Marketplace Clichés...

[joe_collector]

I agree. For more common books it does not matter but higher grade books and tougher to find books whether raw or slabbed will always sell for *GPA* type prices if graded properly and sold by a reputable seller.

 

But it's not about the price, which the seller is free to set at any level he or she chooses, but the fact that many are erroneously quoting GPA values on CGC certified comics to hype their raw books. GPA doesn't track raw and should have no place in raw sales.

 

Example:

 

Let's say the GPA average on a given book in NM condition is $900.

 

The proper way to sell a Raw NM copy would be:

 

"Raw NM copy, super condition - $900"

 

The erroneous way would be:

 

Raw NM copy - $900 - directly at GPA AVERAGE! 90-day rising to $1,000!!! Buy now - Below GPA 90-day average!!!!

[Foolkiller]

I have a good idea.

 

Why not post the book, post your grade, post your asking price and be done with it

 

But that would be too easy.

 

Generally I agree with Nik (and JC) but... keep in mind, some things are done, as I have said, because they are enticing buyers. Few have the success Nik does following his method of just post book, grade, etc. Seriously, think about how many boardies have massively successful sales threads.

[GACollectibles]

and you have to cater to your buyers.

 

I draw the line at the requests for pics of me in lingerie....

 

I keep those for myself.

[joe_collector]

CGC does not make a book more valuable.

 

 

Where did you dredge up that fairy tale?

[Count]

I don't agree with using GPA to sell raw books unless the seller stands 100% by the grade. I've seen several people purchase raw books at a specific grade but when they submit the book to be graded and it returns 2 or 3 grades lower then the grading becomes "subjective". That's just plain BS in my book.

 

If you stand by your grade fine otherwise don't quote GPA.

[joe_collector]

Generally I agree with Nik (and JC) but... keep in mind, some things are done, as I have said, because they are enticing buyers.

 

Agreed, and other than the tawdry "quote GPA for raw" practice, none of them really bother me, and it's mostly just salesmanship.

[DrWatson]

CGC does not make a book more valuable.

 

 

Where did you dredge up that fairy tale?

He is right. CGC in and of itself does not make the book more valuable, but their assignment of a numerical grade typically makes it easier to sell on the open market for usually a higher price than a raw book of the same grade.

[sborock]

CGC does not make a book more valuable.

 

 

Where did you dredge up that fairy tale?

 

Got to agree a bit with JC here.

 

I give CGC my hard earned money to be able to sell comic books for more $ and to sell the faster. Selling faster at the same price as an exact raw copy of another book adds $$ to something for the seller.

 

Just my

[joe_collector]

CGC in and of itself does not make the book more valuable, but their assignment of a numerical grade typically makes it easier to sell on the open market for usually a higher price than a raw book of the same grade.

 

Regardless of nerd-semantics, the fact remains that, as you state, CGC books (especially at NM and up) sell at "a higher price than a raw book of the same grade".

 

So if this is true, then you obviously think that quoting erroneous GPA data as a way to hype raw sales is wrong.

[Ogami]

I give CGC my hard earned money to be able to sell comic books for more $ and to sell the faster. Selling faster at the same price as an exact raw copy of another book adds $$ to something for the seller.

 

Just my

 

what's odd about our current climate is that I wouldn't think the former primary grader at CGC would ever have to get a book slabbed in order for buyers to have confidence.

[lizards2]

I've been browsing the Marketplace pretty close over the last couple months in the hope of buying something...but really haven't found much that interests me. But what I have found is that sellers are really hyping their wares. Nothing wrong with that of course but some of the hype has really been used, or overused, to the point of now being almost cliché. Some examples...

 

Quoting GPA for raw comics - What's the point? It's still raw...

 

"If it doesn't sell here, it's off to CGC" - Who cares? If it doesn't appeal to me now at your price, it's not going to in a slab....

 

"May be pressable" - OK, so?

"Never see it in this grade" - Well...yeah we do. We don't see it at the exact moment you're offering it. Give it time...it'll definitely show up somewhere...usually cheaper...

 

"CGC was tough on this when it was graded" - Then resubmit it and not attempt to have others do so on your word. It is what it is...

 

Those are just the obvious ones. I'm sure some of you can come up with others...

 

Jim

 

 

 

:applause:

 

Couldn't agree more. The 'it's off to CGC' one always strikes me as a threat...that carries no punch. How many people will have read that and started selling off furniture and/or children to stop such a thing happening?

 

What I also love to see is the ridiculous lack of patience shown by some sellers. If books haven't sold within three hours, they're frantically bumping the thread and making wholesale discounts and reductions.

 

and how many of those times did the book(s) in question make you think, "good luck with that one, pard....," because there was on obvious reason why the book wasn't selling....,

 

well... lizards... you had a Hulk 102 that sat for awhile on the boards. People didn't pull the trigger on it but there was certainly no obvious reason why it wasn't selling, it just wasn't. I bought it eventually more as a trade -- and it came back a CGC 9.4 white pager. So... if you had said, I'm subbing this, and if you want it now, great, but I have confidence in my grade but am willing to take the $ now as opposed to waiting for CGC... and of course you never know what the grade will be. I bought it, obviously it worked out. And I picked it up for much less than the cost of a slab.

 

That's kind of an apples/oranges comparison, Brian. I didn't say just because a book doesn't sell that it has something wrong with it. I would be that last one to disagree with the fact that there are certainly a lot of nice books here that just don't/won't sell here.

