Are you guys all ready to pay more for wax?

[Bob Loblaw]

The company is willing to implement a MAP (minimum advertised price) program

Higher prices. What a monopoly inevitably leads to.
I'm sure some Upper Deck lawyers will be looking into antitrust regulations regarding price fixing.

I don't know about that. They have no standing since they don't make football or baseball cards anymore. Do they compete with Panini anywhere else?

 

[gt2590]

UD tried this once already. Did not work for them.

I dont see it being more, I see wax being the same or a little less.

The Upper Deck try only lasted for about two products, if I remember correctly...

 

[t3dudek]

some people dont have card shops near them or think that the owners of these brick an mortar places are shady so they shop online

 

[Zithy]

An enthusiastic Industry Summit crowd of 114 brick-and-mortar store operators applauded repeatedly during the Panini presentation.

Wow, they got every single store owner in America to be there. Pretty amazing! I was sure there was 115 stores left, but I suppose that one guy was sick and couldn't make it.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

some people dont have card shops near them or think that the owners of these brick an mortar places are shady so they shop online

Or they can get product for 1/2 the price online.

 

[Tom Oates]

Brick and Mortar are not their lifeblood. The market has evolved. The Internet is their lifeblood. Many of us don't have a Brick and Mortar within a reasonable drive. Let alone a store that hasn't evolved into a Pokemon, Yugio, Magic, sweaty teenage boy pimple shop.

 

[Russ S.]

Sweet. Singles buying is still the way to go.

So, nope.

 

[cgilmo]

I view this letter as mere lip service. The entire conference has an agenda to push, and this press release is basically a list of talking points.

I would be shocked if panini did the things that this group claims they said they are going to do.

 

[brumbach]

I don't think that any of this is new.

Didn't DLP try this five years ago or so, walked around one of the larger shows and tried to pimp-slap sellers who were dumping DLP product for less than cost? Plus back in the 90's Leaf/Donruss had a pretty strict dealer network, weren't they the ones that required a picture of your store?

And a dealer once told me that Pacific tried to muscle out the card shops and focus on Wal-Mart and Target and larger retailers (remember Treat and the Red parallels?), that backfired badly for the company as I recall.

 

[andyduke86]

Brick and Mortar are not their lifeblood. The market has evolved. The Internet is their lifeblood. Many of us don't have a Brick and Mortar within a reasonable drive. Let alone a store that hasn't evolved into a Pokemon, Yugio, Magic, sweaty teenage boy pimple shop.

LOL, good point. The market has changed.

 

[autocut]

I like Panini but I cant believe they destroy returned product! What a shame..

All companies suppose to do that. Just like old money is destroyed.

 

[bmc398]

Here's my thing...its like they are rewarding and hopping on a failed business model. NOt saying all retailers are destined to fail, but with some of the outrageous prices out there why reward shops like that with more product? Sure, I bought a box of EEE today at the Shop for $88 which is higher than what it is online. I don't mind paying reasonable if slightly higher prices at retail.

What I mind is walking into a shop and being asked to pay $100 for a box of draft that costs the dealer $48. Or a $130 box of DEEE that only cost them $65. That kind of markup is rediculous, and this is what Panini is perpetuating with this.

Seems like they are lashing out because they were too dumb in the past to avoid being taken advantage of again and again. Right Gilmore? So who gets hurt? Sure, the distributors a bit, but not as much as the consumers who now have to pay more to get your product and will subsequently buy less of it.

First its a monopoly on companies, and now a monopoly on places you can purchase?? Makes no sense for a hobby looking to expand...

 

[Sportsnutcards]

Here's my thing...its like they are rewarding and hopping on a failed business model. NOt saying all retailers are destined to fail, but with some of the outrageous prices out there why reward shops like that with more product? Sure, I bought a box of EEE today at the Shop for $88 which is higher than what it is online. I don't mind paying reasonable if slightly higher prices at retail.

What I mind is walking into a shop and being asked to pay $100 for a box of draft that costs the dealer $48. Or a $130 box of DEEE that only cost them $65. That kind of markup is rediculous, and this is what Panini is perpetuating with this.

Seems like they are lashing out because they were too dumb in the past to avoid being taken advantage of again and again. Right Gilmore? So who gets hurt? Sure, the distributors a bit, but not as much as the consumers who now have to pay more to get your product and will subsequently buy less of it.

First its a monopoly on companies, and now a monopoly on places you can purchase?? Makes no sense for a hobby looking to expand...

Most good card shops are not working on those types of margins and that will not change under the new proposed system. Most card shops work on a 30-40% markup and they might go slightly up or down depending on a how hot or not a product is. For example a box I pay $50 for, i usually sell for $68-70 with tax. Under the new system, I would still keep my prices the same, but hopefully I would be able to sell more because my prices would be considered more competitive. Product would still be available online, but instead of coming from distributor owned websites, you would be buying from a true retailer. If the manufacturers want to stay in business and want to expand their markets, keeping brick n morter card stores is very important.

 

[bmc398]

Here's my thing...its like they are rewarding and hopping on a failed business model. NOt saying all retailers are destined to fail, but with some of the outrageous prices out there why reward shops like that with more product? Sure, I bought a box of EEE today at the Shop for $88 which is higher than what it is online. I don't mind paying reasonable if slightly higher prices at retail.

What I mind is walking into a shop and being asked to pay $100 for a box of draft that costs the dealer $48. Or a $130 box of DEEE that only cost them $65. That kind of markup is rediculous, and this is what Panini is perpetuating with this.

Seems like they are lashing out because they were too dumb in the past to avoid being taken advantage of again and again. Right Gilmore? So who gets hurt? Sure, the distributors a bit, but not as much as the consumers who now have to pay more to get your product and will subsequently buy less of it.

First its a monopoly on companies, and now a monopoly on places you can purchase?? Makes no sense for a hobby looking to expand...

Most good card shops are not working on those types of margins and that will not change under the new proposed system. Most card shops work on a 30-40% markup and they might go slightly up or down depending on a how hot or not a product is. For example a box I pay $50 for, i usually sell for $68-70 with tax. Under the new system, I would still keep my prices the same, but hopefully I would be able to sell more because my prices would be considered more competitive. Product would still be available online, but instead of coming from distributor owned websites, you would be buying from a true retailer. If the manufacturers want to stay in business and want to expand their markets, keeping brick n morter card stores is very important.

I agree with what you are saying...but you are assuming that #1, everybody has an LCS around and #2, they all operate how you do. I will tell you this much...there are 6 LCS in the area and they all don't subscribe to this theory. Those that do things the right way (like you) don't really have to worry about losing out to online wholesalers as the extra $5-$10 the customer will pay on a box is worth the service of you being there. Part of the reason wholesalers can go legitimately lower is based on economies of scale as well....they can sell 200 cases of a product (at a legit and fair price) and can afford to take less of a cut off each unit. I don't see how that is bad for the customer....and is something that ANY retailer must face in any business segment.

I agree with their stance on wholesalers bending the rules and taking advantage of the system. Its also Donruss' fault for putting themselves in that situation in the first place and allowing themselves to be manipulated. Being more corporate now vs. small shop family run is a good thing, until they completely cut the online market out. I would argue that hobby shops are a foundation of the hobby as well...but if you want to grow and reach the masses you have to encourage healthy online growth as well!