As a small seller/vender at flea markets, shows etc., the number one
comment i get is: "i can get that on eBay for $$". EBay as absolutely
killed the card market.....particularly baseball cards. Because of the
relative ease of acquiring a numbered to 50 card for example, ebay has
caused an easy "demand" of search.
The pre-internet, eBay days would require endless footwork to and from
cardshows for that elusive card. Quite frankly i have no idea who
cardshows even survive today, even with the "personnel" touch. All
people care about (particularly men) is the price. Service and personnel
contact are secondary. Price is king and that is the internet and eBay's
"specialty". Lets not the the card companies off the hook however.
Production is ridiculous. Production is basically aimed at the 20-35 age
bracket because of the expendable income of this group (no kids, no
financial obligations, etc,). Kids are also lured because of the
game-used stuff. Kids are paying $12.00 a pack for a chance to acquire
some unproven prospect game-used card. Then they asked me how much is
it "worth"? and if i would like to buy it. Nice lottery ticket mentality
for the kids ya??
Sorry of rambling on..............Dan.