I remember noticing a little while ago that all their prices were images now, and they added the T&C agreement before accessing the buylist.
I work on ecommerce, and I can assure you that all the major sites are scraping each other. But it's a bit odd that they're cracking down on an aggregator rather than a direct competitor. Just doesn't make a lot of sense, and it's negative PR.
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
I buy their sleeves and to be honest all companys have the right to sell for what they wish thier is always somewhere else.
-MH
Sure, but they're actively taking steps to make it difficult for people to tell that they aren't a good option. While also being a driving force in the market (most LGS's base their singles prices on SCG, for example).
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Sure, but they're actively taking steps to make it difficult for people to tell that they aren't a good option. While also being a driving force in the market (most LGS's base their singles prices on SCG, for example).
I doubt that SCG is trying to hide their pricing data so customers can't price compare. They can still do that manually and it's widely known that SCG is expensive compared to other online stores. I think this move is aimed at preventing other stores from using scraped SCG pricing instead of doing their own work.
You know, it's not like SCG STOLE all the fetchlands. People voluntarily sold them to them out of their own free will.
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These days, some wizards are finding they have a little too much deck left at the end of their $$$.
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In the same way you can tell someone is from the XVIII century because he is arroused by ankles, you can tell someone is from USA because he feels nipples disturbing.
Pretty much immediately after the announcement that Modern Masters was going to go only up to Alara, there was a run on the Zendikar Fetchlands. Almost overnight they more than doubled (non-blue ones going from ~$12 to ~$25 and blue ones from ~$15 to ~$30) and then quickly gained another chunk (to ~$35 for nonblue and $50 for blue). Common belief is that SCG was behind this.
You know, it's not like SCG STOLE all the fetchlands. People voluntarily sold them to them out of their own free will.
Sure, but (assuming it was SCG), this is a case of a large entity bullying the market (by immediately buying up the low-hanging stock) in order to profit. Fetchlands would likely get to the heights they are at now without market manipulation, but because of what they did, A) they profited greatly, as much as $35 per blue dual they bought at $15, and B) other people directly lost their opportunity to buy duals at these prices.
I doubt that SCG is trying to hide their pricing data so customers can't price compare. They can still do that manually and it's widely known that SCG is expensive compared to other online stores. I think this move is aimed at preventing other stores from using scraped SCG pricing instead of doing their own work.
I dunno, it does kind of feel like they want people to, rather than shopping around, just come directly to them. If I can see SCG prices through my app along with other prices, I can know that they're consistently worse. If I can only see SCG prices on their own, and that's what the stores are using and what everyone trades by, it can be difficult to figure out where else to go.
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In the same way you can tell someone is from the XVIII century because he is arroused by ankles, you can tell someone is from USA because he feels nipples disturbing.
Pretty much immediately after the announcement that Modern Masters was going to go only up to Alara, there was a run on the Zendikar Fetchlands. Almost overnight they more than doubled (non-blue ones going from ~$12 to ~$25 and blue ones from ~$15 to ~$30) and then quickly gained another chunk (to ~$35 for nonblue and $50 for blue). Common belief is that SCG was behind this.
this is a case of a large entity bullying the market (by immediately buying up the low-hanging stock) in order to profit. Fetchlands would likely get to the heights they are at now without market manipulation, but because of what they did, A) they profited greatly, as much as $35 per blue dual they bought at $15, and B) other people directly lost their opportunity to buy duals at these prices.
Lots of players and stores heard that announcement and jumped on TCGPlayer and Ebay to speculate. When SCG does it, it's just way more noticeable and impactful because SCG has a lot of customers and cash flow so they buy in volume.
You could count these buyouts as "market manipulation," but those cards continued to rise after the buyouts and almost definitely would have hit their current values without buyouts because of the post-MM rise in demand. Various entities have spiked card prices through buyouts in the past year (see: Aluren, Dream Halls, and Kor Spiritdancer) and unless the card really is in huge demand, the price will float back down if there aren't enough buyers at the new price.
But them buying out all of them from OTHER VENDORS is the other 3/4 of the issue.
That's how price spikes have been happening (see: Tidebinder Mage PT THS weekend).
The prices spiked because players were willing to pay more for the cards. SCG might have made the pieces move faster, but given time the fetches would have gone up without them.
While it may be common knowledge that SCG has the highest prices on a website like this, causal players don't seem to be aware of this and even among more competitive players the one who've only started playing in the last 5 years.
It makes it annoying to trade for crap rares when players are valuing them at 50 cents apiece.
A 40 dollar mythic rare would constitute a must have 4 of that goes in many decks.
