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The Official The Walking Dead Discussion Thread
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Started by MutantKeys,

40,452 posts in this topic

Garf

Garf

Posted
Posted

Confessions of a small time Ebay insta-flipper.

 

 

Hi...

 

 

I enjoy reading a lot of the comments in the moderns and gradings boards and thought I'd post a little something about the market as I see it and ask a question. I can't honestly say I know a great deal about the high end of trading, your board ettiquette or in-jokes.... other than if it has something to do with TWD I really should have started two seperate threads, one for the info and the other for the question ^_^

 

 

I have collected comics on and off for a long time... Batman, Mike Baron's Badger, Sandman and several other titles over the years. Mostly off right now as I have a family that comes first. Trades are my new best friend... bah! Roughly 2 months ago I caught The Walking Dead fever when I noticed some of the earlies were getting further and further out of reach. I love this series so I bought a few firsts on Ebay. I did feel like kicking myself at the time as I remembered deciding not to get an #1 at $160 even earlier. It made me wonder if they would increase in value, hold or dip. Then I read a comment from one of you guys answering a newbie question about making money with comics, saying that people should buy what they enjoy reading and not expect to make a lot of money if they are buying for anything more than cover (preferably less). LCS were still selling lots of back issues at cover price (still sometimes better if you phoned them) and are really running dry now. Really dry. It won't be long at all before the collectors have the main share.

 

 

Much to my wife's disbelief I had without much warning sunk $1050 into TWD. Grabbing lots of different issues across the series. My ears paid the price but I saw it as a no brainer. The math isn't difficult to work out as far as ebay/paypal cuts went so I figured at the very worst I could flog this happily at break even in a heartbeat.

 

 

It's a month later now and I have nearly made that back only about 60 issues into the stack with only 3x 33's and 2x 48's in sold and other keys held back (well minus some last minute reinvestment as early weekly will now flip nicely between 300 - 600% and rising).

 

 

The prints have always been quite small so I don't feel that I have to worry about any comments relating to the price going anywhere South anytime soon... but as I am sure you have all seen there have been weeks where everyone has wanted to get in on the act. This did make me bung auctions on as a knee jerk pump and dump the first time but that was wrong. If there are some small flippers *makes dolphin clicks* out there reading this the money really doesn't seem to be in the auctions. It's a fast buck but you can easily find yourself on the wrong side of a glut. Take your time, TWD is not going anywhere. On average the mid "buy it now"s will sell within 30 days and get you more margin. I've only had 5 not sell in all the listings and one was an auction O.o You get enough interest on combined purchases and PM requests come too.

 

 

I can only see this working so well with TWD especially, a few other Image titles and some other no brainers (e.g. some soon to be DC sellouts). Yes you can group your issues into tens, trust me it's much less of a pain in the but you get less when you put less effort in. It is a good way of getting rid of some FN inbetween the NM if you make it clear to the buyer, or just charge a premium and be prepared to relist. Setting your delivery above 3 working days takes some of the sting out of postage trips as you can group more together.

 

Maybe I'll get parts for the rest of my gaming rig and a holiday out of this without breaking a sweat, because that's all I really want. I have no lofty goal. This is a hobby to my day job.

 

So...

 

I'm just wondering would slabbing TWD keys and non keys really have netted more? I just can't see it being viable from the UK, being someone not in the know. Perhaps more of a long play? Some of the previous comments about non keys and bargain bucket issues in a few years just don't ring true from what I am seeing. This probably really is a modern classic. I haven't been able to put it down.

 

 

The infected are out there... and they are buying comics.

 

---------------------

 

Garf.

 

---------------------

 

Pain in the spoon???? Guess I'm going to have to get used to that!

 

(pleased to meet you, or not, as the case may be)

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hulksmashdave

hulksmashdave

Posted
Posted

Let me preface this with I don't always know what I am talking about:

 

I think, depending on the condition of the books you bought, you would make more money in the long run with slabbing. People like the security of knowing the grade of the comic they are buying and are willing to pay for that security. However, I don't know what shipping rates to CGC are from overseas so I don't know if it would be cost effective for you to do it.

 

With the market the way it is on these books as of right now, it doesn't seem like from what you say you will have a problem making your money back or even turning a profit. Plus, it brings you enjoyment.

 

I say it would make more in the longrun, but you have to decide if you want to/can go through what it takes to slab them.

 

2c

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Phill the Governor

Phill the Governor

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I would say grade them if and only if you are certain of the grades. This is one of the reasons I haven't dived into the CGCed comics, its an investment of time, skills, and all that. At the end of the day, it's just a number with a price.

 

I will say though, that the number of people, many new to the comic world, that are dropping money on the WD in every market is crazy. I think that "modern classic" is the best way to describe the series.

 

not only that though, but the WD is doing something that no other comic is doing right now, responding to current social issues. Why is the WD so popular? with the advent of the internet and things going viral, zombies actually seem like a real possibility. People can relate to a story where characters life span is not indefinite. As it was mentioned above, sure the Governor only had a short run (in fact he was only in 14 issues of the series!), but he stands out because there has never really been a villian quite like him.

 

The Walking Dead really is the moden comic of this generation. look at the t.v. show. over 10 million viewers for the season two finale? This really put it in perspective for me. Currently, the wd singles have a print run of what, 30,000? then, how many people only buy the trades, hc, or omnibuses? I think that puts the number of readers at at least 50,000. Now, even if, say, 2% of the people that watch the show pick up the comic, that's an additional 200,000 readers.

 

Welcome Walking Dead domination.

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N/A

N/A

Posted
Posted

To the OP

 

It would all come down to minimizing shipping costs. I'm sure some UK buyers would pay a premium for not paying the over the pond shipping.

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N/A

N/A

Posted
Posted
I'm getting 100 in next week. Maybe time for pics. hm

 

Or a sales thread? :baiting:

 

(shrug)

 

:wishluck:

 

lol

 

It's only Kirkman sigs. You wouldn't be interested.

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Hawkman

Hawkman

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Posted

stopped by a local shop, and he had a copy of walking dead #61 on the shelves for 15% off cover price. only thing is it has stains on the front and back cover, but still....for less than $3, i'll take it.

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