CardTarget Future

[CardTarget]

Hi everybody, thanks for your support of CardTarget. As you likely have seen we haven't added any sets for 4-5 months now as we've been trying to figure out some ownership and logistical issues.

We will be shutting down our eTopps business in June and this leaves us with only the vintage price history.

We, the owners and operators of CardTarget have reached a point in our lives where our participation cannot be as active as is required in order to run and grow the site (we grew up, had kids, and now have much more responsibility in our "real" jobs and family lives).

So I ask you two questions today:

Is there enough interest in CardTarget's vintage price history to put in the effort required to grow the site, add new sets and prices, and keep it alive? Is this a service that you would pay a small amount for?

and

Is there anyone out there interested in buying and/or running the site?

The amount of effort we have put into the custom coding, classifying, and specialized vintage card programming is staggering. We have over 100 sets, have classified nearly 2 Million auctions with images, we have over 7800 registered accounts and many daily users of our vintage price history. We would love to see the site expand and be placed into capable hands.

Please email me with questions: mike@cardtarget.com

Thanks,

Mike Masinick

[bn2cardz]

I would be surprised if you couldn't keep the site going and make money off the site using advertising.

If you did charge users you would then be competing with VCP that already has a following and more sets. So you would have to get all the sets on there that VCP has on there if you wanted to charge what they charge, but you may be able to charge a lot less or come up with a different pricing structure that still allures people to your site.

I would hate to see it go, but I understand the work behind it. I tried to help with a set but even though it isn't "hard" work it still does take time and my family always was rewarded the time.

[jbsports33]

CardTarget's vintage price history is a great feature and I use it at least once a week. I understand how you feel, had to place my goals with the hobby on hold due to family and work. There should be enough interest to keep the site going and you guys have done a great job.

Thanks Jimmy

[GregMitch34]

Certainly hope you can keep going. Super valuable. Would pay small monthly fee in future.

[nolemmings]

Best of luck to you. I would pay a small monthly fee, as I find your service invaluable.

[bunst]

Please do whatever it takes to keep the site active, even if it requires a small fee. I use it often and find it very helpful. I tried VCP but did not like it at all...CardTarget is much better in my opinion.

[Gradedcardman]

The site is very good. Much easier to navigate and search that VCP. I would certainly pay a small user fee monthly to keep it going.

[t206hound]

Originally Posted by bunst

Please do whatever it takes to keep the site active, even if it requires a small fee. I use it often and find it very helpful. I tried VCP but did not like it at all...CardTarget is much better in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Gradedcardman

The site is very good. Much easier to navigate and search that VCP. I would certainly pay a small user fee monthly to keep it going.

what these guys said... I'd be in for a subscription.

[ethicsprof]

You do a great job and I'd hate to see you go.
With the others, I'd be glad to help with a small fee.
all the best in your decision,
barry

[GregMitch34]

you could also, to save hours of work, cap the number of sets you're at now and just update recent sales...

[shernan30]

I'm an experienced programmer by trade and would be willing to donate some of my time to help with the day-to-days' of the site. It is much easier to navigate than VCP just needs a lot more sets added. Feel free to contact me shernan30@gmail.com

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by shernan30

I'm an experienced programmer by trade and would be willing to donate some of my time to help with the day-to-days' of the site. It is much easier to navigate than VCP just needs a lot more sets added. Feel free to contact me shernan30@gmail.com

Same here - let me know if I can help.

[WhenItWasAHobby]

Mike,

I still use the cert run feature and I've been forever grateful for you offering that program free of charge. I'd hate to see that go.

[CardTarget]

Thanks for the support everybody! I've gotten a lot of emails, questions, and introductions, so hopefully we'll be able to figure out how to keep the site going.

[atx840]

Originally Posted by Gradedcardman

The site is very good. Much easier to navigate and search that VCP. I would certainly pay a small user fee monthly to keep it going.

+1

Also I've used the price history to find cards used in a few scams, most recently the fake Magie's and pink ghosts. Your site was key to getting them off the market.

[Rollingstone206]

...

[the 'stache]

I use Card Target several times a week. I'd definitely be willing to pay a small monthly fee to keep it going.

[Chris D.]

Don't go! I just discovered your site after getting back into the hobby. I would be fine with a subscription fee as well.

[shaunsteig]

It's a very nice site, which I use on occasion. There def is overlap with the data collated by VCP, though at times the presentation of that data is easier with CardTarget. I pay for VCP, so by similar thought would consider paying for CardTarget too. One thing that would help would be to better delineate (ie promote) the advantages and differences of your site over VCP.

Thanks,
--S

[npa589]

I used to sign up for VCP, but consider their annual fee to be unmerited, by a wide margin, so I refused to pay it.

They charge $179 for an annual membership, and I think it's really about 75-100$ more than what they should charge. For example, Morningstar.com charges less for a yearly membership for all that they offer.

I bet starting out, especially if you added a lot more vintage sets, and only focused on pre-1960 or something close to that, you would find quite a niche, and be able to charge up to $50-70 annually, or 8-10$ monthly. I'd pay for vintage only if it were $50-70.

[egbeachley]

Originally Posted by Rollingstone206

Why not leave it as-is and still add to it with volunteers? Those volunteers would pick the set/s that interest them. You could have a number of people working on T206 split up alphabetically for example or one month on/off.

I was just going to suggest this. If it was possible you could have "experts" in other sets add to the database.

[Jeffrompa]

I use it at least once a week myself . Maybe it is a goofy idea but what if it were made into an APP for inexpensive user fee ?

[hshrimps]

You need to get revenue from ads not subscriptions. Subscription model will not take you anywhere. Majority of people who "promised" they are willing to pay now won't pay at the end. Trust me on this!!! I have extensive experience on internet market research, even u have 7k subscribers now u would be lucky to have 1% of people paying you.

Don't even think about having volunteers to help out, you better off shutting down the site that way.

[Mikehealer]

Originally Posted by hshrimps

Majority of people who "promised" they are willing to pay now won't pay at the end.

Don't even think about having volunteers to help out, you better off shutting down the site that way.

I agree.

[JollyRoger]

For what it's worth...I love the site and use it quite often. Who needs jobs and families? Get your priorities straight!

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Mikehealer

I agree.

+1

VCP has a lock on the subscription-based model. Advertising is your only way to go. Managing volunteers, regardless of the best of intentions, sounds like a logistical nightmare.