Leading sports and trading card marketplace eBay is launching a new pricing tool that aims to help collectors make better buying decisions.
The new price guide will utilize eBay marketplace data from sold and paid listings to offer market insights.
Accessible through the My eBay tab in the platform’s app, collectors will be able to check pricing data by scanning cards with their phone camera. The tool will work for both raw and graded cards and offer two years of eBay transaction data, including accepted Best Offers.
The feature is currently in “Early Access” with a full release date yet to be announced.
“Collectors rely on accurate comps to make smart buying, selling, and trading decisions,” Adam Ireland, VP & GM, Global Collectibles at eBay, said in a statement. “Our new Price Guide for sports trading cards brings relevant data together in one place, offering a clearer view of everything from rarity to real market value. We’ll continue to test and refine the experience, but we’re very excited to get this in front of collectors and make sure it delivers what our community needs.”
Sourcing accurate pricing data for the trading card industry has been particularly difficult for collectors, with many often relying on third-party applications such as Card Ladder or Market Movers to track individual cards or larger collections.
Tracking data accurately from larger marketplaces, including eBay, has been challenging due to a number of variables.
Third-party tools can often be fooled by user-generated auction listings, which can feature inaccurate descriptions or major differences in naming conventions. Auctions that are completed but never paid can also introduce inaccurate data points.
eBay research tool Terapeak, which only logs completed and paid auctions, has been a reliable source, but doesn’t include sales from other marketplaces or auction houses.
The addition of a revamped price guide is the latest tool introduced by eBay for the sports and trading card category. In January, the platform added grading data to auction listings through its partnership with authenticator PSA.
eBay then added a feature in March where collectors could send eligible cards in for grading through PSA after purchasing on the platform.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the collectibles editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.