Living an alternative (baseball card buying) lifestyle, Part I -- Becoming a social butterfly

Card buying and collecting has been revolutionized over the past 20 years.  While the glut of product has made set building and pursuit of hits for relic and auto collectors of a particular player or team both expensive and difficult via traditional methods, the arrival of eBay changed the hobby forever. 

If there's one thing we have learned as collectors and hobbyists whether buying or selling on eBay, however, it is that change is inevitable.  While eBay still claims to be for the little guy, most Power Sellers and other experts will quickly point out that the master plan of CEO John Donahoe has been to rebuild eBay into Amazon.  Seller fees continue to gradually increase, leading to a more costly presence for smaller Store owners, to the point where inventory of available cards to fit your collection is dwindling despite eBay's still very formidable marketing muscle. 

Online sports card buying is here to stay, and the increasing dissatisfaction with eBay has opened the door for multiple new sites and ways to buy and/or sell cards.  In the first of a multi-part series on this blog, we'll give you the hook up to a few of them.

***DISCLAIMER*** The writer of this blog has not bought and/or sold cards on all of the sites listed, and is in no way endorsing them, their fee structure, feedback system, or anything else regarding their site.  I welcome any and all comments both pro and con on this blog so we can get a better idea which ones to patronize and which ones to avoid.  As always, the individual buyer or seller is as responsible for how the experience goes on these sites as the customer support of the site itself. 

Social networks have begun to have a strong Group presence among card buyers and sellers.  We'll start this series by giving you several Facebook-based Groups and Pages devoted to buying, selling, and trading.  You might find a great buy while stalking your long lost ex! :-) 

• Baseball Card buying, trading, and selling - A very active group (currently 147 members and growing) with some really good higher end relics and autos to be found.  I have done some trading here and had very pleasant experiences thus far.  Like most Facebook Groups and social networking itself, there is some bickering and pettyness among certain members, but overall a great place for player and team collectors. 

• Yardsellr - Founded by former eBay execs, Yardsellr was designed to integrate the "yard sale" experience into social networking.  You can easily blast your inventory onto Facebook and Twitter from the Yardsellr site.  The good news for sellers is there are no listing or final value fees here!  The bad news for buyers is that an additional fee is tacked onto their purchase price.  Another difference between here and eBay is that while PayPal is accepted here, it isn't forced on you.  Their merchandise is divided into blocks.....you can find one for Baseball Cards.  And many of the blocks have dedicated Facebook Pages, which brings us to.......

• The Sports Card Block on Yardsellr - Nice, large pics of the current sports card inventory on Yardsellr along with links to the listings. 

• There are also PLENTY of local "online yard sale" pages and groups on Facebook.  The size of the following normally depends on the size of the city.  My home county has an Etowah County Online Yard Sale!! page 5,000+ members strong!  Shipping costs and hassles, not to mention sales tax, could be alleviated on top of getting a nice bargain. 

Now more than ever, eBay certainly cannot be ignored, but there are plenty of ways around it to find great bargains and better terms for sellers, and in this case you never have to leave Facebook, where you might spend too much time anyway! 

Please comment if I missed a Facebook-based card buying, selling, or trading group OR list a local "yard sale" page or group you may know about that has cards. 

Get social.....and get some great cards!

With the recent changes in Facebook Groups, some dormant groups have become quite vibrant and active recently.  One that has already proven to put me in the "duh, WINNING" category is the "Baseball Card trading, buying, and selling" Group. 

First and foremost, bear in mind that unlike many trading forums around the Web, this one is sort of "wild wild West" when it comes to lack of rules and regulations.  The wheeling and dealing here is un-policed for the time being, and for now neither Facebook nor the group admin probably have any intention of putting any regulations in place.  So, as with anything done online, caveat emptor. 

Having said that, it is proving to be a pretty good place for acquiring cards for resell for me at either eBay or Checkoutmycards.com, including 2011 Orlando Cepeda and Joe Morgan patch cards from a Cleveland Indians collector that only cost me Travis Hafner and Kerry Wood relic cards. 

Good luck with this new place for completing a wish list, helping someone complete theirs, turning a profit via resell, etc.! There's only 94 active members at the moment.  Let's grow it and make it a win/win for everyone. 

