Why CardzReview is not doing Reviews?

[Pavle]

Few months ago I wanted CardzReview to be a CARD/stickers REVIEW site.

Meaning me and you guys can get a sample from publishers a pack, a box or an empty album and write about it honestly. HONESTLY.

My idea was to recruit 5-6 members enthusiast, true hobby lovers who would receive a free sample when new collection is released so that they can write a in-depth review about it and perhaps make a video. The idea was not to rip off publishers, but rather make collections which not everyone can get in their country available.

All the stuff I receive, I wanted to give away to younger collectors or anyone else interested. Other guys of course, should keep them for their effort.

I tried contacting Topps and Panini, but nobody gives a damn. I once got a reply from guys at Panini Italy that it is hard to do because Panini has different headquarters that operate differently.

So its better to pay 5000-10000$ to New York Times to write about fucking Panini World Cup once in for years, then to send a fucking 1$ album and few packs to TRUE hobby enthusiasts... Hah, makes sense! Who gives a damn about true customers? Hobby and world is getting excited about VIRAL stuff. Social Media crap and other crappy stories.

"They are our customers. Let them spend one last dime on our products, and we will make it harder for them to get it. Nobody gives a fuck, they provide free advertisement to our product. HA HA HA (EVIL LAUGH BY the publishers)" Why should anyone talk honestly about what we are doing is wrong or not good enough. They will buy it anyway.

I know some of you think > Ha Pavle wanted free stuff for himself! But this is where you are wrong. The truth is Pavle wanted this hobby to have more exposure. Pavle wanted to have something that can connect people. Something that can make people come back, hang out with each other, organize swap meetings in person, connect with people around the globe. Pavle wanted to have a COMMUNITY. Community so powerful that one day publishers will ask US what to do and how to do it.

Luckily we still have the community, but not the way I expected it to be.

So, enjoy the hobby and do not think publishers will ever give a damn about us. This way they are killing their own business. We are on our own.

This is why cardzreview is never going to be a review site. I gave up on that idea a long time ago.

So the next time when someone asks why is site called cardzreview but there are no reviews, I will use this topic as a reply.

 

[Juan Francisco]

I totally agree with you.
All the people that we are making videos o reviews at social networks are making it with the cards that we pay, we're making best advertisement for the cards company than they do themselves, and we're making it not only for free, we're paying.

 

[Pavle]

I am sure many guys here still think I wanted samples to review. This really is not the case. I would like more TRANSPARENCY and cooperation from the companies. Or at least - THANKS for doing hard work.

I think that in order reviews to be objective, we must pay from our own pocket. But, if some collections we want to review are not available and will cost us 50euros for just shipping ,then I expect at least a sample or a bloody photo and collection info, so that I do not have to spend 3 hours looking for info online.

 

[Juan Francisco]

To do a review I only need the album and 5 packets with some press photos.
The value of these samples is 5$, as you say, we're not making bussiness with the free cards
Anyway, we love this world and we're keeping to post photos of cards and collections.
I'll contribute to this forum as I can do.
Thanks for keeping alive this website.

 

[Pavle]

HAHAHAHAAHAHAA

If you ever wanted to give up on collecting stickers because publishers are idiots, now is the right time!


Panini dedicated a collection to Italian YouTuber!
What a waste of paper!

 

[ilias]

That's riducloulous

 

[Caniggia]

first of all thanks to @Pavle for his great job and his time to follow "our" website/forum; I never thought you're doing it to have items for free but in case you got something, I think is natural and on my opinion no matter at all!

I don't agree about reviews, I mean are not official reviews but with the help of collectors from different part of the world we have good reviews and many infos about different albums and editions! Are not official? who cares

Panini produce every year hundred of different albums, some are really bullshit like Favij .. but if they sell, ok ... good for them! I hope they will increase quality of albums we love... sometimes is not a impossible job ... like adding trainers in WC or EC or for Calciatori the stickers of Stadium (... i dream an album about "the 100 more important stadium in the world"... just a dream, I know)

Thinking about football/sport albums Panini has 2 different kind of customers .. 80% are buyers just for fun or for the kids, 20% are collectors, 5% (maybe less) are strong collectors. I can see also in Italy, you really can't imagine how many people who collect Brasil2014 don't know about wrong sticker of Balanta and they don't care a lot

And this kind of forums are basic to improve number of collectors, for sure! @Pavle, you know what could be great? to organize one day a meeting of forum here in Italy with visit of Panini factory, maybe one day

 

[Pavle]

Ah crap, I am unsure why everybody misunderstood the post

I do not give a fuck about free items, really. Do you seriously think that maintenance of the site can be payed off with few sticker boxes and stuff? Hah!

My point was actually that companies MUST be more involved and transparent. They must listen to us. Provide us with information promptly, include us more in their products development.

