Rate the Auction Houses

[Bullet123]

I may be in the minority here but in my opinion Heritage is the number 1 auction house and there is not a close second. Here is my rational

 

1. They continue to consistently have quality material for every one of their Signature Auctions and have books available for every collectors taste both in grade and genre.

 

2. Large Scans of front and back covers.

 

3. CGC census information right there with the auction to make an informed decision.

 

4. Auction history for books they have previously sold in that condition. Again right at your fingertips so it cuts down on the sleuthing part for me. I know some will argue that this does not take into effect books that have been auctioned and then at some later date, reauctioned with a higher grade whether it be pressing, resubmit, etc. but it is still 100% more than any other auction house provides.

 

5. A searchable archive for all books that they have ever sold with full scans. This one no other auction house even comes close on.

 

6. Price Guide info at your fingertips. Again it seems simple enough yet no other auction house to my knowledge does it.

 

7. They have in the past had GPA easily available but I do not know if that feature exists as I have not had to use it in awhile.

 

8. They consistently are able to convince consignors that have books in the grey area $ wise ( $50-$150 in guide) to get them slabbed for their auctions and while that may cost me a few bucks based on raw purchases of said books, I have zero headaches with disagreement with grade or undisclosed restoration. As a High Grade completist collector, there is nothing more agravating than to buy a book advertised as a 9.0-9.2, thinking it is more like an 8.0, buying it and getting it back from CGC as a 7.0 as it then renders the book worthless to me.

 

9. A straight forward approach to reserves on auctions. To me I do not care how many bidders there are on an item, all I care about is knowing before an auction is over whether there is a reserve or not and what that reserve is. Then I can decide as a collector if I want to take a run at a book or not. Like it or not, Owners of books have the right to decide what price they want to sell a book at. It is up to me to decide as a collector if I want it badly enough at that price. Not to keep bidding randomly hoping to hit a reserve. I may be in the minority but as a rule if a book is being auctioned and the reserve price is not stated up front, I simply move on to the next book or auction. I loathe reserved auctions where you have to guess.

 

10. This last one is a negative for me but is a positive overall. As a purchaser of books and not a consignor, the fact that Heritage continues to get strong prices for their books is a bummer for me but makes them the logical choice should I ever become a consignor in the future.

 

IMO every other auction venue is missing at least five of these 10 ingredients so I do not have a second favorite. I have bought some things from other auction venues, but Heritage still gets the majority of my business. Until one of these auction houses figures out that buyers like me like to make informed purchases without having to spend a lifetime looking for the info to make said purchases they will always be a distant second.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[G.A.tor]

thanks bullet....nice input, and heck of a collection (thumbs u

[G.A.tor]

I guess as far as existing auction houses, it is Comic Link for me, because as a collector, I don't have to pay that extra 9.5% that heritage charges (that hurts the consignor too)...naturally, without that extra 9.5%, you loose some of the tools you get with heritage, but I don't mind looking them up myself....and, clink seems to have every bit desirable material for me (unlike Bullet, I don't go after HG, so I can see his point about heritage, just doesn't apply for me), most all cgc'd like heritage, so I would say clink 1 and heritage 2, but there is a new player in town...

 

that said, I really liked the GA offering Comic Connect just had...for me personally, it was the best variety of books, all in my "wheelhouse".... the reserve part, and the lack of having most pregraded by a third party/cgc is something I was not as happy about when compared to clink and heritage, but for a Fox , Centaur collector, best offering hands down (this last time)

rick

[whomerjay]

Plain and simple, Heritage is not an option to me because so many of their operating policies lend themselves to dishonesty. Even if everything is above board, the commissions on both ends are enough to keep me away.

 

As for the important features you list, most of those are not important to me. I have GPA and know what books tend to be worth by hanging on these boards. Whatever has previously transpired at Heritage is not valuable research info for me, unless it's history of the book showing how it has acheived "maximum potential".

 

I know there are people on here who love Heritage, and are actually sharp enough to play the game with them and make money/enhance their collection. I am not smart enough to do this, even if I wanted to.

 

CL is my only option, and even though they are sorely lacking in many of your criteria (and a few others), they: 1) get great books; and 2) charge IMO a small commision for the service they provide. They will always suffer from the inherent limitations of an auction house/exchange service (most importantly you are rarely sure of exactly what you are getting, the use of a third party relieves a seller from full disclosure), but overall they have worked for me.

