Target Online Sales Thread

[J1L]

Originally Posted by Mrhenrychan

If Target really cared, they would have installed Captcha or whatever it’s called. It’s cheaper and stops bots from buying all the hot concert tickets. Them saying “our team is...” is a load and is only said to keep the parents of kids wanting Pokémon cards happy.

Captcha doesn’t stop bots but I wouldn’t be surprised if target did something to change it up before dropping Prizm.

[nickdrizzle]

Originally Posted by J1L

Captcha doesn’t stop bots but I wouldn’t be surprised if target did something to change it up before dropping Prizm.

when are they going to start selling prizm again?

[Randallk34]

Originally Posted by nickdrizzle

when are they going to start selling prizm again?

.

Does it even matter, we're not getting any

[Randallk34]

Originally Posted by J1L

Captcha doesn’t stop bots but I wouldn’t be surprised if target did something to change it up before dropping Prizm.

I would be overwhelmingly surprised if they did anything in the slightest to stop what is happening.

You probably have a .0001% chance of getting anything prizm basketball manually.

If crappy select football sells out in 20 seconds, prizm basketball will last 2 seconds, if that.

You think the bots are bad now, wait till that link goes up for prizm, bot mania will ensue.

[elp11]

Originally Posted by Randallk34

I would be overwhelmingly surprised if they did anything in the slightest to stop what is happening.

You probably have a .0001% chance of getting anything prizm basketball manually.

If crappy select football sells out in 20 seconds, prizm basketball will last 2 seconds, if that.

You think the bots are bad now, wait till that link goes up for prizm, bot mania will ensue.

They’ve done more than any other website so far (Walmart, fantatics, topps, etc). Captcha is a joke and does nothing to stop bots, if anything it just adds an extra annoying step for manual users.

Prizm blasters and cellos have already been live. The urls are out there. Megas on the other hand...

[wxguy44]

Originally Posted by elp11

They’ve done more than any other website so far (Walmart, fantatics, topps, etc). Captcha is a joke and does nothing to stop bots, if anything it just adds an extra annoying step for manual users.

Prizm blasters and cellos have already been live. The urls are out there. Megas on the other hand...

the url is out for Megas too, unless it's changed when preloaded

[hotcalsun]

Originally Posted by J1L

Captcha doesn’t stop bots but I wouldn’t be surprised if target did something to change it up before dropping Prizm.

This is correct, captcha has NEVER worked to stop anyone but real consumers from getting orders place. Captcha helps the bots more than it hurts them. If you don't believe me, read this article on Wise Guys Ticketing in Vegas.

All they simply do is setup an offshore location with humans to enter or build up a library. There are some services that charge as little as $.01 per captcha entered.

There are other techniques that work that include analytics on orders and shipments, as well as slowing down sessions & users that have fast requests. Of course, bot can then slow down their requests and check outs but more people have a chance.

It is cat and mouse and you can't stop it -- but you can balance it out.

Target definitely has made some improvements but still have a ways to go. They may care as this does not just impact cards, but other hot commodities whether Playstation 5, the hot holiday toys and more.

If Target doesn't slow these over time, some brands may reduce stock allocation that is provided to them to and provide to others who do a better job in highly allocated situations. This could hurt them during the very profitable holiday season.

[panamamyers]

Forget about captcha
Ask questions for each box entered into your cart..
Add box to cart....who was the heisman trophy winner in 1981?
Add another box, who started at shortstop for the NL in the 1998 all star game?

If they were really, really interested....it would be very easy to keep the bots at bay.

[BigRhino]

Originally Posted by panamamyers

Forget about captcha
Ask questions for each box entered into your cart..
Add box to cart....who was the heisman trophy winner in 1981?
Add another box, who started at shortstop for the NL in the 1998 all star game?

If they were really, really interested....it would be very easy to keep the bots at bay.

