While it’s always exciting to score a good deal on a sports card, pricing is always a challenge because there are so many variables to consider. You might end up paying too much or too little for a particular card. This article will go over some basic tips on how to price hockey cards so you can get the best possible deal when you are buying or selling them. As you’ll see, it’s not as hard as it seems. You just have to approach it the right way.
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Scoring The Best Price
The best way to get the best price for your hockey cards is by contacting the seller directly. Chances are, they’ll work with you to find a deal that suits everyone’s needs. If you use a site like eBay to sell your cards, you might not get the best price since they usually work with a middleman. Remember, too, that many times these sites take a cut out of the sale. You’ll have to decide if that’s worth it to you. There are also specialized sites like EZCorpSportsCards.com that can be very helpful when it comes to finding the best price for your cards. Just remember, these sites are generally for buying and selling sports memorabilia so you’ll have to play by their rules.
Know The Market Value
The first step towards getting the best price for your hockey cards is to establish their market value. The best place to start is with the current collectible cards since they have established valuations. Once you have an idea of how much they’re worth, you can figure out a price range for your cards within those values. You don’t want to sell them for less than what you paid for them since that’s what makes them collectible. Going above that value might make them more valuable than you expected. Finding that balance is something you need to consider before putting a price on the card.
Establish A Sales Pitch
When it comes to selling cars, people usually know what they’re buying and usually have a clear idea of what they’re looking for. Rarely do they walk into a showroom and say, “Give me the best deal on an Accent.” That’s usually not how it works with cars. You have to establish a sales pitch before the person on the other end of the phone line knows what you’re talking about. You can start by simply saying, “I have a great car for sale.” Then you can launch into how it handles, etc. Don’t forget – you’re talking to a potential buyer so you have to sell them on your car rather than the other way around. Make sure you add something special about it that will make them want it. For example, “This year’s model has extra special touches that make it stand out from the crowd.” Or perhaps, “It’s completely customized with my favorite team’s colors and logo.” These are all things that will make them interested in your car. Remember – it’s a numbers game when it comes to selling cars. The more you know, the more you’ll be able to negotiate. Know what you’re talking about and be ready to negotiate. You might even find it easier to get a good price if you prepare a few examples of how much you normally got for similar cars.
Use The Right Price Guide
One of the best things you can have when trying to sell your cards is a good price guide. A price guide provides invaluable information about the current prices for various cards so you can accurately estimate what they’re worth. You don’t want to overvalue your cards or undervalue them because you’ll lose out on potential buyers if they think your cards are worth less than what you’re asking. If possible, include a price guide with your listing so potential buyers can have an idea of what they’re getting into.
Do Your Research
If you’re not familiar with the price of various cards, do some research before making any calls or sending any emails. Looking up current values for different hockey cards is one way to get an idea of what they’re worth. You can also ask other card collectors or dealers for their opinions. If you’re lucky, you might even find a few cards that are worth what you paid for them. However, it’s not always the case so you have to take that into consideration before setting a price. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your cards is to let them go for what they’re worth and find something new to collect. There are also plenty of sites like KellyBlueBook.com that can help you determine the value of your cards based on several factors.
Add Anything That Might Help
In addition to establishing a sales pitch and using a decent price guide, you can also add anything that might help the other person on the phone line understand your needs better. For example, did you pay a lot for shipping or is shipping free? Did you pay over the odds for cards that are out of print? Did you pick up some cards as a gift and don’t know what to do with them? The list of questions goes on and on. Just think of everything you might want the person on the other end of the line to know before they make a purchase decision. This will help get you the best price possible especially if they’re not familiar with your situation. You don’t want to sell them a collectible card that you don’t actually have. The worst thing you can do is sell them something that is not as described. This will only result in a bad experience for both of you.
Set A Fair Market Value
Once you have a sense of how much different cards are worth, it’s time to set a fair market value. In some cases, this can be challenging. You want to make sure you’re not over or undervaluing your cards but rather approaching it objectively. There are some guidelines you can follow to help establish a fair price for your cards. For instance, if you paid a high price for your cards because they’re out of print or limited edition, it might be best to set a lower value so that people know they’re getting something good. On the other hand, if you paid a low price for your cards because they’re highly sought after, it might be best to set a higher value so that people know what they’re getting into.
Know What To Ask For
Now that you have an idea of what to look out for in terms of pricing, it’s time to ask for what you want. Go over the considerations you made earlier in terms of market value and set a price that is within that range. If you go above that range, you might find that the other person on the phone line has a problem making a purchase. They’ll either have to lower the price or look for another product. Trying to haggle over price is not advised. You’re better off asking for what you want and working through any problems that might arise. This is especially important if you’re selling limited edition or out of print cards because there’s always the chance that the person on the other end doesn’t want to part with their collection. They might offer you a lower price but it’s not what you want and it could create problems down the line. This is why it’s best to work towards a fair price initially and then work your way up from there so you don’t have any nasty surprises later on.
The above tips should get you on the right track to getting the best price for your hockey cards. It’s always a good idea to contact the seller directly since there’s no guarantee that any other information will be given out over email or through some site. You want to make sure that you’re not being fooled by having some impostor claiming to be the seller contact you first rather than the other way around. Also, make sure you look for established sites and businesses that you can trust. Avoid at all costs anything that might even appear to be a scam. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.