Walmart is no longer a bargain
AlanSki
Posts: 1,925 ✭✭✭✭✭
They have raised their prices significantly on their sports cards in the last week. Blasters a week ago for Topps 2020 were $19.98. Today they are almost $30 while Target still has them at $19.99.
Panini illusion mega boxes are $90 something while ebay has some for $54.
What gives?
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walmart themselves or is it an outside distributor like toywhiz selling thru walmart site?
Because people are buying them for the prices you mentioned and selling them for the prices you mentioned.
At lease your Walmart and Target have inventory they restocked...
The two closest to me are BARREN....
Have been for months
sjjs28@comcast.net
Collector of 1964 Topps Stand Ups, 1965 Embossed, 1968 Topps Game and 1969 Topps Decals
Registered Sets: 1964 Stand Ups, 1965 Embossed, 1968 Topps Game, 1969 Topps Decals
Walmart themselves Online... I should have mentioned that.
At least your Walmart even sells them. Our stores don't sell cards at all.
Our Walmart either. Target has some cards but I doubt they worry about current cards.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Went in search for packs in 3 Walmart’s, all empty. Maybe because of Black Friday? They are obviously in demand.
If your Walmarts and Targets are anything like ours, they are still getting cards weekly, with every new release. The problem is there are resellers who know the precise times and dates that the distributors restock the shelves, and they show up and sit there while the shelves are restocked. Then when the person walks away, the resellers grab literally every box that was just stocked moments earlier and buy them. Then they resell them online or at shops. I know card shops who are stocking their inventory paying people to go do this. Walmarts and Targets could limit sales daily, weekly, or monthly, but they don't. For them it is just a financial calculation, and if one person wants to buy $1,000 worth of product instead of having 50 people buy $20 each, that's just fine by them. I suspect that your local retailers are still getting product, it's just that you don't ever see it.
kevin
100%
I try Target once a week, and apparently it was known to be restocking time today. Snapped this pic when I was in line, they're all just waiting in front of the card section for restock. I found the scene sad.
Are modern cards in beanie babie land now?
I think I'm sticking with vintage from here on out.
Jason C.
Wave of Cards on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52it5FXdZvDcbj_Ps7Fyqw
After seeing that pic, I need to re-evaluate my hobby decisions.
I'd toss the re-stocker a $20 and have him hand me some cards before those other suckers.
I did find some NHL cards in stock at a Walmart about 35 minutes from me.
Crazy. Our Target hangs signs, limiting each customer to just 2 card items. Like freaking hand sanitizer and toilet paper.
Unfortunately, the beginning collector (the 10 year old shopping with mom) can't pick up a pack of cards. He has to fight through these guys. I guess the LCS is the viable alternative.
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LOL!! Welcome to bubble land.
No wonder my local Walmart shelves are always bare; not that I care.
(nice to see the young collector actively involved)
Yes, vintage all the way!
What bothers me with this picture is that nobody is talking, they are all lone wolfs out for themselves. There is no networking going on here.
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Because the Battle Royale is about to start once those blasters hit the shelves.
Keep in mind, the manufacturers could solve this problem by producing so much product that it isn't worth this time and trouble. The reason the approach of the flippers works is due to the artificial scarcity created by the manufacturers to boost the desirability of their own products, along with the parallel chase that has turned opening new product into basically a scratch off lottery ticket. They won't, though, because their current model generates buzz, creates desirability, and makes them money.
I have had a blast with my wife and kids this year during the virus opening base Topps and Topps update packs. Our goal was not hunting for signed cards or parallels (though we got a few ) but trying to put together a complete set. It's not a financially smart thing to do if that's your goal. It was just good fun, though, and worth every penny. We probably have spent $500-600 on new Topps product, and still are about 25 cards short of the base set of 700 cards and are about 30 cards short of the update set (with a few megas to open still.) We have been able to access those cards because our Targets and Walmarts had enough of those boxes early on that we could buy a decent quantity. Sadly that's not universally the case, and it should be. The flippers, in large part, have absolutely no desire to enjoy the cards or to open them. They are simply using them as a money making proposition, and to me that's pretty sad.
kevin
That is sad...normal customer will never be able to get cards. I have not see anything but WWE cards at Target or WM since springtime.
