First Buzz: 2025 Topps Chrome baseball cards

[Rooftop]

Keep discussing it for another week or two, then the next product will come out.

[anusinha]

Originally Posted by mfw13

I would not be shocked at all to find out that they are ALREADY doing this....and selling the inventory they have held back via a third-party.

youll be surprised (maybe) at the shadiness that takes place in unregulated industries.

[johnlocke36]

Originally Posted by mfw13

I would not be shocked at all to find out that they are ALREADY doing this....and selling the inventory they have held back via a third-party.

It could be a good thing if they actually did this, in that it would make them create a product that doesn't suck to hold its value (although topps chrome a pretty bad example of that). The downside is it would be harder to get these products early. So a dream scenario is dutch auction where Topps keeps X supply to be released after an unlock date

It's no different then any crypto project token where founders/team have x% locked for y years. Then you set up bots to snipe token sale the same way you set up bots to snipe any releases thats actually worth buying. Then they send a bunch of tokens to freinds/family/influencers whch is alos exactly the same as what Topps/panini does, so it's not much of a stretch to imagine this last bit happeneing as well

[BayAreaChris]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

You are confusing my stating that Fanatics has every right to do something (or that I would expect them to), as my belief that they should, or that's it's the right thing to do. Those are different things. Don't make my argument something it isn't. My argument is that as long as people keep paying, they'll keep doing it. I've said it in all caps- stop giving them money if you want it to change.

Is it always on the consumer to use their wallet to drive a company’s decisions?

Is that only for non-necessary products but the government should step in for essentials?

Trying to understand the line.

Also just to be clear, I have no issues with how they set initial pricing. They should just not be able to control demand and increase pricing after for anything direct to consumer. They also should have to sell all inventory within X days of release.

[Americards]

Originally Posted by premium1981

Now, you have shown where the store HAS to buy $10-$20 over market. Ok. Let's visit the products that you get at a fraction of market value shall we? As a card shop, care to share those experiences? INCLUDING the very product we are discussing in previous waves. Those are always conveniently left out of these topics of discussion. As a succesful card shop, I would assume you got a case of Topps Dynasty? I bet it was less than the $12k price tag that they sell for. But let's ignore that and keep talking about the $10.

Wasn't offered Dynasty...
Wasn't even offered Topps Chrome Baseball Hobby or Jumbo.
A lot of shops are not offered high end products


Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[Americards]

Originally Posted by johnlocke36

BUT LCS are not forced to exist or even operate at a profit. They can switch business models or they can just close shop.



Its pretty similar to all the corner bookstores that charge 300% markup on amazon books that they expect people to pay to "help a local business"

Correct. The 1st is what I have to do.


Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[Americards]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Except that they cannot sell at a price below that of seller A, since they have all gotten their product from seller A, and seller A controls whether or not they can get access to future products.



The only time prices drop below the initial Fanatics release price is long after release or when a product is unpopular.

Correct.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[cruiserdaddy7]

Fanatics is figuring things out quickly.

They have Chrome Hobby now at $289.99 on their site and Jumbos at $549.99.

They are squeezing every penny out of this release.

[cruiserdaddy7]

Originally Posted by kyle1707

Was at lcs and saw 5 hobby boxes opened

Omg that is bad

Fanatics is at the point. They know people will buy anything at any price

Seeing the prices of Sterling, Dynasty and now this awful release...you are correct.

[PuddleMonkey]

Originally Posted by premium1981

I agree as well. And Topps has been on it recently with redemptions. I think these type of cards are already made and ready to ship. They just don't want to risk these big cards from disappearing into a box that never gets opened.

Wax collectors are the true enemy of this hobby.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by johnlocke36

BUT LCS are not forced to exist or even operate at a profit. They can switch business models or they can just close shop.

There's a pretty decent argument to be made that LCS are now nothing more than middlemen, and therefore no longer have an economic reason to exist.

