The right scanner can usher in digital transformation and drive online sales for sports card traders, dealers, and businesses
Today, hockey card trading happens online. For many hobby store owners, meeting that market requires major digital transformation. Sports card trading has historically been a face-to-face transaction, and bringing brick-and-mortar businesses into online spaces is a tall order. Choosing the right scanner can help you list more cards faster and increase your volume of sales. That means more revenue for growth and fewer cards collecting dust in storage. Here are some of the most important features to look for in your new hockey card scanner.
Need help picking the perfect scanner for your whole inventory? Check out our guide, Preserving History: The Value of a Sports Card Scanner.
What are the benefits of hockey card scanners?
Hockey card scanners need to satisfy a number of competing interests. They have to capture accurate images while also scanning large volumes at high speeds. They also need to preserve each card’s condition while processing it as quickly as possible. Sports card dealers and collectors alike know that the smallest ding can have a big impact on grading. Once cards are digitized, scanners need to be able to upload image files to a database or inventory system. That’s how hobby shop owners and collectibles traders can turn their digital assets into sales.
Finding a hockey card scanner that satisfies all these conditions will help your online collectibles business be successful. The right scanner will allow you to leverage digital channels to reach a broad audience and drive sales. “Scanners are the key to digital transformation for trading card shops and hobby stores,” said Don Caruso, Head of Inside Sales and Sales Operations at PFU America.
Did You Know?TMC named the RICOH fi-8170 as a Future of Work Product of the Year. TMC recognizes "companies that showcase the most innovative and disruptive products and solutions that have positively supported hybrid work experiences across the globe." Click here to learn more.
Make sure your hockey card scanner does these 5 things
Choosing the right equipment makes all the difference when it’s time to scan hockey cards. These are the five features to look for in the perfect hockey card scanner for your business.
#1: Scans high-quality images
In order to sell hockey cards online, the digital images need to be perfectly accurate. That means phone pictures likely aren’t going to cut it. Yet you don’t need to build a mini studio box to get the job done, either. High-resolution scans ensure that collectors know precisely what they’re buying before they see the card in person, all in less time. Image quality makes a big difference in conveying hockey cards' value and condition online. Look for a scanner with high DPI that produces accurate, high-quality images on the first try. This will help increase sales, improve efficiency, and avoid the need for re-scans later on.
#2: Corrects common scan issues
Even if your hockey cards are in pristine condition, digitizing physical items can sometimes lead to flawed images. Common issues include glare and discoloration, for example. Look for a scanner that offers automatic image correction features to rectify this. That way, your scans will be as faithful as possible to the originals. And you’ll never have to fiddle with image editing software after the fact.
#3: Processes any card type
Hockey cards can vary in size, thickness, and finish, so you need a scanner that can handle any paper type. Make sure you’re prepared to handle glossy cards such as Topps Chrome without image errors or distortions.
#4: Transfers digital images easily
If your scans end up hidden away in an obscure digital folder, they’re not very useful to your business. Look for a hockey card scanner that connects to popular digital platforms. That way, your scans will appear exactly where you need to work with or store them. Ensure that your hockey card scanner makes your life easier and more efficient. If it’s adding lots of manual steps to your workflow, something’s probably not quite right.
#5: Connects to database software
Your hockey card scanner should also work seamlessly with the other tech tools you use. Database platforms and inventory management software are popular among trading card dealers and hobby shop owners. Choose a scanner that integrates with those tools and automatically matches the scanned image to data in your system. Ideally, your hockey card scanner will make the entire process of listing a card for sale even easier. Optical character recognition (OCR) comes in handy here, since it can understand text within an image and process the finished file appropriately.
Did You Know?Leading trading card software company, Collx, calls the fi-8170 “by far the best scanner for sports cards”. See how it integrates seamlessly with their AI-powered database system here.
Our recommendation: Ricoh fi-8170 Desktop Scanner
Those in the market for a hockey card scanner have no shortage of options. We take great pride in having spent the last 50+ years researching, designing, and developing some of the most advanced and powerful electronics in the world, including our professional grade fi and SP series of scanners.
Built to purpose for the most demanding document handling jobs, fi and SP scanners are capable of processing tens of thousands of pages per day at the highest levels of accuracy. Their intuitive integration capabilities with all existing work suites minimize time-to-value for businesses looking to invest in tools that will pay dividends for years to come.
That’s why our recommendation for the perfect hockey card scanner is the fi-8170. Not only can it process both sides of up to 70 cards per minute, it also integrates with advanced card scanning software to save you time in identifying and organizing each card. That means all you have to do is scan, process, and upload to the website of your choice, saving you time and overhead and helping you sell piles of cards that might otherwise sit in storage. Click here to learn more or shop the rest of our production scanner line.
Note: Information and external links are provided for your convenience and for educational purposes only, and shall not be construed, or relied upon, as legal or financial advice. PFU America, Inc. makes no representations about the contents, features, or specifications on such third-party sites, software, and/or offerings (collectively “Third-Party Offerings”) and shall not be responsible for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of such Third-Party Offerings. Please consult with a licensed professional regarding your specific situation as regulations may be subject to change.