Stats About Mythics
-Mythics are on average 40% rarer than pre-mythic rares
(old blocks about 200 rares, Mythic blocks 35+ mythics)
-They are printing more new cards a year not less
(about 665 now vs. 630 in most pre-mythic block)
-To drop the value of a rare by $1 a mythic must go up $2
-In a 3 year time span deck prices doubled. I am petitioning for the removal of mythic rarity. Sig this to join the cause.
I've nvr understood why people buy form big expensive stores like sgc while you can just as well buy from a particular for a much lower price.
Where SCG is absolutely terrific is that they have everything and I mean everything. I have to settle for not being able to buy obscure cards from CFB. I have never not seen or been able to buy anything I wanted from SCG. It is not hyperbole when they say they have the biggest collection in the world.
Their articles on why modern is bad and then the ridiculous price of modern staples has made me less of a fan but that is another story.
Lots of modern staples are also legacy staples. Heck look at cards played in the old frame in legacy and you'll see why. FoW, wasteland, ABUR duals, LED...the list pales in comparison the number of cards you'll see from mirrodin onward.
As for the fetchlands increasing, hey people or businesses can spend money as they choose. And you know what? People have bought misty rainforest at 50 apiece just as they chose. If no one bought any at that price they would be lower in price but SCG doesn't set prices on cards or have a monopoly like some seem to think. Supply and demand at its finest.
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"Yawgmoth," Freyalise whispered as she set the bomb, "now you will pay for your treachery."
I strongly believe in supporting my LGS. I make all my purchases there as much as possible. I bought out the last of the Return to Ravnica booster boxes this week. I want another box or two. SCG has them on sale for $89 - that's $2.47 per booster. When I go to FNM shortly, I'll double check my LGS has no more RTR for sale. At that point, is there a reason NOT to buy the booster box that I want for $89 from SCG?
While I buy most of my stuff on ebay/tcg, there are times when I'll buy from SCG.
I bought a couple of Euro islands the other month and I wanted them to be near mind/super clean. I didn't want to risk getting them off ebay and getting slightly played (which happens often with old cards). So I ordered from SCG and the islands I received were exactly nm. No nicks, no border whitening no borderline questionable marks. Near Mint. If I got these cards from your typical ebayer, they'd have a nick on the back or shuffle spots on the front or something else annoying that would make the card not NM.
I also appreciate what they've done to promote the legacy tournament scene.
I obviously do NOT appreciate the price premium but sometimes its worth it.
ya know they are a business and they are going to do whatever is most profitable for them. at the same time that site gives the most support to magic in general out of all the sites ive seen. I cant say ive ever seen a troll and toad open, or the CFB invitational.
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My Decks that have been BANNED
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Hi there, sorry to trouble you but I'm going to take down your post.
Your reference to SCG is far to close to my registered registered company name. SCHWITCHERY and may unintentionally hinder business for me. I wasn't around and 2013 however people don't do their utilities to verify such things they read something on the internet and assume it's true. I appreciate your understanding in the matter have a wonderful blessed day
Bran Alder
Interesting read.... heavy discussion on Twitter right now... thoughts?
URWTwin
XAffinity
I recommend tcgplayer sellers with positive feedback, coolstuff, troll and toad, or ebay sellers with positive feedback
Modern
I work on ecommerce, and I can assure you that all the major sites are scraping each other. But it's a bit odd that they're cracking down on an aggregator rather than a direct competitor. Just doesn't make a lot of sense, and it's negative PR.
-MH
Modern
BUGLantern ControlBUG
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StaffSure, but they're actively taking steps to make it difficult for people to tell that they aren't a good option. While also being a driving force in the market (most LGS's base their singles prices on SCG, for example).
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There is plenty of card shops online that sell cards and people can price check that way.
tcg app are all over the place for price checking.
not to mention the store bases it off that price cause there one of the most expensive and thier make most money without loss.
its economics 101, when something is available cheaper somewhere else, then buy it at said area.
Now I do feel sorry for people who cant shop online I do get this.
hope this shows insight why I think there just overpriced but not doing anything illegal.
-MH
Modern
BUGLantern ControlBUG
I doubt that SCG is trying to hide their pricing data so customers can't price compare. They can still do that manually and it's widely known that SCG is expensive compared to other online stores. I think this move is aimed at preventing other stores from using scraped SCG pricing instead of doing their own work.
MTG finance guy- follow me on Twitter@RichArschmann or RichardArschmann on Reddit
But them buying out all of them from OTHER VENDORS is the other 3/4 of the issue.
