Kmart was one of the biggest retailers in the United States during the late 1980s, known for having expansive stores stocked with a wide variety of products at affordable prices. Like many other retailers of the time, Kmart saw the collectible card market as an opportunity to appeal to young customers and build brand loyalty. In 1988, Kmart entered the baseball card business by partnering with Fleer to produce an exclusive set of cards featuring current major league players.
The 1988 Kmart Baseball Card Set contained a total of 132 cards and was sold exclusively in Kmart stores at affordable prices. For collectors on a budget, it provided an accessible alternative to the higher priced offerings from flagship manufacturers like Topps and Donruss. At only 49 cents per pack with 8 cards inside, the Kmart cards represented a significant savings compared to other brand’s packages which often cost $1 or more. This low price point helped drive strong sales and exposed many new young collectors to the hobby.
In terms of design and production quality, the Kmart cards were on par with other mainstream issues of 1988. They featured colorful player photos on the front with stats and career highlights on the back. The card stock was a bit thinner than Topps or Donruss but held up well considering the low per card cost. Each box contained 264 cards and retailed for around $9.99, providing great value for the money. To further entice collectors, Kmart inserted short print and parallel cards into packs at reduced odds compared to base cards.
Some notable short prints and parallels included ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson in a rare Kmart Blue printing and an Ozzie Smith card where he mimics the famous baseball catching statue. These scarce variants added excitement to the blind packet searching experience that fueled so much childhood discovery and joy. Overall set checklists and player selection mirrored what Fleer was producing for their mainstream issue that same year. Notable rookie cards included Mark McGwire, Bob Welch and Mark Langston.
Perhaps the defining aspect of 1988 Kmart cards was the retailer exclusive promotions and bonus incentives they offered. Many inserts featured coupons or offers for Kmart products, helping to drive foot traffic and impulse spending within stores. One popular insert even offered a chance to win new season tickets for a random major league team by sending in the coupon. This was an aggressive cross-promotional tactic that worked to capture young collector’s attention and loyalty during their formative brand discovery years.
Not all reactions were positive. Some veteran collectors criticized the Kmart issue as a ‘gimmick’ set solely intended to profit the retailer instead of advancing the hobby. This perspective missed how the low barrier of entry it provided actually exposed new demographics to collecting. It’s impossible to deny the massive boom in popularity baseball cards experienced in the late 80s, with Kmart alone selling an estimated 3 million packs that year alone according to internal sales records. Clearly their low price point helped feed growing demand from kids with limited discretionary income.
In the end, what started as just a retail exclusive promotion became a cult favorite issue. Today complete 1988 Kmart sets in graded mint condition can fetch over $1,000 on the secondary market. Singles of elite short prints like the blue Ozzie Smith routinely sell for hundreds. This speaks to how well the cards were cared for and saved by their original young collectors who grew into adulthood with fond memories of first discovering the hobby through Kmart. Despite criticisms at the time of only being a ‘commercial’ product, the 1988 Kmart Baseball Cards endure as an iconic snapshot of 80s youth culture and the golden era of baseball card collecting boom. Kmart helped spark collecting passions in generations with their accessible and affordable introduction to the phenomenon.
The 1988 Kmart Baseball Card Set stands out as a defining moment for when mainstream retail giants first capitalized on the emerging collector card craze. By lowering barriers to the hobby, Kmart cards introduced baseball to an entirely new youth audience and fueled interest that continues strong to this day. Their clever cross-promotions married business goals with childhood discovery in a synergistic cultural moment. While not respected by purists, the 1988 Kmart issue left an indelible mark on both the industry and memories of millions of 80s kids. It represents when collecting spirit became widespread and all-inclusive on an unprecedented scale.
