Hobby Topic:Upper Deck's e-Pack

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Today's Topic is

Upper Deck e-Pack

We are over a year into the e-pack craze, how many online e-packs have you opened? Do you like this platform? Is there any way to improve it? Or is it great already? What's your best hit? Do you open free packs daily?

Please make sure it's clean for our younger audience.

Military Upper Deck e-pack Giveaway!!!

Earlier this year, Upper Deck released e-pack, the first ever digital card that you can actually get physical cards of. You can get daily FREE packs as well where it gives you a taste of what the program is about (free packs are all base cards) or you can buy packs, boxes and cases with at least one physical card you can claim per box.

If you need more info or how the program works, I laid it all out in detail on this LINK.

The greatest part of the e-pack experience is being able to bust packs, boxes and cases wherever you want. This is a great advantage for those who don't have LCS' or more importantly, those collectors who serve our great country overseas or right here at home. It's not always that easy for them to access cards and a hobby like this can be very therapeutic in their stressful life. 

I know if my grandfather who served in WW2 was alive, I would share this program with him if he was serving somewhere. To be honest, I am not sure if my grandfather was a collector nor did I ever meet him because PTSD took him before I was born, but I think something like this might have helped especially if it was something he may have had done with me.

Even my buddy Tim, whose brother served, had this to say about him, "My brother served in the military for 6 years. Fortunately, he never saw action in a war but he did serve his country with pride. I recently had the opportunity to show him the Upper Deck ePack platform. While he is not very tech savvy. He did like the idea of being able to open packs anytime, anywhere. He also liked the fact you can have cards mailed to you. Due to his present situation I was unable to take a picture with him. But he did say that if he collected sports cards it would be something that he would probably would interested in. Who knows, maybe a seed was planted and we'll be going to card shows or trading on the Upper Deck ePack site before long."

So what Tim and I would like to do, is share the e-pack experience with someone who is currently serving, did serve or a close family member of someone who is as we know that can be just as stressful.

There is 3 e-packs up for grabs to 3 different people. So each person will get one pack. It's not much, but we are hoping it helps. And you never know we may do this again especially if turnout is good so please spread the word. This is for a good cause.

For those that enter, all we ask for in return is for you to tell us your story (doesn't need to be long) of your military ties and whether or not you have used the e-pack platform (let us know your thoughts on it) in the comments below. It's as simple as it gets. 

We will random all entrants and announce winners. Please leave your email or Twitter @ in comments as well to make it easier for us to reach you if you miss winner announcements.

Right now there are a couple of hockey card offerings on the e-pack website, but later this year Goodwin Champions will release on the site as well and that product offers a ton of fun stuff across many sports, non-sports and this years edition even has military related items.

You will have til May 26th 2016 to enter. Winners will be announced on May 27th 2016.

Thank you to all who spread the word on this and especially to those who served.

WE ARE ALSO TRUSTING YOU ARE ENTERING THIS BECAUSE YOU CURRENTLY SERVING, DID SERVE OR ARE A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER OF SOMEONE WHO IS. PLEASE DO NOT ENTER IF YOU ARE NOT. THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THOSE WHO SERVE OUR GREAT COUNTRY TO TRY AND TAKE SOMETHING FROM THEM. THANK YOU. 

My First Digital Experience

For those that have read my blog, followed me on Twitter or liked me on Facebook, you have seen many times my thoughts on collecting digital cards. I don't care for it. I am one who would rather prefer the real physical card that you can hold. So when Upper Deck announced their new digital card idea in the e-pack, it actually offers collectors a chance to do more than just stare at their computer screen or mobile device. You can actually claim cards to physically hold.

I am a bit behind in posting about this on here and to be honest, up until today I still had no interest in trying it. I guess it's the ole fashion collector has me still stuck in the days before the internet. Well, before I discovered the internet.

After watching a buddy of mine pull yet another autograph from an e-pack today, he has also hit a Bobby Orr autograph and the much sought after Connor McDavid Young Gun, I thought that maybe it was time I gave it a try. I suppose at some point I need to check these things out, right?

So I went to https://www.upperdeckepack.com/ to check it out. First thing you need to do is to sign in or sign up like I did.  

 

After I submitted my info, BOOM, this came on like I had scored a goal. I hit a first achievement just for signing up. 

Up next, it brought to the home page with many options to click on.......

 

Of course I went straight for the FREE pack. You can get one three card FREE pack per day.

 

Up next the wrapper pops up. Man I could smell that fresh pack scent...oh wait....not only can I not smell it, I have to let the computer open it for me. *sigh*

 

BOOM! Siren's blaring again! Achievement earned of ripping the pack! Well, not really. I clicked on it. So technically I clicked on the pack. 

 

Inside of the FREE packs you only get base cards. You must buy packs to get the inserts, Young Guns, jersey cards and autographs. However, once you collect a certain number of the same base card it unlocks a special parallel card of that player. So I guess you must be consistent on coming back to open the FREE packs. The other part is, the base cards you CANNOT get as physical cards. So for us base collectors, we gotta realize this.

Now onto my three cards from my first ever pack of digital cards.

My first card was of Blues Alexander Steen

 

Second card was of Canadians Nathan Beaulieu 

 

And my final card was of Dustin Byfuglien

 

My first pack collection 

 

There is another aspect to the e-pack where you can link a “Check Out My Cards” account to Upper Deck e-Pack and transfer physical cards to COMC. Once transferred to COMC, you can have the cards shipped, or sell them on the COMC marketplace. 

So what are my thoughts on e-pack and my first ever digital experience, well.... 

PROS:

1. Don't have an LCS or Walmart nearby, open a pack on a mobile device. Open here, there, pretty much everywhere. Even on a box, with a fox, on boat without a coat. In China, at your in-laws, on the toilet seat, wherever!
2. You can claim actual physical cards of the ones you stare at on your screen. Not something other companies offer.
3. They offer daily FREE packs so even those on a short budget can join in. Even though they are just base cards, it still may help get the pack itch out.
4. The COMC crossover will help sell your cards easier than eBay. 
5. The site looks nice and is very user friendly. It also moves fast and has no delay.

CONS:

1. Hoping it doesn't take too much away from the remaining LCS'. Cause to me, there is nothing like going to an LCS. Not that I have one, but I remember what it was like.
2. It's still digital and not like opening up a real pack of Upper Deck cards. I will take that fresh box/pack smell any day.
3. You have to pay for a digital pack/box/case then have to pay to have the cards shipped to you
4. You can't claim base cards which hurts base set collectors or team collectors 
5. It's still digital. I think you get my point.

Now that I have had my first digital card tasting will I move forward in that direction? Probably not. I will simply just take the FREE packs when I have an itch. I still can't see myself paying for digital cards as I still prefer opening up something with my hands. But, that's just me. Many really like the site, collect the digital cards and so forth. I will say for my first experience, it well pretty well and I was impressed with Upper Deck's idea and what was offered and how it was presented.

Overall, digital cards are still not up my alley, but if I was ever going to head that direction or was forced to, I think Upper Deck is taking digital to the right place.