It is not easy, no company has figured out how to effectively stop bots long term yet. The only true way is to sell items that no one wants lol

[J1L]

Originally Posted by panamamyers

Forget about captcha
Ask questions for each box entered into your cart..
Add box to cart....who was the heisman trophy winner in 1981?
Add another box, who started at shortstop for the NL in the 1998 all star game?

If they were really, really interested....it would be very easy to keep the bots at bay.

This would be hysterical lol

[hotcalsun]

Originally Posted by panamamyers

Forget about captcha
Ask questions for each box entered into your cart..
Add box to cart....who was the heisman trophy winner in 1981?
Add another box, who started at shortstop for the NL in the 1998 all star game?

If they were really, really interested....it would be very easy to keep the bots at bay.

Would be hilarious but ineffective. Bot makes simple call to google search and enters answer while building a library of answers.

[mossoholic]

Originally Posted by yoyosh

Every Bowman Mega Box has had an amazing ROI if you are willing to hold.
Might not be a huge flip today but....

The last Bowman mega boxes came out just before massive retail hoarding started. I think it started the end of last summer with Chronicles basketball. I'd love to be wrong and 2021 Bowman megas be worth $100 in 9-12 months. I don't see it happening mainly because everyone and their mother hoards sealed wax now. Supply won't dry out for many years. Also, because it doesn't seem like PSA will be coming back with grading plans under $50 a card. A ton of retail wax worth under $150 will go nowhere if guys don't have a way with PSA or BGS to get $50 or less raw cards graded.

[nera20]

Originally Posted by mossoholic

The last Bowman mega boxes came out just before massive retail hoarding started. I think it started the end of last summer with Chronicles basketball. I'd love to be wrong and 2021 Bowman megas be worth $100 in 9-12 months. I don't see it happening mainly because everyone and their mother hoards sealed wax now. Supply won't dry out for many years. Also, because it doesn't seem like PSA will be coming back with grading plans under $50 a card. A ton of retail wax worth under $150 will go nowhere if guys don't have a way with PSA or BGS to get $50 or less raw cards graded.

Alot of spot on points the grading game is going to change alot of ways people do things

[jkampis]

Originally Posted by HitandRun24

Not really, I mean to a point people still gonna pay for it, demand still high and it’s a good product... Basketball prizm blasters sell over 150-200... Mega box could get to 100-125 nobody thinks twice

In a free market, the market sets the price. So the values are going to be what buyers perceive is a fair price. They’re not going to pay $15 extra from resellers just because the retailer sells it for $15 more.

[jduds]

Originally Posted by mossoholic

The last Bowman mega boxes came out just before massive retail hoarding started. I think it started the end of last summer with Chronicles basketball. I'd love to be wrong and 2021 Bowman megas be worth $100 in 9-12 months. I don't see it happening mainly because everyone and their mother hoards sealed wax now. Supply won't dry out for many years. Also, because it doesn't seem like PSA will be coming back with grading plans under $50 a card. A ton of retail wax worth under $150 will go nowhere if guys don't have a way with PSA or BGS to get $50 or less raw cards graded.

Judging by the influx of volume to other grading companies, I don't think the grading game is dead quite yet.

While everyone (except me, I gotta open stuff) is hoarding wax, I think the demand for it is so strong that the market can handle a large volume of it. The one question I have is if the wax collectors are just constantly selling to each other, but even then as long as the music keeps playing I don't see the wax demand dropping that much. The lack of available new product keeps demand for all wax up.

[Randallk34]

Originally Posted by elp11

They’ve done more than any other website so far (Walmart, fantatics, topps, etc). Captcha is a joke and does nothing to stop bots, if anything it just adds an extra annoying step for manual users.

Prizm blasters and cellos have already been live. The urls are out there. Megas on the other hand...

Yes and the bots got probably 99% of it

[Randallk34]

Originally Posted by elp11

They’ve done more than any other website so far (Walmart, fantatics, topps, etc). Captcha is a joke and does nothing to stop bots, if anything it just adds an extra annoying step for manual users.

Prizm blasters and cellos have already been live. The urls are out there. Megas on the other hand...