Baseball card trading, buying, and selling group on Facebook

Uncut & Uncensored!!!

The article below reminded me of a time when I first discovered the hobby in the early 80's when uncut sheets were a goldmine.  Safer than money in the bank.  Since rediscovering and re-entering the fray a few years ago, I began to read a few assorted pieces online indicating that they commanded nowhere near the premiums they got at the late 80's/early 90's peak of the hobby.  Once I gave it a search on the Bay, it looks like the value of uncut sheets have been knocked to the canvas. 

A closer look says, as suspected, the older the product, the bigger the price.  While any 80's era uncut sheet can be had for a song (or two), even some of the more rare and seemingly in-demand 80's era sheets have gone largely ignored thanks to overproduction.  Case in point.......this '82 Topps sheet featuring the Ripken RC for $56.55. 

As you would probably expect, the older the sheet, the higher the price.  A '65 O-Pee-Chee sheet featuring at least 11 Hall of Famers fetched almost $3,400.  So if you have anything pre-1970, it can still grab a pretty nice premium. 

If you're holding an uncut sheet, would it benefit you to chop it up?  Let's go to the experts.......

Babe Waxpak: To cut or not to cut card sheets, that is a complex dilemma

I am serious.....he IS one of the Spectrum of Stars.....and don't call him Shirley

Leslie Nielsen might be one of the greatest comic actors of this generation.  If you ever want to keep me pacified for hours, sit me in front of the TV during a Leslie Nielsen comedy movie marathon.  Aside from laughing loudly and frequently, I won't get off the couch. 

As with many non-sports figures featured on the hundreds of products during the mass sports card overproduction of the past 15 years or so, Leslie Nielsen was on a baseball card.  Well, technically not a baseball card, but for lack of a better term.  Then again, he did pose as the home plate umpire in the first Naked Gun, so it's not like he never set foot on a Major League Baseball field. 

His moment on cardboard is remembered here......

Leslie Nielsen appeared on 2009 Upper Deck card

And now, a few of my favorite silver screen moments featuring comedy's "silver fox".....

Could this be the next '89 Fleer Bill Ripken........

 without the F-bomb?  Furthermore, if you're holding a card like this, what possible reason would you have to exchange it aside from being a huge fan of a prospect who may or may not pan out?  Understandable if Mario Mendoza's autograph were on it, but with one of the 5 best basketball players to ever set foot on a court's John Hancock, you're sitting on a potential goldmine!  The 2010 Elite Blue Extra Edition "Franchise Futures" /450 card is going for around $45.00 on eBay, and publicity around the cards could cause a value spike within the next few days.   

 

Error Leads to Legendary Laker’s Autograph Appearing On Jordan Swagerty Cards

Before And After........Roy Halladay

Now that the SIXTH no-hitter of the 2010 season has been racked up, including 2 by the same pitcher, can we officially declare the Steroid Era over?  To put in perspective how truly monumental Roy Halladay's performance was in Game 1 of the NLDS, let's take a quick gander at the history books.  It would be enough if it were simply the first postseason no-no since Don Larsen's perfect game in the '56 World Series (only 2 days shy of 54 years ago), but it's also the first time the same pitcher has thrown 2 no-hitters in a season since Nolan Ryan in 1973 (albeit Ryan's 2 were both regular season no-hitters).  What a way to get your first taste of October baseball!

So what did creating history do for Halladay's card values?  Let's examine the crown jewel for Halladay collectors.  As always, eBay is our barometer here. We'll check the selling price of one prior to tonight and another just after the finishing touch was put on the no-hitter. 

1997 Bowman Roy Halladay Auto Rookie

BEFORE - $259.99

AFTER (7:37 PM Eastern) - $299.00

Unlike other players and cards we've covered (Armando Galarraga, Matt Garza, Jahvid Best), we've only seen a 15% spike this time.  With the stakes far higher and the achievement far more impressive, that seems a little unusual, but let's stop a minute and think of the differences this time around.  First and foremost, Halladay has been one of the top 5 players at his position in baseball for an extended period of time.  He should be a dead solid lock for Cooperstown with three to five more seasons like he's put together throughout his career.  His RC values are already pretty far up there.  Second, and relatively speaking, the '97 Bowman being looked at is also pretty rare.  The 2 we compared and contrasted appear to be the only 2 put up on eBay over the past 30 days.  Demand is already there and supply is short.  Finally, the impulse buyer crowd might bite over the next 24 hours or so on the 2 that are currently listed here and here for $399.  Then it begins to look more like the immediate jump we've come to expect with a virtuoso one game performance. 

