How to Buy Football & Baseball Cards

Before You Buy

• 1

  Determine exactly what you are looking to collect. With the huge number of products out there, it is important to narrow your focus with football and baseball cards. For example, you can collect a certain team, player or brand of cards. Some people buy only boxes. Figure out what you are looking for ahead of time, and stick to it.

• 2

  Set your spending limits. It is very important that you work within a budget, even if money is not a problem. This is because you tend to overspend for items when you have an open budget. Know what you want to spend, and do not exceed it.

• 3

  Prioritize what you want. Make a list of the top 10 cards or products that you would like to buy. This will give you a great starting point when you begin your search. Go for the item you want the most first, and then work your way down the list.

• 4

  Set up a PayPal account and an eBay account online. These will be invaluable to you in finding bargains in the sports card industry. While there are other online venues, eBay is still far and away the best place for football and baseball card purchases.

Make Your Purchase

• 5

  Sign in to your eBay account and go to "advanced search." Type the first item on your list in the search field. Choose the "completed auctions" option on your first search, so that you can see what your item normally sells for on the site.

• 6

  Search the site again without the "completed auctions" option selected, and see all the examples of the item that are currently for sale. This will be the primary field that you will use to purchase football and baseball cards.

• 7

  Scan the listings and find the one that is being sold by the most reputable seller. As a rule, this is going to be the seller with the highest feedback score and longest tenure. Be sure to check shipping costs. Some sellers sell cheap and then gouge you on shipping.

• 8

  Put in your bid once you find a good seller with the item in the price range you have budgeted. It is good to put in your maximum price for the product up front. This will prevent you from spending more later. The auction will automatically increase your bid up to that amount in increments, guaranteeing that you get it at the cheapest possible amount.

• 9

  Pay for the item through PayPal when the auction ends. This gives you protection if the purchase does not go smoothly. Also, it lets you get the item quicker.