Viability

I was out trading last evening, and I met a few traders who were prominent in the scene. I was talking to them about my Project: Zero. The general feedback was positive; I even bumped into one of my previous customer who wants me to keep going with the project. However, I need a steady flow of crap rares coming in or eventually, my card pool will get stagnant, and/or the card pool runs out dry and I have no ways to replenish it, eventually leading to the end of the project. At the moment now I'm using whatever I have from my previous booster sprees as my pool, and occasional buys to put into the project. Both methods are not financially viable; They basically eat up my finances faster than what my project can recover! Basically loss in money! I have to solve the supply for the crap rares, but at a cheap way to ensure it's viable to do in the long run.

The second thing about the viability of the Project is that I need to ensure either have a wider market reach or create that market demand. Wider reach = more people = more chance to trade out the cards! Probably that would take some time to really go and promote. But, the issue with this Project, is that the trade is viable via meet-ups and mail trade only. There is no one who will bring a bulk of crap rares around (other than me) and start asking people who wants etc. So I may have to look at options that I either widen the reach like international markets (eBay?) or alternatively just get a large bulk and dump it into the project and wait for people to start clicking for their wants. I have also opened up options for common and uncommon cards to be sold, but that requires updating of my inventory, and I do not have the time at the moment.

Hence, to ensure the viability of the Project temporarily (and maybe permanently), I'm looking to buy them in (1000 pcs first) at $0.12 each, but will progressively increase my price if more is offered at one go. Hopefully I can hit a seller that will be willingly to sell me to ease my supply issues.

Now, I have to make it clear, my intention of the project is to let traders and players alike find it as an alternative method to dump their crap rares so I can recycle them into my decks or to put up into this project for others to get them, for a small price (or cards). Making a huge profit is secondary; I have my main trades for that, which I'm taking it slow due to studies. Sometimes it's good to slow down, deal small but smoother trades that requires little money or none at all and focus more on the conversations. The many people I have met through trading have great stories to share and I really enjoy my time chatting with them. See, the thing is that I sometimes prefer to hang around and talk to people; learn from them and see what I can gain to better my trading skills and hopefully one day work to reap a small profit. 

While on that point, I picked up a few tips which I'm considering to put into effect if it helps;

• File the rares into albums (I'm using boxes atm), but standardize the price at $0.50 or $1 each to make things easier for myself.
• Work on cards that are easier to liquidate, rather than cards that have value but no demand locally.
• Modern is the best bet now.
• "Play or Trade?" Justification

Summary for this week:

• A friend who runs a small store willingly gave me $0.125 for every bulk rare I traded in. I spent 220 rares to trade in for a Jace VS Vraska Duel Deck for the 2 foil planeswalkers. In addition, I now have the Remand, Body Double, Future Sight, and some other cool stuff which I can put into the Project!
• Spent $72/- on a playset of Batterskull. I should be able to liquid these at $30/ea at least
• Spent $45/- on 3x Spellskite (Investment)
• Spent $30/- on 3x Abrupt Decay (Investment)
• I'm getting a bulk deal of 180+ cards for $50. Last saw there are some valuable cards in there! I can't wait to get hold of it!
• 5 pieces of Phyrexian Unlife at $0.50 each! Now we wait for the deck to perform!