Well after a lot of action on the blasters...everyone has the same concern I do. We want the $9.99 box to stay. From a manufacturer point of view this price point is very difficult because of the cost to not only produce the packs but to actually pack it out. I agree with Steve (thesportscardfile.com) in that I can not believe someone has not figured out how to pack these out better and cheaper. We demand at least 20% extra value in the blasters so that would be $2 in value all ready that the manufacturer is losing out on. Throw in packaging and pack out...its a loss (a loss leader in my opinion though!)
So here are some questions:
1. If its just one big pack doesn't that take all the fun out of the busting packs. I am a total pack guy, I love to rip open packs, lots of packs! If its just one big wrapped up bulk cards then I view that as one pack.
2. Make the $9.99 unique (more on this once a certain items have hit shelves).
3. If the price point moved to 11.99 or 12.99 would that still deter people from buying. We have tried the $14.99 price point in blasters with not much success. Please understand that a vast majority of the Mass consumer is an uneducated hobby customer (usually Mom) and no that is not a stereotype it is a fact. I will branch this blog into Trading Card Games also (Pokemon, YuGiOh, etc) That should be fun!!!!!!
4. If there was a unique subset to the $9.99 blaster would that be enough to over take the 20% added value?
5. Are you disappointed when you get packs inside a blaster that are different than the packs for sale out of the foil box? Example $1.99 foil pack for sale has 12 cards...Blasters have 8 cards per pack.
6. What do you want to see in a $9.99 blaster besides a $10 dollar bill ya all?
I appreciate every ones great comments and encouragement on this blog. I apologize once again I am not the best writer, I am a numbers guy. So bear with me, I will not be posting over the weekends most of the time. I have a wonderful family that I need to attend too also!
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One thing that concerns be about blasters is the excess packaging. It's a waste of a lot of cardboard, which many people might throw away rather than recycle.
ReplyDeleteI liked and purchased a handful of the $14.99 UD Masterpieces football blasters this year.
#4: I don't know if that unique subset would be enough, for me or for anyone.
#5: That does bug me a bit. Not enough to prevent a blaster purchase, but enough to make me think about it. However, the unsearched aspect tips the scale.
I'm a pack guy too. That's why I only bought Tin #1 of UD Ovation Hockey. That's no way to bundle cards.
Here are some answers - hopefully these are not too unreasonable.
ReplyDelete#1 I like the feel of opening the box when it makes me feel like I am busting a full box, even though I might be busting something watered down.
#3 Mom is looking for something cheap...$9.99 seems like a reasonable 'under $10' price. Escalating the price may force an impulsive buyer to look somewhere else.
#4 What unique subset? I like the retro themed insert/bonus cards, but the other bonus non-GU/non-AU cards have saturated the hobby. Who needs another A-Rod, Ortiz, Wright card? Maybe those who purchase the blasters as gifts.
Maybe produce a regional version of insert/bonus cards.
#5 I want full packs in my blasters and if you are going to cut the cards per pack short, then it goes back to having some sort of added value.
#6 It seems like retail blasters are unrealistic in promoting certain game-used/autograph inserts that are more realistic pulls out of a hobby box.
It seems like some of the retail blaster odds are astronomical and for the most part all you get out of the blaster are base cards and/or the cheapest insert cards.
Maybe include retail versions of GU/AU inserts that are unique to its own and be somewhat realistic to pull.
1. I wouldn't mind one big pack, but my biggest concern is pack-searching, and it boggles my mind that card companies haven't developed pack-filler that thwarts pack searchers.
ReplyDelete3. I don't think a price-point between 9.99 and 19.99 would do much good. I generally go for the 19.99 blaster. Anything less seems like a total waste of packaging.
4. I'll take a 3-6 card pack of a good unique/store exclusive insert set over a no-name autogamer any day of the week.
5. I prefer getting fewer full packs rather than more small packs. Larger packs are easier to open and seem to have better collation.
6. Ultimately it comes down to value. I always do the total cards for the dollar math when deciding on buying blasters versus what appear to be unsearched packs. Although I must admit that smaller packs are a turn-off.