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Question for dealers...

Started by october,

32 posts in this topic

Comicsarefun

Comicsarefun

Posted
Posted

I have been to cons where inexperienced dealers did not know how to handle their own books, and I was cringing as they unbagged them and flopped them around. So it goes both ways. I remeber begging a guy to let me unbag and handle it, but he insisted and treated it like today's issue of TV guide! These were potential 9.4- 9.6 silver age books...how they survived in high grade with this guy is one of the wonderes of the universe!

 

I also never my let oldest brother handle my comics! They say grading is an art, but unbagging, untaping, mylar removal, safe page turing etc...that is a real art.

 

You want to look at my Superman #1 at a con? Fine, how about you examine this Dazzler #1 first as a test! (no I don't have a Superman #1, but you get the point)

 

 

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Scrooge

Scrooge

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I was looking at a book (Strange Worlds # ?) from Motor City at a con and thank god they insist on opening the book for you since as soon as the book was laid down, the cover lifted off and floated away (the spine was weak and just looking at it completely detached the front cover from the back cover). No ire on both sides, they took the book repriced it and I moved on. I would have felt terrible had I opened it myself!

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divad

divad

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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.

 

 

Good question, Andy :)

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toro

toro

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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

 

Why that's the same thing I do every time I have a $1000 bill in my hand! :grin:

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Transplant

Transplant

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I was looking at a book (Strange Worlds # ?) from Motor City at a con and thank god they insist on opening the book for you since as soon as the book was laid down, the cover lifted off and floated away (the spine was weak and just looking at it completely detached the front cover from the back cover). No ire on both sides, they took the book repriced it and I moved on. I would have felt terrible had I opened it myself!
One thing these guys do that every dealer should: They have a cloth covered piece of wood that they sit on top of the boxes. Give them a flat surface to put the book for examination.
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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
Posted
I was looking at a book (Strange Worlds # ?) from Motor City at a con and thank god they insist on opening the book for you since as soon as the book was laid down, the cover lifted off and floated away (the spine was weak and just looking at it completely detached the front cover from the back cover). No ire on both sides, they took the book repriced it and I moved on. I would have felt terrible had I opened it myself!
One thing these guys do that every dealer should: They have a cloth covered piece of wood that they sit on top of the boxes. Give them a flat surface to put the book for examination.

 

Mike at Motor City always has this and it's a terrific idea!

 

 

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seank

seank

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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.

 

I know how to handle books and I ALWAYS ask dealers if I can look at the book outside the mylar. The dealers that know me generally allow me to remove the book myself. And if the dealer wants to remove the book himself, no problem. If it gets damaged, it's not coming out of my pocket. I also offer them the book to return to the mylar for the same reason.

 

And if I did damage a book as a buyer, I'd pay for it. You break it, you buy it.

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chromium

chromium

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as soon as the book was laid down, the cover lifted off and floated away (the spine was weak and just looking at it completely detached the front cover from the back cover).

 

This sounds so familiar :eek:

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blazingbob

blazingbob

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A sales a sale.

 

I almost had a good sale in Baltimore when Jim almost bought a row of Spidey's.

 

I've had to buy books I've damaged. My warning to all is be careful of books with indented staples and mylar. I sliced a cover from top staple all the way up when the mylar caught on the edge. Cost me about $300-400.

 

I also HATE dealers who use mylites and tape. Nothing more frustrating that pulling a stack and having to untape/retape each and every book.

 

 

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Scrooge

Scrooge

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as soon as the book was laid down, the cover lifted off and floated away (the spine was weak and just looking at it completely detached the front cover from the back cover).

 

This sounds so familiar :eek:

 

Sorry for the reminder :sorry:

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