Are we headed twoards a split market?

[joe_collector]

Seems like there's a business opportunity there for someone in the comic field.

 

I don't really see it that way, as "I buy it for the resto check" is just a strawman investors and speculators toss out, so that we don't see their true colors.

 

With the BIG NUMBER, I don't see any real money to be made.

[backtomarvel]

If it's all the product of a boogey-man mentality I have to admit it's worked on me. I have yet to pay for a high-grade comic online, even with a actual-size scan.

 

I'm not that experienced -- got back in a year ago -- but have only bought solid books from dealers in person at long-time shops here in the Twin Cities and in Sioux Falls.

 

Heck, I haven't yet taken the plunge with established dealers at their store's Web site ...

 

 

[AllTop8Me]

I've wondered about the resto check only and why they don't do that. It would likely be more than $10 because it would still have to be encased, and breaking the seal would negate the assurance.

 

That wouldn't work. Since there's no grade on the book, any buyer would insist on opening the book and looking at it himself before commiting to a purchase (or, in the EBay/mail order world, would insist on a money-back guarantee if not satisfied after opening the slab). Few (potential) sellers would be willing to invest in slabbing such an environment.

[backtomarvel]

Is there such a guarantee now if a book purchased on eBay comes back as a resto?

 

The slab itself only guarantees that the book hasn't been trimmed, touched up, etc ... and would ease buyer concerns on eBay, don't you think?

 

What's the difference between buying a raw book online based on a scan and buying an encased book online based on a scan?

 

I guess I'm assuming that a book guaranteed not to have been restored would be worth more on eBay than one without such a guarantee. Would be up to to the seller to have a money-back offer about the grade (which many have now anyway.)

 

 

[backtomarvel]

OK, I finally see what you're saying AllTop8Me ... the seller would lose the resto-check fee because buyers will want to crack it to make sure they got what they thought they were getting.

 

Sorry about missing that the first time around.

 

I suppose it comes down to percentages and premiums for sellers. How many books are returned vs. the premium buyers pay for peace of mind that high-grade books aren't doctored.

 

Maybe it would work, maybe it wouldn't. Depends on the numbers. It's a tough nut because resto checks fro online sale won't work without encasing the book.