Shill bidding used to be an occasional annoyance in the hobby. Now it’s become part of the daily landscape. eBay auctions shoot up in the last seconds thanks to “ghost” accounts with zero feedback. Whatnot has turned speed-selling into a hype machine where a $40 card somehow ends up at $120 just because a timer is flashing and the chat is screaming.
This isn’t just noise — it’s changing the way the whole hobby works.
On eBay, you’ll see a card climbing naturally… then a brand-new account slams in a huge bid at the end. A week later, the exact same card is quietly relisted. Collectors know what’s happening, but the platforms don’t clamp down because auctions bring in fees and traffic.
Whatnot is a different beast. The fast timers, hypey hosts, and FOMO-driven bidding create an environment designed for overpaying. It’s entertainment, sure — but it’s also chaos. And that chaos inflates comps, warps expectations, and hits collectors in the wallet.
Here’s the important part though:
There are absolutely great sellers on eBay and Whatnot.
Hard-working, honest people doing things the right way.
But too often, they get overshadowed by a loud, dodgy minority who bend the rules and pump prices. And that drags the whole hobby down.
That’s exactly why Fatboys Cards doesn’t go near auctions.
No shill bidding.
No hype traps.
No pressure timers.
No games.
Just fixed pricing on supplies, boxes, and singles — the parts of the hobby that actually matter and stay stable no matter what the hype machines are doing. What you see is what you pay. No surprises, no mysterious bidders, no “oops wrong buyer” relists.
And we’ll say something most sellers avoid:
We won’t always get pricing perfect.
We’re new. We’re learning.
But we listen.
If you think we’ve priced something too high, too low, or just weirdly — tell us. We’re building Fatboys Cards with our customers, not just at them. We’d rather fix it and get it right next time than pretend we’re infallible.
We’d rather build trust than chase hype.
We’d rather offer value than drama.
And we’d rather collectors feel safe than feel played.
If you’re tired of inflated comps, mystery bidders, and auction chaos, Fatboys Cards is your quiet corner of the hobby — honest pricing, real conversations, no BS.
Collecting should feel like collecting.
Not gambling.
Not guessing.
And definitely not a battle against bots in the last five seconds.
We’re here to bring some sanity back — one fair price at a time.