You can buy wax direct from the manufacturer, and EBay/COMC/the internet has vastly more inventory than any LCS.

So what is the value they add?

[ZappBrannigan]

Originally Posted by mfw13

There's a pretty decent argument to be made that LCS are now nothing more than middlemen, and therefore no longer have an economic reason to exist.

You can buy wax direct from the manufacturer, and EBay/COMC/the internet has vastly more inventory than any LCS.

So what is the value they add?

The value they ad is there is a world outside the USA. Do you know how much shipping is for this crap? Delays. Duty fees.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by Americards

Wasn't offered Dynasty...
Wasn't even offered Topps Chrome Baseball Hobby or Jumbo.
A lot of shops are not offered high end products

Now the picture is getting a little clearer. I'm not trying to be rude, but there is a problem with your shop if they don't even want you having Topps Chrome. They clearly said part of their mission was to cut off stores that appeared to be a hinderance to the hobby. You don't have to share the name of your shop, but if you snapped a couple of pictures we could probably tell you why they don't want you to have any of the good products direct. I personally do not know of any shops that didn't get Topps Chrome. There is something not adding up.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by mfw13

So what is the value they add?

Instant gratification/impulse purchases is a big one. They definitely are not needed in the same way they were when I was a kid. But they still have their place as long as they do things the right way. I only had one single shop in my region as a kid. They overpriced everything to massive extremes and didn't seem to care if anything sold or not. Stuff was not organized, and it was covered with dust. I would talk my mom or dad into driving out there (about 25 minute drive) and a couple of times they weren't even open although their business hours stated they were. Those are the shops that need to go away, they are not needed anymore. But I think a lot of those are not about making money, its more of a hangout spot for the old timer that runs it. Like a man cave instead of a business.

[jkampis]

Originally Posted by premium1981

Now the picture is getting a little clearer. I'm not trying to be rude, but there is a problem with your shop if they don't even want you having Topps Chrome. They clearly said part of their mission was to cut off stores that appeared to be a hinderance to the hobby. You don't have to share the name of your shop, but if you snapped a couple of pictures we could probably tell you why they don't want you to have any of the good products direct. I personally do not know of any shops that didn't get Topps Chrome. There is something not adding up.

You may not be trying to be rude, but you are succeeding. Topps has a “B tier” that’s not just for struggling shops, but also for new or smaller shops. Just because a shop didn’t get Chrome hobby doesn’t mean it’s a bad shop.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by jkampis

You may not be trying to be rude, but you are succeeding. Topps has a “B tier” that’s not just for struggling shops, but also for new or smaller shops. Just because a shop didn’t get Chrome hobby doesn’t mean it’s a bad shop.

Sometimes the truth hurts a bit unfortunately. I prefer the honesty route over the walking on eggshells to protect feelings route. I'm aware that Topps has a "B tier". I don't think he is a new shop based on his allocations from previous years that he said he got. Also from his comments and comparisons to the product from almost a decade ago. My assumptions are based on his comments, not made up out of thin air. Established shops that are doing things correct have allocation. Its as simple as that. Maybe his shop is fine and he just chooses to not play by the rules Fanatics laid out for their direct allocated shops. If so, that is on him. But I will repeat that I do not know of a single shop that didn't get some Topps Chrome. I'm sure there are some, but I have a hard time believing that a long time established store that is being run correctly wouldn't be offered any at all unless there was a reason why.

EDIT. Just to clarify, I read over his posts again. He may be talking about his friends shop and doesn't have one himself (its vague). If so, the same applies, but to a different person.

EDIT AGAIN. Something about all of this is off. He specifically said in one post it was a MVP direct account. This doesn't all add up. Complaints about the three levels of pricing for chrome direct accounts, and then says no chrome was offered. This was horribly communicated, missing information, or misleading information. 2 + 2 is not equaling 4.

