Cost of living and trading cards

[TBB1983]

Hi All,

With the increase in interest rates again and the ongoing cost of living constantly increasing.
How do you believe this will impact the trading card hobby in Australia.
I think the hobby for some people will be one of the first things to stop putting money into. So we may see more of the casual and some other hobbyists drop off for a bit.
What do you guys think will happen?

 

[Paul_Ambrey]

I think you are very close to the mark in what you are saying. You only have to look on other websites to see the huge amount of cards being sold.Mine included.Some nrl cards have taken a huge downward spiral in the last couple of years and i don't think it will stop for a while. Also people like myself can not afford to buy the cards i use to buy,only because I'm a pensioner now and you have to be a lot more careful with your money. But what ever sports cards you have collected in the past,and now you have stopped for one reason or another, you will always have the urge to have another go at collecting.That urge will never leave you.

 

[Lazlow]

I stopped buying boxes (Hockey/MMA/American Football) back in 2015/2016 when UPS put their shipping rates up and the dollar started hitting US$0.70. Can't imagine doing it now, especially when its difficult to break even, let alone come out ahead on a box.

Even the humble box of footy cards (outside of the more juvenile Footy Stars and Teamcoach) comes with a steep asking price.

That said I don't think I was the only one. Waning dollar, increased shipping costs, compounded by the disruption and chaos caused by the pandemic, coupled with card producers increasingly focusing on premium products, and prices being driven up, feels like many people who used to frequent this forum have dropped off.

I just pick up the odd single now and then, and if I was to buy a box again it would be with the intention of completing the base set because it's aesthetically pleasing. Cards are simply a luxury (and a gamble) I can't justify.

 

[GarnettFan4Life]

nothing new here - where @Verse1 at? If there was a card he wanted it was noodles for a fortnight! Gotta do what ya gotta do!

 

[TBB1983]

coupled with card producers increasingly focusing on premium products, and prices being driven up, feels like many people who used to frequent this forum have dropped off.

I wasnt in the forum before so not sure how many have dropped off. However i do have to agree about the focusing on premium products. Now even more than ever it seems buying boxes is just too much and could put people off entering the hobby. While i buy a lot of singles, I do admit it is not as much fun as buying a box and seeing what you get. I also believe there are too many variations of cards. Back in the 90's or earlier when you get a good card such as a Jordan you knew that others had the exact same card. Now you have to deal with different variations of the same card plus if it is numbered. There are also different variations now for hobby and retail so if you don't have the money you get locked out from certain cards.
They are even complaining about the cost in america. If the official licence card producers just reduced the cost to a reasonable level. Sports trading cards will take off like crazy.

 

[Lazlow]

I wasnt in the forum before so not sure how many have dropped off.

To be fair, I don't know if they dropped out of the hobby or simply post/deal elsewhere. I don't really use Facebook, but Facebook groups are a thing these days, and it seems a few retailers will eschew their own online store and sell produce directly through their Facebook page.

But certainly if you were to go back to that 2011-2015 period, there was a lot more activity on this site. Every section had its regulars, whereas its predominantly AFL/NRL/NBA where the activity is today. And even then there's been a dip. The AFL mailday section still has posts going back to 2022 on page 1, and Box Breaks back to 2021.

However card collecting always goes through swings and roundabouts, hell back then Panini looked like an unstoppable 800 pound Gorilla, and now look what's happened. Before them it was Upper Deck and before that Topps. Hopefully a new peak is on the horizon, though its not helped by these exclusive deals that limit competition for our dollar.

 

[Hornso]

To be fair, I don't know if they dropped out of the hobby or simply post/deal elsewhere. I don't really use Facebook, but Facebook groups are a thing these days, and it seems a few retailers will eschew their own online store and sell produce directly through their Facebook page.

But certainly if you were to go back to that 2011-2015 period, there was a lot more activity on this site. Every section had its regulars, whereas its predominantly AFL/NRL/NBA where the activity is today. And even then there's been a dip. The AFL mailday section still has posts going back to 2022 on page 1, and Box Breaks back to 2021.

However card collecting always goes through swings and roundabouts, hell back then Panini looked like an unstoppable 800 pound Gorilla, and now look what's happened. Before them it was Upper Deck and before that Topps. Hopefully a new peak is on the horizon, though its not helped by these exclusive deals that limit competition for our dollar.

I'm active on here and active on a Facebook group. I love here because it feels like a community with people who comment and want to talk about cards, although it is quiet on here at times.

The Facebook group seems to be all about selling (which is fine), but there isn't much discussion. Even the group seems to be dropping off at the moment, as it feels really hard to move any low end stuff whereas previously you would get a few nibbles. I'm not sure how much of this is attributable to cost of living and how much is attributable to people saving for Wemby/new season stuff. I imagine a bit of both.

 

[TBB1983]

Do you find it slows down towards the end of year with Christmas and other things that pop up. Or is it just slowing down. I don’t know. I haven’t slowed down and nearly bought a darth Vader and ewok refractor and I’m not even a big Star Wars fan it just looked cool lol.

