Been a long time since I posted here... responding to some of the talk about WP overkill.
I agree there is just too much product to collect now and too much stuff to pursue. Back when you had a base set, a couple of chase inserts and a few bonus cards, it was fine. The parallels, though, were a mistake, because who really cares about a different-colored border. Sure, it was cool when I pulled out a couple of golds and was able to sell or trade them, but the novelty wore off. Now there's just too many inserts to chase around.
I think they also made a mistake by switching how things were done with the Old School sets. Parallel versions of the base stickers was not a good idea. The real appeal was getting a sketch card with each box and some bonus goodies in which, if you wanted them all, you had to buy multiple boxes, but the bonus goodies were cool. The jumbo stickers were a great idea and plenty of people wanted to get all of them. Now they're putting too much stuff into the boxes.
It is true the original series had its rarities and variations. But they weren't planned in advance, they became so because of circumstances that Topps couldn't necessarily control. The Ludlows came about because demand for the first two series was off the charts. Certain stickers got pulled from production because of C&D orders. And I think we all know the story about how certain stickers in the first original series were far more common than others.
I don't mind sketch cards being random inserts in ANS packs but that's the extent I'd go with "rare" chase cards because sketch cards are a unique collectible. The interest in parallels is minimal and I don't understand why card companies keep printing them (Topps isn't the only one who does this). Kill the parallels, stick with two or three chase sets that are unique (magnets and tattoos are fine) and quit trying to do too much.
All the companies are doing is burning out collectors -- not necessarily because they feel they have to collect everything but because there is just too much to keep track of and, in many cases, the actual interest in collecting them is minimal.