Trade bait. Is it worth it?

Trade bait. Is it worth it?

  • Yes

    Votes: 15 31.9%
  • No

    Votes: 32 68.1%

  • Total voters
    47

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nevermore

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With the high costs of shipping, supplies, combined with odds of finding cards you that need available for trade...is it worth sinking money into trade bait? Or is it easier just buying the cards you need?

There is a poll question, but I'd also like to read what you have to say. It'll be interesting to see if the set builders, prospectors, and player collectors have different views on this matter.

The reason I posted is because after making some big trades towards the end of last year my trade box is currently down to the dregs. I don't bust any wax, and with all my recent buys being PC/singles I haven't picked any new trade bait. I usually spend $5-10 in the dime/quarter boxes to replete my trade box but lately I have been questioning whether it is worth it. :confused: Besides the Yankees Topps issues, most of my wants are very specific comprising of tougher O'Neill/RC issues so I feel that I end up purchasing them anyways.
 
I am mainly a PC buyer myself but I do try to keep tradebait on hand all the time just for the fact that a lot of people do not like to sell. It is aggravating to no end when somebody has a card that you need but won't sell it to you because they only trade. I don't understand their reasoning but whatever...
-Keith
 
In this economy I find myself gravitating toward just buying what I need. I will trade but only for stuff I have or pull. I do not purchase lots or trade for stuff in hopes to flip it, it just doesn't work for a small time collector like me.
 
I collect cards that I want, not what others want, so I do not see why I would make trades for trade bait.

I have picked up (bought/traded for) cards that I knew another trader needed, but I don't call that trade bait. Many times, these cards are just shipped off to the other trader with no return card expected.

Trade bait to me are cards that you THINK someone else MAY want.

.
 
After trading for trade bait for several years, I now have to say, no it's not worth it. Ravi I'd say it's just easier to do what you do: find the few tough cards you still need and buy them. Much faster, and might even be cheaper if you factor in shipping cost.
 
I always buy what I need for my PC. However I do like to have a nice haul of stuff put away incase I need to trade. I find that the few card shows I go to a year for a small amount of money I can get high bv of players and teams from different areas of the country. So when it comes time to trade for Yankees I need I high some good bait on hand. I also enjoy looking for steals for other people. A problem with traidbait is most times I settle on a trade to make it work. Very rarely do I score a long time hunted card on a trade. Also is the space factor. It bad enough my collection is all over the house but now I have other teams/players lying around. I guess I have mixed feelings but its worth it to me if I score something I need from some items I had standing by for a trade.
 
The way I look at trade bait is this..
I'll trade for other trade bait as long as I like the card I am getting back.. SO that way if no one wants it I would still be happy having it in my collection.. If someone needs it and has something I want, great, if not I'll just keep it.. Most of the inserts on my site I have bought because I like them and think that someone somewhere should be able to use them..
 
i've gone to just busting boxes, because i love to bust boxes lol....and just buying what I want for my collection...trades have all but come impossible with people not getting back to you, pulling cards and then they back out, or the old favorite where everyone thinks what they have is worth 10x what it is.

It's hard to do simple trades these days...
 
If you are only going to trade for wants, sometimes it is hard to make trades. Eventually you run out of cards to trade. Which is the trouble I am having right now. But eventually you just HAVE to get some tradebait!! Just can't win.
 
I do trade for trade bait because I am willing to trade for dups on my player collection which in turn makes it easier for me to trade with other collectors that collect the same player as myself. I use the dup Kazmirs to trade frequently with other Kazmir collectors to get the cards I really need. Williness to trade for dups makes trading easier for me and helps me with the other Kazmir guys.

Would have to say that with some sites now selling cards at reasonalble prices lately it has been easier to buy most of what I need.

Trading for tradebait has been good for me but I still do buy a lot at the same time. Since my guy isn't heavily collected it also makes trading easier as well. Only a couple of us collect Kazmir in a big way so people are willing to unload his cards for tradebait as well. Hope this makes sense.

I think trading style (willing to take dups) and the player collected (my player not a huge star) has a bearing on being able to trade effectively. My two cents.
 
Generally I'd have to say no, unless you get that GREAT offer from someone who just wants to move something
 
I really don't just trade for trade bait, but I will buy it if it's a great deal. Most of those deals are on eBay, sometimes at shows. Most of the buys here are either specific needs or likes, I may pick up the balance as trade bait.

