New Trend at Comic Conventions???

[creeps]

So at a very recent comic convention I noticed a lot of dealers with really high prices on their books. A lot of these guys were tagging these books at around 4x OSPG; then they advertised 50% off. That still left those books way overpriced.

 

Are people actually buying books at these prices? I've always considered selling higher volumes of items rather than selling items at higher prices as the best business plan.

 

It seems it would be awful hard to cover the table fees if you only sell a few overpriced books to a few people who don't have an idea of book values.

[ComicConnoisseur]

So at a very recent comic convention I noticed a lot of dealers with really high prices on their books. A lot of these guys were tagging these books at around 4x OSPG; then they advertised 50% off. That still left those books way overpriced.

Are people actually buying books at these prices? I've always considered selling higher volumes of items rather than selling items at higher prices as the best business plan.

 

It seems it would be awful hard to cover the table fees if you only sell a few overpriced books to a few people who don't have an idea of book values.

I have noticed this for awhile now on Ebay and Chuck of Mile High overprices his books on his website then gives you a coupon for 30 percent off to look like your getting a deal.

[The Troll King]

Seems like old hat to me. I can't remember a time when I haven't seen this practice.

[FrankCastle]

It's probably more like 60/40 with customers (those who know prices and those who don't).

At the 2 shows up here (Toronto area), there are probably only a handful of dealers that DON'T use this practice sadly.

[aardvark88]

Saw 1 dealer at C2E2 that offered constant 20-30% off GA or SA respectively but his sticker prices were all 1.5 to 2.0 times Ostreet condition guide.

[gaz973]

It's the same here, in the UK.

[gaz2810i]

It's the same here, in the UK.

 

Yeah this practice really s me off especially when the said sellers refuse to negotiate saying that they are already "offering 50% off what more do you want"

 

Maybe a fair price

[the blob]

So at a very recent comic convention I noticed a lot of dealers with really high prices on their books. A lot of these guys were tagging these books at around 4x OSPG; then they advertised 50% off. That still left those books way overpriced.

 

Are people actually buying books at these prices? I've always considered selling higher volumes of items rather than selling items at higher prices as the best business plan.

 

It seems it would be awful hard to cover the table fees if you only sell a few overpriced books to a few people who don't have an idea of book values.

 

I have noticed this for the last 17 years since I started going to conventions again.

 

At least locally here, it's usually the same folks. How they can afford to go to shows I have no idea as the local show goer is usually somewhat sophisiticated about this stuff. Maybe they survive by selling a few big books a show at realistic prices and hoping a few suckers buy their 400% overpriced books for 50% off, but it hardly seems worth dragging all those long boxes.

[creeps]

It seems to have just recently gotten out of hand at this particular show. I typically would throw a couple hundred dollars down on some books - not big bucks, but it makes a nice dent in a dealer's table fees. This time I just got frustrated and left after buying my 8 year old a handful of 50 cent books.

[the blob]

It's funny, I was halping a friend who owned a shop with his tables at a Javitz show back in the midish 90s. He had made his SA and GA 25% off the marked price. The marked price (from his store) was usually 75-90% of OPG.

 

Some guy who had just got [back?] into collecting comes up to the table and asks why we're only 25% off when they table across the way was 50% off. And he pointed to some Dell Four color he had bought across the way at the table, which my friend also had a copy of. I showed him that the one he bought was in much worse shape than the one on my friend's table and the 50% off of $40 he paid ($20) wasn't nearly as good a deal as 25% off of $25 (under $20) for a book in much better shape. I either educated this guy or really ticked him off about collecting/buying from dealers. He didn't look too happy about vastly overpaying. I guess he had been under the impression that all dealers grade the same, follow the guide the same way and that their sticker prices were uniform and just have different discounts.

 

 

[namisgr]

I think it depends on the books. GA and early SA material in high grade isn't readily available. This means that a prospective buyer is unlikely to find a cheaper alternative even if the asking price is higher than the Overstreet guide. This also means that a dealer is unlikely to find a replacement copy to keep in stock once the current copy is sold.

 

Sometimes, the fair market value isn't reflected accurately in the guide, and the difficulty of re-stocking can influence the asking price.

