Why quote GPA on ungraded books ????

[Bosco685]

Furthermore, for a large segment of the hobby, where people do not care about the grade but only care about finding a copy of a rare book, the slab is incidental...meaning the buyer did not pay for the book based on the slabbed grade, they simply paid for the book based on the fact that they could find a copy. The slab may have just been a nice transport mechanism until the book finds it's way to them and then they crack it out.

Roy, I respect your outlook on things and the care you put into your responses.

 

But sellers using GPA for pricing raw books is just wrong. And those that state "Buy the book - Not the grade" and yet use GPA for pricing are telling two different tales.

 

If they truly believed in that philosophy, they wouldn't even bother with GPA which is collecting data on slabbed sales.

[Bosco685]

It's like a store you walk in to. If you don't want to buy anything, just walk back out. Don't go yelling at the store owner because you don't like his set up.

 

If you feel the store owner has overpriced something, most people are open to a private conversation, but you don't go yelling it across the store to make a point.

(thumbs u

 

Agreed! If you don't like it, then leave the thread. Otherwise, we will all be crapping over each other's sales threads to enforce our views on life and what we feel like paying for that moment.

 

Or better yet, I love when someone posted an eBay sale in someone's sales thread and stated "Match this and I'll buy your book then." Talk about no class or respect.

[Dick Pontoon]

I'm not slogging through Roy's posts.

 

Yes, more information is good, and on a hot or key raw book knowing both OS and GPA is useful. I often take both into consideration when making a purchase. BUT, (I like big buts), it makes no sense to quote GPA for common, mid grade books, especially on the boards where we may have the most savvy buyers in the hobby.

[nearmint]

I'm not slogging through Roy's posts.

 

Yes, more information is good, and on a hot or key raw book knowing both OS and GPA is useful. I often take both into consideration when making a purchase. BUT, (I like big buts), it makes no sense to quote GPA for common, mid grade books, especially on the boards where we may have the most savvy buyers in the hobby.

 

Even when GPA is lower than Overstreet?

[topofthetotem]

The easy answer is people want the most value for the books they sell.

 

What's the big mystery?

[Bosco685]

I'm not slogging through Roy's posts.

 

Yes, more information is good, and on a hot or key raw book knowing both OS and GPA is useful. I often take both into consideration when making a purchase. BUT, (I like big buts), it makes no sense to quote GPA for common, mid grade books, especially on the boards where we may have the most savvy buyers in the hobby.

 

Even when GPA is lower than Overstreet?

The answer is "it depends."

 

If you are talking about GPA sales tracking over a short period of time and then trying to use one or two sales as the total existing value of a book versus a lull period, that's also troubling.

 

We've all witnessed key books sometimes go for a one-time low price. But in no way does that make it the only price. It may have been an auction ending at midnight when few are up, the cut of THAT specific issue may have been off where it is perceived as not a good example, or some other contributor.

 

But the same goes for sellers trying to point to one high sale and then feeling all books at that grade deserve the same price, yet the average may be much lower.

 

It's collectibles, so you are always going to have these challenges.

[goldust40]

 

But sellers using GPA for pricing raw books is just wrong. And those that state "Buy the book - Not the grade" and yet use GPA for pricing are telling two different tales.

 

I'm not sure about this, but I don't think I've ever heard a seller in the marketplace make this statement. The grade in any board transaction is fundamental, and any further information disclosed is to inform. In that context, I see no problem as long as the seller makes it abundantly clear what the defects are regardless of appearance or eye appeal.

 

The quote in question refers, as far as this Forum is concerned, to graded books and whether the pros have been less (or more) strict than usual.

[Dick Pontoon]

I'm not slogging through Roy's posts.

 

Yes, more information is good, and on a hot or key raw book knowing both OS and GPA is useful. I often take both into consideration when making a purchase. BUT, (I like big buts), it makes no sense to quote GPA for common, mid grade books, especially on the boards where we may have the most savvy buyers in the hobby.

 

Even when GPA is lower than Overstreet?

 

Well, in that case if you're the seller it seems like you'd be handicapping yourself.

 

Personally, I don't think I've ever quoted either when I've sold anything, and have always assumed a potential buyer knows what they want to pay, and has a price guide and/or GPA.

