Increase in people flipping jerseys?

[memorabiliaunlimited]

Re: Increase in people flipping jerseys?

When the program started with the Orioles the team was only going to pull jerseys requested and paid for by customers during specific games. Jones first jersey (which I believe I owned at one time) was $1,000. Then Davis got on his streak and the Manny hype began. Their jerseys went to $1,500... then $2,000 and beyond. At one point they sold a Davis jersey for $5,000.

They (the team) also began pulling jerseys, bases, etc for any and all accomplishments (ie. A 3-hit game, a HR, etc.). They also found the avenue of MLB Auctions to use to sell these items. Soon the store in the stadium was being given less and less access to stuff so it could go to the auction site. At first this was successful for the team but as supply increased and demand increased soon Davis and Jones jerseys would sit on the site for months and months at a time without sale because the team imposed reserve was too high for true market value. Rather than lower the reserve (or get rid of it altogether) they would just relist and relist.

So now these $1,500 or $2,500 or $5,000 Davis jerseys are currently selling in the $600-$800 range after having more money put into them to have signed and inscribed. While I have not been to the store recently (now under Orioles management) it sounds as if not much has changed.

All this is why this "business" of flipping jerseys (at least in the case of the Orioles') is confusing to me. The team asks top dollar and usually more than true market value. My observations after watching these closely for the past several years are that for some reason (maybe because it comes directly from team and not a middle man) MLB Auctions command a much higher premium than they can ever come close to on eBay. Yet I see sellers continue to attempt this and just sit on items for years. Do as you wish but I fail to see the business savvy in this tactic.

As was mentioned, eBay is looking more and more like a museum of show and tell "look what I got" than an actual marketplace for these types of items.

i think a fair way to summarize whether buying items off MLB auctions to resell is a good idea is as follows:

if you can go onto MLB auctions and see an item, or a similar item (for example, an chris davis home HR jersey or an ALT HR jersey) consistently being available, then chances are, it isnt a good item to purchase an resell because there is ALWAYS one available, and possibly for a cheaper price. but, if they are rarer items (batting helmets because so few are used during the year), or items from a team that doesnt pull tons of jerseys (jose abreu jersey on the white sox comes to mind), then there is more of a chance to make a profit on that item because the buyer has no where else to go to get one. in the end, most stuff will still eventually sell - very coincidentally i was able to sell my adam jones HR jersey on ebay just last night for a profit, purchased off MLB auctions.

teams like the orioles, yankees (steiner), braves, mets pull SO MANY JERSEYS that it floods the market - probably not the best items to buy and try and resell. but jerseys from teams like the dodgers, angels, white sox, nationals, that havent flooded the market with their items - there is a better chance for there to be room on a resale. that said, there is also the chance that that item sells for more than market value on MLB auctions because there are not many of them and all bidders try and land it at once. it is always a risk, but a calculated one if you are familiar with the market.

[Samets]

Re: Increase in people flipping jerseys?

You people are so clueless.

So you have never sold anything that you bought? I highly doubt that b

How are we "people" clueless?

Go ahead and tell me how the flipper makes the world a better place by allowing a wider audience to buy something...

[Oriolesfan29]

Re: Increase in people flipping jerseys?

You people are so clueless.

So you have never sold anything that you bought? I highly doubt that b

I think you are missing the point. We all have sold things we have bought, I know I have. I generally have a rule that I will not buy anything I don't think I can break even on down the road if I chose to sell it, unless for special occasions such as a sentimental piece or a white whale piece. This rule has usually served me well as I have sold many of my items either at or above cost when that time came.

I think the point of this thread is more to the person who buys strictly to flip at insane money and how that strategy typically doesn't work, or could be seen as taking advantage of someone. As has been documented most of these items sit on the Museum of eBay never, or rarely, to be sold.

I have personally found this thread to be very insightful, especially hearing from collectors of different teams. I unfortunately am stuck with the Os game used department if I want something for the most part, which has increasingly been more difficult since the end of 2014.

In summary I don't have a problem with someone trying to make a buck, its just interesting that people are taking the avenues that they are to flip these jerseys. The encouraging thing to me is I think the buyers out there are more informed than ever which is why there aren't too many people paying the insane, above MLB auctions, prices on things. I know I thoroughly research most of my buys and am constantly looking at auction sites and online sources to get a feel for what things are worth. I too am of the opinion that this bubble will burst at some point, and hopefully I am not holding too many pieces that I will take a huge hit on.

[grandeleague]

Re: Increase in people flipping jerseys?

You people are so clueless.

So you have never sold anything that you bought? I highly doubt that b

Clueless? Some of the people who responded in this thread have forgotten more about their team's game used material than most people will ever know. Very few people can recite at the drop of a dime an accurate and informative history of a teams game used material.

[Thinking]

Re: Increase in people flipping jerseys?

I agree the Orioles are ridiculous with their MLB online auctions. Always a reserve that is higher than true worth of the item.

Not all teams are like that -- thankfully.

Only Orioles items I have ever been able to buy was from Brett (Adam Jones auto'd HR bat).

I doubt I will ever buy directly from the O's.

[sportscrazy13]

Re: Increase in people flipping jerseys?

I want to chime in on the Orioles program topic. I own a Machado HR jersey, his 2013 home helmet, a single, double, triple, and HR ball. All was purchased back when Andrew and Brett ran the Orioles game used stuff. They were both a pleasure to deal with and were great with the pricing.

I don't bother anymore sense the new O's program wants an arm and a leg for everything they have. I tried bidding on some Machado stuff last year on mlb auctions, but it seemed like there was some shill bidding going on.