I will occasionally trade for trade bait if I get a low BV personal item and then expand it to other things if we each can agree it makes sense.
 
I don't think he's asking about TRADING for trade bait, but rather if it's worth BUYING trade bait, be it at shows, ebay, card shops, etc.

I think with trade bait, it pretty much boils down to what you can get it for and what you can get for it. If I'm buying PC collection wants for 50% of book or less, I'm probably not going to go more than 10-20% book for trade bait. It just doesn't make sense to me to pick stuff up I don't have much interest in, I have limited space and finances to begin with, so unless it's a great deal or something I KNOW I can trade for wants, I tend to stay away. There is just too much of the market I'm not familiar with to throw money at things I might be overpaying for. I know Ripken, Jeter, Ryan, Pujols, etc are good to have for trades, but is the price I'm paying a good deal or near market value? if a $50 card is offered for $20, I usually don't buy unless I'm certain it sells for closer to $50 and I'm getting a deal. I don't want to buy stuff that a potential trade partner could get for the same price or less, it doesn't really help either of us.
 
I don't think he's asking about TRADING for trade bait, but rather if it's worth BUYING trade bait, be it at shows, ebay, card shops, etc.

I think with trade bait, it pretty much boils down to what you can get it for and what you can get for it. If I'm buying PC collection wants for 50% of book or less, I'm probably not going to go more than 10-20% book for trade bait. It just doesn't make sense to me to pick stuff up I don't have much interest in, I have limited space and finances to begin with, so unless it's a great deal or something I KNOW I can trade for wants, I tend to stay away. There is just too much of the market I'm not familiar with to throw money at things I might be overpaying for. I know Ripken, Jeter, Ryan, Pujols, etc are good to have for trades, but is the price I'm paying a good deal or near market value? if a $50 card is offered for $20, I usually don't buy unless I'm certain it sells for closer to $50 and I'm getting a deal. I don't want to buy stuff that a potential trade partner could get for the same price or less, it doesn't really help either of us.

Everybody is willing to pay more for what they really want, the point is is it worth it to have tradable material or just buy what you want? If you don't bust boxes for material you have to pick up things as opportunity presents itself. Sometimes I buy a lot with a card or two I need and bank the rest. Sometimes it's lots that have a few hidden gems, ones that if listed by themselves would generate more interest, and other times it's lots that have shortprinted cards in sets people build. At shows I'm going to go through the bargain boxes anyway for cards I need, why pass on a decent card I think might attract some attention here on The Bench?
 
If your a set collector.....It's worth it because you get trade bait if you purchase boxes....auto, inserts, refractors, redemptions, duplicates, etc, etc. If your only into collecting your personal favorite....Probably not worth it....better to buy or trade for your cards. Best regards, David
 
I wouldn't buy anything I wouldn't like to be stuck with in the end.

I have purchased/traded for tons of oddball lots and sets with the intention of possibly selling/trading some day, but I have rarely offered these up. Over time, the quantities just got greater and greater and the effort to properly list them became greater and greater, while the motivation lessened as time passed.

In the end, I may find the motivation to document and list them, but if not, I have decent smaller collections of most stars from the 80s and 90s with all I have accumulated!
 
Thanks for the comments guys, some very good points. Way too many comments to respond individually but I do agree that being selective as to what you buy and trade for can make all the difference. That is something I have gotten better with over time.

Here is what I figure, very similar to what some of you said....with PC cards I probably pay anywhere from 30-70% BV for inserts and close to 100% on autos. I usually get tradebait for 5-10% HBV at shows/eBay. So if I were to find PC cards for trade, I'd save 20-50% of BV minus shipping costs which is a significant amount.

For someone like myself, I would say it is worth spending $15-20 judiciously on a limited amount of trade bait just to have around in case I do come across a PC card. That $20 can go a longway in terms of PC cards, so I have found the benefit does justify the cost after a few trades.

Ultimately, as a collector it doesn't make sense to shut off one way to acquire the cards you need. Plus by trading you are helping other collectors as well which is what these forums are about.
 
I agree with David K. As a set collector I find trade bait is good to have on hand to finish up certain sets, especially when trying to get hard to find SP's. I would not buy them thought. I would trade for them or hope to get lucky in box breaks.
For PC's I would say no, unless you can find a really good deal

Rich
 
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