17 Comments

Snitches get stitches. Talkers get walkers.

Everyone reading this should contact the seller and tell them what a scumbag they are. Busted!

Dealer in-shop promotions are abused often. I, personally, wish they’d just stop doing them and find a different way to benefit collectors — if that’s what the intention is.

I agree with you Chris, and wish they just did send in offers. Panini’s Black Friday and Father’s Day were abused the same way. At least Topps is going after the dealers that are blatantly selling the cards early.

What about the fans who don’t have hobby shops to get the cards and the only way to get them is on Ebay? We would like the cards too.

i wonder how many people will make fake claims now since topps said they would be rewarded???

I believe the reason why card manufacturers do these programs the way they do (by sending them to the hobby shop) is because of cost. By them sending them to the hobby shops, it barely, if at all, raises their shipment costs to the hobby shops. This way, collectors can go to their hobby shops and nobody has to pay for shipping and don’t have to worry about the confusion of who gets how many, etc. But if Topps did it in house, they’d have to have someone sending out these packages, which requires shipping supplies and postage. Topps doesn’t want to fork out this money, and they know many collectors aren’t likely to fork out any more money (they want their redemptions for free, and I don’t blame them). So, the most logical thing to do business wise is make the LCS responsible. Sadly, many LCS’ don’t have responsible owners/employees.

Topps isn’t saying people can’t sell the cards on eBay. They just want dealers to abide by the rules and not give the packs away until Sept. 5, the start of the promotion.

After that, collectors who get the cards can do what they want with them.

Topps verifies that the cards are being sold by a dealer before giving out a bounty.

I actually like that manufacturers are doing what they can to support hobby stores including the use of in-store promotions. Personally, I’ve spread my spending dollars through most commonly methods of card collecting including, card shops, card shows, eBay, COMC, online distributors, buying slots in box/case breaks, and even directly from manufacturer online shops. The more methods I have of satisfying my collecting itch, the better. Each way has its own benefits and disadvantages. Do some collectors miss out because they don’t have a hobby shop near them? Yes, and that’s unfortunate, but without in-store promotions like this to support hobby shop owners, the chances of one opening nearby becomes that much slimmer. Despite, what people think, the Brick and Mortar hobby shop is not completely dead. For many card collecting bases, it has become a communal meeting place of sorts. In regards to policing the proper use of promotional materials, having collectors whistle-blow their hobby shop is a decent first step, but a better solution needs to be thought of. Perhaps having people register their entries into their local hobby shop and having the packs being distributed to the hobby shop in exact allocations on a specific ship out date.

You know what it is in no way shape or form any buyer fault what so ever, if a dealer neglected the policy set forth by Topps then the dealer should be dealt with immediately. If the ad poster with the cards was a customer who somehow got the special packs and then put them up for sale there is nothing Topps can do about.

yeah topps values hobby shops that is why they sold topps mini on their website and cut out dealers. I wonder how many of days lost in work did the customer service dept lose looking for a few hobby dealers on ebay?

this is nothing new, its like giving candy to a kid and saying you can’t eat it untill later, I guess someone was insistant that topps address this, or maybe they just woke up to the fact, that this has been going on for a long time. i myself hope that topps follows thur on this and does something lasting about this, i like the wapper redemption, but i sure its not cost effective for topps, i fear that whatever the solution, there are the ones that will try and get around this, so maybe you just have to stop, sometimes this is the only way, as chris sayed if this is the intension.

Topps does nothing when core products are listed before release yet suddenly lays down the hammer over stupid promo packs?

I agree brian wal-mart target and toys r us always let retail out early. and they do nothing about it so if you pre order a bunch of hobby you get the shaft. I like to buy cases sell off all the base to get some of my money back. but you just can’t do it any more retail kills the market for base cards a week before hobby even comes out.

Where can i find out what hobby shopes are giving away the 2012 Topps kickoff football packs?? CAuze i have a redemption card for a pack. HELP ME PLEASE!!

TOPPS NEEDS TO QUIT MAKING REDEMPTION CARDS!!!!

IF THEY’D SPEND A LTTLE LESS TIME POLICING MATTERS LIKE THIS &
CONCENTRATE ON FULFILLING THEIR CURRENT REDEMPTION PROMISES -

I PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE WRITING THIS!

i HAVE OVER 15 REDEMPTION CARDS THAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR

FOR OVER EIGHT MONTHS……………….

WAKE UP TOPPS …….