More and more we are in an on-demand world, especially in terms of media and entertainment consumption. Is that translating to different forms of retail? We are seeing Fanatics now turning around custom apparel minutes after big sporting events, and more importantly for their bottom line, not having to print thousands of unused tee-shirts until requests come in.
Now one of the more storied brands in sport, one that is always looking to keep pushing the tide in an industry (collectables) that certainly has its ebb and flow, is also going the on-demand route:TOPPS.
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On Opening Day of the MLB season the company, with MLB and the MLBPA, launched TOPPS Now, an on-demand daily card service that captured and sourced the best image or images of the day in MLB and immediately turned the image around as a card for consumers to buy on demand. Want Trevor Story’s first homer? The card exists. How about Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter? It was out in 24 hours. Images which fans had to wait a year for in the past can now be part of the conversation in a day, all online and with no limit to purchase.
So how has Topps NOW worked out just a few weeks into the MLB season?
We asked Jeff Heckman, Director, New Product Development & eCommerce Marketplace for TOPPS to break it down for us.
There have been a number of new offerings from Topps on the Digital side, why offer a traditional card with Topps Now?
We have getting several requests over the past few years about offering physical cards when historical moments or amazing plays happen on the field. Fans and collectors wanted to have a physical card to immediately commemorate the moment. On Topps.com, we have offered wall art over the last couple of years for no-hitters and during playoff games using our print-on demand capabilities. This year, we felt it was the right time to extend this capability throughout the season in the size of a trading card.
What has been the response?
The response has been great. We’ve seen a tremendous increase in the traffic to Topps.com since the launch of the program. We have sold over 20,000 cards in the first 3 weeks of the season. We also have received a lot of suggestions about who should get a card via our #ToppsNow hashtag on social media.
What has been the biggest challenge in getting the card up and out so far?
The biggest challenge is the quick turnaround time. We need to select a moment, choose an image, write the copy, get it approved by MLB and MLBPA, and then launch it on the site. With games ending late on the West Coast and the office in New York, this can be challenging to get everything turned around in a timely fashion.
Today we are all about fan response. Have you looked into fan sourcing of the image of the day at all?
We have considered it. I do think we would like to have fans to be able to choose the cards and moments at some point this season. We are a little constrained by the images that are available, but we do want to involve the fans in the selection process.
Can you use just players? What about a great first pitch or a celebrity on camera at a game?
It is mostly players, because we would need to have the rights secured to feature a celebrity or fan at a game on a single card. However we would consider obtaining the rights if the moment warranted it.
Which image thus far has been the biggest surprise?
We have been pleasantly surprised by the breakout rookie performances to start the season. Trevor Story is certainly getting a lot of attention which is much deserved, but there have been great performances by Nomar Mazara, Tyler White, and Kanta Maeda as well. Rookie cards are always the most sought after cards for collectors so it has been great to highlight their hot start to the 2016 season.
It seems that brands like Topps and Fanatics are getting smarter with quicker turnaround, on-demand consumer responses. How will this type of business grow traditional Topps product?
I think it will put Topps back on the radar in the eyes of some fans who used collect when they were kids. There are a lot of fans in their late 20’s-40’s who used to collect baseball cards as kids. This will be a way for them to get a card of their favorite player or moment as it happens. Hopefully this will cause them to search around at Topps.com to see how the hobby has evolved since they were kids. They are a lot of different baseball card releases with many new features like autographs, game-worn jersey cards, and new technology.
You also work with r brands like UFC, MLS and The Premier League; any thought on moving the ToppsNow brand to those partnerships as well?
In the future, we would love to be able to offer this program for all sports leagues and entertainment properties where we offer cards.
What is next for Topps in terms of brand growth as baseball gets moving?
Topps Now is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the type of products that we plan to offer in the future. We hope to continue to capitalize on the global growth of baseball particularly in the Asian markets. Additionally we want to be able to create cards and programs for kids that are playing the game and consuming the content on all of their devices.