 

[Lazlow]

Do you find it slows down towards the end of year with Christmas and other things that pop up. Or is it just slowing down. I don’t know. I haven’t slowed down and nearly bought a darth Vader and ewok refractor and I’m not even a big Star Wars fan it just looked cool lol.

If anything there might be a bit of a dip in the lead up to Black Friday sales. Best time of the year to pick up boxes.

it just looked cool

Best reason to buy a card.

 

[Jonathand]

I don't buy singles I'm more for thrill of the pull kind of collector than just buying the card

 

[GarnettFan4Life]

I don't buy singles I'm more for thrill of the pull kind of collector than just buying the card

I was exactly like that for 10 years then I got bored with getting $10 worth of cards out of $300 boxes and just 99% singles buyer now

 

[TBB1983]

I don't buy singles I'm more for thrill of the pull kind of collector than just buying the card

Yeah I enjoy it as well and would do it more if the prices went down a bit. I don’t mind the odd mystery box but did breaks once or twice but it’s the trading card equivalent of the pokies so won’t do that too often. But like garnett, I buy a lot of singles to get the cards I want. Which probably come from the breakers hahaha

 

[TAB1980]

Looks like we're going to be paying a Wemby tax on sealed product this year.

Things were just starting to return to some sort of normality and affordability but looks like people are still prepared to pay through the nose even with the current rise in cost of living.

It would be nice to be able to afford to be these people...

 

[TAB1980]

Cheapest box of Hoops hobby on ebay right now is USD$224. About USD$100 more than last year.

I'm glad i paid presell through Cherry which was about the same but in AUD.

Let's see if we get to Zion levels of crazy. It's certainly heading that way!

 

[Jonathand]

Cheapest box of Hoops hobby on ebay right now is USD$224. About USD$100 more than last year.

I'm glad i paid presell through Cherry which was about the same but in AUD.

Let's see if we get to Zion levels of crazy. It's certainly heading that way!

I buy most of my stuff through cherry as well online.

 

[ozsportscardcollector]

Yeah I enjoy it as well and would do it more if the prices went down a bit. I don’t mind the odd mystery box but did breaks once or twice but it’s the trading card equivalent of the pokies so won’t do that too often. But like garnett, I buy a lot of singles to get the cards I want. Which probably come from the breakers hahaha

More like the equivalent of scratchies. I fancy my odds on a pokie machine more than going in a break. Admittedly the latter is way more fun but the odds of getting something decent are horrendous. And it's why breakers have to engage in a lot of turd polishing.

 

[TAB1980]

These days when it comes to sealed stuff I try to keep my purchases to anything that is not more than $100USD and is not Retail. I know I'm going to get shafted no matter what I buy but losing on a $60USD TMall box is a little easier to stomach than getting slaughtered on a $500USD Hobby box.

 

[1980bust]

Like any hobby, it's disposable and not life's highest priority for people who see it as a hobby. If it's your business, I'd imagine things are a lot more uneasy. This time of year is always slow since there's very obvious other priorities even without factoring in COL increases.

That said, like collecting anything, it's an emotional hobby that's largely driven by FOMO. For speculating on hyped prospects, for not opening up that box you were eyeing up, for not knowing if you'll ever see that budget-stretching card again. Auctions are perfect for getting caught up in the moment.

I'm a 100% singles buyer. I prefer to curate my (limited) collection rather than try and get lucky with ripping boxes but ending up with endless rubbish cards. I can always watch breaks to see the reality if I want to.

If I'm selling more, I'm buying more, and vice-versa. I've had a fairly decent month of sales so far, so i'm using that cash on one of the most expensive cards I've ever bought as a Christmas present to myself!

 

[Avonc]

Like any hobby, it's disposable and not life's highest priority for people who see it as a hobby. If it's your business, I'd imagine things are a lot more uneasy. This time of year is always slow since there's very obvious other priorities even without fasting in COL increases.

That said, like collecting anything, it's an emotional hobby that's largely driven by FOMO. For speculating on hyped prospects, for not opening up that box you were eying up, for not knowing if you'll ever see that budget-stretching card again. Auctions are perfect for getting caught up in the moment.

I'm a 100% singles buyer. I prefer to curate my (limited) collection rather than try and get lucky with ripping boxes but ending up with endless rubbish cards. I can always watch breaks to see the reality if I want to.

If I'm selling more, I'm buying more, and vice-versa. I've had a fairly decent month of sales so far, so i'm using that cash on one of the most expensive cards I've ever bought as a Christmas present to myself!

Well said, I've cut my collection back this year so going forward I can realistically maintain a collection near 100% complete of in my case NRL Warriors signature cards. Already I see next years Traders has more signature variants than this years. I buy/sell/trade to get funds to maintain my hobby . I've seen a number of longtime collectors not only stop collecting but selling up entire collections which is sad (pending on the reasons) but it's just like many things in life, you move on. I just hope anyone needing to sell for much needed dollars in these tough times both sides of The Tasman that they aren't being lowballed . The hobby adapts to a changing environment and there's winners and losers as in life.

 

[Matt26]

A lot of people cutting back on collecting have seen some amazing collections up for sale recently!

Also personally in the past I used to tell my wife the cards I was buying were only "worth" $20....... now I can only afford to buy cards that ARE actually worth $20!

Tough times.