How do buybacks work?

[n1nesports]

So I got to thinking about buybacks. I think like most people I just accepted what they were and didn't give them much thought. So for anyone who actually knows (and isn't just assuming), how does Upper Deck get their hands on the buyback cards (the original non-autographed cards)? Why do they call them buybacks? Who are they buying them back from?? It's hard to add up to me. Do they just never put out those cards in the first place? What's the deal?????

[iluvfish2]

The buyback term comes from the process. UD will buyback the cards, typically from a third party that they'll do a contact with for XX cards. They then have an autograph session with the player (or use stickers), and reissue the cards(s).

[n1nesports]

Originally Posted by iluvfish2

The buyback term comes from the process. UD will buyback the cards, typically from a third party that they'll do a contact with for XX cards. They then have an autograph session with the player (or use stickers), and reissue the cards(s).

That's what I figured but it still doesn't make sense.
Take for instance a Jason Kidd Exquisite buyback /22. All the "buybacks" are from a base subset, in that subset only 50 cards exist. So do they have some person working for them who's duty it is to buy 22 of those cards off numerous dealers? Seems like a very odd practice. It also seems pretty unprofessional for them to be going back to the customers to get cards they made.

Here's another thing I don't get. How do they have a buyback of a card that is originally from the set you got the buyback in??? Like an 09-10 exquisite buyback, but the card itself is from 09-10 exquisite. I thought once a product was released that that was it. It doesn't even make sense. Unless they released the product, then bought those cards (somehow finding that many of them that fast), then re-released the product.
I'm assuming they had all the cards printed, set aside those 22 subset cards, got them signed and called them buybacks since they used what was supposed to be part of a set.

[bballcardheaven]

Originally Posted by n1nesports

That's what I figured but it still doesn't make sense.
Take for instance a Jason Kidd Exquisite buyback /22. All the "buybacks" are from a base subset, in that subset only 50 cards exist. So do they have some person working for them who's duty it is to buy 22 of those cards off numerous dealers? Seems like a very odd practice. It also seems pretty unprofessional for them to be going back to the customers to get cards they made.

Here's another thing I don't get. How do they have a buyback of a card that is originally from the set you got the buyback in??? Like an 09-10 exquisite buyback, but the card itself is from 09-10 exquisite. I thought once a product was released that that was it. It doesn't even make sense. Unless they released the product, then bought those cards (somehow finding that many of them that fast), then re-released the product.
I'm assuming they had all the cards printed, set aside those 22 subset cards, got them signed and called them buybacks since they used what was supposed to be part of a set.

Do you have an example of this? I haven't seen any 09/10 Exquisite cards used as buybacks in 09/10 Exquisite. Unless you are talking about some of the Rookie Autos, which weren't actually buybacks. Example:
2009/10 EXQUISITE WAYNE ELLINGTON AUTO RC #79/225 MINT - eBay (item 160417124214 end time Mar-31-10 18:04:12 PDT)

I am assuming that UD was not expecting them to sign for them so they printed regular rookie cards. But then the player signed for them at the last minute and they needed to include some type of certification for the signature, so they just included a "buyback" card, even though it wasn't a buyback at all.

[n1nesports]

Originally Posted by bballcardheaven

Do you have an example of this? I haven't seen any 09/10 Exquisite cards used as buybacks in 09/10 Exquisite. Unless you are talking about some of the Rookie Autos, which weren't actually buybacks. Example:
2009/10 EXQUISITE WAYNE ELLINGTON AUTO RC #79/225 MINT - eBay (item 160417124214 end time Mar-31-10 18:04:12 PDT)

I am assuming that UD was not expecting them to sign for them so they printed regular rookie cards. But then the player signed for them at the last minute and they needed to include some type of certification for the signature, so they just included a "buyback" card, even though it wasn't a buyback at all.

I have the example, I broke a box of it and got a Jason Kidd gold base buyback that was auto'd and numbered out of 22. The gold base cards are numbered to 50.
Here's the card:
2009-10 Exquisite Buyback Auto Jason Kidd 12/22 - eBay (item 120546945924 end time Mar-25-10 02:32:50 PDT)
Just trying to figure out how exactly UD does it. That means they took 22 of those gold cards and got Kidd to sign them. Why do they call it a buyback though? Did they do it because they "interfered" with a subset they made by taking away 22 of them and having them signed?

[bballcardheaven]

Originally Posted by n1nesports

I have the example, I broke a box of it and got a Jason Kidd gold base buyback that was auto'd and numbered out of 22. The gold base cards are numbered to 50.
Here's the card:
2009-10 Exquisite Buyback Auto Jason Kidd 12/22 - eBay (item 120546945924 end time Mar-25-10 02:32:50 PDT)
Just trying to figure out how exactly UD does it. That means they took 22 of those gold cards and got Kidd to sign them. Why do they call it a buyback though? Did they do it because they "interfered" with a subset they made by taking away 22 of them and having them signed?

I was asking for an example of 09/10 originals in 09/10 Exquisite as buybacks. That Jason Kidd is originally from 08/09 Exquisite. They supposedly release all 50 and then "buy back" 22 of them. However, I doubt this actually occurs. They probably just hold them off and then release them in 09/10 Exquisite as buybacks.

[n1nesports]

Originally Posted by bballcardheaven

I was asking for an example of 09/10 originals in 09/10 Exquisite as buybacks. That Jason Kidd is originally from 08/09 Exquisite. They supposedly release all 50 and then "buy back" 22 of them. However, I doubt this actually occurs. They probably just hold them off and then release them in 09/10 Exquisite as buybacks.

Doh, forgot that wasn't a 09-10 base! Ok, disregard my stupid post . Yea either way I think they hold onto them too. If they didn't I'd like to know the process they go through to get the cards they buy back. I just picture some person behind a computer at UD buying cards off ebay.

[FortheBirds]

Originally Posted by n1nesports

Doh, forgot that wasn't a 09-10 base! Ok, disregard my stupid post . Yea either way I think they hold onto them too. If they didn't I'd like to know the process they go through to get the cards they buy back. I just picture some person behind a computer at UD buying cards off ebay.

Thats the part i have always wondered about as well. Theres no doubt in some situations they obviously never let the cards out of the factory in the first place. But if they truly DO buy some back my biggest question is WHO do they buy them back from? Nobody in this thread has given this answer yet save for the use of the term "third party" in one of the explanations. Who is the third party and how did they get in to bed with UD in the first place?

[iluvfish2]

Its hard to say. I would think you could actually find out who the 3rd party was that bought them back. I'd like to think they did release all of them, but I also agree it would be very hard to get 44% of the print run.

The only exception being if they had this planned from day one and could try and acquire them immediatly and over the course of 7 months I would think you could get them.

[n1nesports]

Well it's definitely something to think about. Why the hell doesn't UD have at least one person go around forums answering questions like this? When I think about it, the card companies could easily afford to have at least one person go around the internet answering questions. Bah!

[iluvfish2]

To be hoenst, they've done this on some forums and instead of answering quesitons when they tried they got blasted. Rasor used to do this on I think SCF and they got hammered.

[n1nesports]

Originally Posted by iluvfish2

To be hoenst, they've done this on some forums and instead of answering quesitons when they tried they got blasted. Rasor used to do this on I think SCF and they got hammered.

That's tough. The only problem I see with that would be people bringing their complaints about the companies to a thread that has nothing to do with it. I can imagine a few angry people letting out their rage on a UD representative lol.