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There is money to be made selling low-end sports cards. Buying collections or bulk lots and parsing out singles to sell individually can be profitable. Businesses like Burbank Sports Cards have spent years building systems to make purchasing, listing, fulfilling, and shipping efficient.
But for the average collector who doesn’t have access to these systems or processes, it’s a lot of work. You may wonder, “Is it worth my time to sell these low-end cards?” Well, that answer depends on a few different factors. Let’s dive into these considerations to help you figure it out.
Figure out why you are selling low ends sports cards
What is your primary motivation for selling these cards?
For a collector exploring new ways to participate in the hobby or an entrepreneur trying to establish a brand, selling low-end cards is great! They’re a great way to build processes, gain experience, and familiarize yourself with different sets.
However, if your goal is to fund a purchase or simply to thin out your collection, the answer isn’t as straightforward. As we’ll soon discuss, selling low-end cards isn’t typically very profitable. In many cases, it may be easier to pick up a few extra hours at work to fund a purchase or even donate the cards if you’re looking to make some space.
Taking a few minutes to clarify your reason for selling can save you hours of time and energy.
Understand your expected profit
It’s TOUGH to make meaningful income selling low-end cards. Profitable businesses in this space succeed by selling high volumes - whether a card sells for $0.99 or $5 doesn’t matter as much when they’re moving hundreds daily. For the average collector, selling only a few cards per week, it’s a different story, and much of that difference comes down to fixed transaction costs that impact low-end sales heavily.
Let’s break it down with an example.
Imagine you sell a card for $0.99 on eBay, which you acquired for $0.25 as part of a larger collection. Here’s what the typical eBay fees look like for this sale.
Fixed transaction fees matter. Selling a low-value card with a fixed fee will eat up a large portion of your profit. On this $0.99 sale, the $0.30 transaction fee alone makes up 30% of the sale price. But consider selling a $5 card under the same conditions.
For a $5 card sale, that $0.30 fee now only takes up 6%, resulting in a 400% increase in profit compared to the $0.99 card.
If you’re someone who focuses on profits, know that margins are much smaller on $1 cards than they are on $5+ cards given the fixed transaction fee nature of the marketplaces.
Assess the time commitment
Beyond fees, selling on eBay means handling every aspect of the process—photographing, listing, fulfilling, and shipping - which demands time and effort. These tasks can also be tedious and repetitive. Here’s a breakdown of the estimated time for each step:
Photographing/Scanning: 5 seconds to 1 minute
Listing: 15 seconds to 5 minutes
Fulfilling: 30 seconds to 5 minutes
Shipping: 1 minute to 5 minutes
In an ideal scenario, you might complete all steps in about 2 minutes per card. However, in a less efficient case, it could take upwards of 16 minutes for a single card. While technology and emerging tools can help streamline these steps, selling low-end cards still require a significant time commitment.
Example Calculation
Let’s say you have 500 cards to sell with an average processing time of 10 minutes per card to photograph, list, fulfill, and ship. Here’s what the time investment and profit could look like:
Total Time: 500 cards x 10 minutes = ~83 hours
Expected Sales Price: $1.50 per card for total sales of $750 (~$9/hour)
Expected Profit: $0.45 per card for a total profit of $225 ( ~$3/hour)
Are you prepared to commit this time and effort, and are you comfortable with the resulting sales and profit levels?
Conclusion
Before mentally committing to selling low-end sports cards, consider your goals, profit expectations, and available time. It’s an activity that can be rewarding for collectors looking to engage with the hobby more actively, but may not be worth your time, especially if you’re in need of cash quickly. However, if you enjoy the process or have an interest in building out systems, low-end cards can be a stepping stone toward a better hobby experience.
Strategies to Improve Efficiency and Profits
If you’re committed to selling low-end cards, here are a few strategies to make the most of your time and maximize your returns:
Batch Processing: Take photos, write listings, and package items in batches to minimize setup time and reduce repetitive actions.
Invest in Technology: Consider using apps, tools, and equipment that help streamline listing or automate certain steps. Some items that can help speed your process up dramatically include:
Thermal Printer - Absolute game changer. Print, peel, and stick labels. Never cut and tape labels again. We recommend:
Peel and Stick Security Envelopes - Every second saved counts. Don't bother with water activated adhesive, spend the extra one to two cents per envelope and buy the self-seal ones.
Card Savers - I prefer to ship PWE (Plain White Envelope) cards in card savers over top loaders.
Focus on Higher-Priced Low-End Cards: Selling cards in the $5-$10 range instead of under $1 can help offset fixed transaction costs and improve profit margins.
Experiment with Alternative Marketplaces: Try listing cards on platforms with lower fees or alternative payment structures. This can make a difference when margins are thin. Examples include COMC, Facebook Groups, hobby shops, and Sportlots.
Create Value Bundles: Bundle low-end cards to sell them as a lot. Bundling can reduce the per-card time commitment and help you sell more inventory faster.