Hermes_ wrote: ↑4 years ago
Apparently,the issues with the Secret Lair products is the fact that it's cutting the LGS out of the loop and one well known LGS had used it as the final straw and is closing it's doors.
I don't necessarily get this.
#1, not all LGS sell singles, nor make their money making singles (mine does not). This does not affect sealed prices, which means that stores can continue to sell to customers and make profit on the primary market.
#2, while this is not necessarily "limited supply," since it is unlimited during the window, the limited
time makes the supply of these limited after it is done. Their impact on the secondary market will be minimal over the long term - no greater than any other reprint schedule. Using Life from the Loam as an example, in December they were at 15-17. Now they are at 10-12. This is no different of a drop (and even less severe) than any other reprint schedule, such as what happened to
Exploration when it was reprinted in Conspiracy, and dropped from $40 to 5-10.
#3, LGS and stores could also buy the Secret Lairs, and many online retailers did, considering their stock. They resold them afterwards to the people who missed them, or sold singles from them, at a higher price since it was no longer available. Not only that, but these premium versions will only increase in price, since no new supply will be added.
#4, The price point is high enough that most buyers, outside of collectors, would not bite on it.
#5, The straight up 'value' per drop by comparing existing card value to the price on most of the initial set of Secret Lairs was
abysmal* - Most were straight up negative value if you were simply searching for a playable set of the cards (not including the stained glass PW, since most did not know about that at first). IIRC, only Kaleidoscope Killers was positive value, and mostly because Sliver Overlord had never been reprinted. These were premium products, at a premium price.
In short, I don't see this hurting Brick and Mortar stores in the long term, unless Wizards does something really stupid like tank a lot of major prices at once, which they already have the capability to do in regular sets.
*Some have speculated that the worst offenders of this (Cats and Snow Lands) may actually be better long term because of this. Since their rate of return was so terrible, fewer speculators may have purchased them, which will make their supply more limited comparatively. Especially the Lands one, since more of those are needed should you wish to build a deck with them. In fact, a Cat box is already $70 on tcg.