What have they done though? Stuff sells out in 20 secs. Does it last on Walmart for 10? How much worse could it be?

[mossoholic]

Originally Posted by jduds

Judging by the influx of volume to other grading companies, I don't think the grading game is dead quite yet.

While everyone (except me, I gotta open stuff) is hoarding wax, I think the demand for it is so strong that the market can handle a large volume of it. The one question I have is if the wax collectors are just constantly selling to each other, but even then as long as the music keeps playing I don't see the wax demand dropping that much. The lack of available new product keeps demand for all wax up.

Lack of available new product? Maybe at MSRP in stores. There is more available product and new product than there has ever been. At resale prices of course.

I was someone buying a ton at resale prices and if I sold now I would take an absolute bath on it. I bought some Select megas at $85 just because even junk 2020 football megas are over $100. But I will not buy from a known bot. I don’t care if there is money to be made at the buy price. I can’t stand the bots and want them to be finished one way or another. How anyone on here can support, justify, or say oh it’s not illegal I will never understand as long as I live.

[BonVoyage]

Originally Posted by yoyosh

Every Bowman Mega Box has had an amazing ROI if you are willing to hold.
Might not be a huge flip today but....

A lot has changed since last year’s megas.
More people holding wax, production up, major grading companies closed (and may not have same fee structure when reopened), hobby potentially in a different place…. Plus the class is weaker.
I kind of liken it to the complete set game. You could make some easy money from 2018 and 2019 sets pulling the top rookies and grading. 2020 sets aren’t nearly as profitable though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[salthill]

Originally Posted by mossoholic

I was someone buying a ton at resale prices and if I sold now I would take an absolute bath on it. I bought some Select megas at $85 just because even junk 2020 football megas are over $100. But I will not buy from a known bot. I don’t care if there is money to be made at the buy price. I can’t stand the bots and want them to be finished one way or another. How anyone on here can support, justify, or say oh it’s not illegal I will never understand as long as I live.

Maybe you can’t see that you’re likely buying from bots, whether you know it or not. So the only real solution is not to buy at above MRSP plus shipping.

[jduds]

Originally Posted by mossoholic

Lack of available new product? Maybe at MSRP in stores. There is more available product and new product than there has ever been. At resale prices of course.

I was someone buying a ton at resale prices and if I sold now I would take an absolute bath on it. I bought some Select megas at $85 just because even junk 2020 football megas are over $100. But I will not buy from a known bot. I don’t care if there is money to be made at the buy price. I can’t stand the bots and want them to be finished one way or another. How anyone on here can support, justify, or say oh it’s not illegal I will never understand as long as I live.

Yeah, I was referring to lack of MSRP product or really any product at actual retail stores. Bots are the worst and a buying freeze could thwart them for a bit, but like cockroaches they'll just return. I generally won't buy retail at more than MSRP, but have a few sets I'll make an exception for at very low markups just because I like those sets too much to miss them (Topps Holiday, Stadium Club, etc...).

[Chris P]

Very Surprised That I got my Target Megas in today from UPS since it's Sunday. I always save my Mega Packs for last. Man...the bad news not ONE color Parallel out of 12 packs. The Good News





(and yes the bad news isn't that bad of news when you get saved by these lol)

[Handsome Wes]

Will Target sell the factory complete sets this year? And do you think we are looking at a situation like last year where it's basically impossible to nab a set?

[cj828282]

Originally Posted by Handsome Wes

Will Target sell the factory complete sets this year? And do you think we are looking at a situation like last year where it's basically impossible to nab a set?

There will be lots of factory sets to go around. Several different options/sku's for the sets. Can't see these as being very attractive to the bots.

[BRob1]

Originally Posted by Handsome Wes

Will Target sell the factory complete sets this year? And do you think we are looking at a situation like last year where it's basically impossible to nab a set?

Last year the one you wanted was the walmart set, and they were easy to get if you followed the complete set thread to know when they were available online.

but to answer your question I can’t imagine why complete sets won’t be available again this year.