2012 Topps Heritage High-Numbers Boxed Set Preview (EDIT - Checklist Added)

[goldenegg1]

I don't know the answer to this question so I'm not trying to be a smartass here. Why doesn't Topps skip a distributor altogether and just sell on their website? They could make a ton more money by selling directly to the consumer instead of going to distributor, then card shop, and then to the consumer. Why let two other entities profit off of your product? Why not take all the profit?

 

[Jaypers]

I don't know the answer to this question so I'm not trying to be a smartass here. Why doesn't Topps skip a distributor altogether and just sell on their website? They could make a ton more money by selling directly to the consumer instead of going to distributor, then card shop, and then to the consumer. Why let two other entities profit off of your product? Why not take all the profit?

Because then they'd be Razor? :lol:

 

[schmidtfan20]

easy question, hobby shops HAVE to buy the garbage. There are no returns and many times they have to buy with almost no knowledge of what is in the
product and if it is good. If topps sells direct they eat the garbage and there is waaay more of that than the good stuff like topps mini.

Kevin

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I've been banging that drum in a few posts now.And JP, I don't think Razor sold direct to the public. Just does, but I didn't think Razor did. One of the few atrocities they didn't do to harm consumers.

 

[morgoth]

easy question, hobby shops HAVE to buy the garbage. There are no returns and many times they have to buy with almost no knowledge of what is in the
product and if it is good. If topps sells direct they eat the garbage and there is waaay more of that than the good stuff like topps mini.

Kevin

Kevin is right. It is all about risk aversion. Topps has deals in place the gurantee the amount of product they sell regardless of the quality of the material. If they instead took all product inhouse then they would have to actually "REALLY" sell the product to consumers who may not buy it.

Topps perspective is that it gives them some easy checkmarks in there financial sheets year in and out.

You can tell by what Topps does sell direct, they really try and minimize their risk. They short print it and normally add good value for the price point so they won't get stuck with it.

It is similar to what Coca Cola does. CC makes the liquid cola concentrate and markets the brand. That's it. It is up to the bottlers of the product to actually sell the products locally, make it and deliver it.

 

[smapdi]

Selling directly to collectors for certain select items will likely increase. As schmidtfan points out, they won't go totally direct, because that would destroy all shops, and also likely Topps. I don't imagine many people will be ordering the lower tier products, and it would also be a nightmare logistically for Topps, having to basically add a full-service retail shipping department.

For people complaining about the price, I think the anger is a little misplaced. Sure, in the grand scheme of things, $100 for this is a little steep, but consider you get a whole set, an autograph, and the 'unannounced feature.' That feature will likely be something lame like a manupatch card, but could be something sweet, like a new parallel of the chrome cards that are still quite popular (Superfractors?). Compared to busting a box of Finest or Triple Threads or Tier One, it's not bad at all. Sure, the lottery cards in Heritage Update are probably a lot less spectacular than what they are in the $100-for-3-cards products, but that's not what you're buying Heritage for.

 

[Krom]

Frankly, even that is too much. then the seller will probably want $10 for shipping on top of that

If you had to buy packs to put the set together do you think it would only cost you $20 to do so??

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Selling directly to collectors for certain select items will likely increase. As schmidtfan points out, they won't go totally direct, because that would destroy all shops, and also likely Topps. I don't imagine many people will be ordering the lower tier products, and it would also be a nightmare logistically for Topps, having to basically add a full-service retail shipping department.

I disagree. I don't think Topps gives, in their heart of heart, a true damn about the hobby store. It's not about keeping the hobby store alive anymore -- Topps would do just fine without the hobby store, with online ordering only. I can forsee them keeping their main distributors -- Atlanta and BO and others, ending distribution to the hobby stores, and forcing them to order directly from their distributors, and selling cases directly at MSRP to the hobby -- or perhaps a minimum of 3-6 boxes to the ohobby, as a concession to the hobby stores who only sell one box at a time. But if Topps could double their profit -- Assuming their cost on a box of chrome is $30 (printing costs, licensing, distribution) and they sell for $50 to the wholesalers, that's a $20 profit. IF they sell direct to the hobby at $65-70, thats doubling the profit. Sure, there'll be minor expense in the form of $8/hr workers, but that's not much accross the board.

For people complaining about the price, I think the anger is a little misplaced. Sure, in the grand scheme of things, $100 for this is a little steep, but consider you get a whole set, an autograph, and the 'unannounced feature.' That feature will likely be something lame like a manupatch card, but could be something sweet, like a new parallel of the chrome cards that are still quite popular (Superfractors?). Compared to busting a box of Finest or Triple Threads or Tier One, it's not bad at all. Sure, the lottery cards in Heritage Update are probably a lot less spectacular than what they are in the $100-for-3-cards products, but that's not what you're buying Heritage for.

