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Target, Kmart, wal-m@rt and others....

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fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
Hello All,

I was in my local Meijer store (OH,KY,IN,Ill & MI regional chain - UFCW represented stores) and browsed the trading cards section. Picked up a box of 2014 A&G (opened and nothing to write about inside). Plus they had lot's of discounted older UD, Topps and Panini boxes that were once $20 and now $11.99. Some were 2013 Topps Ser I & II.

Anyway, I was wondering, how much influence does say Target or wal-m:-xrt have on the trading card business? Do they just say to Topps-Panini-Leaf-UD, 'gimme what you got' or do they have a buyer that has done actual research in the collectible card market? I know they track sales and if something sells good, Im sure they tell the mfg's give us more to sell. I know retail sports cards are really fickle and to the hobbyist, they avoid retail. For every collector that says they avoid retail, there is someone out there buying the heck out of it or I'm sure the big box stores wouldnt be letting them have shelf space. They seem to devote a lot more space to the junk Japanese cartoon cards than sports cards. Also, one other thing I've noticed, every box of NASCAR cards were marked down 60%-80% off regular price and they still cant sell.

What says you?

Fordman
 

Erich

Active member
Aug 26, 2008
4,453
0
Anywhere Delta goes.
I am not sure about Meijer's but Target and Walmart have second party companies stock the cards and really have no say in what is stocked in the stores. Target uses Excel and Walmart uses Beckett (not the one we all know) and another company that I don't know the name of. Basically they stock the shelves and Target/Walmart gets a percentage of the sales for renting the shelf space. This is also the reason why Target and Walmart don't care if pack searchers are molesting packs, they are not their packs.
 

AmishDave

Featured Contributor, Collector Showcase, Senior M
Sep 19, 2009
12,383
37
Ely, MN
None. Usually an outside distributor stocks stores. I've talked to one at Target and one at Walmart. They bring in what they can get.
 
Aug 7, 2008
821
6
Tampa, FL
I used to work at Target in the front end during my younger days and can tell you for a fact that the store and company had zero say in any of that stuff. No ordering, projecting, merchandising etc. Excel rolls in once a week to restock and they are basically putting out what the companies offer them for new product. Older product gets packaged into value pack boxes and such. Very rarely will you find a target employee who knows anything about trading cards at all.

Thanks,
Jeff


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app
 

Hawk8

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2013
8,376
229
Louisiana
I used to work for Wal Mart and about 12 years ago I was allowed to make the orders for our store from Beckett (not the Beckett magazine) since I was highly knowledgeable in the industry at the time. I kept the cards locked up in the back and was the only one to stock them. I was constantly in the top 5 in sales for Wal Mart in the country. Beckett was very willing to work with me and let me order anything I wanted and let me send back anything that I was not selling or that was open. The product was considered pay per scan which means Wal Mart did not pay Beckett for the product until it was scanned through the register which is why big box retail stores do not care about this type of merchandise. Beckett always appreciated you sending anything that was open back to them so they could repackage it in other ways and not lose as much money.
 

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
Just got back from Meijer and coincidence that the Beckett Media Services lady was there. I asked here a few questions and she said that they sevice wal-m:mad:rt as well but she isnt for sure how much longer. She says that she might be loosing her job if Beckett Media Services looses the WM contract. She says there is someone else that is bidding for the space and it's not Excel.

Fordman
 

Hawk8

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2013
8,376
229
Louisiana
Just got back from Meijer and coincidence that the Beckett Media Services lady was there. I asked here a few questions and she said that they sevice wal-m:mad:rt as well but she isnt for sure how much longer. She says that she might be loosing her job if Beckett Media Services looses the WM contract. She says there is someone else that is bidding for the space and it's not Excel.

Fordman

Is it another sports card company or is Wal Mart looking to do away with sports cards?
 

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
Is it another sports card company or is Wal Mart looking to do away with sports cards?

I haven't been in a wal mart in over 14 years so I don't know how their sports cards are arranged but I can't imagine it being too much difference than Target. The lady didn't elaborate who it was but she said it wasn't Excel so I don't know if there is another player in the game or if they plan on doing away with them.

Sell me your Jay Bruce cards!
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
Is it another sports card company or is Wal Mart looking to do away with sports cards?

