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Question for dealers...

Started by october,

32 posts in this topic

october

october

Posted
Posted

I have always been curious about this, so maybe Bedrock or Blazing Bob have some experience, or maybe some people can answer from the other side of the table.

 

If you let someone look at a book outside of the mylar and the customer damages it, do you try to make them buy it? Maybe the book was dropped, or tape gets caught on it, or the person handles it wrong and a staple pops, whatever. Just curious if dealers try to enforce a "you break it, you buy it policy" or if they just chalk it up as an inevitable business expense.

 

Anyone ever had to buy a book they damaged?

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Flaming_Telepath

Flaming_Telepath

Posted
Posted

When I was working the shows, that would be my policy, yes.

 

I never had to enforce it as it only happened twice and on both occasions, the customer offered to buy it. I then discounted it...can't remember by how much, but basically down to what I had in it. (thumbs u

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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
Posted

I was looking to by a $2500 X-men #2 (about 5 years ago) in Detroit. Dealer's helper would not let me handle the book (even though I offered to buy it if I damaged it), he pulled it out and stuck tape to it. took a nice patch of color off the front cover.

 

doh!

 

I didn't buy it.

 

:insane:

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MrBedrock

MrBedrock

Posted
Posted
I have always been curious about this, so maybe Bedrock or Blazing Bob have some experience, or maybe some people can answer from the other side of the table.

 

If you let someone look at a book outside of the mylar and the customer damages it, do you try to make them buy it? Maybe the book was dropped, or tape gets caught on it, or the person handles it wrong and a staple pops, whatever. Just curious if dealers try to enforce a "you break it, you buy it policy" or if they just chalk it up as an inevitable business expense.

 

Anyone ever had to buy a book they damaged?

For me it totally depends on the situation. If I ask someone to let me take books out of the bag for them and then they do it anyway and stick some tape on something, then I will ask them to pay for it (unfortunately you can't MAKE someone pay). If, at a show, I ask someone to please let me take stuff off of the display rack to show them and then they do it anyway and drop something I will ask them to pay for it.

Most of the rest of the time, especially if it is minor or on a less expensive book, I will just let it go.

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Mike Bray

Mike Bray

Posted
Posted
I was looking to by a $2500 X-men #2 (about 5 years ago) in Detroit. Dealer's helper would not let me handle the book (even though I offered to buy it if I damaged it), he pulled it out and stuck tape to it. took a nice patch of color off the front cover.

 

doh!

 

I didn't buy it.

 

:insane:

 

looking to buy a $2500 book is nice

not being aloud to touch the book before the purchase is bad

seeing the book loose $1000 in value due to a real " professionals" goof is priceless

 

 

 

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted

I think it is kind of an accepted rule, that if as a customer, you damage the book, that you at least offer compensation to what the dealer can "now" sell it for, in its altered/damage condition...or, buy it outright, etc...

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thirdgreenham

thirdgreenham

Posted
Posted
I have always been curious about this, so maybe Bedrock or Blazing Bob have some experience, or maybe some people can answer from the other side of the table.

 

If you let someone look at a book outside of the mylar and the customer damages it, do you try to make them buy it? Maybe the book was dropped, or tape gets caught on it, or the person handles it wrong and a staple pops, whatever. Just curious if dealers try to enforce a "you break it, you buy it policy" or if they just chalk it up as an inevitable business expense.

 

Anyone ever had to buy a book they damaged?

 

This happened to me at a coin show. A guy asked to see my $1000 bill. He quickly pulled it out of it's holder and started bending it and flicking it between his thumb and index finger. I almost my pants. :tonofbricks: He gave it to me and walked away. I didn't know what to say, I was speechless. Thank goodness he came back later to buy it. lol

 

Andy

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted
Ask detective27Kid about this. He has a sad story to tell.

all star 3,crippen :cry:

 

...and? :baiting:

an otherwise 4.0 copy of the crippen AS 3 was mylared to a 3/4 cover seperation by someone....I still own the book (now in a cgc 1.8 holder, another reason to cgc books), though there was some compensation involved...you can never bring it "back"
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october

october

Posted
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Posted
Ask detective27Kid about this. He has a sad story to tell.

all star 3,crippen :cry:

 

...and? :baiting:

an otherwise 4.0 copy of the crippen AS 3 was mylared to a 3/4 cover seperation by someone....I still own the book (now in a cgc 1.8 holder, another reason to cgc books), though there was some compensation involved...

 

:eek:

 

Sorry to hear that. Did they offer to compensate you right away, or did you have to get tough?

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

Posted
Posted
Ask detective27Kid about this. He has a sad story to tell.

all star 3,crippen :cry:

 

...and? :baiting:

an otherwise 4.0 copy of the crippen AS 3 was mylared to a 3/4 cover seperation by someone....I still own the book (now in a cgc 1.8 holder, another reason to cgc books), though there was some compensation involved...

 

:eek:

 

Sorry to hear that. Did they offer to compensate you right away, or did you have to get tough?

it was worked out amicably
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NewWorldOrder

NewWorldOrder

Posted
Posted

A customer should always bear the responsibility of paying for any damaged book they self-inflict.

 

Now if the dealer wants to let them off the hook then thats fine.

 

Off course some situations can prove to not make the customer warrant a pay-off, however the above statement should hold true for most customer/dealers situations.

 

If you as a customer cant handle a comic book (especially an expensive one) than just ask the dealer to open it for you.

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HOTFLIPS

HOTFLIPS

Posted
Posted

The problem is that most customers will just walk away after they damage something. Very few out of the total number of people that come by your booth will offer to buy the book. Just my experience.

 

 

 

Thats why i mainly sell plastic and cardboard now!! :banana::banana:

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