6777 - Trading Card Specialist

Lids Sports Group is the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear, apparel, collectibles, and specialty products across the United States and Canada. We serve passionate sports fans, collectors, and hobbyists through more than 1,200 retail locations and an expanding eCommerce presence. As the trading card category continues to grow, Lids is expanding its presence in the hobby by providing authentic products, expert guidance, and an engaging customer experience centered around sports cards, Pokémon, TCGs, memorabilia, and collectibles.

About the role

The Trading Card Specialist serves as the in-store subject matter expert for all things trading cards and collectibles. This role creates a best-in-class hobby experience for customers by providing expert product knowledge, educating collectors, maintaining category integrity, and driving sales within the trading card business. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of the trading card ecosystem, including sealed wax products, singles, grading services, authentication, live breaking, hobby market trends, trading card manufacturers, distribution channels, and counterfeit detection.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary in-store expert for selling trading cards, collectibles, sports memorabilia, and hobby-related products.
• Educate customers on product releases, card values, collecting strategies, grading processes, authentication standards, and hobby best practices.
• Maintain current knowledge of major trading card brands and manufacturers, including Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, Fanatics Collectibles, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and other emerging categories.
• Understand and communicate the differences between hobby, retail, blaster, mega, hanger, and premium product formats.
• Stay informed on current market trends, player performance impacts, product demand, chase cards, and hobby-related news.
• Assist customers with questions related to singles, rookie cards, autographs, relic cards, parallels, inserts, serial-numbered cards, and graded collectibles.
• Educate customers on grading services offered by PSA through Lids, including the submission and authentication process.
• Possess working knowledge of live breaking, group breaks, hobby community practices, and major hobby platforms.
• Maintain familiarity with leading hobby retailers and marketplaces including Dave & Adam's, Blowout Cards, Fanatics Collect, eBay, Whatnot, Goldin, and other significant industry participants.
• Drive category sales through customer engagement, relationship building, product recommendations, and exceptional service.
• Support merchandising standards, inventory management, visual presentation, and product protection for trading card merchandise.
• Maintain awareness of highly anticipated product releases and execute launch day procedures to ensure a positive customer experience.
• Partner with store leadership to monitor product availability, customer demand, and inventory opportunities within the category.
• Foster a welcoming environment for collectors, hobby enthusiasts, first-time buyers, and sports fans.
• Build relationships with local hobby communities and drive customer loyalty through expertise and engagement.
• Participate in training programs to remain current on industry developments, product knowledge, and company initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Strong passion for and knowledge of the trading card and collectibles industry.
• Understanding of sports card, Pokémon, and trading card game (TCG) products and terminology.
• Knowledge of singles, sealed products, grading services, authentication standards, and card condition assessment.
• Familiarity with hobby marketplace trends and pricing dynamics.
• Understanding of live breaking, case breaks, repacks, hobby releases, and secondary market activity.
• Ability to identify common signs of counterfeit, altered, trimmed, or otherwise fraudulent cards and products.
• Working knowledge of major hobby retailers, distributors, grading companies, and online marketplaces.
• Knowledge of current athletes, prospects, legends, teams, and hobby-relevant storylines across professional and collegiate sports.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1-3 years of experience in trading card retail, collectibles, sports memorabilia, hobby shops, card shows, live breaking operations, or related environments preferred.
• Personal involvement in the collecting hobby strongly preferred.
• Experience buying, selling, trading, grading, or evaluating trading cards preferred.
• Familiarity with industry tools and platforms such as PSA, Beckett, SGC, eBay, Whatnot, Fanatics Collect, Dave & Adam's, and major hobby marketplaces preferred.
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to stock merchandise, organize inventory, and maintain visual presentation standards.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and major product release dates.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement plan.
• 100% employer-paid benefits, including short-term and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid Time Off.
• Generous employee discount and exclusive perks.
• Ongoing career development, including discounted secondary education courses.
• A collaborative, innovative, and team-oriented work environment.
• Early Wage Access options.
• Bonus eligibility depending on position level.

Schedule

Standard business hours from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., flexibility may be provided upon request. Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and major product release dates.

Work Environment

Onsite office work environment. Reports to Store Manager.