Still, if you happen to be holding one of the Halladay cards we covered here, you could do worse than picking up somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 for the 5 minutes or so it takes to list it on eBay. 

 

Before & After (& Back To Before)......Armando Galarraga

Ebay often provides the ultimate roller coaster ride of memorabilia value for players who suddenly find themselves in the spotlight for all the right or wrong reasons.

Our spotlight today is on Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, artist of Major League Baseball's greatest "perfect game that wasn't actually a perfect game" on June 2nd. A look at his 2008 Bowman Sterling Autographed rookie card is a perfect example of how fleeting some moments can be in the ebb and flow of card values. Hours before the blown call heard around the world, the card could be had for just over $3.oo (a little over $6.0o w/ shipping). Several hours later, impulse buyers caused a 483% spike in the value of that same card!! Not quite 2 weeks removed from the moment, and following a far more pedestrian outing in his next start, we're pretty much back where we started.

Moral here? If you happen to be in front of the TV on any given night and hear that sports history is in the making, scour through that card collection, put everything you've got with the face of the player involved on eBay (1 day auction would be recommended in this case), and don't worry about your indirect involvement in someone else's buyer's remorse a week later :-)

The madness continues.....

With 2 pretty dominant major league starts behind him now, Stephen Strasburg continues to bring the sports card collecting hobby attention unseen since the arrival of the recently retired Ken Griffey, Jr. 21 years ago.

The first major cash-in on the rarities of all things Strasburg came on May 29 with the $16,000+ haul on a 2010 Bowman Strasburg "superfractor".....a true 1/1. Now the other major Strasburg treasure, the 2010 Bowman Red 1/1 autographed card, has been found and can be yours on eBay......for a small fee that can be negotiated.

My best advice for anyone holding anything Strasburg and looking to make money is SELL NOW!!! As anyone who discovered the hobby in the 80's and 90's can tell you......holding onto rookie cards has its ebbs and flows as value goes, and most collectors don't make their living on Wall Street for a reason :-)

From the Fringe to the Mainstream,,,,,,For Now

For possibly the first time since the arrival of Upper Deck and the ensuing boom of the early 1990's, sports card collecting is getting the attention of the mainstream media, and not for a bad reason. TV had "The $25,000 Pyramid", and now the hobby has "The $16,103 Baseball Card". And all the hoopla is for a guy who has yet to spend a day in The Show.

Stephen Strasburg could be the next Nolan Ryan or the next Brien Taylor. But for the moment, he's providing a much needed boost for the hobby and bringing it attention in places where it rarely commands it. When is the last time you read about or saw coverage on the hobby in......

USA Today?
Fox News?
Bloomberg?

The term "phenomenon" definitely applies here, and while a Strasburg chase card won't be affordable on the average kid's weekly allowance, it definitely seems to be signaling a possible renaissance for baseball card collecting. That can only be a good thing. But for a full-fledged return to the halcyon days, card companies need to find a way to bring back the one group that brought them to the dance........the kids. Topps Attax seems to be a pretty good start toward accomplishing that end. Hopefully it provides a building block.

The Strasburg SuperFractor card isn't the only current "holy grail" among collectors. The 2010 Bowman red-bordered autographed Strasburg card is still out there. Best of luck to all who search for it!!

Here's hoping better days are ahead for card shops, collectors, and online dealers! Strasburg Mania is a step in that direction

Thank You!

We have officially broken the 200 Fan barrier on Facebook!! To everyone who cares enough to "Like" us there......THANK YOU SO MUCH!! To paraphrase the pilot on any random commercial flight, we know you have plenty of choices when Liking Facebook pages, and we appreciate you choosing House of Cards. And if you haven't already, check us out. Or Follow us on Twitter.

