It’s pretty incredible to see how the NBA cards market has surged in demand, popularity, and value over the past year. The influx of new people entering the hobby has caused products from various card companies to soar. The same goes for in-demand cards, which have been breaking all sorts of records on a regular basis. But while the overall state of the card industry is trending in a positive direction, there will always be certain risks everyone should be aware of.
For starters, there’s always the danger of losing your hard-earned money to dishonest personalities within the hobby. These people run all sorts of scams using sports cards to get the better out of you. Rather than find yourself on the losing end to these unscrupulous individuals, it’s better to arm yourself with sufficient knowledge against them. Shown below are some handy tips you can use to prevent anyone from scamming you in the card market.
3. Always check the value of the NBA cards you’re buying or selling
It’s a bummer to spend a lot of money on a card only to find out you overpaid for it. This is something that’s prevalent in the hobby, especially to those who have recently started collecting cards. The only way to prevent needlessly spending too much on a purchase is to be vigilant in checking a card’s value.
The simplest way to find out how much a card is worth is by using eBay’s sold listing feature. First, enter the name of a card, sort the results by sold listings, and hit enter. The items that will come out are the cards that have been sold and their corresponding prices. From there, you can get an idea of a card’s current value in the market.
Apart from eBay, card collectors can also use 130point.com or cardbv.com. These sites provide people with a card’s price faster than eBay’s sold listing feature. The downside here is that they don’t reflect accurate prices, especially when a card suddenly jumps or drops in the market. In any case, these options are readily available to help you out anytime.
2. Be diligent in asking for additional photos or videos
Sometimes, a picture alone won’t be enough to determine the true condition of a card. There are some people who would just get the best angle of their cards to hide their defects or damages. In some cases, these folks would resort to stealing images from other sellers to entice potential buyers.
To prevent these people from pulling a fast one on you, it’s best to ask for extra photos of their NBA cards or show them live via a video call. Doing so will help you see every angle of your target purchase and determine if it’s worth buying. Thanks to this step, you won’t spend money on a damaged card that should have been advertised truthfully from the start.
1. Find other people who can vouch for the person you’re transacting with
There are instances when knowing the true value of a card and having additional images of it are not enough to prevent any shenanigans from happening. In these circumstances, finding one or several folks to vouch for the person you’re transacting with is a must.
The act of finding people to vouch for a buyer or dealer will give you more peace of mind to finalize the transaction. In this way, you can buy or sell a card with a reduced risk of getting scammed in the end. On the other hand, not getting other people for vouches leaves you vulnerable to individuals with fraudulent plans for your money.
With the increasing value of sports cards comes an equally great responsibility to be practice diligence in guarding against people who use the hobby to make an illegal buck. Rather than relying on your instincts, the wises course of action is to be proactive whenever you’re selling or buying cards. By following the tips stated above, you’ll be saving yourself from a potential world of trouble ahead.
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