 

Most would probably agree that I should have subbed the Hulk 102 book..., but I'm still not interested in going that route. Maybe some day....,

[Foolkiller]

Generally I agree with Nik (and JC) but... keep in mind, some things are done, as I have said, because they are enticing buyers.

 

Agreed, and other than the tawdry "quote GPA for raw" practice, none of them really bother me, and it's mostly just salesmanship.

 

Right, and I am in the camp of, let's not quote GPA if the book isn't really graded. I understand all the theoretical arguments, but then that ignores the reality of the situation which is... hey, the certification is what people are paying for, not your grade.

 

Look, I really do understand why some people get irritated with certain things that are going on in the marketplace, but... I really believe some have logical and have evidence that they work in practice.

[joe_collector]

what's odd about our current climate is that I wouldn't think the former primary grader at CGC would ever have to get a book slabbed in order for buyers to have confidence.

 

It's not odd at all, as most people on here are self-admitted collector-investors who worry about resale value and liquidity.

 

So let's say Steve's rep helps sell a raw NM copy of X, and some newb buys it at GPA, then a year later needs money ASAP and tries to sell it.

 

Do you really believe he'd get the same return Steve would?

 

If you're not Steve Borock, and are worried about resale and liquidity, only pay GPA for a CGC book.

[Ogami]

what's odd about our current climate is that I wouldn't think the former primary grader at CGC would ever have to get a book slabbed in order for buyers to have confidence.

 

It's not odd at all, as most people on here are self-admitted collector-investors who worry about resale value and liquidity.

 

So let's say Steve's rep helps sell a raw NM copy of X, and some newb buys it at GPA, then a year later needs money ASAP and tries to sell it.

 

Do you really believe he'd get the same return Steve would?

 

If you're not Steve Borock, and are worried about resale and liquidity, only pay GPA for a CGC book.

 

yeah, I thought about that, after my comment.

 

Steve is keeping the book liquid.

[sborock]

I give CGC my hard earned money to be able to sell comic books for more $ and to sell the faster. Selling faster at the same price as an exact raw copy of another book adds $$ to something for the seller.

 

Just my

 

what's odd about our current climate is that I wouldn't think the former primary grader at CGC would ever have to get a book slabbed in order for buyers to have confidence.

 

Just because you were the head of a business or CLUB (or even just part of one), does not make you honest. I happen to go out of my way to be honest, but the fact remains, that the people who do not know me, want the added protection and consumer confidence they feel with CGC and other types of authentication in other hobbies.

 

BTW....many people do by "raw" from me and trust/like my grading and resto check. That said, I am human, can and probably will makemistakes, and do not have 3-4 people look at the book I am selling and give an opinion like the folks at CGC do.

[joe_collector]

There is a great example of this in the forums, whereby someone is selling a pile of books, and simply asking for "what he paid" on some, which is pretty high and were originally purchased from a noted "quote GPA for raw" forum seller.

 

And you can almost hear the crickets chirping - if this guy had purchased CGC copies for the same money, he'd probably have sold them all by now, likely for even more.

[Ogami]

I give CGC my hard earned money to be able to sell comic books for more $ and to sell the faster. Selling faster at the same price as an exact raw copy of another book adds $$ to something for the seller.

 

Just my

 

what's odd about our current climate is that I wouldn't think the former primary grader at CGC would ever have to get a book slabbed in order for buyers to have confidence.

 

Just because you were the head of a business or CLUB (or even just part of one), does not make you honest. I happen to go out of my way to be honest, but the fact remains, that the people who do not know me, want the added protection and consumer confidence they feel with CGC and other types of authentication in other hobbies.

 

BTW....many people do by "raw" from me and trust/like my grading and resto check. That said, I am human and do not have 3-4 people look at the book I am selling and give an opinion like the folks at CGC do.

 

(thumbs u

[VintageComics]

I will continue to quote what a similar book sells for acc to GPA so if y'all don't like it you can just quietly pass over my posts.

 

(thumbs u

 

I'm not going to offer a $500 book for $100 just because the guide says it's worth $100. Anyone in the market for the type of books that I sell with this description will know what I am talking about and will understand. I don't use it for every book I sell but I do use it when no other reasonable data is available.

 

So I won't make apologies for my sales practices as I feel they are 100% in line with what people need to stay informed for any books I sell and describe that way.

It's my way of making sure a buyer is well informed.

 

R.

 

 

 

[Ze-man]

On the flip side I wonder how many people like overly dressed up auction descriptions to make them feel all warm and fuzzy about their purchase?

 

Most of us look at the book/scan/price and make a quick decision based on what we know and see. But to many I imagine they like being "sold" on a book where otherwise they might not be on the fence if not for the hard sell. (tough book in grade, snap it up now before it hits clink, off to CGC soon etc..)

 

While I agree many of the cliches grow tiresome, some of them they do serve a purpose even if only to entertain/influence a potential fence sitter.

 

Call it a hard sell,cliche or flowery description its all good to me unless the seller has 4 threads going at once.

[joe_collector]

I will continue to quote what a similar book sells for acc to GPA so if y'all don't like it you can just quietly pass over my posts.

 

(thumbs u

 

I'm not going to offer a $500 book for $100 just because the guide says it's worth $100.

 

 

You can sell it for whatever price you want, it's just that a lot of people seem to be irritated with sellers who brazenly quote CGC graded sales date to hype their raw books.

 

Sell it for $500, $600, $700... whatever you want.

 

NM copy of X - high grade - $500

 

Done.