If your stores don't have stock check their website. They have stock but raised their prices to increase profit.
Seriously.
I'm honestly thinking 99% of modern cards will eventually be totally worthless. Like less than early 90's. So many guys hoarding cases for the future, etc, that this stuff could just be hard toilet paper in a few years.
The funny thing is there wasn't a terrible selection when I took the photo. There were Update hangers and and blasters. But I'm guessing they were waiting for the megaboxes, illusions, and hoping for some basketball.
It's seriously the saddest moment I've had since I started back into collecting. I think it was the moment that modern sports cards jumped the shark for me. I just don't want to be in the same hobby as those CLOWNS. This same Target was pretty easy to find stuff the last couple years, until earlier this year. I'd walk right in and bought Megas last year more than once. Bought some basketball even, when the Zion craze was in full swing. Never saw anyone staking out the section before.
And then maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe these guys have had a rough year, and maybe they lost their job and flipping some boxes helps them through it all. I don't know. You gotta live and let live and not judge. But it definitely lowered my desire for modern cards to an all-time low.
Jason C.
Wave of Cards on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52it5FXdZvDcbj_Ps7Fyqw
While it is frustrating for the collector side of me not to be able to buy reasonable amounts of products for ripping and set building, I don't think it is necessarily bad for the hobby. This spike in modern box prices has brought in a lot more money overall. Generally speaking, most of us on this board have seen significant appreciation.
I do question how much longer this will last. My fear is that when the next license agreement comes arounds, the leagues will see how much Panini made and raise the license, basically locking in these price levels. I want to see modern boxes prices go down but it seems demand is still strong and I'm not sure prices falling will help the overall hobby.
i find that pic both sad and encouraging. it wasn't too terribly long ago that the only person you saw staked out in the card aisle was the occasional pack molester/weighers.
Correct, not necessarily bad for the hobby. However, maybe a few too many "gamblers" in the mix.
Good times for me back in the early 90s going to Kmart buying Stadium Club & Fleer Ultras chasing the chase cards.
Much of that made me the collector I am today. More appreciation for the rare vintage.
More like that young collector ready to do some side hustle and charge all of us extra. Sorry to burst anyone's "reality" bubble but the kids that go to Target and Walmart and mainly there to resell on their IG accounts and Facebook groups. I doubt he's looking for his favorite player lol. Dad will make sure of that too. Kid is there to make some bank.
At least when the cards were being over produced, you could buy some.
Stopped by my local WM tonite. All topps 2020 Update. Bought $300 worth for
my grandson and I to open on his next visit.
considering what gpk prices have done, those fortnite boxes are probably the best lock there.
Looks like squatters rights.
Out Xmas shopping yesterday. Walmart 0. Target had 2 2020 Topps baseball factory sets and an empty single pack box.
Yesterday we hit a Target and a Walmart near us. Target had Topps 2020 Update, including individual packs, blasters, and Megas. Walmart had Bowman Platinum baseball, every possible type of packaging for Update sans megas (Target exclusive), Panini Illusions football, and a whole host of non-sport stuff.
kevin
In one respect I agree that the picture is a little sad. BUT... I'm more or less giving everyone a reprieve right now due to Covid-19. I mean if I lost my job and hand a ton of time on my hands, maybe I'd case out Walmart and Target to try to make a few bucks. Can't blame people for trying to make a living. Like Blurry said, the 300 lb guy sitting on the floor with his sweats hanging off his ass searching packs 5 years ago for a hot pack was much worse, IMO.
Jeff
Collecting:
post world war II HOF rookie
76 topps gem mint 10 commons 9 stars
Arenado purple refractors(Rockies) Red (Cardinals)
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