Anyone changing their collecting plans when Topps is gone?

[53toppscollector]

I don't really have any interest in modern cards at this point, but if I were running Fanatics, this would be my strategy:

* Try to purchase both Topps and Panini
* Create one true flagship product for each of the 3 sports, print a lot of that product, but keep that product simple. It is called flagship for a reason, so it should be a true base set. Limit the insert sets to 1 per product, remove the autos and parallels from the flagship product, and make it an actual set again that people will want to build. A base set should be a base set, it should be buildable for everyone. There was no 1954 Topps Hank Aaron red parallel numbered to 5. That stuff should not be part of the yearly flagship product, imo.
* Create a number of other products in each sport that are filled with parallels, refractors, autos, patches/relics, and all the other hits that people are chasing, make them limited runs, and be clear about what the print runs are. Charge more for these "premium" products
* Create a new product for each of the 3 sports that is specifically targeted for kids. Print the everloving hell out of it, for as much demand as there is, and price it cheaply, like $20 for a hobby box. Give young kids something where they can buy a pack for $1 again and get cool cards. This set should not be aimed at adults, or flippers, or breakers. Target it toward kids.
* Sell everything direct to customer on the website, cutting out distributors and middle men. Allow LCS to still order product, but devise a better system than the one currently in place. They'd need to figure out a strategy to eliminate bots and the like, but product shouldn't only be available in the first 10 minutes of launch, and the bulk of it shouldn't be going to distributors and wholesalers. Fanatics does not need distributors, they have an infrastructure in place. Make acquiring product more fair and less about what connections you have.

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

I don't really have any interest in modern cards at this point, but if I were running Fanatics, this would be my strategy:

* Try to purchase both Topps and Panini
* Create one true flagship product for each of the 3 sports, print a lot of that product, but keep that product simple. It is called flagship for a reason, so it should be a true base set. Limit the insert sets to 1 per product, remove the autos and parallels from the flagship product, and make it an actual set again that people will want to build. A base set should be a base set, it should be buildable for everyone. There was no 1954 Topps Hank Aaron red parallel numbered to 5. That stuff should not be part of the yearly flagship product, imo.
* Create a number of other products in each sport that are filled with parallels, refractors, autos, patches/relics, and all the other hits that people are chasing, make them limited runs, and be clear about what the print runs are. Charge more for these "premium" products
* Create a new product for each of the 3 sports that is specifically targeted for kids. Print the everloving hell out of it, for as much demand as there is, and price it cheaply, like $20 for a hobby box. Give young kids something where they can buy a pack for $1 again and get cool cards. This set should not be aimed at adults, or flippers, or breakers. Target it toward kids.
* Sell everything direct to customer on the website, cutting out distributors and middle men. Allow LCS to still order product, but devise a better system than the one currently in place. They'd need to figure out a strategy to eliminate bots and the like, but product shouldn't only be available in the first 10 minutes of launch, and the bulk of it shouldn't be going to distributors and wholesalers. Fanatics does not need distributors, they have an infrastructure in place. Make acquiring product more fair and less about what connections you have.

We'd need to hash out some details and make a couple compromises, but if you and I were masters of the trading card universe, we'd be pretty much ready to go!