General Forum

I have no idea how this will affect Canada, but little difference in the here and now in Ontario, because of our illustrious Premier and his advisors making it illegal for any retail store to sell any products that are deemed non-essential. We can't buy cards here anyway.

Its not all trading cards. MLB, NFL, NBA and Pokemon will no longer be sold. it what it says so NHL,WWE, Soccer, Magic will still be sold.

Either way, still won't see anthing on the shelves....

Our Wal-Mart has fuklky stocked shelf. But you cant get to it or buy it anyway. 

So a bunch of “investors” come along out of nowhere and basically ruin the hobby for me.  Awesome.  My main enjoyment in this hobby was being able to pick up a pack anytime I happened to be out at Target or Walmart.  It was something fun to look forward to anytime I had to get needed items at the store, or anytime we would just go to the store for fun.  Occasionally I would get a blaster as a splurge.  I was also hoping to get my son involved by getting him a pack of Pokémon cards now and then as well since he is starting to get old enough.  

I collect NBA and MLB cards, and ever since Zion mania I have had a hard time finding any basketball cards at all.  I haven’t been able to purchase anything for this season.  I was at least able to still come across baseball every now and then, but of course even that became nearly impossible.  I could still get lucky though and find some cards at the store every few trips.  

Then, Target moved the cards to guest services.  And at that point I was quite frankly too embarrassed to even go ask for cards there and even be associated with all the madness going on in the hobby right now.  Not to mention that made it go from a casual and fun purchase to having to go check on the supply like an addict searching for their next fix.  

I was hoping that this would slow down and cards would be back on the shelf soon, but the opposite has now happened.  It’s strange because I even came across a pack of Topps Heritage in the normal card spot recently even though they were all supposed to be locked away.  

So now my main enjoyment of getting cards at Target is completely gone.  No real affordable way to have my son experience opening packs of Pokémon cards either.

Hobby boxes used to be a reasonable treat every so often.  But now they have become a lavish expense that can’t be justified in the slightest to purchase.  Even Hoops has become an insanely expensive price.  

Going to the local card shop is no different when they have 4.99 retail rack packs being sold for 65.00.  That’s a real example.  

The only thing left for me was to hope to get lucky at retail.  And now that has officially ended as far as being able to enjoy ripping wax for the simple hobby of it.  I am not an investor, I don’t sell my cards, I like the cards for what they are.  But I cannot rationalize paying the prices that are being asked to partake in the hobby anymore.  So collectors like myself are getting pushed out of the hobby along with potential new collectors like my son.  

I have also noticed this boom in cards seems to have also caused an increase in membership here as well.  But something I have noticed is that along with that is the exodus of some very prominent members from here as well.  

So long story short, the state of the hobby that has caused this is absolutely awful.  

I guess I can look towards online options, but the whole fun of being able to take something home from the store vs sitting on your computer and then waiting for something to come in the mail days if not weeks later is another topic in itself.  

The only thing I have really been able to find at a reasonable price is mystery packs. Better selection of cards than a blaster. 

I wish retail products would shift to just packs $5.99 or less and keep a 1 or 2 limit, this will elimintate garauteed hits which will make them not as desireable and the profit flippers make on just one or two packs. should weed out the guys just looking to make quick money.   Obviously there will still be flippers, but its gotta be better than what it is now.

While the flippers still make me mad, i have started putting more blame on the people dumb enough to pay flipper prices?  How can anybody justify paying hundreds of dollars for a $20 blaster box? what ever there on has to be illegal in at least 47 states if not all 50.

also if people would get there butts back to work, they wouldnt have time to be camping out at target

also what ever happend to repack products? you know where it would be like 75 random cards for $1.99 or something like that, i can't remember the last time i seen those, i can't image anyone trying to filp those.  Not that there was anything that good in there but i was at least something

I haven’t seen those repack products in a long time.  At least a couple years.  I used to get those 75 card basketball boxes a lot.  When I collected as a kid besides single packs those repack boxes were my main source of cards.

That's the first thing that came to mind.

Also, my local Wal-Mart still have packs in stock, but the inventory was low. Anyway, most of the stock they carry is from the previous seasons.