Is interest fading?

[mrmopar]

I have become more of a lurker these days. I pop on to the site maybe once every couple of days or less. I have not traded in a couple of months now (Sept 2012) after having at least one trade per month (often double digits) for 2+ years or longer. I was nowhere near an epic trader to begin with, but I got a dozen or so in on average it seems. I have rarely jumped into a conversation as well as of late. I am but one member here, but I feel like the site has lost something. Participation always seemed to be a struggle with trivia, questions, contests and such, but now it seems worse to me.

One of my favorite forums was/is Card Talk. The hobby is more than just buying or trading for me. I enjoy reading articles, learning more, talking about things and such. I feel that moving online opened up a great avenue for collectors to learn and share, but it also seems like this has fragmented so many. Maybe there are just too many sites that we can't keep up. I still buy on ebay and enjoy sorting and organizing my items or just looking through them, but the conversational aspect has all but died for me.

Just looking over the topics in Card Talk over the last month or two and you might see a pattern as well. Rarely will the topics get double digit replies and those tend to be the same people over and over. Are the subjects dry? Are people just not interested in any thing but trading? Is trading down for that matter? Nothing seems to engage people anymore. Even the more popular threads of the past, like the new pick-ups thread, seem to be kept alive by only a handful of members.

I have turned to the blog sites more and more these days, just to read random thoughts on the hobby. Some of these sites and authors are quite interesting. I'd like to see more of that here too, but it seems it just isn't happening. What will it take to engage more people in the conversation of the hobby we all enjoy?

 

[2000Doubles]

I think a lot of the posts that used to end up in the Card talk section are now blogs. I just wish there was a way to have the blogs show up on the forums. I am a big user of the new posts link and blogs never show up. Thus, I usually miss out on them.

As we go into the new season maybe that will bring on more discussions though.

 

[tim815]

Odd duck response, but you asked.

I'm a Cubs fan, and a Hall Of Famer collector (present or future).

Part of my problem in the past was that my team was poorly run for most of the last 80 years. Now, I am getting more interested, as my team might soon be truly good. I'm enjoying this year's Emeralds, Camos, Pinks, the entire rainbow. As, with Rizzo, Castro, and a cadre to follow, it might be fun to be a Cubs fan soon.

The economy has done a number on many collectors, which sucks. It may never return to where it was, but when I opened a pack from the mid-00's, the Inserts sure were scant. Topps will be under the gun tp make the product more collectible. Planty of chaff (base), yet some decent quality in most boxes. EBay remains an almost primary market.

Last year, I opened a Soler Auto in a good run of Bowman stuff, and have some really nice stuff in 2013. If your vocation is reselling cards, good luck. However, if there are a few things you like, and you'll buy a box or lot now-and-again to replenish, it should be fine. As long as you, y'know, have a job to finance your hobby.

Save me your variations of Castro, Rizzo, Baez, Soler, Almora, Samardzija, and a few others.

 

[theplasticman]

I've all but given up on trading. I always had nice stuff to trade but my wants were pretty narrow so I didn't see a lot of activity. Now I send all my sellable stuff to COMC and do alright there. Loved trading but it was a lot of dead ends. I haven't found a card I needed on trade boards in 1-2 years.

Still, I enjoy the chatter here on the hobby talk areas.

 

[David K.]

Less people trading....equals less topics. Look at the number of trades in my profile.....numbers going down.....Less trades and less funds to buy with....Best regards, David

 

[VistaViper]

My collecting activity has only slowed on this site. I simply do not like the format of this site any more. I know it sounds shallow but I don't like the colors, background, or format. I just don't find myself wanting to peruse the site any longer. It's a shame because this is one of the best group of traders around. I thought I would get used to it but I like plain and simple.

Jeff

 

[Jaybo374]

Have to agree with the color scheme taking away from the site. I've always found it easier to read dark print on light background, not the other way around. That being said, I'm just plugging away with my typical 1 -3 trades per month.

 

[Clemson2012]

I have to agree with the Site change as being a reason. It doesnt bother me but bothers other traders. I have slowed down alot over the past month where I was doing 2-4 trades a day its hard to get 1 a day now. My trades have gone up on other sites though. I think alot of the traders are steered away by the site coloring, background, etc. Also another reason could be the postage increase. With everything else going up its making it hard for the low end collectors to even stay in the hobby and alot of people on here seem to only want to deal in high end for that reason which I have none of except maybe whats in my PC. Just my 2 cents

 

[RHauch]

Postage is a big issue with me. A padded envelope now cost $2.07. If I make ten trades at that price it will be over $20.00. That's crazy.

Ebay is another reason that the hobby is falling apart. Card Shows/card shops were a great way to meet people with the same interests. With ebay, you can stay at home and get exactly what you want without leaving your chair. If you don't get it this week, you can get it next week.

Look in the Beckett and see how few card shows are around. I had half a dozen card shops within ten miles of me. Now I only have one within thirty miles of me.

I tried to sell a Jeter game used at a local card show that booked at $25.00 a few days ago. I wanted $12.00 for it and I could sell it. I hate the fact that you have to give stuff away.

The economy also has a lot to do with it.

