Platform Transparency

How RaiderTrader
finds underpriced cards

We scan eBay sold listings against TCGPlayer market values every 6 hours, score each opportunity with a weighted algorithm, and surface the highest-confidence flips — so you can make faster, more informed decisions.

⚠️ Estimates only — not financial advice. See full disclaimer below.
The Process

From raw data to a ranked deal

Every deal you see on RaiderTrader goes through the same four-step pipeline, running automatically every 6 hours.

1
🔍
Scan eBay Sold Listings
We query eBay's Browse API for recent sold listings of Pokémon TCG cards. We look at the last 30 days of completed sales to build a reliable price baseline.
2
📊
Fetch TCGPlayer Market Price
Using the Pokémon TCG API, we pull the current TCGPlayer market price — the consensus fair-value reference price used by the collector community.
3
Calculate Flip Score
Each opportunity is scored on four weighted factors: profit margin, market liquidity, price trend, and seller reliability. Scores range from 0–1.
4
🏆
Surface the Best Deals
Only opportunities with ≥12% profit margin and ≥$1.50 estimated profit pass the filter. Pro members see all deals; Free members see the top 5 per day.
5
🔄
Refresh Every 6 Hours
The scanner runs four times a day. Stale opportunities are archived. New ones appear immediately. You're always seeing live market data, not yesterday's.
6
🔔
Price Alerts (Pro)
Pro members can set price threshold alerts on specific cards. When the buy price drops below your target, RaiderTrader emails you within the hour.

Metrics Explained

What every number means

Every metric on a deal card is calculated from real market data. Here's exactly what each one represents and how it's computed.

🛒 Buy Price

The lowest recent sold price for this card on eBay in the same condition over the last 30 days. This is what you'd likely pay if you found and purchased this specific listing today. Not the current ask price — the actual transaction price.

📈 Market Value (Mkt)

The TCGPlayer market price — the mid-point of what sellers are asking and buyers are paying on TCGPlayer, widely considered the collector community's reference price. We use this as the realistic resale target.

💰 Estimated Profit

Market Value minus Buy Price. This is a gross estimate before any fees. eBay seller fees (~12.9%), shipping, and PayPal fees are NOT deducted. Treat this as a ceiling, not a guarantee. Always factor your actual selling costs before purchasing.

📐 Margin %

(Market Value − Buy Price) ÷ Buy Price × 100. The percentage return relative to what you paid. A 50% margin means the card's market value is 1.5× the buy price. We require ≥12% before surfacing a deal.

🎯 Confidence Level

How reliable is this opportunity? Confidence is determined by the number of recent eBay sales and price consistency. High confidence means 20+ sales in 30 days with consistent prices. Low confidence means fewer than 5 sales — prices may be volatile.

High 20+ sales/30 days. Price is consistent and reliable.
Medium 5–19 sales/30 days. Reasonably liquid but less certain.
Low Fewer than 5 sales. Use extra caution — price may not hold.
📉 Price Trend

Compares the card's average sale price this week to 3 weeks ago. A rising trend means the card is gaining value — increasing the urgency to act. Falling means the opportunity may shrink if you wait.

↑ Rising This week's average price is noticeably higher than 3 weeks ago.
→ Stable Price has been consistent. The opportunity is unlikely to change quickly.
↓ Falling Price is declining. Act quickly or wait for it to bottom out.

Data Sources

Where the data comes from

RaiderTrader is only as good as its sources. We use two primary APIs and update every 6 hours.

eBay Browse API
Actual completed sale prices for the last 30 days by condition. This is what buyers actually paid — not asking prices.
Sold listings only
Pokémon TCG API
Official card database with embedded TCGPlayer market prices. Provides card metadata, set information, and current market valuations.
Updated daily
RT Scanner Engine
Our Python scanner runs every 6 hours on Railway, cross-referencing both APIs and applying the flip score formula to surface the highest-quality opportunities.
Runs 4× daily

Important Disclaimer

Our recommendations are estimates, not guarantees

⚠️ Please read before making any purchases

RaiderTrader is a data aggregation and analysis tool, not a financial advisory service. All flip opportunities, scores, profit estimates, and market valuations displayed on this platform are algorithmic estimates derived from publicly available market data. They are provided for informational and educational purposes only.

Estimated profit figures do not account for: eBay seller fees (typically 12.9% + $0.30), PayPal or payment processing fees, shipping and packaging costs, grading fees if applicable, or any applicable taxes. Your actual net profit will be lower than the figures shown.

Past market prices do not guarantee future prices. The collectibles market is volatile. A card that sold for $50 last week may sell for $30 next week. Price trends, confidence levels, and flip scores reflect historical data and are not predictive of future market conditions.

The Flip Score is a relative ranking tool, not a guarantee of profitability. A score of 0.90 does not mean you will make a 90% return. It means this opportunity ranked highly relative to other currently available deals based on our algorithm's four weighted factors.

By using RaiderTrader, you acknowledge that all purchasing decisions are made at your own risk and discretion. RaiderTrader and its operators accept no liability for losses incurred from purchasing or selling cards based on information displayed on this platform.

Always do your own research before purchasing. Treat every deal as a calculated risk, not a guaranteed profit.


Common Questions

Frequently asked

How often is the deal list updated?
The scanner runs every 6 hours — at midnight, 6am, noon, and 6pm UTC. Deals that no longer meet our thresholds are automatically removed. New opportunities appear within minutes of the scanner completing.
Why does the Buy Price sometimes look different from current eBay listings?
The Buy Price reflects the lowest completed sale price in the last 30 days — not the current lowest asking price. An active listing may be priced differently from what buyers have actually paid. Always check the current eBay listing before purchasing.
What's the difference between Free and Pro?
Free members see up to 5 deals per day — enough to explore the platform. Pro members ($9/month) see all deals, get email price alerts when specific cards hit their target price, and have access to full price history charts and eBay sold comps.
Does a high Flip Score mean I'm guaranteed to profit?
No. The Flip Score is a relative ranking of opportunity quality based on four factors. A high score means the opportunity compares favourably to others in our database. It does not account for your selling costs, market volatility, or how quickly you can find a buyer. Always factor in your true all-in cost before purchasing.
What card conditions does RaiderTrader track?
We primarily track Near Mint (NM) and Lightly Played (LP) conditions as these represent the most liquid segment of the market. Heavily Played and Damaged cards are excluded from our database.
How does the price alert system work?
Pro members can set a target buy price on any card in our database. When the scanner detects an eBay sold price at or below your target, RaiderTrader sends you an email notification. Alerts are checked every time the scanner runs (4× per day).
Why can't I see the eBay link without signing in?
The direct eBay listing link requires a free account. This helps us prevent data scraping and ensures our deal feed remains useful for genuine collectors and flippers rather than bots.
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