Wednesday, June 01, 2022

Reviewing a trading card app - YMMV

Through my Instagram feed [or in my Instgram Explore feed], I might have seen snippet where a trading card influencer was promoting this app called Center Stage - maybe the clip ran for about 10 seconds, but I was curious enough to download the app.

I was at a show about a month ago where I might have seen a woman using this app to look up cards that had piqued her interest - I think she was telling the seller about the app, though I didn't know anything about it then.

I think this trading card app is supposed to help identify cards where it will link to eBay listings where with recent sales information - to be fair, this app might be a work in progress where it might not give the user the latest, most accurate listings.

Another function that maybe of use is being able to 'scan' a random card in his hand and the app has the ability to show what the card is - trying things out, the app was able to identify at least a couple of cards off the bat, though there were instances where you have to frame the card the right way or else the app will give you listings for different cards all together.

Where this app may help me the most is dealing with looking up all sorts of cards off my assorted pick ups - as part of what I call my inventory recap 'process,' I want to list out all the cards I found, so I have an idea where I got specific cards and may have something to look back on as far any number of 'hauls.'

Off a card show trip, I end up with at least 50-100 bulk cards and as well as 35-40 assorted singles at one time - I really don't want to look cards up manually where I have to think about the year, the brand, et al so I can list them out from the first to the very last card.

I don't know if this app speeds up that process, but I can 'scan' a number of cards one-by-one and find many of them - as someone who has crept towards the older collector territory, I don't know if I can look up some card numbers in tiny print and other card identifiers that maybe obscured off the cards themselves.

I still have to make sure that the card I've scanned matches the results, but the app gives me a more interactive process - as opposed to having to look up miscellaneous cards through a Web search, a COMC search or an ebay search outright.

When I get results, I can work with something where I can copy [instead of typing out] the brand, the year, the player and the card number - so that may make generating a list easier than having to type things out, even if I have to play around with how I want the card listings formatted.

1 comment:

Jon said...

This sounds like it's just an easier way for people to find stuff to flip. Now they won't have to know anything about anything to make money. I've been seeing the same kind of dipsh*ts using similar apps for books, videos, and DVD's for years now; and just saw two people (flippers) using one for action figures a couple of weeks ago.