling on big hits anymore, I'd say I've matured past that. Some people with lots of disposable income can do that ad infinitum, but it's just too irresponsible for me at this point.

So, like many others, I've turned to singles buying/investing/speculating/collecting. My hobby dollar goes a lot further now, and I don't feel like quite the degenerate I used to.

In many of us collectors there is a maturation process from wax to modern singles to vintage as we realize what true "collector pieces" are and how to intelligently acquire them. Sure, collector pieces can be found in wax and some ultra modern cards will become collectors pieces as time moves on. But trying to find collectors pieces in the vintage space is like trying to find diamonds in the jewelry store vs deep down in some mine. Sure, diamonds cost what they cost in that store but it sure is less risky than being down in that mine. And that mining equipment (wax) sure is expensive and breaks down a lot.

I'd rather walk into a jewelry store a few times a year and buy an eye popping piece than toil all year in the dark to be left with a handful of small flawed uncut stones. But that's just me.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[auctionjmm]

You also need to consider the cost of labor and materials to produce said product. I laugh every time someone says blasters should still be $20. They were $20 when I came back to the hobby in 2010. The factory workers who used to print and pack at a wage of $8.00/hour are now commanding $20+. What does paper and ink cost? I know the cost of ink cartridges for my printer has doubled. These are just a few examples.

Do you know what Topps' break-even point is? Do you have any comprehension of exactly what it costs them to produce the product that you wish you could still buy for $75? What are they having to pay these days to get quality autograph signers for products? What wage do artists and designers command?

Everything in the world is higher in price today but for some reason card collectors are upset that cards are too. I just don't get it.

[Big35Hurt]

Is it because Peli-bros want to keep their cases filled so they can give the appearance of being ballers at local card shows?

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by Big35Hurt

Is it because Peli-bros want to keep their cases filled so they can give the appearance of being ballers at local card shows?

No. its the gambling addicts

[clocsta2323]

Some people are under the delusion that people buying wax at these prices can afford it, they can't.

[Crosby 87]

Originally Posted by auctionjmm

You also need to consider the cost of labor and materials to produce said product. I laugh every time someone says blasters should still be $20. They were $20 when I came back to the hobby in 2010. The factory workers who used to print and pack at a wage of $8.00/hour are now commanding $20+. What does paper and ink cost? I know the cost of ink cartridges for my printer has doubled. These are just a few examples.

Do you know what Topps' break-even point is? Do you have any comprehension of exactly what it costs them to produce the product that you wish you could still buy for $75? What are they having to pay these days to get quality autograph signers for products? What wage do artists and designers command?

Everything in the world is higher in price today but for some reason card collectors are upset that cards are too. I just don't get it.

So much for everything being cheaper in 2025. Thanks , Topps.