miraclemet

with the popularity of the book, and the price potential, and the press that the 10.0 got last year I would assume that of those 1400 9.8s a decent percentage (more than the average book) are duplicates due to the sub, resub, press, resub, press with someone else, re-re-resub game. decent percentage in my guestimation.... 15%

No. GPA gets their eBay data through the eBay API which provides the actual purchase price (including the correct price for accepted best offers) - it's a different set of data compared to what you can see when you're just browsing completed auctions. You're wrong and I'll continue to take advantage of this loophole. For instance, I purchased a book for $600 from a guy's eBay store that he had listed as $900, but then he discounted the book to $600. GPA recorded the sale at $900 and it's still logged on GPA as $900.00. I will not talk specifics as it's not my job to create the software for GPA to record things accurately. I'll say it again, GPA is very flawed. Nope. Here's a good example: 1) Book was listed at a $500 BIN with the best offer option: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=141202284570 2) Best offer accepted by the seller for the book was $420. 3) GPA shows the correct $420 sale price: Not saying that there aren't bad sales data in GPA - with the amount of items they record, there's bound to be mistakes from time to time. But to claim that GPA doesn't record a sales price that includes seller discounts, accepted best offers, or any of the other stuff that influences the final selling price on eBay is flat out wrong. You and I are talking about 2 separate things so there's some misunderstanding between what we're trying to get across. Yes, when someone has a book as a BIN or best offer and the best offer is accepted then GPA does record the best offer price at the correct sale. BUT.... When an eBay store has a book listed at x amount and then puts a discount on the book at a lower amount and you buy it at the discounted price then GPA records the sale at the original price and not the discounted price. please provide an example, since MS has provide one that disproves it.

You mean the incorrect info above? Here's an example of a discounted listing on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CGC-SS-9-8-Walking-Dead-100-Chromium-Variant-signed-Lincoln-Gurira-Morrissey-/121322698110 If you look that sale up in GPA, it'll list the sale price as $525. Just like GPA, eBay's FVF assessment uses whatever the real sale value is as its basis. well thats a relief! thanks for citing an actual example. does the contrarian want to cite his example of the GPA vs eBay mis-match?

I wonder if eBay uses the listed price for assessing fees, or if they (correctly) use the discounted price? Seems like they'd have the API at the point of fee assesment, since that's going to be the correctly cited price (after discounts, or "Or Best Offers" or bids or second chance offers or whatever). but based on the above info (that GPA is tied to a dataset that reports the listed eBay store price not the discount price) it seems that's not the case....

Plus it would be pretty odd if all of the sales on non-gpa reporting venues were for higher $$$ than the gpa reporting venues. People complain that gpa is incomplete, but I think they'd be shocked to see prices drop on lots of books if gpa started including all of the convention sales in their data, where dealers are often happy to sell for under market so that they can pay for the cost of the con, or have more cash in hand for buying collections that show up. I also enjoy a seller mentioning that a book is on the rise when you look back at previous sales and see that their original purchase of the book was the high water mark.

it's accurate in that it is a collection of data and averages of a subset of market data. Saying it's inaccurate would imply that the data it presents is wrong, which it isnt unless theres a problem with the database or the queries or the source data. a more accurate way to describe GPA (if you feel so) is that it is an INCOMPLETE assessment of the market value of a book.

it's funny how when "GPA's not accurate" it's always because it's undervaluing the book... never the opposite...

I know it's semantics but when I get a response to an offer with "the least I can take is ____" when what you really mean the least you WILL take is _____.

I pointed him in the direction of the "please grade me" forum...

this may be the biggest fly in the ointment of your business plan.

do you think people would want to cosign with me then? 1. You have to look the part (and BE the part). If you look unprofessional no one is going to trust you. Do you have a contract written up for consignees to fill out/sign? It should outline the services offered, the role you play, the fees that the customer covers, the fees that you cover... etc. 2. There would need to be a release of liability if you are taking possession of the books, which means they have to be ok with the possibility that you take possession of the books, your house has a flood, they get destroyed and that's that. No reimbursement, no insurance. Or you have to have insurance, and then you have to go thru whatever process insurance requires to add the books to your policy or whatever. Your best best is to already be set up selling other peoples books. If you have friends/family who will let you sell their books then you can at least show potential customers that you are already doing what you are saying you will do for them. Have a laptop with you where you can show the various online listings you've done for the friend/family clients so they see production. Have cards/flyers that they can take with them that has your name, business number, business email/website. and know that even with effort, the odds are this will fail. And its not about you, most business ventures fail.