[goldust40]

I'm not slogging through Roy's posts.

 

Yes, more information is good, and on a hot or key raw book knowing both OS and GPA is useful. I often take both into consideration when making a purchase. BUT, (I like big buts), it makes no sense to quote GPA for common, mid grade books, especially on the boards where we may have the most savvy buyers in the hobby.

 

Even when GPA is lower than Overstreet?

The answer is "it depends."

 

If you are talking about GPA sales tracking over a short period of time and then trying to use one or two sales as the total existing value of a book versus a lull period, that's also troubling.

 

We've all witnessed key books sometimes go for a one-time low price. But in no way does that make it the only price. It may have been an auction ending at midnight when few are up, the cut of THAT specific issue may have been off where it is perceived as not a good example, or some other contributor.

 

But the same goes for sellers trying to point to one high sale and then feeling all books at that grade deserve the same price, yet the average may be much lower.

 

It's collectibles, so you are always going to have these challenges.

 

Yep. And as long as the seller doesn't speciously and deliberately skew such information for their benefit, I see no issue. GPA quoting is fine as long as the facts are unvarnished and put into context.

 

The End!!!!!!!

[Bosco685]

 

But sellers using GPA for pricing raw books is just wrong. And those that state "Buy the book - Not the grade" and yet use GPA for pricing are telling two different tales.

 

I'm not sure about this, but I don't think I've ever heard a seller in the marketplace make this statement. The grade in any board transaction is fundamental, and any further information disclosed is to inform. In that context, I see no problem as long as the seller makes it abundantly clear what the defects are regardless of appearance or eye appeal.

 

The quote in question refers, as far as this Forum is concerned, to graded books and whether the pros have been less (or more) strict than usual.

With over 12K posts on here, I would be surprised if you have not caught sellers in Comics General kicking the heck out of someone if they complain about a badly damaged or heavily scratched case, yet they paid top dollar for a book based on their using GPA to judge value.

 

More times than I care to count, folks have jumped out waving the "Buy the book - Not the grade" flag to quiet them down.

[nearmint]

Whenever this topic comes up, I can't tell if people are frustrated at sellers that price raw books at GPA, or sellers who actually quote GPA values when selling a book.

[VintageComics]

Furthermore, for a large segment of the hobby, where people do not care about the grade but only care about finding a copy of a rare book, the slab is incidental...meaning the buyer did not pay for the book based on the slabbed grade, they simply paid for the book based on the fact that they could find a copy. The slab may have just been a nice transport mechanism until the book finds it's way to them and then they crack it out.

Roy, I respect your outlook on things and the care you put into your responses.

 

But sellers using GPA for pricing raw books is just wrong. And those that state "Buy the book - Not the grade" and yet use GPA for pricing are telling two different tales.

 

If they truly believed in that philosophy, they wouldn't even bother with GPA which is collecting data on slabbed sales.

 

Nick, then maybe you can help answer my question.

 

How does a seller price a raw book, that knowingly sells over guide, in a manner that is fair to both seller and buyer?

 

I think the reason we have this discussion is because people see GPA different ways or as different tools.

 

One group sees it as "prices for CGC graded books only"

Another group will see it as a guide for "prices for a book in a given grade"

Another group will see it as "price range for a rare book"

 

I can see all three points of view.

 

Is that better, Pont?

[goldust40]

 

But sellers using GPA for pricing raw books is just wrong. And those that state "Buy the book - Not the grade" and yet use GPA for pricing are telling two different tales.

 

I'm not sure about this, but I don't think I've ever heard a seller in the marketplace make this statement. The grade in any board transaction is fundamental, and any further information disclosed is to inform. In that context, I see no problem as long as the seller makes it abundantly clear what the defects are regardless of appearance or eye appeal.

 

The quote in question refers, as far as this Forum is concerned, to graded books and whether the pros have been less (or more) strict than usual.

With over 12K posts on here, I would be surprised if you have not caught sellers in Comics General kicking the heck out of someone if they complain about a badly damaged or heavily scratched case, yet they paid top dollar for a book based on their using GPA to judge value.

 

More times than I care to count, folks have jumped out waving the "Buy the book - Not the grade" flag to quiet them down.

