Heritage vs. ComicLink: A Quick Snapshot

[Scrooge]

The 19.5% buyer's premium is a pretty big turn-off to me at Heritage.

 

I generally don't bother looking at their auctions.

just factor it into your bids... it is really no different than if they just took 19.5% from the final bid (sellers premium, if you will)...same difference...

 

if you are willing to spend $1000 on a book, you bid 800 with heritage knowing your bid is $1000... (thumbs u

 

All the more since it is common to ALL (real) bidders!

[batman_fan]

To its credit, Heritage maintains an healthy archive while ComicLink makes it much more difficult -- both in the short and long term -- to track its results.

 

Good point - and CLink's eternal "Sales Pending" notations are rather annoying (though that's perhaps their way of keeping an archive )

 

I only give them credit if all the listed sales are genuine. With all the books in this month's auction that supposedly sold in last Feb's auction, I have to wonder. If the sales shown in the archive aren't genuine, then perhaps they're an attempt to illicit higher bids when the books are relisted in a future auction.

 

This is one of my biggest concerns with these auction sites. It is hard to know for sure what is legit and given how a high sell can push up prices because of the general herd mentality of collectors, and it just makes me uneasy to trust some of these sells.

[tth2]

Alan and TTH2--

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not consigning to either auction, nor do I have any plans to do so anytime soon. But I'm curious about the evolution of the two auctions, particularly the success ComicLink has had carving into the Heritage niche in comics. Given how small a percentage of its business is devoted to comics, it may be that Heritage is simply devoting its resources to acquiring major collections like the illustration art of Charles Martignette ... or elite books like the Detective #27. ComicLink's edge is no longer limited to SA/BA books. As I noted, CL has 127 Fiction House titles; Heritage has eight. I've lost my enthusiasm for Heritage auctions over the years because each catalog is accompanied by the nagging sense that I've seen all this stuff before. And this month, the Tec 27 and Brenda Starr Mile High aside, there are significantly more "wow" moments -- for this Golden Age collector -- at ComicLink.

No doubt a lot of credit does have to go to ComicLink for making significant inroads into Heritage's market. Part of it is that it's usually inevitable that a player with massive market share gets its market share whittled down by other players anxious to get a piece of the pie. It doesn't help when the big player, on the surface, gives its consignors less favorable terms, and as you say, comics are a relatively small part of Heritage's business.

 

Nonetheless, I still think it's unfair and inaccurate to say that Heritage has been eclipsed by ComicLink on GA, particularly because ComicLink has a bunch of Fiction House titles in this auction. When you consider that over the past few years, Heritage has brought out the D books, the McLaughlin books, big chunks of the Crowley Fawcetts, some great Duck books, and significant portions of the Mile High runs of GL, Flash, More Fun and Adventure, what else can they do to top that? The MH Timelys and the best MH Detectives, Batmans, Actions and Supermans are locked away. Other than high grade Marvel Comics #1 (the Hulk 181 of the GA), what high grade mega-key GAs has ComicLink offered?

[MrBedrock]

what high grade mega-key GAs has ComicLink offered?

For one (that I can think of), they sold the 9.0 Batman 1.

[tth2]

what high grade mega-key GAs has ComicLink offered?

For one (that I can think of), they sold the 9.0 Batman 1.

Not in their auctions.

[MrBedrock]

what high grade mega-key GAs has ComicLink offered?

For one (that I can think of), they sold the 9.0 Batman 1.

Not in their auctions.

details

[tth2]

what high grade mega-key GAs has ComicLink offered?

For one (that I can think of), they sold the 9.0 Batman 1.

Not in their auctions.

details

[SteveDuin]

You may recall when I wrote about those concerns last October, in a piece called "The Auction of Whiz #17":

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2009/10/the_auction_of_whiz_17.html

[G.A.tor]

what high grade mega-key GAs has ComicLink offered?

For one (that I can think of), they sold the 9.0 Batman 1.

Not in their auctions.

details

windy city captain america 1 at 150K was pretty big... the 6.0 AA 16 was pretty good (technically that is "high" grade in a relative term).... they did have a tec 27 8.5 restored I bought in a clink auction (going back 2 years ,though)...recently an 8.0 batman 1 (that hit 100K, my former copy when it was a 60K book )...9.4 Sensation 1, 5.0 Nova Scotia Superman 1 (that later sold higher in a heritage auction), etc, etc... no action 1's (other than pieces), but they have had some nice "big" ones

[143ksk]

Ha! My plan is working! CL is now putting in their item description Paratrooper covers

http://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2FAuctions%2Fdefault%2Easp%3FFocused%3D1%23Item%5F828064&id=828064

 

You just noticed that now?

[Hamlet]

My issue is that I think it is too high.

 

I'd rather give the house 10% than 20%.