Just my 2 cents,

Ron

 

[Droubaysports]

Some of us get busy too. I am back working full time and started a side business doing SEO and similar which leaves me little time to trade and with my narrowing to HOF autos and a couple other things it makes it basically impossible to trade. Nothing here seems to sell much so it leaves me in a position of buying what I want and letting the rest sit or sellign it on ebay or other online autions. I debated doing the show her ein april but not sure if I have the patience to do shows anymore and at $165/table its tough to break even

 

[mrmopar]

Some interesting comments, but mostly talking about a decline in trading. I was talking mainly about "talking". I used to enjoy the site much more when a good thread could keep interest for more than a day. Now you'll be lucky to see a dozen replies and it's buried and forgotten in a week. I will also agree that i don't care for the new format and layout of the site, but if it keeps the doors open, then so be it. Sometimes less is more though.

I'm going to try to spark some interest with a talk thread....

 

[chaplain11]

I feel you. Back in the day there were topics on all aspects of the game and cards in general. Having a child, plus working 70 hours a week and working on a masters degree have relegated my activity on here to weekly visits or two times a week at best.

Dewayne

 

[GotMelky]

I'm someone else who is much less active here than I used to be - in all aspects (posting, trading, etc.). For me I think back to the update that happened last summer and erased trades and activity for a few days. The new site format is okay - I did like the old format better, but change is an okay thing sometimes. In addition to the site issues - my wife and I had our second baby in September, I changed jobs, moved, etc. I also have had to scale back on my collecting for a variety of reasons and really am only focusing on my player collection and Yankees team sets now. COMC has also been a huge boon to me as I am more likely to find stuff I need there and can basically trade in the cards I have for what I don't.

This used to be a multi-visit site for me every day, lately I am on every few days.

 

[cdahlk2001]

Nothing to talk about when packs are so expensive and u can only get 1 pack....and it sucks and our money is wasted. Don't really want chat about that. Lol I'm starting to just get the stuff I collected when I was a kid. I buy packs here n there but don't like keeping up my trade page and bucket. Now I just stick to IP autos and TTM only thing people want is to sell or the hottest stuff around so they can sell it..... Not fun to trade or talk about cards as much.....

 

[mrmopar]

I enjoy learning about oddball items, seeing people advance their player collections, reminisce about older cards and what they meant or what memories they stir for people, etc.

There is still plenty to talk about, it just appears the bulk of members just want to trade and move on. Oh well. I tried to spark some interest. i guess my topic was uninteresting to most as to only gather 2 replies in 24 hours.

 

[cdahlk2001]

The thing is alot of people on here are you g, they are here to get all the trouts and bowman chrome refrac and autos they can and move on. The set builders have dried out resources..... So that leaves the middle people that are picky on what they want for the scraps they have left. Too many cards out there they stay hot for 1 month than fizzle out like a camp fire and not heard of again...... I go on other Fourms and its a crazy place. People bash people like no to arrow. At least here the mods keep it civil..... I like the contests that's my fav. The FAntasy baseball I can't wait for this year. I toss in the card to the pot and usually come in last but keeps me occupied vs reading the same things on the Fourms.... Are u in fantasy basball this year? I remember the chat room us to be fun on here. But times have changed......

 

[BoomerSooner]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: the cards themselves drive this hobby. If any collector gets bored with cards, then places like this suffer the effects of that. And I think people are bored with cards due to the lack of choice in products. I think the days of going to the card shop and having 3-4 new releases to choose from or sample was exciting.
Nowadays, with the limited licenses granted, we get minimal releases in each sport. Look at baseball- 2013 Topps has been out for a few weeks and I waited to get some until last weekend. And it was for no other reason than it's the only product out now, it's not in short supply, it's gonna be available all year long and frankly, it's base Topps, no thrills.
If I don't run out to get new product, I'm not as likely to trade.If there isn't some new product to stimulate discussion on boards like this, it isn't gonna happen.

 

[BucCollector]

It's easy to adjust your settings so that you'll see the old color scheme. Scroll down to the footer at the bottom of this or any screen. In the dropdown menu on the left, change the setting from "--The Bench" to "--Blue". This selection should persist across browser sessions.

Best, David

Have to agree with the color scheme taking away from the site. I've always found it easier to read dark print on light background, not the other way around. That being said, I'm just plugging away with my typical 1 -3 trades per month.

 

[Champs96ws]

When the site SOFTWARE was upgraded I was told that we now "looked" like all the other sites. So I went out and spent more money to have a new custom "look" designed for the site. I have learned that nobody will ever be 100% satisfied.

As mentioned before, If you don't like the official theme. You can choose to revert to the "Blue".

Site traffic remains the same, but lots of people are just lurking and not posting. As you said yourself, you have taken a step back from trading. I myself have done the same, so if you multiply that by X amount of solid members that leads to a decline in activity on the boards. By just visiting but not posting makes the site look "dead" when in fact the amount of visitors remains pretty close to last year before the change (September).

 

[dp33]

Personally, I think it might help to have the Card Talk section near the top rather than near the bottom. I think it is easy to overlook it. But I think the post about blog posts now being the source of the same "talk" threads that used to be in Card Talk is also a culprit. I like the idea of the blogs on here, so that is now where I would post any "card talk" topic, and also where I look to read and comment on others.

While I can see the reasoning behind people being less interested in talking because they're less interested in trading, I find myself like you in that I'm more interested in the talking side now that trading is drying up.