[Bullet123]

1

I guess as far as existing auction houses, it is Comic Link for me, because as a collector, I don't have to pay that extra 9.5% that heritage charges (that hurts the consignor too)...naturally, without that extra 9.5%, you loose some of the tools you get with heritage, but I don't mind looking them up myself....and, clink seems to have every bit desirable material for me (unlike Bullet, I don't go after HG, so I can see his point about heritage, just doesn't apply for me), most all cgc'd like heritage, so I would say clink 1 and heritage 2, but there is a new player in town...

 

I do not understand the larger commision argument except from the consignors viewpoint. If you want to pay $500 for a book, what difference does it make what % the auction house charges. If they charge 10%, you bid $455, if they charge 19% you bid $420 Either way, the book still costs you $500. The only one that loses out is the consignor but most IMO probably feeel the stronger results Heritage seems to achieve makes up for the difference.

 

that said, I really liked the GA offering Comic Connect just had...for me personally, it was the best variety of books, all in my "wheelhouse".... the reserve part, and the lack of having most pregraded by a third party/cgc is something I was not as happy about when compared to clink and heritage, but for a Fox , Centaur collector, best offering hands down (this last time)

rick

[johnenock]

I sell on CLINK(low comission) but tend to buy from Heritage just because of their week in and week out ability to bring in books I collect. The buyer's premium has little to do with anything to me because I factor that into my bid price...plus if we are talking about questionable practices, charging 3% on CC orders by Clink ranks high on my bad list. Overall, I like both auction houses equally if they have the right stuff.

[GreatEscape]

...it is Comic Link for me, because as a collector, I don't have to pay that extra 9.5% that heritage charges ...

 

Rick, I think you meant 19.5% buyers premium Either that, of you're status as a Big Swinging (umm) Devil lets you pay less than the rest of us!

 

GE

[Ivanko]

For me, there isn't one clear advantage that sets one out above the rest. I believe they all have positives and negatives, and a purchase from any of them will depend on how scarce the book is and how much I want to spend. If a book is on my short "must have" list, I'm not too concerned with premiums, I just try to get it.

[johnenock]

...it is Comic Link for me, because as a collector, I don't have to pay that extra 9.5% that heritage charges ...

 

Rick, I think you meant 19.5% buyers premium Either that, of you're status as a Big Swinging (umm) Devil lets you pay less than the rest of us!

 

GE

 

I thought he was referring to the EXTRA 9.5% over the 10% CLINK charges(+3% for CC purchases)

[G.A.tor]

1

I guess as far as existing auction houses, it is Comic Link for me, because as a collector, I don't have to pay that extra 9.5% that heritage charges (that hurts the consignor too)...naturally, without that extra 9.5%, you loose some of the tools you get with heritage, but I don't mind looking them up myself....and, clink seems to have every bit desirable material for me (unlike Bullet, I don't go after HG, so I can see his point about heritage, just doesn't apply for me), most all cgc'd like heritage, so I would say clink 1 and heritage 2, but there is a new player in town...

 

I do not understand the larger commision argument except from the consignors viewpoint. If you want to pay $500 for a book, what difference does it make what % the auction house charges. If they charge 10%, you bid $455, if they charge 19% you bid $420 Either way, the book still costs you $500. The only one that loses out is the consignor but most IMO probably feeel the stronger results Heritage seems to achieve makes up for the difference.

 

that said, I really liked the GA offering Comic Connect just had...for me personally, it was the best variety of books, all in my "wheelhouse".... the reserve part, and the lack of having most pregraded by a third party/cgc is something I was not as happy about when compared to clink and heritage, but for a Fox , Centaur collector, best offering hands down (this last time)

rick

that was my point, I don't like that they charge the extra , and it is the consignor that is penalized...I believe the comic link would realize equal if not better prices, and that would make the consignor win....and, just the fact that they charge a buyers premium, when no one else does (They charge the seller)...and you have to figure out what 80.5% of your max is

[G.A.tor]

that said, I do like (and have mentioned this to josh) the Live bidding that heritage has, and I like the extended bidding that connect has even more (you have more time to decide if you want to go higher)...

but, just the principle of charging the buyer, that irks me....I realize bullets point that $400 spent is $400 spent from my end, but I rather the premium be paid by the seller/consignor, if heritage thinks they can get better prices....why do they put that burden on the buyer, when it is the seller that should be paying the premium in fees to get what they perceive as premium results...

