Where is everyone going?

[SharpysSports]

I know I have been very quiet but I have just jumped back on to catch up and am seeing numerous 'Leaving the Hobby' sale threads.

What is the reason everyone is leaving? Is it just life that gets in the way or is there another reason the hobby isn't as enjoyable as it once was?

Would love to hear from the guys who have decided to leave.

 

[penny collector]

So I haven't done an official I am leaving thread... but I kinda am! Mine is kind of a long story but I am definitely not buying atm and considering selling off my PC but not 100% committed.

Mine is more of a lifestyle and a bit of a love story as the reason for the decision but I would lie if I said the hobby had not become a bit boring of late!

 

[shawnkemp40]

To be brutally honest the hobby is rapidly filling with idiots.
Rude, lowballing (when buying) extortionists (when selling) and general pains in the ass.
There are so many good people but the rotten apples are really prominent these days.
My humble observation.
Ozcard is far better than the US sites for quality of folks but we have some spanners amongst us.

 

[nichj99]

I'm still here, but I too am losing interest. Panini peaked in 12-13 and every year the designs get worse, the products become more watered down , less hits per box, more and more cards are damaged out of the box or have production issues and the price per box goes up.

The replay thing really pushed me over the edge and have really only been collecting Andrew Bynum since. Customer satisfaction is at an all time low.

 

[shawnkemp40]

I'm still here, but I too am losing interest. Panini peaked in 12-13 and every year the designs get worse, the products become more watered down , less hits per box, more and more cards are damaged out of the box or have production issues and the price per box goes up.

The replay thing really pushed me over the edge and have really only been collecting Andrew Bynum since. Customer satisfaction is at an all time low.

Agreed , customer satisfaction is not a priority when there's only one manufacturer.

 

[SharpysSports]

I still remember back when I joined this site back in 2011-12 things were pumping. Box breaks/mail days were being shown on a daily basis. I know Facebook has taken away some of these but I dare say the majority of people have lost interest due to the poor products being released by Panini. I know this is how I feel. I used to check eBay/COMC/OZCT three or four times a day chasing PC items. Now I'm down to once every few days.

Fingers crossed Panini lose the licence. We need a change in the hobby.

 

[hairyangryfella]

To put it briefly:
Panini are pathetic (and the only game in town).
There are far more 'businessmen' than collectors and it sucks.
But ultimately, it's too expensive.

 

[exzibit3]

Panini products have been underwhelming ever since they entered the market. Combine that with Upper Deck releasing all the rubbish college type cards, it's pretty horrid for choice.

 

[Telfs Card Park]

I am still hanging in there but its getting near impossible to win an auction these days without mortgaging the house. I collect Spurs only and am running into a tornado from overseas collectors who have deep pockets. I remember when buying rookie autos could be had for 5-10 bucks a pop and you look at a guy like Dejounte Murray who I am trying to PC and he has played like 3-4 good games and his prices for autos are at a Kawhi level and he has done nothing!

I am trying to focus on some of the older stuff to keep the PC going but if I wasn't a team collector I would be out of the game by now. At least I can focus on a variety of players and unlike player collectors there is no need to have it all so I pick up a few nice cards here and there but for me 2017 is all about the memorabilia, plenty of cool stuff to add to the man cave and I will keep chipping away at the Spurs All Time Roster Autos chase...

 

[DWade Collector]

The way the hobby works, they always come back

 

[Matt26]

I have to say there seems to be a lot of people leaving for a variety of factors, but even looking at my own situation I have cut back dramatically on what I collect.

One of the reasons is that the main player I collected (Steve Nash) is no longer playing and there really isn’t a huge amount of new cards out there and most of his big cards that appeal to me (1/1’s, Logomen etc) don’t show up or are so overpriced it’s not funny.

I used to also collect anything and everything of Ryan Anderson however I sold off my whole collection of him about a year ago to a collector in the US who already had a huge PC of him. It went to a good home.

I also collect some very specific Larry Bird cards (mainly high end stuff) but he signs so many cards each year that unless it’s a really cool or interesting card, I don’t really need to pay another $100+ for another auto card of his……..he has thousands of signed cards out there!

Another thing is that while we haven’t seen any NBA Michael Jordan cards since the late 2000’s, his collectors are a huge part of the marketplace (especially for his older stuff)……I think if he had been included even on a base or an insert level in Panini Products you would have seen a much larger and healthier collecting community than you see today.

Once you add the US dollar, shipping, scammers and lowballers into the mix, it certainly isn’t something that drags you back to the hobby.

All of the players I loved watching during the 90’s/00’s are all mostly retired now, and my interest in the NBA isn’t what it used to be though I still like watching it. I guess being a player fan more than a team fan leaves me with no real attachment to any specific team to follow.

So for me, all I’m doing now is buying the odd card here or there……and if something I really want comes along ill grab it……but overall these days its less about quantity and more about quality.

Cheers
Matt

 

[DWade Collector]

I have to say there seems to be a lot of people leaving for a variety of factors, but even looking at my own situation I have cut back dramatically on what I collect.

One of the reasons is that the main player I collected (Steve Nash) is no longer playing and there really isn’t a huge amount of new cards out there and most of his big cards that appeal to me (1/1’s, Logomen etc) don’t show up or are so overpriced it’s not funny.

I used to also collect anything and everything of Ryan Anderson however I sold off my whole collection of him about a year ago to a collector in the US who already had a huge PC of him. It went to a good home.

I also collect some very specific Larry Bird cards (mainly high end stuff) but he signs so many cards each year that unless it’s a really cool or interesting card, I don’t really need to pay another $100+ for another auto card of his……..he has thousands of signed cards out there!

