From sportscardsfun.com and I thoght it was perfect for here 
Trading is good, very good for our hobby. Let's reflect for a moment on the name of the product we all love so much...."trading cards". Webster’s defines trading as "To exchange something in for something else" and card as "A flat, usually rectangular piece of stiff paper, cardboard, or plastic"....okay, I think we all get the literal card definition; however, somewhere along the line the trading or the "action" of our hobby has unfortunately fallen by the way-side. This failure to maintain the original intent of trading cards should be cause for concern to all of us.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that as cards become more and more premium so does the price? Don't get me wrong, I love premium auto/game-used cards as much as the next collector, but we all know the price we pay for chasing these elusive cards. Perhaps like me, you’ve noticed that the current trend of the sports card manufactures seems to be to push the price of premium packs even higher? Although those $100, $200, and $500 dollar packs of cards are certainly intriguing, and currently sell out quickly at my local card shop, it’s my opinion that these incredibly expensive packs are not the best direction for the sports card industry to move in permanently. Clearly there is a place for this very premium product, but their sheer existence can be a bit intimidating to the average collector.
Even the low-end cards of today can break the piggy bank of the seemingly ignored young collectors who represent the future of the trading card industry. (Then again, perhaps the reality of this hobby is that it’s not a kid’s hobby anymore and future collectors will discover the hobby after they enter adulthood.) The point is this, the average collector isn’t Bill Gates, and continually having to pay the higher and higher price for products will eventually lead to hobby burnout and or bankruptcy; in other words, people will quit buying cards.
So what’s the solution? How does the sports card Industry not only survive, as it has been doing, but flourish and grow now and for future generations? One word…TRADING!
In my opinion, it’s imperative that the leaders of this industry do substantially more than they ever have, to preserve and support the trading so critical to its’ long-term success. From the top of the food chain that starts with the manufacturers and publishers, on down the line to the shop owners and the consumers; participating in the trading of cards will keep this hobby strong.
The rational behind the notion that trading can significantly improve the entire sports card industry…
Trading helps entices a collector into purchasing more cards. Huh? Some might think that trading would reduce retail card sales, the rational being that if people are trading then people are not buying - oh not so my cardboard-collecting friends! Through trading, collectors are able to trade for the handful of cards that they need without breaking the bank. Once a set or player list is successfully completed with relative ease via trading, the collector is then more motivated to move onto the next set/list; the catalyst for the trading to take place is the purchasing of cards at the local card shop. In other words, trading is the positive reinforcement needed to keep a collector buying more cards, to then trade more cards, to then fill more sets/lists, and ultimately keep that collector in the hobby for the long term.
Trading increases the value and usefulness of a trader's unneeded cards! As most of us know, the book value of a card doesn't usually mean you can go sell your card to your local dealer or on ebay for that listed price. Unless you’ve got an incredibly hot card, trying to sell your cards can often be a very disappointing experience, since buyers will often only give you a small percentage of what the price guides say a card is worth. With trading however, the value of your cards are often the same as their listed book value since many traders trade "book value for book value". Now, this certainly is not always the case, and often times you must trade in some ones favor in order to negotiate a trade. The point is that by engaging in trading with fellow collectors, your unwanted cards become a currency that can produce fantastic results.
Trading keeps the accumulation of unwanted cards to a minimum.
With trading, collectors have a way to send back into circulation those boxes and boxes of cards taking-up their closet space and extra bedrooms of their homes. Having a room full of extra cards that you don't want and don't know what to do with can be incredibly frustrating, stagnating, and often times leads to a collector quitting the hobby. So, out with the old and in with the new, thanks to trading!
Trading is fun and is a great way to make life long friends that share a common interest!
Start trading cards and make a friend. Okay, it’s a little warm and fuzzy notion right? But with all that's on our plates today isn’t it nice to connect with friends that share a common interest? Hooking up with fellow collectors to trade provides even more positive feedback for that collector to keep buying and collecting. Plus, trading tends to be a bit more conducive to making friends since it takes the hard earned cash out of the picture that normally goes along with buying and selling cards; it’s a bit easier to part with a card than it is to part with the all mighty dollar! I’ve personally seen numerous lifelong friendships develop simply because 2 people decided to trade sports cards. Often time these friendships are purely via email, but I can assure you that they are friendships none the less.
Conclusion
I'd like to see the sports card industry boom; I'd like to see kids trading baseball cards with their friends again. I'd particularly love to see more adult collectors rediscover the fun of trading! I want to say to the leaders of this industry "Hey guys! You want to sell more cards? Introduce a collector not only to collecting but to trading, do this and you'll have a collector for life! With the marketing tools and technology available today, the sports card industry has the ability to facilitate more sports card trading than ever. How about a sports card show just for trading!
Remember the roots of collecting "trading cards". Remember what it was like to trade cards with your friends. Remember what it was like to get that card that meant more to you than anything, but that your trading partner would happily part with for a card want of their own. That's the experience we need to embrace to keep our hobby flourishing, that's the fun that trading cards is all about.
