This is not buying or investment advice. I’m simply reporting the data I’m seeing and experiencing. Please do your own research and make your own decisions. Just because cards have increased in value up to this point, it doesn’t mean they will continue to do so.
My inbox is filling up with messages from new sports card apps, marketplaces, platforms, pricing tools, collection managers, and other hobby companies wanting me to check out what they’ve built.
And I think that’s pretty cool.
There are clearly a lot of people trying to build new things for collectors, buyers, sellers, and flippers right now. Some of them might be incredibly useful. Others might not be for you.
But there’s one problem.
I don’t have the time to properly test and vet every platform that reaches out to me!
And I definitely don’t want to spend 20 minutes clicking around an app and then come back here pretending I can tell you whether you should trust it with your collection, your cards, or your money.
So, I’m going to try something different.
I’m Giving Them the Stage
Going forward, I’m going to occasionally feature some of these new apps, platforms, and tools here on Ballcard Genius.
But these will not be reviews.
Think of them more like a show-and-tell.
I’m going to give the people behind these products an opportunity to explain what they’ve built, why they built it, what problem they’re trying to solve, and show off the features they think are worth your attention.
I’ll ask them questions like:
What did you build?
What problem does it solve?
What makes it different?
What are the coolest features?
Who is it for?
What does it cost?
Where can collectors try it?
They make their case.
You decide what you think.
An Important Distinction
Unless I specifically tell you otherwise, being featured does not mean I personally use, recommend, endorse, or have thoroughly vetted the product.
That’s important to me.
If I use something and like it, I’ll tell you. If I’ve tested something extensively, I’ll tell you that too.
But simply appearing in one of these features means exactly that: I thought the product was relevant enough to the hobby to give its creators an opportunity to show you what they’ve built.
I’ll review each feature with the company before publishing to make sure I’ve accurately represented its product, pricing, and claims, but I’m not independently verifying every claim they make.
And Yes, There Might Be Affiliate Links
Some of these companies have affiliate or referral programs.
If they do, I may use an affiliate link, which means I could earn a commission if you decide to sign up or make a purchase through that link.
As always, I’ll disclose that relationship when it exists.
But an affiliate relationship doesn’t change the premise here. I’m giving a company an opportunity to introduce its product. I’m not giving it the Ballcard Genius stamp of approval.
Why I Think This Could Be Fun
I spend a ridiculous amount of time looking for tools that can make buying, selling, researching, tracking, and flipping cards easier.
And I know a lot of you do too.
So rather than keeping these emails sitting in my inbox because I don’t have time to personally test everything, I figured I’d open the door and let some of these companies show us what they’re working on.
Maybe we find something awesome.
Maybe you discover a tool that solves a problem you’ve had for years.
Maybe something gets featured and everyone collectively decides, “Yeah, I don’t need that.”
That’s part of the fun.
They’ll get the stage. We’ll see what they’ve got.
Thoughts, suggestions, comments? I’m excited.
