[jdetter23]

lol still better than what I paid for one when it came out. Although my tin had one great patch.

[bigtrip18]

this is nothing new. Meijer used to have hobby boxes all the time, then the card cases became filled with all the magic and japanimation stuff and cards were squeezed out.

I had some good, fun stuff like Heads Up (the pacific product with ceramic bobbleheads and quad patches) and Fleer platinum and Flair showcase, etc.

The prices were mostly crap, but it was fun to see 'em.

[djohn]

This was discussed in the baseball thread a few weeks ago. It is very common for Walmart to get hobby boxes from older product (even if it's barely a year old product). The Walmart distributors get the cases at a discount after the product has been out for a while, sometimes directly from Topps/Panini/Upper Deck/etc. They then break the cases down and sell the boxes at Walmart, and they usually sell better than the retail blasters, so the distributors continue to do it. A lot of times they mark the original price of the box and then slash it to show the "savings". That being said, I don't think I have ever seen the hobby boxes at Walmart at a price that is lower than most online retailers have the boxes for already.

[ceocards]

This was discussed in the baseball thread a few weeks ago. It is very common for Walmart to get hobby boxes from older product (even if it's barely a year old product). The Walmart distributors get the cases at a discount after the product has been out for a while, sometimes directly from Topps/Panini/Upper Deck/etc. They then break the cases down and sell the boxes at Walmart, and they usually sell better than the retail blasters, so the distributors continue to do it. A lot of times they mark the original price of the box and then slash it to show the "savings". That being said, I don't think I have ever seen the hobby boxes at Walmart at a price that is lower than most online retailers have the boxes for already.

Exactly - it's important to remember the chain of product. Wal Mart/Target, etc don't buy directly from Topps/Panini/UD etc. They give space to a distributor who stocks and maintains those shelves.

The distributors have rules in their relationships with the manufacturers that prevents them from stocking current hobby products in retail locations (I would guess anyway - I've never seen a contract, but that would be my assumption). But if there is old overstock that they acquire there's nothing that could prevent them from stocking that on retail shelves.

Shopko in my folks' home town has carried old hobby boxes for years. From time to time I've picked up a couple older boxes of UD product at my local Wal Mart.

If you have a hobby shop that has survived the 2000's, this alone certainly isn't going to be the straw that broke the camel's back.

[avsrock26]

We have zero hobby stores in Billings, MT so it wouldn't break my heart to see a few hobby boxes at Walmart every once in a while. Gets old having to wait 8 days for the mail when I order a box online. Best case would be someone opens up a shop here again but not sure it that will ever happen.

[jaykayzee]

I saw these locally last night myself. We were laughing about it, since the LCS has these for under $50 right down the street...

[JonnysCards]

Im my area there is only like 3 local card shop and one is an older guy at a flea market who sells maybe 1 or two boxes at a time. The next guy doesnt even stock boxes, he does all singles and the boxes he does have are like 50 dollars more then most of the internet sellers like blowout and Da. The 3rd shop is pretty good though, his are on point with the lowest prices so naturally he gets my business. I seen 07-08 Upper Deck Basketball hobby box at K-Mart i was thinking of trying, maybe score a KD or something nice, but I dont wanna see our hobby shops take a hit.

[swjrp10]

I wanna go take a pic of one now!

[flcardinals29528]

The only thing I've seen at my Walmarts are the 2009 Signature Stars baseball. $70 or $80 bucks for those. I'd much rather spend a little bit more money at my lcs than Walmart anyways. I've got nothing but the best cards from my lcs so why change a good thing?

[swjrp10]

The only thing I've seen at my Walmarts are the 2009 Signature Stars baseball. $70 or $80 bucks for those. I'd much rather spend a little bit more money at my lcs than Walmart anyways. I've got nothing but the best cards from my lcs so why change a good thing?

heck last time I was at my LCS Sig Stars was only 60ish lol who would've thought Walmart couldn't beat the local small business!