Eh... disagree. $100 is insane for one auto on a Heritage card unless the checklist is disgustingly stocked.

 

[morgoth]

I disagree. I don't think Topps gives, in their heart of heart, a true damn about the hobby store. It's not about keeping the hobby store alive anymore -- Topps would do just fine without the hobby store, with online ordering only. I can forsee them keeping their main distributors -- Atlanta and BO and others, ending distribution to the hobby stores, and forcing them to order directly from their distributors, and selling cases directly at MSRP to the hobby -- or perhaps a minimum of 3-6 boxes to the ohobby, as a concession to the hobby stores who only sell one box at a time. But if Topps could double their profit -- Assuming their cost on a box of chrome is $30 (printing costs, licensing, distribution) and they sell for $50 to the wholesalers, that's a $20 profit. IF they sell direct to the hobby at $65-70, thats doubling the profit. Sure, there'll be minor expense in the form of $8/hr workers, but that's not much accross the board.



Eh... disagree. $100 is insane for one auto on a Heritage card unless the checklist is disgustingly stocked.

The issue isn't profit margin but sell through rate. Taking all of the product in house means you are assuming all the risk. Go to any hobby store and see how much inventory is just sitting there, especially slow moving items. Topps could circumvent that by offering deals but then you create a culture of people not buying until it is on sale.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

The issue isn't profit margin but sell through rate. Taking all of the product in house means you are assuming all the risk. Go to any hobby store and see how much inventory is just sitting there, especially slow moving items. Topps could circumvent that by offering deals but then you create a culture of people not buying until it is on sale.

Cut production, add more product lines.

LIke, instead of a refractor to /75, make a blue, a purple, and a pink to /25.

 

[schmidtfan20]

Bob

Topps can sell whatever it wants to hobby stores SIGHT UNSEEN! Where else can they do this? Collectors aren't going to send topps a ton of money to lock
in prices like stores have to. We pay when the product hits and by then we know what is in it and if that sucks we don't buy. Shops have to buy before the
product hits...it may be a gem, but most often is it ho hum. After that topps doesn't care, its already sold, heck topps can sell it and then modify the product
after they have their money! You just can't do that if you sell direct. Notice heritage update is preselling, now I'm not sure if you have to pay up front for the
product right now, or not, but topps may be testing the waters here on selling direct and getting money before the product. You would have to be a fool
to give topps your money up front when they have produced NO checklist yet,but then again they have already sold 200+ boxes of this stuff.

Selling product with no guaranteed content and no return policy is topps bread and butter. No way they give that up.

Kevin

 

[sruchris]

Bob
but then again they have already sold 200+ boxes of this stuff.

How do you know they sold 200+ already?

 

[schmidtfan20]

How do you know they sold 200+ already?

If you enter an amount that is higher than what they have in stock it will show up that way, if not it will tell you that you have exceeded the 12K limit
that you can spend on the store. The number right now is somewhere south of 640 which means topps has sold over 350 sets already without a checklist
of any info. THAT is impressive

Kevin

 

[bcubs]

Shipping via UPS ground was $0.00 for my order. I know there are a lot of unhappy people about this but I think these are going to end up being a very hot product and maintain their value.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

If you had to buy packs to put the set together do you think it would only cost you $20 to do so??

No, but then i would buy a sealed case of the wax and make my own set like i do every year

 

[hofmichael]

Shipping via UPS ground was $0.00 for my order. I know there are a lot of unhappy people about this but I think these are going to end up being a very hot product and maintain their value.

I agree with you.There is way more than 1000 rabid Heritage collectors out there.On the other hand it may alienate some of these hardcore collectors if they are unable to complete their set run.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

im leaning towards ordering the set, but my relationship with the brand has taken a big hit. Not sure about next years release.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

2012 Wax is under $45 and the MiLB boxes are now under $50 as well

2013 has no Rookies to "drive" pricing, scaring away "speculators"

 

[hofmichael]

im leaning towards ordering the set, but my relationship with the brand has taken a big hit. Not sure about next years release.

Unless there is a Bryce Harper caliber rookie to come out next year I don't think this will be done again.I do think this set will see a price increase in the secondary market because it will be a gaping whole in many Heritage collections with only 1000 sets available.If I were you I would probably go ahead and order it.I know you enjoy keeping your set run complete so it will probably cost you more to add it later.

 

[BBCgalaxee]

~ anyone here have info on 2013 bowman chrome ONLINE EXCLUSIVE 25 card set w/ either a scooter gennett or chaz roe auto for $100?~