LogFAQs > #955007524

JayLv100 posted...

I'm sorry to hear you're having to go through this, but I'm glad that it seems like the best possible (aka "least worst") version of an incredibly painful experience.

Also very interested in your business, that sounds like a lot of fun. Have you made any other topics describing what you do that I could peruse, rather than asking you to retell it all here?

Yeah, doing good overall just trying to live day to day and enjoy life.

I have not really gone into detail exactly so @JayLv100

My business consists of a few parts as it stands now. First I buy modern day cards at a discount directly from distributors and open most of it and grade cards out of that, sell the regular cards bulk to recoup costs upfront, and keep 1-2 boxes sealed for the future. This is what I call the 'for fun' portion of my business and it is the least profitable. Which is fine, I like opening packs so being able for it to not be a cost sink is fine.

Next is buying sealed product to hold onto. This includes elite trainer boxes (google if you don't know), booster boxes, and vintage packs. I buy these things when I think I see them for a good price just to hold onto either as appreciating assets or potentially good trade pieces for things I like.

Next is buying people's binders. So When you buy a binder full of cards you can usually get the whole binder for about 65-70% off market value because you are helping the seller by just taking it off their hands. Which is great because then if I turn around and make a bit of effort to sell the cards one at a time I will usually get about 90% of value. Steady profit with patience and a vision in mind, but also...

Grading. Grading is the great cash cow. Certified cards can go for bonkers prices if you know what to look for. So if a card is very minty (so no damage at all, well centered, no defects) it can be a 9 or a 10 grade which usually increases its value anywhere from 2 times to insane amounts if it is a rare or vintage cards. It costs a fee to get them graded but since I am good at prejudging cards I don't send in things that even have a chance at not being worth the grading cost.

So I send in 100s of cards at a time, get them back, and either directly sell them to people who I know are interested in specific cards or just send them all into an auction website for only a 1-2% more than normal ebay fees and let them handle all of the posting and shipping worries on their end. I literally print money, and I literally always am willing to take on investments/loans for this process because it is like... printing money. All the time. It's amazing. I probably have about 1000 cards right now that I would send in (and this is after sending in several hundred last month) and that would run me about 20,000 which I don't have the cash flow for.

Business is great. New buyers all the time as Pokemon is proven to basically be eternal. Just got to not buy high on certain products but my business model is largely undisturbed by this.


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Sir Chris
Doom The Kanto Saga - Animated Series - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hH4wNFCrLM