Woe to any youngsters joining our hobby

[billybgame]

I finally dropped $65 for a retail box of 2022 Topps baseball yesterday off Ebay. Just never going to pay outrageous amounts for hobby or jumbo ever.

So I thought might also buy a pack or two locally....Walmart nothing....Target nothing.

Am sure there are many like me here. Our love for baseball and baseball cards was due in a big part to going into stores and seeing a box of cards with packs for sale. I would often get my Mother to buy me some packs on her way home from work back in the 70s.

If you can't ever see cards in retail stores, how on earth is this hobby ever going to survive? Hello, McFly...you need to cultivate younger interest. And, that's not done with these idiot speculators buying up stuff the moment it hits the shelves. I am not sure I'd even bother to check party stores/7-11s etc like where I bought most of mine back when I grew up.

I was just amazed that it was opening day and I could not find one single, solitary, pack of 2022 cards at these two major retailers. At least not in the cards area...maybe they're kept in the super secret area. I did look in aisle areas too.

I just have a very bad feeling about this hobby and it's giving me a very creepy feeling as well.

 

[shig]

Target will temporarily stop selling Pokémon and sports trading cards in stores due to safety concerns

Target has announced that it will temporarily stop selling trading cards -- of both the sports and Pokémon variety -- in stores following a recent violent dispute at one of its locations.

www.cnn.com

 

[David K.]

That was a while ago....my Target store had about 20 blasters (the ones with the numbers medallion) jus last tues.....and Walgreen down the street from me had hanger packs...about 14 of them....Best regards, David

 

[billybgame]

Thanks for the info....hadn't heard about Target...but don't even have to read the article to know it was more the stupid speculators at work.

But, also maybe I'll check some more places. But I don't want to be asking anyone for help and have people thinking I'm one of these weirdos, when I've been collecting since 1972.

 

[mm1sub]

The link to your want list and trade list does not work

 

[GotMelky]

As the father of two young collectors, I get what you're saying. We buy a lot more retail than hobby because it makes zero sense to pay hobby prices. Last year, it was impossible to find product, this year we've found a considerable amount. It's out there - you just have to check more than once in a while. One thing we've noticed is that our Walmart and Target seem to get stocked on Thursday or Friday, so we pop over there after school on those days and have had success for about the last six weeks now. We've also seen a ton of fat packs and other product at Walgreens in the last month - so it might help to check there.

We've pulled a lot of cool stuff from Series 1 this year and both kids have been able to grow and expand their collections. It's a good time in the hobby - more people and interest means the hobby continues. I much prefer the busy scene I see in my LCS with lots of parents, kids, etc. there every time over the "good old days" of middle-aged men all griping about the same stuff.

 

[newguy338]

just FYI target's website has topps series 1 blasters for $20, megas for $40, and opening day and chrome update too... with a red card yo uget 5% off and free shipping too.

2022 Topps MLB Series 1 Baseball Trading Card Blaster Box

Read reviews and buy 2022 Topps MLB Series 1 Baseball Trading Card Blaster Box at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

no reason to pay scalper prices on ebay.

 

[billybgame]

Thanks for the good replies....I do intend to check more stores locally. Got my retail box in 2 quick days off Ebay and was kind of amazed at my luck in pullling FrancoW rookie #205 Royal Blue parallell. Think paid for box right there!

My want/trade list page issue may be due to that site not working so hot anymore.....might need to come up with something new.

 

[katester44]

A year ago, I would have agreed with this statement, but not so much anymore. We have been able to find most of the stuff we are looking for at both Wal-Mart and Target. There are times it is sold out, and there are times it is fully stocked. Target has implemented a 5 box max rule, which is nice.

And for all of the obscenely high priced items, there are still hobby boxes that you can find that are reasonable cost - assuming that Topps actually releases them. One of our new favorite sets to build is Topps Big League. Of course still waiting on 2021 Big League to release.