That's how price spikes have been happening (see: Tidebinder Mage PT THS weekend).
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StaffPretty much immediately after the announcement that Modern Masters was going to go only up to Alara, there was a run on the Zendikar Fetchlands. Almost overnight they more than doubled (non-blue ones going from ~$12 to ~$25 and blue ones from ~$15 to ~$30) and then quickly gained another chunk (to ~$35 for nonblue and $50 for blue). Common belief is that SCG was behind this.
Sure, but (assuming it was SCG), this is a case of a large entity bullying the market (by immediately buying up the low-hanging stock) in order to profit. Fetchlands would likely get to the heights they are at now without market manipulation, but because of what they did, A) they profited greatly, as much as $35 per blue dual they bought at $15, and B) other people directly lost their opportunity to buy duals at these prices.
I dunno, it does kind of feel like they want people to, rather than shopping around, just come directly to them. If I can see SCG prices through my app along with other prices, I can know that they're consistently worse. If I can only see SCG prices on their own, and that's what the stores are using and what everyone trades by, it can be difficult to figure out where else to go.
Currently Playing:
Legacy: Something U/W Controlish
EDH Cube
Hypercube! A New EDH Deck Every Week(ish)!
That was also before he became increasingly playable.
Lots of players and stores heard that announcement and jumped on TCGPlayer and Ebay to speculate. When SCG does it, it's just way more noticeable and impactful because SCG has a lot of customers and cash flow so they buy in volume.
You could count these buyouts as "market manipulation," but those cards continued to rise after the buyouts and almost definitely would have hit their current values without buyouts because of the post-MM rise in demand. Various entities have spiked card prices through buyouts in the past year (see: Aluren, Dream Halls, and Kor Spiritdancer) and unless the card really is in huge demand, the price will float back down if there aren't enough buyers at the new price.
The prices spiked because players were willing to pay more for the cards. SCG might have made the pieces move faster, but given time the fetches would have gone up without them.
It makes it annoying to trade for crap rares when players are valuing them at 50 cents apiece.
Stats About Mythics
-Mythics are on average 40% rarer than pre-mythic rares
(old blocks about 200 rares, Mythic blocks 35+ mythics)
-They are printing more new cards a year not less
(about 665 now vs. 630 in most pre-mythic block)
-To drop the value of a rare by $1 a mythic must go up $2
-In a 3 year time span deck prices doubled.
I am petitioning for the removal of mythic rarity. Sig this to join the cause.
Where SCG is absolutely terrific is that they have everything and I mean everything. I have to settle for not being able to buy obscure cards from CFB. I have never not seen or been able to buy anything I wanted from SCG. It is not hyperbole when they say they have the biggest collection in the world.
Their articles on why modern is bad and then the ridiculous price of modern staples has made me less of a fan but that is another story.
As for the fetchlands increasing, hey people or businesses can spend money as they choose. And you know what? People have bought misty rainforest at 50 apiece just as they chose. If no one bought any at that price they would be lower in price but SCG doesn't set prices on cards or have a monopoly like some seem to think. Supply and demand at its finest.
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I strongly believe in supporting my LGS. I make all my purchases there as much as possible. I bought out the last of the Return to Ravnica booster boxes this week. I want another box or two. SCG has them on sale for $89 - that's $2.47 per booster. When I go to FNM shortly, I'll double check my LGS has no more RTR for sale. At that point, is there a reason NOT to buy the booster box that I want for $89 from SCG?
Thanks!
With regards,
Garp74
I bought a couple of Euro islands the other month and I wanted them to be near mind/super clean. I didn't want to risk getting them off ebay and getting slightly played (which happens often with old cards). So I ordered from SCG and the islands I received were exactly nm. No nicks, no border whitening no borderline questionable marks. Near Mint. If I got these cards from your typical ebayer, they'd have a nick on the back or shuffle spots on the front or something else annoying that would make the card not NM.
I also appreciate what they've done to promote the legacy tournament scene.
I obviously do NOT appreciate the price premium but sometimes its worth it.
Tooth & Nail........Grishoalbrand....Living Dominance....Tezzerator.........Vannifar Pod
My Decks that have been BANNED
DRS Jund | Kiki-Pod | Bloom Titan | Splinter Twin | KCI
Your reference to SCG is far to close to my registered registered company name. SCHWITCHERY and may unintentionally hinder business for me. I wasn't around and 2013 however people don't do their utilities to verify such things they read something on the internet and assume it's true. I appreciate your understanding in the matter have a wonderful blessed day
Bran Alder
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