For the past several years I've got all my Topps Cubs cards and inserts from Brent Williams. Brent is one of the biggest case breakers out there. For Series One he bought 135 cases, mostly jumbo hobby cases.
With that type of volume he offers master complete sets (cards and inserts) and team sets. Buying my Cubs master set from one seller has saved me a bundle, since I only pay for shipping once.
This year, just days before Series One was released, and months after Brent placed his case order, he was notified that Topps was changing the odds of insert cards in jumbo boxes. Most insert set cards were going to be much more difficult to get. These changes were made to just the jumbo boxes. Hobby and retail remained the same.
He was stunned by this change and quickly emailed his customers. He said he wouldn't be able to get me a Cubs master set. I would get the base cards and inserts from just two sets, but all the other inserts were going to be too tough to pull. He asked if I wanted a refund and I told him to just sent the base and easy inserts. He refunded me for the rest.
How does Topps do this at the last minute? How can they change things long after orders have been placed and money has been paid? How can they screw over someone who purchased 135 cases of their product?
Brent tweeted a few days ago that after opening 49 cases he was able to put together just three master sets. Last year the same number of cases would have netted 30 - 50 master sets. He's trying to sell off a chunk of his cases, at prices below his cost, just to try to recoup something.
Brent busts cases for a living and Topps' last minute changes have blown up his business model. Was that their goal? Was he buying and selling too much? I just don't understand.
I'm back to getting most of my inserts the way I did before Brent. I was able to find a seller with a bunch (he must have busted hobby instead of jumbo), but I'll probably end up with four or five different packages coming instead of one from Brent.
Enough rambling.... let's see some cards!
These are the Home Run Challenge cards. It works the same as it did last season... Pick the game you think the guy will hit a home run, register that on the Topps website, and hope he hits the dinger.
Wow, I heard there were fewer inserts in each Jumbo pack, but I didn't realize the ramifications.
ReplyDeleteI also heard that variation SPs didn't make it into Jumbo at all. What's that about? I think the Cubs had three or four players get the variation treatment this year if memory serves.
I usually pick everything up from Brent as well. I found another seller that did have the Redsox master set. So I lucked out
ReplyDeleteThese Home Run Challenge cards seem to be cheaper than last year so far. I might pick up extras and try to play this year if I see some I can add on to other orders.
ReplyDeleteNo Cutch HR challenge this year so I doubt I will be playing.
ReplyDelete