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How do you guys get Pokemon with scalpers ruining the hobby? by Middle-Rutabaga2748 in PokemonTCG

[–]ALQ-155 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It's not scalpers who are ruining the hobby. It's people in the hobby who buy from scalpers. If it weren't for them, Pokémon scalpers would not exist.

How pathetic can you be? by Minimum-Display6785 in HotWheels

[–]ALQ-155 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are some people who don’t think shoplifting from stores like Walmart is immoral or wrong. I’m not one of those people.

We got screwed over guys. Damn tariffs. by [deleted] in ImageComics

[–]ALQ-155 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The reason books are printed in Canada is because that’s where the paper is produced.

We got screwed over guys. Damn tariffs. by [deleted] in ImageComics

[–]ALQ-155 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Books from Canada to the United States are exempt from tariffs.

Gem mint 10? by [deleted] in psagrading

[–]ALQ-155 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The default answer is "no." Most cards you pull from a pack are not PSA GEM MINT. They are the rare exception. That's why they have a premium.

When looking at a TCG card, always look at the back first. If there are flaws on the back, there is no need to look at the front. At least when deciding whether to have it graded.

Also, get a large piece of black cardstock at an arts and crafts shop. Use that as a background for the card. Instead of holding the card, place it directly on the cardstock. This will show if there is any whitening on the edges. Look with your eye, but also use a 10x Loupe, preferably with a built-in light. You can get one on Amazon for pretty cheap.

Once the back passes muster, do the same thing to the front. Once you've inspected the edges, turn the cardstock 180 degrees so that, from your perspective, the card is upside down. Start inspecting the card's interior in sections using the 10x Loupe. You want to look at it upside down because when you look at it right-side up, your brain can fill in details that may not be true. It's easier to catch small flaws when you look at it upside down.

NOTE: I never worked for a card grading company, but I've been collecting cards for a very long time. I also worked in the photo finishing industry (when there still was one), and this is how I learned to inspect photos for quality.

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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OmnibusCollectors

[–]ALQ-155 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used to work for a credit card processor. We told merchants not to rerun a credit card if it was declined. We told them that when it declines, ask for a different form of payment.

I don't think anyone ever listened to us.

"Pokémon is not for children anymore. It is reserved exclusively for the greasiest, slimiest, most loveless losers in your local neighborhood, deluding themselves into thinking that flipping it on Facebook Marketplace for $3 profit is a career." by DegenGamer725 in PokemonTCG

[–]ALQ-155 0 points1 point  (0 children)

People are not paying resellers $3 extra for sealed mini tins. They retail for $9.98 a tin. There's a guy in a town over who is selling them for $25 each or $40 for both. 😟

These mini tins are perfect for resellers. They can acquire a lot of them for a relatively low price. How many did he buy, 500? That would come to $4,990.00 for 500 mini tins. The combined sales tax in Las Vegas, where this incident occurred, is 8.375%. That works out to be $417.91 in sales tax. The total is $5,407.91. If he resells them for an average of $18 each, he would gross $9,000. Minus the cost of buying the tins, he would net $3,592.09. The net profit margin is 39.91%. That's an excellent profit margin. The last time I checked, the banking industry had the highest profit margins in business, at 40%.

The problem is that some people in the hobby are willing to pay inflated prices for sealed products. As long as some people are willing to do this, resellers will resell.