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

For my money, as a buyer, I prefer Comiclink. Yes, their auction format and image database is infantile compared to Heritage, but I think the "deals" have been a lot better for 2nd level stuff, compared to Heritage where every bid of mine gets blown out of the water.

 

As a seller, I've only consigned with Comiclink (not to any of the Focused auctions, just the regular site) and I really have never had a problem, but can see the allure of Heritage Signature auctions attracting big dollar buyers. I think Heritage Signature auctions, even with their large premiums, are still the better venue overall for sellers of unique/high dollar/high profile items.

 

I saw some real positives with ComicConnect, but there is still a way to go. I'm not a fan of the "extended bidding" session at all as a buyer, but it clearly helps sellers and the site generate more $$$, so I guess it depends on which side of the fence you're on.

 

I like the smaller venues as well (QualityComix, Bill Hughes, etc), where you can occasionally get a few good deals and wish them both the best of luck in growing their own Auction formats in the years to come.

 

[TheEyeSees]

For me, there isn't one clear advantage that sets one out above the rest. I believe they all have positives and negatives, and a purchase from any of them will depend on how scarce the book is and how much I want to spend. If a book is on my short "must have" list, I'm not too concerned with premiums, I just try to get it.

 

You just said it all for me. Well put.

[G.A.tor]

For me, there isn't one clear advantage that sets one out above the rest. I believe they all have positives and negatives, and a purchase from any of them will depend on how scarce the book is and how much I want to spend. If a book is on my short "must have" list, I'm not too concerned with premiums, I just try to get it.

so, did you get the one you were after

[Ivanko]

For me, there isn't one clear advantage that sets one out above the rest. I believe they all have positives and negatives, and a purchase from any of them will depend on how scarce the book is and how much I want to spend. If a book is on my short "must have" list, I'm not too concerned with premiums, I just try to get it.

so, did you get the one you were after

 

Nope.

 

If I would have bid what I had originally intended to, I would have, but I second guessed my self to death and gambled to see what would happen with the price it finished up at. I really wanted to see what the market would bear if I didn't jump in with both feet.

 

I'm curious as to what would have happened if the Comic Connect auction was before the Captain Marvel heavy ComicLink auction; I wonder of the bigger books would have hit reserve.

 

Anyway, sorry for the

[jkrk]

I may be in the minority here but in my opinion Heritage is the number 1 auction house and there is not a close second. Here is my rational

 

1. They continue to consistently have quality material for every one of their Signature Auctions and have books available for every collectors taste both in grade and genre.

 

2. Large Scans of front and back covers.

 

3. CGC census information right there with the auction to make an informed decision.

 

4. Auction history for books they have previously sold in that condition. Again right at your fingertips so it cuts down on the sleuthing part for me. I know some will argue that this does not take into effect books that have been auctioned and then at some later date, reauctioned with a higher grade whether it be pressing, resubmit, etc. but it is still 100% more than any other auction house provides.

 

5. A searchable archive for all books that they have ever sold with full scans. This one no other auction house even comes close on.

 

6. Price Guide info at your fingertips. Again it seems simple enough yet no other auction house to my knowledge does it.

 

7. They have in the past had GPA easily available but I do not know if that feature exists as I have not had to use it in awhile.

 

8. They consistently are able to convince consignors that have books in the grey area $ wise ( $50-$150 in guide) to get them slabbed for their auctions and while that may cost me a few bucks based on raw purchases of said books, I have zero headaches with disagreement with grade or undisclosed restoration. As a High Grade completist collector, there is nothing more agravating than to buy a book advertised as a 9.0-9.2, thinking it is more like an 8.0, buying it and getting it back from CGC as a 7.0 as it then renders the book worthless to me.

 

9. A straight forward approach to reserves on auctions. To me I do not care how many bidders there are on an item, all I care about is knowing before an auction is over whether there is a reserve or not and what that reserve is. Then I can decide as a collector if I want to take a run at a book or not. Like it or not, Owners of books have the right to decide what price they want to sell a book at. It is up to me to decide as a collector if I want it badly enough at that price. Not to keep bidding randomly hoping to hit a reserve. I may be in the minority but as a rule if a book is being auctioned and the reserve price is not stated up front, I simply move on to the next book or auction. I loathe reserved auctions where you have to guess.