It's Wal-Mart we're talking about. It's always how can another penny or nickel or quarter or dollar be trimmed from the wholesale cost in order to increase margins (or in the case of sports cards, who will stock the shelves and give WM a bigger cut of each sale than what WM currently gets from Beckett).
 
The other company is MJ Holdings. Beckett Associates used to stock my Walmart but they just quit stocking. We didn't get ANY Gypsy Queen, Archives, few others I can't think of.
I complained and come to find out the store manager is a huge collector.
He kicks them to the curb and MJ Holdings takes over. Still horse crap stocking. When they stock, its a few blasters of Chrome, Bowman but overstock on Topps standard cards.
Would like to catch the person who stocks but its a crap shoot on when they show up. It's not weekly.
 

Ct Sox Fan

Member
Aug 20, 2008
447
2
Connecticut
I am in CT and noticed that my local Walmart's (two that I go to are in Southington and Bristol) have basically stopped stocking Sportscards. All they have had for months now is Wizard or Pokemon stuff. Stinks as I always snuck a blaster or rack pack in when I had to run an errand for the wife to pick up something! I try to make those trips now to the Target in town as they are always well stocked with sportscards.

Based on what others have said, it now makes sense if they cancelled their contract with the distributor. Thanks for this post as I was wondering why I was not seeing any cards.
 

weight333

New member
May 28, 2013
581
0
Milwaukee, WI
We currently have a Meijer being built here in Oak Creek, WI (10 mi outside Milwaukee). I'm interested to see how/what they stock. We also have a Target in town that does a decent job of stocking. I enjoy buying those Fairfield repackaged '20 packs for 20 bucks' packages. I refuse to patronize Wal-Mart.
 

swish54_99

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2012
1,160
221
Stinks as I always snuck a blaster or rack pack in when I had to run an errand for the wife to pick up something! I try to make those trips now to the Target in town as they are always well stocked with sportscards.

I always have to go get "groceries" too lol
Me: Honey we're out of milk, I'll go get some more!
Her: Why does a gallon of milk cost $25!
Me: I have NO idea....
 

gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,661
3,246
Near Philly
I think what the OP was wondering isn't so much about the Merchandising of the retail wax, but more if anyone knows how much direct impact or contact the big Retailers, like WM and Target, have with the Card Companies.

Maybe if he's around, [MENTION=1948]Leaf[/MENTION] could provide some insight into this...
 

DaClyde

Well-known member
Jan 17, 2010
1,614
58
Huntsville, AL
If the big retailers don't actually order/stock the cards, how would they have any impact on the card companies? Sort of makes me wonder how aware the retailers are of the "exclusive" parallel cards in the boxes sold at their stores. Since the store logos aren't on the cards, were they even involved in the creation of those sets?
 

fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
I think the retailers would have to be somewhat aware to have their name printed on the retail boxes. Plus the parallels of the blue for wally world and red for target.

000_0001.jpg


or

207859d1396118867-target-topps-heritage-mia-image.jpg


Now they may not have any direct input on what is within the boxes they'r selling but im sure they know that they're there.

Fordman
 

predatorkj

Active member
Aug 7, 2008
11,871
2
I haven't been in a wal mart in over 14 years so I don't know how their sports cards are arranged but I can't imagine it being too much difference than Target. The lady didn't elaborate who it was but she said it wasn't Excel so I don't know if there is another player in the game or if they plan on doing away with them.

Sell me your Jay Bruce cards!

Our Walmart's used to easily be on par with Target. But over the last four years Target easily gets better and more product. Walmart right now has baseball topps series 1&2, topps football series 1, bowman football, and heritage. That's it. Target has damn near every product put out right now from topps chrome baseball to Donruss series 2.

Let's just put it this way, if I have to go to either place for cards, it's preferably target hands down! They always carry better stuff and more of it.
 

gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,661
3,246
Near Philly
Let's just put it this way, if I have to go to either place for cards, it's preferably target hands down! They always carry better stuff and more of it.

That's also definitely the case around me, I just assumed it was the same way everywhere, especially since Targets usually have more room devoted to cards too...
 

predatorkj

Active member
Aug 7, 2008
11,871
2
That's also definitely the case around me, I just assumed it was the same way everywhere, especially since Targets usually have more room devoted to cards too...

Actually our Walmart that even carries cards has twice as much room for cards but it's devoted mainly to Yughio, MTG and whatnot.
 

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