Las Vegas Industry Summit: Good Ideas Part 1 - 'Hobby Blaster'

In the next series of posts I will try and recall all the interesting ideas I heard from hobby shop owners, manufactures and others that attended the Industry Summit in Las Vegas, NV last week. If you think its a good idea, or bad one ... let us know in the comments or by posting your own blog about the subject. Send me a link and I'll post it here as well.

The Hobby Blaster
You can go to a well stocked Target and Wal-Mart and purchase packs of cards, or 'Blaster Boxes' of 5, 6, 7+ pack quantities that often contain an extra 'hit' or value card inside. Its a great double option for collectors. You sometimes see the same in Hobby Boxes, for example Topps Finest, which is broken down into 'Mini-Boxes' but not every product offers this option to the customer and shop owner.

Someone suggested a 'Hobby Blaster' where you get a box of packs just like Target & Wal-Mart + you could guarantee the customer a hit within those packs. It was brought up because kids can't afford a full Hobby Box, but they do like opening a 'box' instead of just 6 packs that were plucked from the shelf. (Plus kids like getting any jersey card or autographs) It also gives the shop more price points to sell at, and it gives the customer more options.

Sounds like a pretty good idea to me! The thing is, like most good ideas ... you need people to rally behind them in order to make them happen.


If you like this idea, share it on forums, write a blog, tell your card store owner, and certainly tell the companies you'd like to see this option at Hobby Stores. They will at least listen to everything you have to say - I promise.

Panini:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/panini
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/PaniniAmerica
Blog: http://paniniamerica.wordpress.com

Topps:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ToppsCards
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/toppscards
Blog: http://www.toppsblog.com

Upper Deck:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UpperDeck
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/UpperDeckSports
Blog: http://www.upperdeckblog.com