A lot has changed from the Civil War era when sports cards first debuted to today, but none has had more of an impact on the industry than the internet. Initially many feared the internet would signal the end to the way trading cards are bought and sold, but for the most part, it has been a positive tool for collectors, hobby shop owners and trading card manufacturers who have chosen to embrace this technology to find new levels of engagement in this hobby. It is clear that Upper Deck has done a great job of engaging their fans through online tools like this Blog, their company website, their Facebook page, their YouTube channel and their Twitter accounts for sports, hockey and entertainment. The tools Upper Deck provides make it a lot easier to be a trading card collector and to stay up to date with the latest happenings with the company.

There used to be trading card clubs where collectors could get together to trade with each other and share their latest trading cards. That is all done online nowadays as there are a variety of online communities where collectors share their great pulls and trade with each other on various forums. And how awesome is that to see the internet bring like-minded collectors together to experience the hobby on a whole new level no matter if they live in Topeka, Kansas or Moosejaw, Saskatchewan. Fans of sports cards today use these communities to learn the hobby which may be a reason why you don’t see sports cards in bike spokes anymore. People realize sports cards are collectible.

Another major change is how sports cards are priced. While I enjoy reading printed sports card publications, most do not put a lot of merit in the traditional price guide anymore. These days if you have an eBay account you can just peruse completed auctions for a card you wonder about the value of and get a very accurate appraisal on the value. And if your item is super rare, people often just put it up on eBay with a ridiculous “Buy It Now” price to get a better feel for what someone would pay which is what we saw recently with the 2010-11 NHL The Cup Sidney Crosby dual autograph shield card. The buyer relisted that card at a much more rationale price after gauging interest by posting it the first time.

Arguably the biggest change from before the internet era was how cards are bought and sold. Instead of walking down to your local hobby shop, today you can buy or sell trading cards with a few clicks of the mouse. Unfortunately with internet sales of collectible items come unscrupulous buyers and sellers looking to make a quick buck by taking advantage unsuspecting collectors. Upper Deck has definitely adapted to the times by creating their Authorized Internet Retailer group as a way of protecting consumers from these online predators. If you live in the United States and purchase sealed product online, make sure you are only purchasing your Upper Deck cards through these Authorized Internet Retailers.

OC Sportscards is a new Authorized Internet Retailer for Upper Deck that routinely brings athletes in for signings. Here Reggie Jackson signs at the popular Southern California store.

And if you live in Canada, make sure to check out these Authorized Internet Retailers for your Upper Deck purchases.

D&M Sports Cards in Canada is a huge retail sports store that also has a strong online presence.

The trading card industry was slower to adapt to the internet, but it is clear Upper Deck and others are using other industries as a blue-print for what works best in this digital age. I’m not sure what new online invention will be next to blow customer’s minds, but I’m sure it will serve to make the hobby better and keep the industry alive. How do you think the internet will change the world of sports card collecting next and how else to you think it has changed the hobby?

Make sure to look for the Upper Deck Authorized Internet Retailer logo when purchasing sealed UD product online.

Sam is currently a Junior in High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When’s he’s not watching sports he’s tweeting about it. You can follow Sam on Twitter @Chinookverify.

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