My idea was to have a group of people here on forums 5-6 (EXCLUDING ME!) that can get free items such as sticker packs and boxes from companies and REVIEW them. I think such reviews would be highly beneficial for development of the hobby and spreading the true and honest opinion about cards and stickers. Not everything that gets released is worth buying.

Those free samples that guys here could get would benefit this site by having more news, more content and more COLLECTORS and ENTHUSIAST of the hobby, which is my goal.

Since companies are not interested in providing us with ANYTHING, let alone with a sample, I decided to quit on such an idea for NOW.

So the whole point of this post is not me crying about anything, just speaking out loud about how companies still work in old-fashioned way, ignoring social media, websites, online communities.

Do not think I am trying to make any money of this site, because trust me you do not want to know how much this whole thing cost me. Once site gets larger of course I will implement advertisements and other stuff to get my money back, but the most important thing about the CardzReview is to provide friendly and safe environment for collectors of all age, no matter how old, black, white, yellow, green or blue, multicultural, different people SAME PASSION!

@Caniggia Love that idea about factory visit!

 

[dantzig]

@Pavle I only saw this now and I thought the absence of articles in the main site was only lack of time.

Anyway, we already discussed this previously and it was a lost battle... I tried to cheer you up along the way and to be honest, you've accomplished more with publishers than I ever imagined... But of course, we usually come to a simple conclusion: publishers don't care about collectors, let alone their most enthusiastic... We might be just a few % in the whole business, but we contribute much more than that for their sales... Do they care? No way Jose.

When I did some reviews and articles for Cardzreview, it was obviously from my own pocket. And as long as I have the patience for this, I'll keep doing it. I don't care if publishers don't provide some samples to true enthusiastics (and not some journalist who doesn't even know the difference between stickers and cards), I never expected them to be generous in anything, even though they have millions in profit... Jus to rectify something: we are not on our own, we WERE ALWAYS on our own.

One last thing to everyone here: I'm just another user and my opinion worth what it's worth, but Pavle is far, very far from being some leecher... So everything he wrote about exposure, connections, meetins, swaps, a true friendship bond among serious and thoughtful collectors, is 100% true. I have so many messages with him passionately talking about it that it's sad to realize how publishers don't deserve what he contributed to the hobby... And never mind about the free advertising he has done for the same publishers, the same advertising that have certainly generated some revenues to them... And this applies to all bloggers, youtubers and other genuine collectors.

I'm with you my friend, so in the end, all I can say is... FUCK THEM!

 

[Pavle]

@dantzig Thanks my friend!

Absence of articles has nothing to do with this honestly. Simply it was a quiet period with not much new stuff going on, and I felt I had nothing smart to say.

No worries, blog and forums stays my priority, so there will be some new articles coming soon.

I really appreciate all the kind words from you guys, its really nice to have you all here and I really appreciate it. Your amazing posts about collection and the way members help out each other keeps me going, and do now worry, the BEST IS YET TO COME!

 

[dantzig]

HAHAHAHAAHAHAA

If you ever wanted to give up on collecting stickers because publishers are idiots, now is the right time!


Panini dedicated a collection to Italian YouTuber!
What a waste of paper!

View attachment 1007

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALBUM-FIGURINE-PANINI-FAVIJ-BOX-50-BUSTINE-SIGILLATE-NOVITA-2015-/201334183394?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_101&hash=item2ee073d5e2

@Pavle Hurry, there's only one left!

 

[ilias]

That's horrible! Lol

 

[Makhno]

I have no word to qualify this album cover...

 

[dantzig]

Saw now a couple of videos of fans opening packets and what the heck he does for being this famous... And yes, I've lost a bit more of my faith in this world.

Type "favij" in google (do not press Enter or the search button) and check out the first suggestion from google itself... Yes, google is right.

 

[Pavle]

No, to fully understand how world works, take a look how the promotion of this album works.
Now that I think it, Panini cant be blamed. As the matter a fact they made spot on marketing move.
But we have system to blame indeed.
Unbelievable.
https://www.facebook.com/figurinepanini/videos/vb.103477066361201/855243734517860/?type=1&theater

 

[dantzig]

The couple of videos I saw from him (couldn't see more) had millions of views, so seeing all this children so hyped about it wasn't surprising... Panini also taking the chance to profit from it also wasn't surprising... What I'm always surprised is what kids like and what this guy does is not worth the hype, far from it.

Good for him though, he saw the opportunity to make a name, just like all those teenager idols... Silly world :\

 

[Pavle]

Panini continues to disappoint us by trying to be viral. Latest of these "incidents" is this photo of already mentioned youtuber who makes some stupid faces while holding first Panini album from Panini museum.

 

[dantzig]

It's probably his trademark face... Probably he does always that same face wherever he is... Such as:

• Haunted House;
• Funeral;
• Wedding proposal;
• Taking a shit;
• Dying.

Yep, I imagined all that

 

[ilias]

I can't believe they actually let anyone touch any album especially this kid probably bend the corners