Trading Card Magazines UK

[Guest]

[Nienna]

That's very true of course!
I think the method you use is very sensible as it allows for the variation of what any card actually sells for and it's listed price in the NSU guide - to rely solely on one or other of the two is asking for trouble.
I'm afraid I totally disregard anything posted about a card's worth being xxx amount in the NSU guide in auction listings when I come across them - I'm sure there are plenty of other potential buyers who don't though, it's me just being weird/sceptical!!

[Jason]

Ok now can we say the word patronizing? Open box.... remove egg..... place in mouth..... suck vigorously…

You have got to be kidding. Only 10 UK sets, or only 10 UK sets that YOU want included? There are many, many UK and Australian sets that could be included, if NSU didn't bother putting in things like ARTICLES.

Nice use of CAPS but thats not what I said... thanks for playing though...  I am well aware that there are more than ten sets that SHOULD be in the guide I am talking about the ten sets they removed which must have saved them ohhhh two columns?  Mean while they have "great" sets like WCW Nitro  cluttering up the guide.  If the CSI sets had been produced by a US company they would be in but because they are made (to the same high quality and standard if not BETTER) in the UK they don’t get a look in. 

NSU does the best they can with the space they have. The space they have is determined by the number of ads they can sell, and the number of copies they can sell. They sell more, they can include more pages.

Thanks for the quick run down on how publishing works: now lets get the facts right, NSU has complete editorial control over there content, the most recent issue has 86 pages 33 of which are price guide. The advertising rates have increased and the paper stock used to print the magazine has increased, so don’t tell me they are so poor they have to cut sets out, because it’s not true, not even remotely

But, were it up to me, I'd have them drop the entire price guide. I've NEVER used it - if I need to determine a "value" for something, I can check eBay prices or, god forbid, use my own judgement!!! Shocking I know, but I'm just that way...

As to using your own judgment well after reading your slight over reaction to what I said I’m not to sure that’s a good plan for you… I actually do this for a living you know as a proper job… I deal in collectables mostly toys, comics, books, and an expanding range of both gaming and trading cards. This is my full time income, so I am well aware of how to price items thanks. 

For a start the hint is in the name “guide” something that HELPS to determine, not actually determines, you think eBay is a reliable indicator then you’re a fool, the same item can sell for a great deal more or less depending on the day, if it’s a full moon, which category it’s listed in blab la bla… There are so many different variables that affect eBay prices its unreal. Again it’s an indicator of value, used as a tool not as a fact written in stone. eBay also doesn’t tell me how many were produced nor has it got other useful information that appears in guides like NSU (such as variations and rarities based on a wider market survey)

I followed a link here and the place seemed interesting now I dont know any of you (I dont think) but I am more than willing to argue with you.

[Nienna]

I followed a link here and the place seemed interesting now I don't know any of you (I don't think) but I am more than willing to argue with you.

I'm not going to get involved in this particular difference of opinion but I will say ... please play nicely - we strive to keep the Forum a friendly and helpful place and don't really need or want an out and out slanging match. 
It might be that you agree to disagree and leave it at that or you may wish to elaborate further on what's been said already, that's up to you ... but please also consider there are under-18's who are Forum members too who shouldn't stumble across bad language or offensive behaviour - there's enough of that in the outside world as it is. 

Okay ..  I'll shut up now!

[Jason]

hey I can be polite and still argue...

[MakTheYak]

hey I can be polite and still argue...

If you can then please do. Try and refrain from personal attacks - I don't want to start editing posts here...

[LikORish-Spider]

Sadly, many US sellers regard the NSU price guide as their bible (no offense) when it comes to listing their cards for sale and then wonder why the cards don't sell.
I've never used the guide either - partly because it's not that widely available here in the UK and mostly because the prices given are not paticularly realistic when you come to buy the cards on ebay.

True enough about ebay, but ebay isn't the only outlet for cards. According to the write up the prices are submitted by dealers. The real question is are these real submissions or manipulated "dream" prices? I submitted the form about Honeydukes Candy Card, twice, and it was evidently put into the "round file". (dust bin)
And another thing, most of the chealy price ebay cards are by collectors getting rid of duplicates. Great for us buyers who need them. And these cheaply priced cards keep the value of our collections nicely reduced.

I guess it's a catch 22 situation.
Dealers can't compete with ebay prices. So they don't buy adverts in NSU. Then NSU reduces the size of the magazine. Since the magazine is now smaller there are fewer readers. NSU loses circulation. Less circulation indicates less interest in Cards. Card Prices go down. Dealers cancel adverts totally. NSU then goes out of business. ARTBOX, Topps, Rittenhouse, etc., stop producing cards. Flash! Ebay auction: "Pear Tree Leaves Prop BIN $4.99"
 

Well, OK, maybe I am too optimistic.

[LikORish-Spider]

That's very true of course!
I think the method you use is very sensible as it allows for the variation of what any card actually sells for and it's listed price in the NSU guide - to rely solely on one or other of the two is asking for trouble.
I'm afraid I totally disregard anything posted about a card's worth being xxx amount in the NSU guide in auction listings when I come across them - I'm sure there are plenty of other potential buyers who don't though, it's me just being weird/sceptical!!

Right you are, Jules. The market is dynamic. A lot of things affect the prices. For one example, summer is upon us, so cards take a back seat to vacations.  Darn it!

[Roz]

Yup, you are perfectly entitled to your own opinion, as are others, so treat everyone with the respect they all deserve please.

I don't use the NSU price guide, it's too random and inexplicable for me to use . If I want something and it's not in our guide, I do a bit of research, look on some websites, ask some friends, visit some shows, or even post on here for advice if I need it.

It's a shame that NSU can't cover EVERY set, because without sounding too catty here I think if they aren't going to pay close attention to detail (and I don't think I need to repeat the flaws found above), they might as well do something complete. I also think it's a waste printing it in every issue when there aren't all that many updates each month, I would make it a separately available issue once a year included in the subscription with the newest sets included in the final couple of pages of the guide each issue, and whilst I was working on it in the meantime I'd give access to subscribers to an online PDF of the guide which I'd update every fortnight or as necessary. That way size is much less of an issue.

It's just how I'd do it.

[Bogleg]

As with the price guide on this forum, the NSU guide relies on people letting them know how much they paid for a card. An average GUIDE price can then be established.
If the CSI sets were published by Rittenhouse, Inkworks or any other US company, they would be in the NSU price guide like a shot. Yes, they have to keep their advertisers happy but how many collectors here or on Card Talk look at the price guide not to see how much to pay for a card, but how much the potential worth your collection has?

[sketchqueen]

Let me rephrase : Non-Sport Update is not published as a price guide. The price guide is included, as a benefit, one that needs a lot of work, as a bonus. It is NOT the primary function of the magazine. The function of the magazine is to write interesting articles and inform people as to what's coming out, what's come out that they might have missed and otherwise inform the card collecting public.

In years past, the price guide was an entirely separate entity - but that didn't work for them and their audience, so they shifted gears and now we have what we have.

YES, I absolutely agree the current guide needs work - typos, wrong info, weird prices all needs to be corrected and since I don't work for them, I'm not sure why some updates seem to take forever - believe me, getting the RA website updated takes forever too - and I married the webmaster *lol* You'd think that would bring some leverage.