Cons vs Online

[MisterX]

Whenever I go to a con, I almost always contact the dealers in advance and ask them to bring specific books from their inventory for me to look at (and possibly purchase).

 

Most of the time these are books the dealers may not consider bringing to the con because they are not high-dollar items or popular titles. Tables are for books that sell, after all. (And coffee is for closers!)

 

Cost of admission usually balances out or is less than the cost of shipping if I'm buying from multiple dealers.

 

I don't have much luck browsing at cons. Either I can't find what I'm looking for in grade, or I make stupid impulse purchases I (usually) regret down the line.

 

If I buy online, I always buy raw from dealers I trust (Blazing Bob, Ted, Harley, Sulipa, Roberts). That said, I have had some luck here on the boards!

 

I'll buy slabbed off Clink, sometimes, if the price is right.

 

[143ksk]

From one who has done both, you get much better buying opportunities at cons. Honestly, you don't ever see a dealer buy 200 other books from another dealer online, but you see it at almost every convention multiple times. Obviously, I am talking about older books here, but even for fairly recent stuff, you can get much better deals at conventions, not to mention that you get first crack at many collections, months before they are "debuted" online.

 

It is not even a close call.

Agreed. Buy at cons then sell online.

 

Yup. It's not uncommon for me to be able to pay for the costs associated with going to the con by reselling books I've found there (thumbs u

 

A lot of dealers don't really know the market for a lot of the more esoteric books out there...

[supapimp]

online. can't stand the nerds/m00bfest at the con.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Interesting question. I have found some good stuff at conventions, and a few good deals. I have gotten GREAT deals online via auctions when dealers would want double the winning price. I also find that venues online are much better for bulk purchases as better discounts can be had. I really think for buying slabbed keys online generally winss again. To be honest I have been watching alot of books lately to see how performance is, and my final answer is if you wanna blow a few hundred bucks you will get double or better for your money online this year compared to last. I also dont know if dealers have taken notice as many who have ebay stores havent adjusted the prices and many of the BIN are laughable.

 

 

[Dick Pontoon]

Since you ruled out ebay, cons win hands down over online dealer sites. Otherwise both online and show shopping are indispensable.

[ComicConnoisseur]

Interesting question. I have found some good stuff at conventions, and a few good deals. I have gotten GREAT deals online via auctions when dealers would want double the winning price. I also find that venues online are much better for bulk purchases as better discounts can be had. I really think for buying slabbed keys online generally winss again. To be honest I have been watching alot of books lately to see how performance is, and my final answer is if you wanna blow a few hundred bucks you will get double or better for your money online this year compared to last. I also dont know if dealers have taken notice as many who have ebay stores havent adjusted the prices and many of the BIN are laughable.

 

I noticed that also Pat,I have seen tons of copper and up CGC 9.8`s go for 25 to 50 percent less then what they were going for 6 months ago. Some people on there charging $300 BIN`S for certain 9.8`s that consistently go for $125 in auctions.

I guess there thinking is someone will get impulsive and hit thier bin.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

The big issues are so many more people are grading books that the census is becoming much more populated now. So with having more copies available prices are dropping in many casesm Some titles are hitting a hot streak but for the most part almost anything is obtainable. But anything copper and modern that isnt hard to find is falling like an anvil. Look at G.I.Joe 21 in 9.8 that book is what 50% what it was? Then other books like Miller DDs are so common they are barely worth slabbing. Yet some people will still try to get every cent for them. I could go on and on about books that should be corrected and arent. Live auction is generally the best bang for the buck.

[seanfingh]

Look at G.I.Joe 21 in 9.8 that book is what 50% what it was?

 

More like 25%

[supapimp]

Since you ruled out ebay, cons win hands down over online dealer sites. Otherwise both online and show shopping are indispensable.

 

i spend 99% of my $$$ on here and not dealers site, highgradecomics was the last purchase i made from a dealer.

[ComicConnoisseur]

The big issues are so many more people are grading books that the census is becoming much more populated now. So with having more copies available prices are dropping in many casesm Some titles are hitting a hot streak but for the most part almost anything is obtainable. But anything copper and modern that isnt hard to find is falling like an anvil. Look at G.I.Joe 21 in 9.8 that book is what 50% what it was? Then other books like Miller DDs are so common they are barely worth slabbing. Yet some people will still try to get every cent for them. I could go on and on about books that should be corrected and arent. Live auction is generally the best bang for the buck.

Similar is Transformers #1 cgc 9.8 it has sank faster then the Titanic, interesting it had two huge movies and the book still has dropped. I guess the Hollywood effect is starting to wear thin on some books.The "you know they are making a movie of it so it will be worth a lot of money scenario" seems to be losing steam.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Transformers is a collected title, but speculation has worn off a bit. That last issue is still tough though. And Sean my bad on the 21, but thats still a huge drop in 1 years time.

[B3AST]

Maybe I should have done a poll, didn't take exact count but it looks fairly 50/50 split between Cons and Online.

Agree with a lot that has been said. Without quoting the posters;

• I get distracted by the shinnies at Cons
  
• I buy some drek I wouldn't normally cause, "Wow, dollar bins"
  
• The stuff I'm really looking for seems hard to find.
  
• Some good deals can be had on raw's and defiantly like to have them in hand
  

However, online I can find exactly what I know In looking for and check maybe 10 reputable sites to see who has it and or wait for the big auctions. For someone with limited monthly budget and time and not living near any major con, I think I've decide Online is the way to go. I'll save a couple a cons a year to socialize.

 

 

[JmC]

I love the cons, being able to check things out in person is always nice, but i nuy the majority of my books online

[alecholland]

Craigslist is the way to go. You can snatch up awesome deals like this all the time:

 

Marvel 1977 Comic!! Mint Cond.

 

I sent the guy an email offering him .50 cents if he would deliver it to my house and didn't hear back from him.

 

Seriously, if I had more money, I would say conventions are the way to go, but since I usually don't have the cash to buy in bulk, online still works best for me.

[capt_comics]

From one who has done both, you get much better buying opportunities at cons. Honestly, you don't ever see a dealer buy 200 other books from another dealer online, but you see it at almost every convention multiple times. Obviously, I am talking about older books here, but even for fairly recent stuff, you can get much better deals at conventions, not to mention that you get first crack at many collections, months before they are "debuted" online.

 

It is not even a close call.

 

 

 

Not even remotely close

 

+1

[taro90]

but at cons, on a sunday you can get 50% off of killer books & see them in hand.

 

Really, which cons are you talking about? I still haven't been able to get dealers to sell me their high grade GA Timely's and DC's at 50% off of their marked price at any con. As-far-as original art goes, forget Kirby or Ditko. In my 15 years of collecting original art, I still haven't been able to get dealers to sell me their Don Heck silver age Avengers or X-Men original art at 50% off. That's either at a con or online and I'm one of the few people who actually likes Don Heck's art.