Overpriced FA Youth Cup programmes on Ebay

[KJD]

I know this has been covered before but . .

I've produced Colchester's youth team and County Cup programmes for years. It's a low tech operation done as a favour to the club as I can print what we need rather than an excessive minimum order.

They are Word documents printed on a bog standard colour laser printer with the major cost being my time and toner. And over the years I've learnt how to source OEM toner so that my unit cost is 25-30p. They are folded by hand and stapled with a saddle stapler that I picked up off ebay years ago for about £15. I've got a pretty good feel for print runs and the c20 unsold from Tuesday night (v MK Dons) is typical.

The club are very accommodating with programme requests and I know that "a collector" had been in touch asking for copies of the then three FAYC programmes from this season. I handed them over to the club Tuesday evening.

Hey presto copies of our games with Cheshunt, Bishop's Stortford & Crewe have appeared tonight priced at £9.99 each plus 99p p&P. There's even a team sheet for the Cheshunt game, which we liberally distribute free at reception, often on the gate. and there were some left on the tea bar counter on Tuesday, listed separately also at £9.99.

That could of course just be coincidence but if anyone happens to want any of our youth cup, or Essex Senior Cup, programmes don't pay £9.99. Come direct to the me and pay no more than cover price plus the postage. It's years since I've sold anything on Ebay but I'm very tempted.

[Maidonian]

There does seem to be money to be made from some FA Youth Cup programmes/teamsheets....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EVERTON-V-IPSWICH-TOWN-FA-YOUTH-CUP-8-DECEMBER-2017-TEAMSHEET-/173043176492?nma=true&si=zFjj7fjPRDbLxTSjdWiLSAGMZmI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[KJD]

Do you think if I arrange a printer malfunction and only manage to have a dozen at our next game, v Reading, I'll be able to retire on the after sales???

[Auchinleckian]

Maidonian wrote:

There does seem to be money to be made from some FA Youth Cup programmes/teamsheets.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EVERTON-V-IPSWICH-TOWN-FA-YOUTH-CUP-8-DECEMBER-2017-TEAMSHEET-/173043176492?nma=true&si=zFjj7fjPRDbLxTSjdWiLSAGMZmI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

The world has truly gone mad. These team sheets will stored online somewhere and can be produced for next to nothing, so whty on earth would anybody pay £89 for it?

[Wullie]

This always fascinated me , how people can pay so much money for , as you say for an item that can be printed off for pennies. There is no return on this. So they are lucky to have so much money to indulge a hobby that will produce zero return if they wish to sell or pass it on. And sellers will notice this and will create a shortage , then reproduce another , and then another until all buyers are satisfied . It's been going on for years. If people are willing to pay vast sums it'll keep going on.

[Dorking]

I went to Mansfield v Palace in the Youth Cup just before Christmas. It was £3 to get in and a quid for the programme. Nobody I knew asked me to get them a programme which I would happily have done at no cost.

Someone listed a programme on ebay and it sold for £9.99!!

A programme with a teamsheet (teamsheet only available if you were one of those allowed in the Directors box) went for £29.00 !!!!

Mental.

(wish I'd bought some extras of course in hindsight)