Beyond skin deep: mitigating skin tone preferences in sports trading card markets through value-based marketing

Purpose This study examines whether skin tone preferences in homogeneous racial sports trading card markets lead to unfair product valuation, moving beyond traditional racial discrimination frameworks. Design/methodology/approach Using secondary data analysis of 8,236 transaction records from China's largest trading card platform (Cardhobby) and behavioral experiments, this research investigates skin tone preference mechanisms and their underlying mediators. Findings After controlling for key variables, trading cards featuring light-skinned athletes command 20.3% higher selling prices than dark-skinned cards, with significantly higher bidding times and participant numbers. This effect is mediated by perceived similarity rather than racial bias, and market value emphasis strategies significantly attenuate skin tone preference effects. Practical implications Emphasizing verifiable market-value signals in product information can attenuate skin-tone-based valuation differences, informing platform disclosure design and seller communication in sports trading-card marketplaces. Originality/value This study extends the similarity-attraction paradigm to homogeneous racial markets, revealing perceived similarity's influence on consumer behavior and providing new theoretical tools for business ethics governance.