[the blob]

It seems to have just recently gotten out of hand at this particular show. I typically would throw a couple hundred dollars down on some books - not big bucks, but it makes a nice dent in a dealer's table fees. This time I just got frustrated and left after buying my 8 year old a handful of 50 cent books.

 

is this a local north carolina show? if so, your couple of hundred bucks should be a big deal to these guys.

 

i don't know what to tell you, i just usually don't bother with these guys as it is often pointless to negotiate as they are delusional. But then again, some of these guys know the sticker prices are a joke and are willing to put together a deal if they know you know what you're doing and you are spending real money. $300 isn't really money at the Megacon or whatever (except for dollar book guys), but it is at a local show. If you want to be a ball-b*ster, bring your OPG, go through the stack of books you want, grade them out and offer 50% off OPG prices...if they really are "50% off" then they should accept it, right? (at least for 9.2 and less stuff)

[Foolkiller]

I agree with most of the comments thus far. I'd rather have strictly graded books where dealers offered only a very modest discount (or no discount) rather than inflated grades and prices.

[ComicConnoisseur]

It's funny, I was halping a friend who owned a shop with his tables at a Javitz show back in the midish 90s. He had made his SA and GA 25% off the marked price. The marked price (from his store) was usually 75-90% of OPG.

 

Some guy who had just got [back?] into collecting comes up to the table and asks why we're only 25% off when they table across the way was 50% off. And he pointed to some Dell Four color he had bought across the way at the table, which my friend also had a copy of. I showed him that the one he bought was in much worse shape than the one on my friend's table and the 50% off of $40 he paid ($20) wasn't nearly as good a deal as 25% off of $25 (under $20) for a book in much better shape. I either educated this guy or really ticked him off about collecting/buying from dealers. He didn't look too happy about vastly overpaying. I guess he had been under the impression that all dealers grade the same, follow the guide the same way and that their sticker prices were uniform and just have different discounts.

 

[the blob]

I think it depends on the books. GA and early SA material in high grade isn't readily available. This means that a prospective buyer is unlikely to find a cheaper alternative even if the asking price is higher than the Overstreet guide. This also means that a dealer is unlikely to find a replacement copy to keep in stock once the current copy is sold.

 

Sometimes, the fair market value isn't reflected accurately in the guide, and the difficulty of re-stocking can influence the asking price.

 

-----------

 

I get the feeling the OP isn't talking about folks with high end inventory like this. honestly, if they have really good stuff like this they don't even bother playing the "50% off" game. how often do the harley yees of the world put up a 50% off sign?

 

i have a pretty good idea of what he's talking about as there are 10-15 of these dealers who show up at every local NYC show. common SA (in less than high grade) and BA (in varying grades, though probably better than VF) and a smattering of GA in low grades (but not hard to find stuff), always sticker priced at 2-3X OPG with a big "50% off sale".

[creeps]

is this a local north carolina show? if so, your couple of hundred bucks should be a big deal to these guys.

 

You're right about that. The economy stinks here. Unemployment is super high. I have no idea what they're thinking.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I agree with most of the comments thus far. I'd rather have strictly graded books where dealers offered only a very modest discount (or no discount) rather than inflated grades and prices.

(thumbs u

[fantastic_four]

The worst part of this type of practice is that it assumes the buyer is stupid and can't do a little bit of third-grade level math in their head. I really don't see this type of pricing at cons much, but when I do, I usually just walk away. The day I find a dealer with quality material using this type of pricing, I'm not sure what I'll do...my initial instinct will be to drag them over the coals for assuming I'm a , but given that this doesn't put you into the best bargaining position, what I actually end up doing will most likely be unsettling and much less gratifying.

[goldust40]

It's the same here, in the UK.

 

Yeah this practice really s me off especially when the said sellers refuse to negotiate saying that they are already "offering 50% off what more do you want"

 

Maybe a fair price

 

Amen, although if you and everyone else walked away, this saddest of dealer practices might stop. New trend? Nope...oldest trick in the book.

[DiceX]

Sometimes, the fair market value isn't reflected accurately in the guide, and the difficulty of re-stocking can influence the asking price.

 

The guide and accurate grading sure do affect the base price of what they use to cut by 50% when they make an offer on something they want off of you in trade.

 

The questionable grading and ridiculous "market price" only count on what they are *selling*.