Getting Started with Cardsphere

Sponsored by Cardsphere

Going back to the days of when Magic: The Gathering first released, players have been chasing cards through any means necessary. In-person trading turned into online forums, which evolved into online sales platforms and more. Peer-to-peer trading has existed since the dawn of the game but is just now becoming refined. Cardsphere continues to grow into the best trading platform to grab cards whether they're Standard staples or hard-to-find gems.

An Ever-Expanding User Base

We've spoken about the merits of Cardsphere before, and while it's a fantastic resource, it can be a little daunting at first glance. Thankfully, Cardsphere doesn't just come with an expansive tutorial section, it benefits from a growing user population, too! Cardsphere users range from casual trader all the way up to power user funding their cardboard habits. This benefits everyone, whether they are on the sending or receiving side of every trade. As a new user to the site, having plenty of recipients to send cards to means you'll always have options once you're ready.

As you can see, there is a HUGE amount of trading happening on Cardsphere. While the goals for the site vary as much as the user base, one theme remains the same: Cardsphere is enabling users to convert cards they don't want into something they do. Some users might be using the trading platform to consolidate their collections into fewer cards. Other users might be trying to convert a single high-value card, like an Underground Sea, into an entire deck. Whatever the goal, Cardsphere's tools and community are able to help move unwanted cards into something more desirable. 

Sending Good Vibes

The first step to getting cards sent to you on Cardsphere all comes down to getting money in your account. While some folks choose to add money to their account via deposits, the other way is to send cards out. Since Cardsphere is a trading platform first and foremost, it makes sense that users can maximize value by sending cards. The secret to sending out cards though is going to be a well-managed Haves list.

Deposits made easy

Managing your Haves is where you'll get your start sending out cards. Whether you only want to send out a few high value cards or you're aspiring to become a power user, the tools on Cardsphere will help. From your Haves page you can add cards one by one and set the edition, language, condition, and more. This helps both senders and the receivers make sure that every trade is right every time. Cardsphere's system will match folks up with what is in your Haves to what they have in their own Wants.

Now maybe you're someone who already has their collection tracked on another website, like Archidekt with their new collection tracker. Tracking your collection on another site means you can import into your Haves via CSV files. This allows for a speedy way bring large amounts of cards and then make adjustments to one-offs after. Importing collections will make your time from signing up to sending cards cut down significantly. If you're one of the users whose goal is to turn a pile of old cards into something desirable, Cardsphere has never been easier to get in on.

Anchor Sending

One extremely helpful tip from high-volume traders on Cardsphere is to use a strategy called "anchor sending." This strategy is where you will find a higher value card, say, The Great Henge, and commit to sending it. Once you have the users in mind that want a copy, you can dive into the rest of the cards in their Wants. This allows you to scan and see any other cards you can bundle together. While you scan a user's Wants page, you're able to filter and sort for cards they're paying a high percentage on the index price for. Anchor sending this way and building a package of multiple cards around one primary card is a way to minimize shipping costs.

This type of strategy comes in handy when you don't have a large card to build around. There's a huge population of users on the site who only have smaller cards on their Wants list. If you're going to spend the money on a stamp, envelope, and top loader, then maximizing your value sent will make sure you're getting the most from each package. Maybe you happen to have twenty cards from one user's list of Wants. Cardsphere's Send page can be organized to show users who have the most amount of overlap between your Haves and their Wants. This lets users build a single package of multiple cards all together. If you don't like one of the card offers, you can simply remove that card before committing to send.

Creating Your Own Buylist

For years it was a common assumption that the best buylist prices for cards were at Grands Prix and other large scale Magic events. Over the past few years, though, larger events have become few and far between, and regional events are always a Gamble when it comes to selling cards. These issues combine with online buylist experiences that sometimes feel like a bait and switch, and it can be discouraging. Cardsphere brings that power back to users with a more transparent process for both the sender and receiver.

Index pricing brings a standard dollar amount to every card and reduces the need to shop around for the best price. Once the best price has been established, all a sender needs to do is find an acceptable offer. As a sender, you have full control over whatever offers you as the sender want to accept. This gives both the buyer and the seller equal agency over every transaction instead of a traditional transaction. Cardsphere provides the unique aspect as a trading platform for all participants by providing and index price on cards. This lets everything at all points happen at every participants discretion.

Another resource made available to all user is the average rate of the index price on recent trades. This rate is broken down by price range on cards giving you a detailed glimpse into how you can shape your offers along with what to expect on cards you send. If you need a card urgently you can edit your offer towards the top of the percentage range and shape your offers to match the market. As a seller you're able to weed out lowball offers as well so all users are informed at all stages of a transaction. 

Cardsphere has made several strides as a trading platform and bringing power to every Magic player out there. It's impossible to sum up and go over every tip and trick to succeeding with Cardsphere, so keep an eye out for more in the future on how to maximize your time and effort. Until then, happy trading!