Are card companies cutting back or running out of ideas?

[autobilia]

Things are definately changing. I remember when I collected, major card companies wouldn't even look at your designs or anything. I was told they have a graphics department and that they had something in the contract with licensing board where it was forbidden.

Now, you look on card company sites, you may see a "submit an idea" link and of course, you are not getting any pay or compensation for it. If you read the TOS's, it seems not only card companies are doing it, but also magazines.

 

[oasis]

Id say they are running out of ideas..

 

[Eliteonline]

I think the reason they are doing that is to cut there cost down. They get the average Joe to design the card. Then they don't have to hire a designer to do it. Designer cost big bucks. Get someone else to do it for free? Don't Pay them? Free ='s Making more money for the card company.... Make sense to me.. just my Opinion though.

Thanks
Nick
Eliteonline
EliteCollectables

 

[Cartophilium]

Very True

I think the reason they are doing that is to cut there cost down. They get the average Joe to design the card. Then they don't have to hire a designer to do it. Designer cost big bucks. Get someone else to do it for free? Don't Pay them? Free ='s Making more money for the card company.... Make sense to me.. just my Opinion though.

Thanks
Nick
Eliteonline
EliteCollectables

Very true about the free labour part. Having produced cards, guides and magazines in the 1980's I know the cost of labour.

Conversely card design has not changed drastically since the first cards were issued soon after the American Civil War. The technology allows you to do more and produce better quality images but the basics are still the same.