Another thing is that while we haven’t seen any NBA Michael Jordan cards since the late 2000’s, his collectors are a huge part of the marketplace (especially for his older stuff)……I think if he had been included even on a base or an insert level in Panini Products you would have seen a much larger and healthier collecting community than you see today.

Once you add the US dollar, shipping, scammers and lowballers into the mix, it certainly isn’t something that drags you back to the hobby.

All of the players I loved watching during the 90’s/00’s are all mostly retired now, and my interest in the NBA isn’t what it used to be though I still like watching it. I guess being a player fan more than a team fan leaves me with no real attachment to any specific team to follow.

So for me, all I’m doing now is buying the odd card here or there……and if something I really want comes along ill grab it……but overall these days its less about quantity and more about quality.

Cheers
Matt

Wait for Steve Nash auction my man, patience..... timed aggression

 

[Chris_Paul3]

Due to the Price's this is no longer a hobby but more so a business, couple that with no regulation or protection ( loopholes for scammers ) it's just to much risk to participate in, especially if you are into to purchasing high end cards .

Scammers can see that it is easy as 1 ,2 ,3 ... to rip people off and it has become rife , also watching major consignors that are purely on a money grab selling fake cards , and allowing shillers to bid up auctions with lame excuses just indicates the hobby/business is rotten to the core .

A couple of weeks ago a thread was posted by HairyAngryfella on the US site showing a major consignor selling a card that was clearly shown as fake , the consignor basically stated bad luck and talk to PSA even though photographic evidence was produced furthermore the thread was deleted by the mod on the site so it can not be viewed , i really wonder what kickbacks are being handed out .

PSA and BGS are an absolute joke authenticating and grading cards which have been proven fakes .

This is not the first time US sites delete crucial outing threads , it's like they have their hands involved which is disgusting by them and most of the mods should not even have the right to moderate.

In the real world a moderator should show no biased or favoritism to any member as they are their to police the site , but the conflict of interest is rife aswell another issue , but this hobby/business is a little bubble so rules can be changed and no-one bats an eyelid .

Due to the non regulation and basically no punishment for these actions it is a spoil grounds for scumbags to go rife with their unsavory actions burning people.

When you look at this in a nutshell it is the same scumbags rinse and repeating with a constant flow of new scum entering .

I personally have seen most international trades or purchases end badly due to the non consequences for basic stealing, Paypal and Ebay are an absolute joke just looking to cash in .

It's a pitty as it used to be fun but these day's it's not fun at all , i actually feel for some entering this game without proper knowledge being duped , Problems can be fixed but never get fixed as it obviously does not suit the agenda and who cares if someone got burned along the way .

Personally i will not ship international as it is to much of a risk even if the cards are proven to have been received scum are still claiming and winning which is basic theft .

So bottom line this hobby/business is a shambles and not fun whatsoever especially if your pumping cash into it with so much risk , no wonder people are leaving and not looking back .

And not to mention the Overpriced Junk being pumped out by card producers.

 

[drobfan8]

The USD really affects what I purchase.

It was only a few years back we were getting $100 USD cards for $90 AUSD.

Now even a $30 US card with shipping costs about $50 Aus.

I am about to scale back big time. But Panini's stuff mostly doesn't entice me to buy, even though I believe they provide a lot of choice.

I've even gone to buying 86/87 Fleer and 90s stuff again because of Panini.

 

[OutlawNinja]

I too have not bought anything for ages now.
Most of the high end Wilkins stuff I see on ebay is ridiculously overpriced, people trying to make a killing out of the hobby.
That and the Aussie dollar value being pathetic against the US, coupled with ebay's global postage rates has effectively killed off my interest.
Shipping usually comes to about $30 AUD for a card, that is pathetic.

 

[DWade Collector]

USD being extremely strong makes it tough for collectors outside the US

 

[Mico]

I posted this in another thread but this really killed my mood for collecting.

Dude i got stung by paypal last week when i sold to a guy with 2 US addresses and a Malaysian one.

Guy bought my card on ebay, and i sent to eBay/Paypal address with tracking. The card got delivered but then they guy opens an item not received via eBay. I confirmed the address i sent it to (which was exactly as on the ebay invoice and paypal transaction) and he said it should go to a completely different address in the US. So then i escalate and eBay finds in my favor. He then messages me asking to send it to Malaysia but i have no-idea where the card is. Anyway i get a chargeback through Paypal and even though i provided tracking, photo proof of postage and copies of his correspondence clearly showing he provided the wrong address they still ruled in his favor and took back his money plus a nice $15usd "chargeback fee".

If anyone thinks they have "seller protection" using paypal think again. Paypal can get f***ed.

 

[thePACisback]

I haven't been on for a while.

I'm still collecting though, WCS getting a starting role in SAC is making me more interested in collecting, in particular collecting him

I'm currently more interested in NFL cards with the draft around the corner, that'll change soon though

I may sell my Horfords to build us this WCS collection... PM if u have a WCS and are willing to trade for a horford

 

[NBASIMMO]

Burning $300 on boxes and coming away with a $25 card always stings for me.

I've always wondered - are hits distributed randomly by a machine or is there some quality control in place?

Random Example - If each box gets 4 hits (say a rookie auto, auto, patch and jersey)

Box 1 - Franklin Rc Auto / Willis auto / Walton patch / Mullin Jersey

Box 2 - Giannis Rc Auto / Kobe auto / Durant patch / Wade Jersey

Would love a tour of Panni's factory to see how they get waxed

 

[nichj99]

This may just be me and my preference but if a seller lists as "make me an offer" I generally don't bother unless it's a must have card. Chances are the seller knows what he wants for it and is simply hoping to get an offer much higher.

If there's a nice card and I like the price I'll jump on it straight away. No price, I pretty much won't bother.