As a special Thank You, click here Saturday and Sunday for a special 200 Fan Facebook sale @ our eBay Store, The House of Cards. All game used baseball cards are 25% Off this weekend only!

Thanks again for being a Fan! Our 5 Star customer service across the board means you can buy with confidence!

What a difference a day makes......

....AND a 446 foot moon shot in your first major league at-bat after an entire spring as the most hyped rookie in baseball! How quickly did you rummage through your card collection looking for anything with the name Jason Heyward around 3:30 p.m. Central time yesterday? And how quickly were you able to put what you found on eBay?

Heyward cards were already hot items on eBay, but after the 21st century version "Shot Heard 'Round The World", it will temporarily cost you a premium to grab a high end treasure with his name on it.

On April 4th, the day before the mammoth shot, a 2007 Bowman Sterling autographed Heyward "rookie" card went for just under $100 on eBay. At the moment, 2 more are approaching $150 with about 17 1/2 hours left in the bidding as this blog is being written and could approach $200 or more by the end. And J-Hey Kid Mania didn't stop there. Looks like a jersey or t-shirt could set you back just as much in the short term.

If you have anything Heyward-related and looking for some extra cash, it's definitely time to strike while the iron is hot, and be thankful he didn't strike out while the iron was hot.

The home run didn't only make Heyward cards an eBay sensation, the moment itself is also a YouTube sensation. Who knew? So far the best fan-captured version of it came with the clip below. Enjoy before you head out to empty out the bank account to grab an autographed card or an authentic Heyward jersey.

A nice set of Tweets :-)

Now that I have your attention, this is nowhere near as provocative as the title would indicate. If you're reading this blog, you are a participant in social media and probably understand its value. While it seems like everyone with a laptop, blog, and/or Facebook page is trying to make a quick buck by declaring themselves a social media "expert", that's like declaring one baseball team the winner after three innnings. It's still an emerging beast, and the Bill Gates of social media has yet to be determined.

That being said, social media can be a very valuable cog in your marketing wheel if you use it properly. Since launching my eBay store (shameless plug: The House of Cards), I have used Twitter and Facebook to provide an unmistakable boost in sales. I'll use this blog post to help you navigate Twitter to boost your own sales of baseball cards, widgets, or whatever, but I strongly encourage a presence across ALL social media outlets including any niche message boards and partnerships with other blogs.

To build a successful Twitter page that drives traffic to your business:

• THINK PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT HARD SELL! - What you're selling is certainly the reason you're there, but don't make it the only thing you're about on Twitter. No one likes the "car salesman" approach. Load your Twitter page with links to relevant content, the latest news re: the product you're selling, and anything else you think your audience and customer base will use and associate your brand with. You're building a community, not a database.
  
• USE IT AS A TWO WAY CONVERSATION! - Twitter can provide the ultimate immediate feedback tool for your customers to talk to you. Be willing to listen, and be willing to hear the hard truth about the things you're doing wrong and change them. Customer loyalty goes through the roof when they feel like they have a voice and vested interest in your product.
  
• MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT! - Remember, you only have 140 characters to get the word out. URL shorteners are your friend!! I prefer bit.ly, but there are several others out there. Use every last one of those characters. Edit, and re-edit. If you're really good and can say it effectively in 100 characters, use hash tags (#baseballcards, #ebay, #verabradley, etc.) to enhance the chances that users will find your posts and Follow you to provide additional potential customers.
• GET RETWEETED! - One of the most effective ways to enhance your Twitter experience is to create a buzz among your Followers and casual users. Don't be afraid to be humorous, spontaneous, and spur of the moment to post something that might get picked up and spread like wildfire. DO make sure, however, that the post is relevant and on topic with the message of your business's page.
  

As I said, I am by no means a social media expert, but as an unemployed media guy just trying to make his way the only way he knows how in this economy, Twitter has provided a proven traffic builder for my eBay business. I hope this info proves useful and you are able to implement a few of these things successfully. You're welcome to take a look at my Twitter page, Follow me if you like, and provide any constructive criticism on how I could be doing it better and creating even more business!

Best of luck with your own businesses!! There's room for everyone out there.....even in this economy.