Upper Deck changing the rules on selling on-line

[scotsman]

UD has announced apparently that they will have an enforced embargo on on-line selling of their new release boxes/cards as from April for 3 months from release date. Only approved online retailers will be then able to sell and LCSs will be banned from receiving UD product if found to have sold any boxes on-line. Seems they will be changing the landscape of collecting considerably with no-one being able to buy on-line releases for 3 months - one year if you live in Canada (god only knows what UK will be!). So unless you live by a LCS kiss goodbye to collecting on the day of release.

Bloody stupid. Another nail in the coffin for my collecting habits!

 

[ernieren]

Its really to try and help out the Store front LCS and hurt places like Blowout. It will also make prices higher. But could make some products worth more. Then again what most likely will happen is someone will go to the select shops and buy up a bunch of product and sell online.

 

[sliqwill]

itll probably backfire :salut:

 

[rexvos]

store fronts are going to go out of business, stupid business model. They need to adapt with the times.

 

[scotsman]

Likewise, I did think there might be a case of hoarding of boxes to inflate prices. Going to be messy.

 

[ernieren]

You do have to try and help store fronts Ebay has really hurt them. I think Blow out is ok since they sell from there site as well as ebay. But you gotta give store fronts a better deal on stuff or do something special for them. That way people will have to go to an LCS to get stuff.

 

[Brad]

Don't like it. I do not have a LCS anywhere around me.

I wonder if advertising online and having customers have to call in orders is a way around it.

 

[Bounty13]

The issue is... the moment these brick and mortar shops get their cases, they unload them to larger dealers like DACW, Blowout, ATLSC at little or no profit. The only reason the b/m shops are ordering these 'unwanted' products is because they are forced to buy them. If a b/m shop wants Ultimate Collection or Exquisite, they must purchase a certain amount of UD vanilla and all their other products, including other sports and non-sports. They can't sell them locally, so they sell to bigger dealers who can.

This will 1) Force b/m shops to stop buying in quantity and charge more for product or 2) Force them to buy product they cannot sell and in turn go out of business.

Online shops like Blowout/ATLSC will start charging more for products because they have less available.

This is bad for everyone except UD. They realize a lot of profit is being made on boxes on the secondary market, they want to bring that profit back to them. UD is in pretty bad shape, they've layed off hundreds of people, most of their new products are delayed months, and they've lost many contracts with the major sports.

 

[lumm0x]

Token "**** them" post.

 

[Brad]

Whatever happened to their redemption centers plan? Did it go into the dumb idea bin that this will eventually get moved to?

 

[andy]

Desperate move.

 

[andy]

An email I just got from Dave & Adam Card World:

Dear Andrew E,
We are pleased to announce that we have been selected by Upper Deck to be one of only a few Authorized Internet Retailers in the United States. Unfortunately, this agreement dramatically changes who we can sell to:

* We can no longer sell to Canada until the product has been out for a full year
* We can no longer sell to stores or re-sellers until the product has been out 90 days

Upper Deck has also made some changes that make it vital for customers to purchase their product from Authorized Retailers. In the unlikely event there is a product issue with your box or case (damages,collations,missing cards, etc...) Upper Deck Customer Care will be able to assist you. If you purchase new Upper Deck product from a non-authorized re-seller Upper Deck will likely not be able to assist. Additionally, if you need help with redemptions and purchased from an Authorized Retailer you will get enhanced customer support.

For collectors and box breakers there has never been a better time to buy new Upper Deck products from us!

Important: In the event that you purchase a box from us and attempt to re-sell it within 90 days of the product's release date, it is highly likely this will be found out by the Upper Deck Hobby Enforcement Team. If the box is tracked back to you as the seller, Upper Deck will be providing Authorized Retailers with a Do Not Sell list, meaning you will not be able to acquire Upper Deck product in the future.

If you are interested in purchasing new Upper Deck product from us your intent must be to open the product, not to re-sell the boxes.


Thank You,
Dave and Adam's Card World
1-888-440-9787

 

[sliqwill]

Important: In the event that you purchase a box from us and attempt to re-sell it within 90 days of the product's release date, it is highly likely this will be found out by the Upper Deck Hobby Enforcement Team. If the box is tracked back to you as the seller, Upper Deck will be providing Authorized Retailers with a Do Not Sell list, meaning you will not be able to acquire Upper Deck product in the future.


how easy will it be to trace boxes :think: customer service cant tell you if a patch is real or fake, how are they going to track what box was sold where?...plus im sure there are ways around the policy, by buying under a different screen name, or a different credit card, selling under a different account...

 

[andy]

Important: In the event that you purchase a box from us and attempt to re-sell it within 90 days of the product's release date, it is highly likely this will be found out by the Upper Deck Hobby Enforcement Team. If the box is tracked back to you as the seller, Upper Deck will be providing Authorized Retailers with a Do Not Sell list, meaning you will not be able to acquire Upper Deck product in the future.


how easy will it be to trace boxes :think: customer service cant tell you if a patch is real or fake, how are they going to track what box was sold where?...plus im sure there are ways around the policy, by buying under a different screen name, or a different credit card, selling under a different account...

The Do Not Sell list is an empty threat. Well, maybe not empty, but 90% of people are going to be able to get around it. Box sells on forums will go up. I'm curious if UD will attempt to get eBay involved in shutting stuff down for them.

 

[Bounty13]

Panini made similar changes. I asked my LCS about that he thought: First, he had absolute disdain for Upper Deck and hopes they go out of business. Second, these restrictions on on-line selling will benefit LCS's, he said card shops have been treated like **** for years, that's why they are going out of business. We'll see how well they enforce the new rules.