[Americards]

Originally Posted by premium1981

Sometimes the truth hurts a bit unfortunately. I prefer the honesty route over the walking on eggshells to protect feelings route. I'm aware that Topps has a "B tier". I don't think he is a new shop based on his allocations from previous years that he said he got. Also from his comments and comparisons to the product from almost a decade ago. My assumptions are based on his comments, not made up out of thin air. Established shops that are doing things correct have allocation. Its as simple as that. Maybe his shop is fine and he just chooses to not play by the rules Fanatics laid out for their direct allocated shops. If so, that is on him. But I will repeat that I do not know of a single shop that didn't get some Topps Chrome. I'm sure there are some, but I have a hard time believing that a long time established store that is being run correctly wouldn't be offered any at all unless there was a reason why.

EDIT. Just to clarify, I read over his posts again. He may be talking about his friends shop and doesn't have one himself (its vague). If so, the same applies, but to a different person.

EDIT AGAIN. Something about all of this is off. He specifically said in one post it was a MVP direct account. This doesn't all add up. Complaints about the three levels of pricing for chrome direct accounts, and then says no chrome was offered. This was horribly communicated, missing information, or misleading information. 2 + 2 is not equaling 4.

I was talking about what Fanatics is doing to MVP Direct accounts.
I wasn't referring to just me, I was saying what Fanatics is making direct accounts to do to keep their MVP status.
If you don't play by their revolving rules and changes. You can lose your account...
and their list is very long and they keep adding to it if you accomplish the list.
They already said they are dropping more stores to prospect stores in the coming future...

[RedLabelRecords]

I bought a measly blaster at the ballpark and pulled an Ian Happ /250 Ray Wave. Indoubt I’ll buy more of this product as I only bought because I was at a game.

[TheWrightStuff]

Picked up two blaster boxes at Walmart today since it's my first time seeing them. I usually buy 1 or.two blastersof a product as new stuff comes out. I'm happy with the break with the #d card, Ohtani sepia and Ohtani Fanatical. I know I got lucky.

[RedLabelRecords]

Originally Posted by TheWrightStuff

Picked up two blaster boxes at Walmart today since it's my first time seeing them. I usually buy 1 or.two blastersof a product as new stuff comes out. I'm happy with the break with the #d card, Ohtani sepia and Ohtani Fanatical. I know I got lucky.

Winner winner. Chicken dinner.

[cypher]

Are these case hits coming out of retail really case hits though? Seems like they are uncommon not rare and they look like a regular insert. Create 5 'case hits', seed them per blaster case same as hobby/jumbo/delight, and create value.

[unicron02]

Originally Posted by cypher

Are these case hits coming out of retail really case hits though? Seems like they are uncommon not rare and they look like a regular insert. Create 5 'case hits', seed them per blaster case same as hobby/jumbo/delight, and create value.

It certainly feels like the term "case hit" gets tossed around loosely now with so many different inserts - sort of the same situation with the term SSP getting applied to anything considered marginally rare. There is no way that some of these inserts are true case hits if you look at calculated print runs for some of them.

[premium1981]

Originally Posted by unicron02

It certainly feels like the term "case hit" gets tossed around loosely now with so many different inserts - sort of the same situation with the term SSP getting applied to anything considered marginally rare. There is no way that some of these inserts are true case hits if you look at calculated print runs for some of them.

I completely agree. Pretty much anything that isn't a "normal" insert or parallel gets that label attached to it.

[PoPCulture]

Originally Posted by unicron02

It certainly feels like the term "case hit" gets tossed around loosely now with so many different inserts - sort of the same situation with the term SSP getting applied to anything considered marginally rare. There is no way that some of these inserts are true case hits if you look at calculated print runs for some of them.

If you made a drinking game where you had to take a shot every time a breaker says case hit or short print during a case break you would probably need to have your stomach pumped by the end of the case.

[edclay]

"I want my card" Orel Hershiser is offering the ultimate Dodger experience to whoever finds his 1/1 Superfractor autograph from 2025 Topps Chrome.

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story...ed-chrome-card