 

10. This last one is a negative for me but is a positive overall. As a purchaser of books and not a consignor, the fact that Heritage continues to get strong prices for their books is a bummer for me but makes them the logical choice should I ever become a consignor in the future.

 

IMO every other auction venue is missing at least five of these 10 ingredients so I do not have a second favorite. I have bought some things from other auction venues, but Heritage still gets the majority of my business. Until one of these auction houses figures out that buyers like me like to make informed purchases without having to spend a lifetime looking for the info to make said purchases they will always be a distant second.

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With Heritage I'm buying service (scans , archives, quality, etc). CL is the no frills player. IF CC wants to spend time and money they will cut deeply into CL's business and garner half perhaps more of the business. There are low barriers of entry to the business. CL has no proprietary product so their dominance should wither over time should CC decide to push foward. Should Cl's business slide they can only respond by lowering rates. NOt a great business model over time.

 

 

 

 

 

[Moondog]

I've sold through Heritage exclusively for major items ($500 +) for the past 5 years. Prior to that I used Mastro for a few auctions.

 

Heritage is the most professionally-run of any of the auction houses. From submission through billing/payment, they have top-notch people and systems that work. If there's a problem, they will do whatever is necessary to make it right.

 

But most importantly they deliver the buyers.

 

--Gary

 

 

[G.A.tor]

I've sold through Heritage exclusively for major items ($500 +) for the past 5 years. Prior to that I used Mastro for a few auctions.

 

Heritage is the most professionally-run of any of the auction houses. From submission through billing/payment, they have top-notch people and systems that work. If there's a problem, they will do whatever is necessary to make it right.

 

But most importantly they deliver the buyers.

 

--Gary

 

gary, do you think the BP hurts your net?...I am not, of course, affiliated with any auction house (I buy from all ) but I wonder if only paying 10% to clink would net you more than the Heritage auction on some, most, none, any

 

I am just curious, especially since I only have till may to raise some serious funds

[Moondog]

I've sold through Heritage exclusively for major items ($500 +) for the past 5 years. Prior to that I used Mastro for a few auctions.

 

Heritage is the most professionally-run of any of the auction houses. From submission through billing/payment, they have top-notch people and systems that work. If there's a problem, they will do whatever is necessary to make it right.

 

But most importantly they deliver the buyers.

 

--Gary

 

gary, do you think the BP hurts your net?...I am not, of course, affiliated with any auction house (I buy from all ) but I wonder if only paying 10% to clink would net you more than the Heritage auction on some, most, none, any

 

I am just curious, especially since I only have till may to raise some serious funds

 

On its face value it would make sense that the BP hurts sellers, but how do you account for the incredible prices they manage to get? Are you trying to tell me that the Action 7 buyer said to himself, "I'm only going to $120,000 (or whatever it was) because the most I want to pay is $143,000?" I don't think so.

 

For the Sunday auctions of lesser quality material, I believe that BP does have an effect, but I only consign items that are $500 + and aren't too common. I believe that combination negates the BP negative.

 

And their catalog (descriptions and images) is the best in the biz too (though I will say their art director was sleeping on a few pages in the last catalog - man, there were some weird page layouts last month!).

 

 

 

 

 

[tth2]

I guess as far as existing auction houses, it is Comic Link for me, because as a collector, I don't have to pay that extra 9.5% that heritage charges (that hurts the consignor too)...naturally, without that extra 9.5%, you loose some of the tools you get with heritage, but I don't mind looking them up myself....and, clink seems to have every bit desirable material for me (unlike Bullet, I don't go after HG, so I can see his point about heritage, just doesn't apply for me), most all cgc'd like heritage, so I would say clink 1 and heritage 2, but there is a new player in town...

 

I do not understand the larger commision argument except from the consignors viewpoint. If you want to pay $500 for a book, what difference does it make what % the auction house charges. If they charge 10%, you bid $455, if they charge 19% you bid $420 Either way, the book still costs you $500. The only one that loses out is the consignor but most IMO probably feeel the stronger results Heritage seems to achieve makes up for the difference.

(thumbs u