General Forum

So I was checking CardboardConnection today and saw that the 2021 Bowman Mega Box was announced and has a date, being May 7th.

I picked up one last year, wasn't bad for $19.99

This year, Topps raised the price to $29.99 for the exact same format, like the same number of packs

I'm not surprised but I'm just disappointed 

Topps I feel like just cares about the bottom line.

 https://www.target.com/p/2021-topps-mlb-bowman-baseball-mega-box/-/A-81888102

Not surprised, either. Topps has been doing this with much of their online offerings, sometimes doubling the price. They're no dummies. They know it will sell, and sell out fast.

I am going to throw in my 2 cents here. It always makes me chuckle when people complain that a business is only in it for the money. Isn't that the reason to go into business? Also with the price of everything going up it is natural that the cost of materials is going up as well. 

I totally understand the point of veiw from "the true hobbiest". What makes one way of enjoying the hobby better then another way to enjoy the hobby? Can't card flipping be a hobby? 

My point is that there are many different ways that many different people can enjoy the same hobby. One way for one person might seem totally foreign to another, even an affront to the heart of "the true hobbiest". 

I am not saying this to oppose anyones paticular opinion. To each there own. I just state this because I think it can be at times unfair to chastise a card company as greedy and only in it for the money. 

I don't have a problem with Topps making money, and beyond the increased cost of doing business I don't mind them, as the creators, carving out a better % of the resale price hike. I'm worried they are shooting themselves in the foot in the long run though. Bowman is a flagship, entry level set IMO, the next generation of "true collectors" may be priced out and turned off in their formative collecting years. The next generation of flippers will jump in, but will move on to the next hot flip when this bubble bursts. 

If Topps knows that people are able to buy their products and turn around and sell them for an immediate profit on the secondary market, it would be stupid of them to keep offering them at the same price.

Nice hearing other people's point of view.

Nice seeing a fire type profile pic that isn't Charizard 

Back in 1989 when Upper Deck came out and charged the astronomically hogh price of $1 a pack there was protest. I remember because I was a part of that protest. When within a few years most card companies followed there was the same outcry about companies charging too much and ruining the hobby. They only care about money. Holy cow that was 31 years ago! As you can see the hobby is still going. It has had its bubbles, it has had its bursted bubbles, and then along comes something to blow a new bubble. The reality us that as long as some sport is being played and people want to collect pictures of there favorite team or player there will be a company out there making said puctures. A company like Topps probably is going to do fine no matter what state the bubble is in.

Now if you will excuse me I am going to go sit in a corner and ponder Upper Deck launching 31 years ago. 

Hey, prices go up. If folks stop paying the price, then it'll come back down. But folks will pay. I don't begrudge Topps that at all.

Also - YoRicha, I LOLed at "going to go sit in a corner and ponder Upper Deck launching 31 years ago." I remember that price outrage as well! But we paid it, because those cards were groundbreaking at the time! :)

I'll never find one in the wild so it doesn't matter if they are $30 or $300, to me.  They are on eBay right now for $90 so clearly the MSRP isn't even close to the actual demand for these products.