Trading is good, very good for our hobby. Let's reflect for a moment on the name of the product we all love so much...."trading cards". Webster’s defines trading as "To exchange something in for something else" and card as "A flat, usually rectangular piece of stiff paper, cardboard, or plastic"....okay, I think we all get the literal card definition; however, somewhere along the line the trading or the "action" of our hobby has unfortunately fallen by the way-side. This failure to maintain the original intent of trading cards should be cause for concern to all of us.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that as cards become more and more premium so does the price? Don't get me wrong, I love premium auto/game-used cards as much as the next collector, but we all know the price we pay for chasing these elusive cards. Perhaps like me, you’ve noticed that the current trend of the sports card manufactures seems to be to push the price of premium packs even higher? Although those $100, $200, and $500 dollar packs of cards are certainly intriguing, and currently sell out quickly at my local card shop, it’s my opinion that these incredibly expensive packs are not the best direction for the sports card industry to move in permanently. Clearly there is a place for this very premium product, but their sheer existence can be a bit intimidating to the average collector.
Even the low-end cards of today can break the piggy bank of the seemingly ignored young collectors who represent the future of the trading card industry. (Then again, perhaps the reality of this hobby is that it’s not a kid’s hobby anymore and future collectors will discover the hobby after they enter adulthood.) The point is this, the average collector isn’t Bill Gates, and continually having to pay the higher and higher price for products will eventually lead to hobby burnout and or bankruptcy; in other words, people will quit buying cards.
So what’s the solution? How does the sports card Industry not only survive, as it has been doing, but flourish and grow now and for future generations? One word…TRADING!
In my opinion, it’s imperative that the leaders of this industry do substantially more than they ever have, to preserve and support the trading so critical to its’ long-term success. From the top of the food chain that starts with the manufacturers and publishers, on down the line to the shop owners and the consumers; participating in the trading of cards will keep this hobby strong.
The rational behind the notion that trading can significantly improve the entire sports card industry…
Trading helps entices a collector into purchasing more cards. Huh? Some might think that trading would reduce retail card sales, the rational being that if people are trading then people are not buying - oh not so my cardboard-collecting friends! Through trading, collectors are able to trade for the handful of cards that they need without breaking the bank. Once a set or player list is successfully completed with relative ease via trading, the collector is then more motivated to move onto the next set/list; the catalyst for the trading to take place is the purchasing of cards at the local card shop. In other words, trading is the positive reinforcement needed to keep a collector buying more cards, to then trade more cards, to then fill more sets/lists, and ultimately keep that collector in the hobby for the long term.
Trading increases the value and usefulness of a trader's unneeded cards! As most of us know, the book value of a card doesn't usually mean you can go sell your card to your local dealer or on ebay for that listed price. Unless you’ve got an incredibly hot card, trying to sell your cards can often be a very disappointing experience, since buyers will often only give you a small percentage of what the price guides say a card is worth. With trading however, the value of your cards are often the same as their listed book value since many traders trade "book value for book value". Now, this certainly is not always the case, and often times you must trade in some ones favor in order to negotiate a trade. The point is that by engaging in trading with fellow collectors, your unwanted cards become a currency that can produce fantastic results.
Trading keeps the accumulation of unwanted cards to a minimum.
With trading, collectors have a way to send back into circulation those boxes and boxes of cards taking-up their closet space and extra bedrooms of their homes. Having a room full of extra cards that you don't want and don't know what to do with can be incredibly frustrating, stagnating, and often times leads to a collector quitting the hobby. So, out with the old and in with the new, thanks to trading!
Trading is fun and is a great way to make life long friends that share a common interest!
Start trading cards and make a friend. Okay, it’s a little warm and fuzzy notion right? But with all that's on our plates today isn’t it nice to connect with friends that share a common interest? Hooking up with fellow collectors to trade provides even more positive feedback for that collector to keep buying and collecting. Plus, trading tends to be a bit more conducive to making friends since it takes the hard earned cash out of the picture that normally goes along with buying and selling cards; it’s a bit easier to part with a card than it is to part with the all mighty dollar! I’ve personally seen numerous lifelong friendships develop simply because 2 people decided to trade sports cards. Often time these friendships are purely via email, but I can assure you that they are friendships none the less.
Conclusion
I'd like to see the sports card industry boom; I'd like to see kids trading baseball cards with their friends again. I'd particularly love to see more adult collectors rediscover the fun of trading! I want to say to the leaders of this industry "Hey guys! You want to sell more cards? Introduce a collector not only to collecting but to trading, do this and you'll have a collector for life! With the marketing tools and technology available today, the sports card industry has the ability to facilitate more sports card trading than ever. How about a sports card show just for trading!
Remember the roots of collecting "trading cards". Remember what it was like to trade cards with your friends. Remember what it was like to get that card that meant more to you than anything, but that your trading partner would happily part with for a card want of their own. That's the experience we need to embrace to keep our hobby flourishing, that's the fun that trading cards is all about.
Can there be balance in the future?
