Anyone have the ebay/Beckett article?

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 3:33AM

Back page of current monthly Beckett lays all blame on Ebay for crushing card market to %5 book and basically said the hobby is shot as an industry.

Have the issue/ Post a pic, yo.

VitoCo1972 · October 28, 2008 3:38AM

Would love to read that as well.

alifaxwa2 · October 28, 2008 4:01AM

Haven't read the article, but I agree with it. Although, its not completely a bad thing, as a collector it opened me up to alot more options and made finding the cards I wanted much easier. But obviously, it killed the shows and most stores. Which sucks. The industry is shot because of the late 90s plague of too many sets. Now the problem is too much worthless jersey cards. Nothing much is special anymore.

MeteoriteGuy · October 28, 2008 4:07AM

I imagine the real truth eBay is part of the reason. Our feelings on the economy, the mass layoffs from major US employers and of course Beckett also get a share of the blame.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 4:09AM

My quick take on it-

Lowered prices on stuff that should be lower as it's obvious the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken is not rare but if you only see one at a show once every few months when they come to your town...

Raised prices on rarities as you reach a broader market.

Gotten more collectors involved as they can complete sets easier. I cannot imagine trying to find all the FF versions pre internet. Without full page want ads in magazines, it would be virtually impossible.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 4:13AM

ebay is the reason my bank acct. is 5% of what it should be.

Morgoth · October 28, 2008 4:15AM

Is it the all sports beckett or just the baseball beckett with the article? I get confused

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 4:29AM

<< <i>Is it the all sports beckett or just the baseball beckett with the article? I get confused >>

unsure. I'll find out.

Guru · October 28, 2008 4:32AM

Can anyone scan it or put it in a PDF format. I'd love to read it.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 4:34AM

<< <i>Can anyone scan it or put it in a PDF format. I'd love to read it. >>

I'm trying.

OP on ebay is no longer registered...kids on Topps cannot afford it and I'm thinking of going to Beckett MB and asking but there's only like 6 people there. 2 cant read.

slantycouch · October 28, 2008 5:00AM

I've got the Oct/Nov Beckett Baseball in front of me but don't see it...

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 5:04AM

<< <i>I've got the Oct/Nov Beckett Baseball in front of me but don't see it... >>

This x ebay user posted the info and now he is gone. ebay goons will get you!!

VitoCo1972 · October 28, 2008 5:58AM

So no one gets Beckett and can PDF that article? That's hilarious.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 6:08AM

Everyone spent their $ for Halloween !!!

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 28, 2008 6:53AM

Someone over at FCB (FreedomCardBoard) looked in both BBall and multi sport. Nothing. I think the ebay user was leaving and wanted to start a rumor before he left.

mtcards · October 28, 2008 9:00AM

If I remember, the back page of the all sportd Beckett is a "Spoof" front page and wouldnt be real anyway

VitoCo1972 · October 28, 2008 9:14AM

Well, I guess I'll just sum up his rumor by saying that "book" value was never real anyway. It was an artificially, albeit researched, bellwether on card prices. EBay exposed that artificial pricing with a free market pricing system that's pure capitalism of supply and demand. I'm sure Beckett is upset about this since it's is disastrous for the core of their pricing business but I don't know of anyone who would argue that eBay is bad for the hobby after thinking about it rationally. eBay has made it easier to find rare cards for the layperson and lowered the prices due to increased supply. I think a lot of the short printing of modern cards was done specifically to combat the ease of accessibility that eBay created...and it's worked in some cases where there are not 7 different "short printed" parallels of the same card. eBay has made the hobby more accessible to people who live where there are no card shops - but has killed shops and shows in the process. There is certainly an argument to be made against eBay's position being good for the hobby, but not one that would counter the positive aspects effectively.

storm888 · October 28, 2008 9:24AM

"...There is certainly an argument to be made against eBay's position being good for the hobby, but not one that would counter the positive aspects effectively. ..."

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Yup.

NET positive by a loooooong way.

storm888 · October 28, 2008 9:32AM

"This x ebay user posted the info and now he is gone. ebay goons will get you!! "

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Wow.

He was a fairly popular seller.

Wonder what caused him to leave. He took PayPal, so that was not likely it.

Anyone have the ebay/Beckett article?

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