Author Topic: Topps Packaging  (Read 6481 times)

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Offline sco(o)t

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Topps Packaging
« on: August 03, 2015, 07:29:45 AM »
An interesting article... I suppose the recent packs with picture window clear fronts and a welcome mat are not considered the first step toward this goal.

http://gpknews.com/2015/08/topps-working-on-unsearchable-retail-packaging/
aka Scot Leibacher (no trademark)

Online Joe G.

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2015, 07:50:31 AM »
Scot, great find, thanks for posting.  So glad to see Topps is working on this issue.

Online RawGoo

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2015, 08:21:28 AM »
I hope this is for real and not just a show.  If they were so interested in customer concerns about pack searching, why would they have gone to clear front packs at all?

The latter part is quite interesting.  If Topps originally said that there would be 15 autographed versions of each title, and stamped the cards "x/15" at certain odds, and didn't get enough orders to meet the odds, then there might not be 15 autographed versions of each title, right?

Hey, Andrew - maybe that's why there haven't been more chrome superfractors!!  One would hope that if the release stated "one per title" that they would just issue each card, but maybe they held some back to maintain the pack odds.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2015, 08:30:10 AM by RawGoo »

Offline FourRoses

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2015, 08:37:47 AM »
Topps has spoken to Walmart and Target about pack searching. What in the name of god are those stores going to do to prevent this? It's not criminal so the only thing(s) they can do are scold the person and/or tell them to leave? That's like bringing outside food to the movies.

Online RawGoo

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2015, 08:52:42 AM »
Topps has spoken to Walmart and Target about pack searching. What in the name of god are those stores going to do to prevent this? It's not criminal so the only thing(s) they can do are scold the person and/or tell them to leave? That's like bringing outside food to the movies.

The stores can't do anything.  And, what isn't often addressed, who would stop Excel employees from searching the packs before delivering them to stores?

If Topps tries to tell Target they need to be the card police, I can see Target saying "never mind, we don't need these products."

Offline Tic_Toc

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2015, 10:17:14 AM »
I agree with Pat - it's entirely up to Topps to make packaging that can't be searched, if that is their goal. The stores don't have the time or manpower to police Wacky Packages or any other trading card product. And honestly, these latest cello packs with the clear windows make it SO EASY to search them! You don't need magnets or a special feel of the edge to find special inserts; just push the pile up and fan it out; takes no skill and about 4 seconds per pack. But for me, it's all a moot point. I no longer buy packs or boxes as the base sets are virtually worthless, and it's far more efficient to just buy whatever chase cards or subsets you want on ebay. It's not as fun, but the investment required to get full sets of the parallels from packs is astronomical now.

Offline Paul_Maul

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2015, 11:45:38 AM »
It's not as fun, but the investment required to get full sets of the parallels from packs is astronomical now.

That's why I've given up on this stuff altogether. It's kinda fun to try to collect stuff via packs, but it's not financially practical. And buying sets on eBay and putting them in a box/binder is zero fun for me. Solution: put the money and effort into stuff I enjoy a whole lot more.

Offline DrDeal

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2015, 12:00:26 PM »
They should eliminate single packs and just have 5 pack boxes with bonus cards. The searches can't do much with those.

Offline FourRoses

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2015, 01:46:54 PM »
The stores can't do anything.  And, what isn't often addressed, who would stop Excel employees from searching the packs before delivering them to stores?

If Topps tries to tell Target they need to be the card police, I can see Target saying "never mind, we don't need these products."

The solutions coming to mind are simple beyond belief:

1.) When I see the rep in Target who is restocking the cards, they usually have a large, heavy plastic cargo tote containing the cards. Put a band around it (like you see on the doors of trailers) and have the manager sign off saying the tote was sealed before restocking. Insist that happens right from the factory or no dice.
2.) Certainly Topps can contact the retailers carrying their products to see in what quantity the average individual makes a purchase. Instead of offering opened boxes and gravity feeds, make smaller boxes with X amount of packs that must be sealed and remained sealed and must be bought in its entirety. Plenty of other cards are sold in boxes that must remained sealed. Why not Wacky Packages?


Online RawGoo

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2015, 03:03:00 PM »
Topps has already offered us blaster boxes and jumbo packs with sealed,  hopefully unsearchable packs inside with the chrome series - I bought quite a lot of them!  But this time, their only "unsearchable" pack offering at retail was the Walmart packs, where they put the bonus card right out there for searching and damage!

Offline FourRoses

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #10 on: August 03, 2015, 03:57:14 PM »
In addition to what is offered on the website, offer nothing but the old six or ten pack bonus boxes. Is it not redundant to offer opened retail boxes and gravity feeds? Why sell the same product two different ways?

Online Joe G.

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2015, 07:04:18 PM »
What about the idea of doing away with the high end chase cards in retail packs, just having tattoos or foils and lowering the price.  This way it would still appeal to kids and the casual buyer but there would be nothing for pack searchers to grab.

Offline Paul_Maul

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2015, 08:58:32 PM »
What about the idea of doing away with the high end chase cards in retail packs, just having tattoos or foils and lowering the price.  This way it would still appeal to kids and the casual buyer but there would be nothing for pack searchers to grab.

I'm afraid Topps has gotten into bed with pack searchers in effect. At this point, if they dropped chase cards, I'm afraid sales would plummet.

Offline Alexeirex

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #13 on: August 03, 2015, 11:34:35 PM »
I still get a big kick out of buying the new collector boxes and I loathe to miss the thrill of the hunt and missing out on discoveries as I open pack after pack - it's like being a kid again though I never bought cases at that age! Skip the retail packs and go for the special boxes and blaster boxes if they're available - they have better 'hits' anyway. A good investment financially? It's a hobby....
While I don't buy complete new sets off ebay (yet), I have bought complete OS and older sets from forum members and ebay, and the collector in me always looks forward to putting them into stock sheets and binders as well as inspecting them closely especially if it's a set I haven't seen in a long time.
A

Offline dth1971

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #14 on: August 06, 2015, 12:46:36 PM »
Is it true that in 2016 when Topps comes out with the 2016 Wacky Packages series we may see no more see through window packs?

Offline FourRoses

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Re: Topps Packaging
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2015, 01:28:10 PM »
Knowing Topps the outside of each pack will have an itemized list of every card enclosed.

 

anything