 

[txsmitty33]

I've got mixed emotions on this, as someone who loved it when I was the age my son is now (15) and has gotten back into it. It's certainly changed, in a ton of good and bad ways. I'm not a fan of the "spin the roulette wheel" business model where people focus so much on big hits, but I get that's what sells packs. On the other hand, I do like that some things are limited releases, which preserves value and ensures a little scarcity. I would say that anyone with kids should take them to shows - I've been pleasantly surprised at how many dealers are nice to my son and basically just give him stuff, or cut deals with him that they may be less likely to do with me. He's had some good experiences (got lucky and won an autographed Shaq jersey) and some bad ones, but not to where I thought either of us got gouged. That's life...

 

[katester44]

I've got mixed emotions on this, as someone who loved it when I was the age my son is now (15) and has gotten back into it. It's certainly changed, in a ton of good and bad ways. I'm not a fan of the "spin the roulette wheel" business model where people focus so much on big hits, but I get that's what sells packs. On the other hand, I do like that some things are limited releases, which preserves value and ensures a little scarcity. I would say that anyone with kids should take them to shows - I've been pleasantly surprised at how many dealers are nice to my son and basically just give him stuff, or cut deals with him that they may be less likely to do with me. He's had some good experiences (got lucky and won an autographed Shaq jersey) and some bad ones, but not to where I thought either of us got gouged. That's life...

I will second the part about kids at shows -- dealers have been amazing with my son. Discounts and free stuff galore. Plus the time we get to spend together is amazing. He hasn't embraced going through folders and common boxes to fill want lists yet, but he tolerates it, for at least an hour or so.

The next "big" ask on his list is either a Judge auto, a Harper auto or a Bo Bichette auto. We are hoping to make it to the next Philly show to try and find one of those to cross it off.

 

[Chavezforprez]

I finally dropped $65 for a retail box of 2022 Topps baseball yesterday off Ebay. Just never going to pay outrageous amounts for hobby or jumbo ever.

So I thought might also buy a pack or two locally....Walmart nothing....Target nothing.

Am sure there are many like me here. Our love for baseball and baseball cards was due in a big part to going into stores and seeing a box of cards with packs for sale. I would often get my Mother to buy me some packs on her way home from work back in the 70s.

If you can't ever see cards in retail stores, how on earth is this hobby ever going to survive? Hello, McFly...you need to cultivate younger interest. And, that's not done with these idiot speculators buying up stuff the moment it hits the shelves. I am not sure I'd even bother to check party stores/7-11s etc like where I bought most of mine back when I grew up.

I was just amazed that it was opening day and I could not find one single, solitary, pack of 2022 cards at these two major retailers. At least not in the cards area...maybe they're kept in the super secret area. I did look in aisle areas too.

I just have a very bad feeling about this hobby and it's giving me a very creepy feeling as well.

Check the customer service/return item area. The Wal-Mart here in little ole Kingsville, TX where I'm stationed at has the better stuff stocked at that counter, so that they can control the amount purchased and probably theft. They stock the shelves with regular Topps and Panini, but when I pass the customer service area, it's always stocked. You Wal-Mart might be doing the same thing.

 

[brewerfan34]

I've been reading lots of articles about Fanatics getting into, or taking over, sports cards. One of the things that caught my eye was, Fanatics is going to look at distribution.

There were no specifics but hopefully fresh eyes will help the hobby, even though it may look a lot different. I would imagine Topps is just running the clock out and trying to grab as much money as possible without any major changes.

 

[KCLJ520]

@Chavezforprez that is exactly how our Walmart is, there must be 200 boxes behind the customer service desk!

 

[Rabs]

Where are cards in Walgreens? Never seen them there before.

 

[Kirbyfan34]

Where are cards in Walgreens? Never seen them there before.

The ones in the Milwaukee area have them either behind checkouts or in the toy and games aisle

 

[David K.]

Lots of the retail stuff for the kids! JuSt have to buy retail stuff. Best regards , David

 

[David K.]

Plus u can order on line and u don't have to fight trying to get a few blasters with 30 to 40 people at the retail store......from places like Target, Dicks, walmart...etc.....and at lower prices than the hobby.....true...u get better odds with hobby...however, retail stays the same no matter what....while hobby.....cost of replacing hot products...goes up!

 

[jdthakid36]

Where are cards in Walgreens? Never seen them there before.

Check in between the candy isles too...some of them have these cardboard stands with some random packs...and they can also be found tucked away beside the misc. items. CVS sells them too, it's random.