Comments on: Reaction to SCG Buylist

By: @adamzak

@adamzak — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:46:34 +0000

In reply to FateCreatr. Umm... No.

By: stu55

stu55 — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:51:09 +0000

In reply to Joel. Honestly, it is either they are "sold out" or just "out of stock" on the website...big difference.

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:53:31 +0000

I am not knowledgeable on this topic, but it seems to me that if scg is out of stock on many of these cards, they simply have to offer prices that people are willing to sell for, or they will no longer have a business that sells legacy staples. Sure this might be a bubble, but it is the people paying $75 retail prices for FOW that are to "blame", not the company picking them up for $50.
That said, the open series seems to be driving demand, and kudos to them for realizing that a robust tournament circuit could make them money and support their primary business at the same time.

By: stu55

stu55 — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:47:05 +0000

In reply to FateCreatr. Hahahaha, I can't stop laughing at this

By: FateCreatr

FateCreatr — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:30:52 +0000

In reply to @adamzak.

They did that already… Extended and Standard…

By: @adamzak

@adamzak — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:21:04 +0000

You know… they could solve the whole "Reserved list" issue by simply creating a new format that allows all cards except for those on the Reserved List. This would allow them to reprint any cards they wanted, in order to keep the format accessible to everyone.

By: MTGTradeSecrets

MTGTradeSecrets — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:04:32 +0000

Yes, by printing a master's edition set with a lot of legacy staples would simply cause those staples to drop and the ones on the reprint policy to rise up even higher. Mainly the dual lands would be the worst offender.

By: Wade

Wade — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:05:39 +0000

Although they still would have that whole Power 9 and Dual Lands can't be reprinted issue, which if they did a Master's Set would let more players get in and that could drive Power/Dual prices up because of need for them.

By: Wade

Wade — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:02:07 +0000

I don't know how many people will hate me for saying this ….but….. I have felt for a long time SCG knows a lot of things we don't and feel they have manipulated the market for years. I understand making money and have no issue with it. The problem is they are going to hurt the format (for the record one I don't play but probably would if the prices of cards weren't so outrageous). I am a have every card in the format kind of player and that is WAY to expensive for Legacy. I agree with the idea of a Master's set that includes all that type of stuff. Make it like 20 packs per box and $8-10 per pack with 6 cards in a pack. Something like that. "Oh crap I spent $10 for a pack and only got a Dark Confidant, DARN". Or "Score Force of Will. There has to be a way to do something like this.

By: stu55

stu55 — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:46:17 +0000

After collecting some new data, I am pretty sure the bubble is bursting before the GP

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:53:29 +0000

This run on staples will create a bubble that will have to bust sometime. As a Legacy player, I'm really happy that SCG started the K series, however it may end up destroying the format. I think a lot of what will happen depends on how eBay reacts to this.

While SCG attempts to set the price, eBay usually provides a fair check on these prices since the auctions tend to give a better representation of market value. Additionally, the BIN prices are usually 10%-20% lower than than the retail prices on SCG (in some cases, the gap is even greater). However, last week Underground Seas could be purchased for $65-$75 on eBay using auctions or BIN. This week, the lowest sale price was a $77. I haven't looked over the details of the auction to see if there was a disproportionate number of NM cards that were selling, but if nothing else, it indicates that these buys lists do impact the market immediately.

I also know that SCG does a fair amount of what I would call market intervention (I won't call it manipulation, but its very aggressive business actions); I also believe that SCG insatiable thirst for Legacy staples is largely due to scarcity issues. People understand these cards have long term value and refuse to give them up because they only increase in value (I bought my Underground Seas from SCG for $28 a piece less than five years ago which now sell for <$100; that's better than most stocks). Ben Bleiweiss has an eBay account which was opened in 2000. He has over 1000 transactions with only one as a seller back in 2001. More than 500 of the purchases on the account have come in the last 12 months. Most of the ones I've checked have been for Legacy staples which are very "undervalued" compared to the retail value that SCG has them at. It seems as though SCG is buying up all of these singles off eBay because people can't trade the cards in fast enough. Regardless of whether or not it is intentional, this has an impact eBay and thereby justified a drive up in price on eBay which in turn makes it easier to up the retail value. I think this does come down to scarcity. As long as SCG continues hosting Legacy tournaments and WotC hosts GPs, these cards will continue to rise.

By: Ryan Bushard

Ryan Bushard — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:43:11 +0000

I feel like one of two things are happening here, either A infalted prices to keep other vendors from starting legacy events therefore monopolizing the market moreso than now or B they know something about a new format that we don't if so I have lost much respect for WotC informing the vendors to line their pockets feels wrong to me, the secondary and the primary should not be collaborating on things of this nature, with the Zendikar packs I could understand but this just feels shady, I truly hope everyone sells out and SCG is stuck with infi product and has to drop prices. Forcing newer players out of a format is just unfair really… but seriously new format…look at what cards are going up there is a pattern if you watch closely.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:01:28 +0000

Great article, Stu! SOFI @ $50 is insane. Also, are you on Twitter?

By: chasandres

chasandres — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:51:47 +0000

Good call on the pickups. I really do wonder if this is the time greed is going to catch up to SCG and the bubble will pop…I may need to write an article about that myself.