 

If the case is heavily scratched or damaged and this was not disclosed by the seller, then the buyer has a legitimate beef. And if anyone uses the tactic you mentioned then they are of course being disingenuous.

 

But that wasn't what I was talking about.

[DrWatson]

Personally, I don't think I've ever quoted either when I've sold anything, and have always assumed a potential buyer knows what they want to pay, and has a price guide and/or GPA.

Neither have I. The boards can be incredibly fickle when selling as it is typically a very specialized market. We have all had the same scenario. I have priced things here in order to just get rid of them and then have them not sell only to sell for more somewhere else.

 

I don't understand the complaints though. If something isn't attractively priced for you, then don't buy it. It really isn't complicated.

[Bosco685]

Furthermore, for a large segment of the hobby, where people do not care about the grade but only care about finding a copy of a rare book, the slab is incidental...meaning the buyer did not pay for the book based on the slabbed grade, they simply paid for the book based on the fact that they could find a copy. The slab may have just been a nice transport mechanism until the book finds it's way to them and then they crack it out.

Roy, I respect your outlook on things and the care you put into your responses.

 

But sellers using GPA for pricing raw books is just wrong. And those that state "Buy the book - Not the grade" and yet use GPA for pricing are telling two different tales.

 

If they truly believed in that philosophy, they wouldn't even bother with GPA which is collecting data on slabbed sales.

 

Nick, then maybe you can help answer my question.

 

How does a seller price a raw book, that knowingly sells over guide, in a manner that is fair to both seller and buyer?

 

I think the reason we have this discussion is because people see GPA different ways or as different tools.

 

One group sees it as "prices for CGC graded books only"

Another group will see it as a guide for "prices for a book in a given grade"

Another group will see it as "price range for a rare book"

 

I can see all three points of view.

 

Is that better, Pont?

Honestly, I think if someone prices their book at raw value but accounts for grade differences above 9.2 since that is where Overstreet stops, and wants to add for marketing reasons "GPA on a book at this grade encased goes for $XXXX," then that is just smart marketing and I totally respect it.

 

But anyone pricing their books strictly by GPA for raw books as the norm is potentially going to run into trouble when their grades and missing restoration on a book comes back to haunt them.

 

CGC is around to make money, but the value they bring to the market in detecting restoration and grade ranges is the value proposition that makes the difference. That's what I'm paying for when I reflect on GPA for where it should be priced.

 

Raw books do not have this built into their value.

[goldust40]

Whenever this topic comes up, I can't tell if people are frustrated at sellers that price raw books at GPA, or sellers who actually quote GPA values when selling a book.

 

Sellers can charge what they like, but in the end it boils down to reputation. If they grade accurately then quoting GPA values (all of them, not just the highs) is not a serious issue. If people disagree with such tactics, then they don't give the seller their business.

 

I've seen various sellers over the years (including some newbies) overprice books whilst quoting GPA but their threads quickly drop out of sight. Water usually finds its own level.

[TheShadowKnows]

Why quote GPA on ungraded books ?

Because if the book is graded accurately, then the only difference in the price would be the grading fees.

 

Plus, if they didn't, we wouldn't be blessed with glorious threads such as these to interuprt the dull monotony of the day.

Love the avatar

[MCMiles]

This is such a pointless topic, perhaps the most pointless topic actually related to comics discussed on these boards.

 

I don't understand the difficulty in using all of the available information. GPA, Overstreet, seller reputation, etc. to make your own determination of a books value, wether your buying or selling. Beyond that, why is it so difficult to let others buy or sell in the way they choose?

[DrWatson]

This is such a pointless topic, perhaps the most pointless topic actually related to comics discussed on these boards.

 

I don't understand the difficulty in using all of the available information. GPA, Overstreet, seller reputation, etc. to make your own determination of a books value, whether your buying or selling. Beyond that, why is it so difficult to let others buy or sell in the way they choose?

I think it's a conspiracy.

[nearmint]

Honestly, I think if someone prices their book at raw value but accounts for grade differences above 9.2 since that is where Overstreet stops

 

Why equate Overstreet values with raw values? Doesn't Overstreet track sales of both slabbed and raw when determining values?