 

If I had to have a book that Heritage was auctioning, I would factor it into my bids.

 

I don't have many "must buy" moments though.

 

I find that I have no trouble finding enough books to spend my relatively small comic budget as it is, just looking at the boards, Ebay, comiclink, and the occasional convention.

 

just factor it into your bids... it is really no different than if they just took 19.5% from the final bid (sellers premium, if you will)...same difference...

 

if you are willing to spend $1000 on a book, you bid 800 with heritage knowing your bid is $1000... (thumbs u

[G.A.tor]

My issue is that I think it is too high.

 

I'd rather give the house 10% than 20%.

 

If I had to have a book that Heritage was auctioning, I would factor it into my bids.

 

I don't have many "must buy" moments though.

 

I find that I have no trouble finding enough books to spend my relatively small comic budget as it is, just looking at the boards, Ebay, comiclink, and the occasional convention.

 

just factor it into your bids... it is really no different than if they just took 19.5% from the final bid (sellers premium, if you will)...same difference...

 

if you are willing to spend $1000 on a book, you bid 800 with heritage knowing your bid is $1000... (thumbs u

the heritage vig (BP) really hurts the seller...doesn't affect the buyer at all, other than the buyer having to account for the BP in their bidding

[Hamlet]

Sure, but over the long haul that means more money leaving the comic market.

 

Given that I have limited funds and no shortage of comics to spend those funds on, why wouldn't I funnel my money to places that benefit the seller over the "overhead".

 

All things being equal, I'd rather buy a comic on the boards and have the seller realize the entire price, rather than pay a cut.

 

If that cut has to get paid, why not go with the site that takes less? (assuming that they are competent, of course)

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't buy at Heritage if I saw a great deal on a book I "needed". I just don't look there first.

 

 

the heritage vig (BP) really hurts the seller...doesn't affect the buyer at all, other than the buyer having to account for the BP in their bidding

[EJR]

Now that Heritage is going to start charging me California's 10% sales tax for any comic purchases effective 2/1/10, I will definitely be bidding alot more on Comiclinks auctions. Now the 3 largest states in the country will have to pay sales tax on Heritage's books. This will definitely have an adverse effect on the sellers and buyers for Heritage's books. Whether one is buying or consigning books, I believe Comiclink is the logical choice! E

[G.A.tor]

Now that Heritage is going to start charging me California's 10% sales tax for any comic purchases effective 2/1/10, I will definitely be bidding alot more on Comiclinks auctions. Now the 3 largest states in the country will have to pay sales tax on Heritage's books. This will definitely have an adverse effect on the sellers and buyers for Heritage's books. Whether one is buying or consigning books, I believe Comiclink is the logical choice! E

there are many "ways around" the sales tax, if they have a book you really want... not suggesting one take advantage of it, but there are ways ...won't affect them too much (though it should)

[VintageComics]

I think some people would rather not be bothered with extra headaches. For many comics are supposed to fun, light and easy and I'm betting that having to make a covert operation out of getting a book seems a lot like work for people.

 

Just another unnecessary step for people who would rather have convenience.

 

 

 

 

[nearmint]

I think some people would rather not be bothered with extra headaches. For many comics are supposed to fun, light and easy and I'm betting that having to make a covert operation out of getting a book seems a lot like work for people.

 

Just another unnecessary step for people who would rather have convenience.

 

I'd fall into that category.

[G.A.tor]

I think some people would rather not be bothered with extra headaches. For many comics are supposed to fun, light and easy and I'm betting that having to make a covert operation out of getting a book seems a lot like work for people.

 

Just another unnecessary step for people who would rather have convenience.

 

I'd fall into that category.

while I agree it is not "as convenient", it is certainly next to nothing to ask a friend to bid for you

[VintageComics]

I think some people would rather not be bothered with extra headaches. For many comics are supposed to fun, light and easy and I'm betting that having to make a covert operation out of getting a book seems a lot like work for people.

 

Just another unnecessary step for people who would rather have convenience.

 

I'd fall into that category.

while I agree it is not "as convenient", it is certainly next to nothing to ask a friend to bid for you

 

For some the additional work is ok. For some it isn't.

 

There can be complications, financial and logistical, that some people just don't want to deal with.

 

[G.A.tor]

I think some people would rather not be bothered with extra headaches. For many comics are supposed to fun, light and easy and I'm betting that having to make a covert operation out of getting a book seems a lot like work for people.

 

Just another unnecessary step for people who would rather have convenience.

 

I'd fall into that category.

while I agree it is not "as convenient", it is certainly next to nothing to ask a friend to bid for you

 

For some the additional work is ok. For some it isn't.

 

There can be complications, financial and logistical, that some people just don't want to deal with.

sure, I hear you...not for everyone, but certainly for some