Some dang good advice right there. Agreed, a booth at a local con, primarily right by the front door. With a sign that you are taking consignments... best way to get clients. Local. In Person.

you don't like this thread? they are not laughing with you, they are laughing at you. I noticed but I don't care I'm here to gain trust by buying and selling stuff on here and you know what they say "he who laughs laughs last!" I agree. "Ask not what you can do, ask your country for things to do." I love quotes they inspire me to keep on going even if times get tough Sweet jeebus the quote is "He who laughs last, laughs best" as in if you are successful in your endeavor you will have the last laugh (over those who are currently laughing at your attempts) and thus because it is the last laugh, it is also the best one. (alternate quote is from the Christmas Prince which is "He who laughs last, laughs longest" and is the likely origin of the saying)

my dad is a truck driver! Cool beans! thanks but it's hard to live up to his standards he was always a student who got A's and excelled at math, then you have my brother who is also gifted at math and is a A's student as well then you have a me a guy with a learning disability who failed a lot of things, got d's and f's, dropped out of college and was homeless for a month! ...

@OP above post ... I will that's the next thing on this list but even if I did sell stuff for other people how would I be able to prove it? receipts, photos, and a paper trail would be nice. references...

Agreed. I think the security/insurance question is the one that still remains to be addressed. I think he's made it clear he doesnt have any specific or unique contacts with dealers or other markets, nor does he have experience. And the education question may be self evident, but I'll let him answer it.

21

a typo I'll fix that later! know what I always look for in a service provider -a lack of attention to detail -a lack of interest in immediately dealing with mistakes

I'm ready! You still didn't answer my question which was straight to the point of this entire thread. What sense would it make for us to pay someone else who has little experience, who lives in a different country, 20% to sell our stuff? What are you doing for us we can not do for ourselves easier? why? simple it's for anyone who doesn't have time, patience or doesn't have any idea of what there stuff is worth and it's also a way of building trust and relationships, you guys are absolutely right I'm a complete noob compared to you guys but if no one gives me a chance I won't become better at all and today I'll start selling stuff here! 1. You are selling a service to people who already ....spend lots of time online (I mean they are reading this thread, so they MUST have time to spare). ....are usually familiar with a WIDE variety of online marketplaces and venues 2. 20% is hefty for very little work on your part, most of which anyone can do. You need to reach the people who a) dont use/have the internet (thus you offering to do various online listings is a service) b) dont know how to get access to information (thus dont know what their stack of comics are worth and your service of determining value would be of worth) c) have neither the means or time to mail things I suggest abandoning this venture here, and try a lowfi approach to reach the lowfi customer that could use you: Flyers at the library/public spaces might work Newspaper adds (for those who still read them and dont use the internet) shopper adds circulars seriously trying this here is laugable and actually DECREASES the chances of someone using your services because it shows a lack of understanding of a) the hobby (which you already said you dont know?!?!) b)of markets and c) the target customer you should be reaching out to.

okay well I'm new to comics but here is what I provide for the 20% -I will sell it on alternative websites with no commissions on them like kijiji or craigslist -If I can't sell it for the price you want I will ship it to you at my cost - I offer payment options of paypal, check, concealed cash and money order that's all I can think of because like everyone else says I'm just starting out! So you ARE asking to hold the books? Yikes, you are going to need a lot of references and history before people start shipping you books

I'd like your opinion...

[quote=VintageComics Honestly, nobody is going to trust you to send you their books for quite a while... He doesnt want sellers to send him the books! Its on you to send your own books he just takes the 20% commission cut. Im not sure if that 20% is inclusive of any other costs for accomplishing the sale (ie if he sells it via another venue that charges a percentage, I cant tell if that fee comes out of his 20% or the book owners pocket).

the point is a lot of the stuff included WOULDNT sell individually, so a raffle is a way to unload unwanted stuff by giving out chances at a good box (the "winner") thus it's a raffle. There are governing rules for real raffles, and CGC (who hosts these boards and this marketplace) doesnt want to deal with the redtape/scrutiny of hosting a site that supports raffles. The point of a mystery box thread is that a seller guarentees all of his stuff goes, and he also doesnt have to list everything individually, thus less overhead to get stuff sold, the cost of this benefit is the mystery boxes are sold at a lower price point/return to interest all buyers in giving up the option of choosing books for the return of getting "more for their money" Maybe you have 100 trades worth $10 each, and if you listed them all you would sell 50 of them for a total of $500. Lots of work, taking photos, listing 100 books, managing each sale, tracking, creating invoices, etc... Or you could have 10 mystery boxes that you sell for $60 each, guarenteeing that each box would be worth $100. You sell all 10 and make $600. You made more money, went thru all of your inventory and did it with very little effort (some group pictures, simple invoicing and making sure each box had enough books in it to equal the right value). Now in the first instance you maximized profit (which is a fine goal, and when thats your goal you do the 1st approach), but in the second instance you unloaded inventory, kept your efforts low and cleared space (also fine goals, and the way to make approach 2 work for everyone). The third way is the raffle. You have 100 trades worth $10 each and a $500 book that you werent able to sell for market price. You do 10 mystery boxes at $200 each, you make $2000 on $1500 of inventory. You have 9 people win $110 in trades and one "winner" win the $500 book. 1 guy comes out +$300 the other 9 come out down $90... but in any case the seller comes out ahead. Thats a raffle and that's what's not allowed.

So were either of your boxes worth the $100 price tag?

Did anyone every actually say they got the ASM 700 SS Lee?