Where do you buy most of your comics?

[Loki]

After reading the recent threads about eBay scammers, it got me thinking that I almost never buy anything through eBay anymore. In fact, I only bought 7 books on eBay during 2010, and 6 of those were from people I'd dealt with multiple times over the years. The 7th item I ended up returning as "not as described". That's way down from the amount of business I used to do on eBay.

 

So, with that in mind I ask: "Where do you buy most of your comics?"

 

 

[Loki]

As for myself, I've found that the CGC Forums have grown into my primary source. Virtually all of my key books and pedigree copies have come from collectors I've met on these boards. I've come to have a great deal of confidence dealing with the folks here.

[sufunk]

Definitely used to be eBay for me, now though i'd say my book breakdown is:

 

Comiclink 50%

Forum 20%

Pedigree 10%

eBay 10%

comicconnect 10%

[Cimm]

There was a period of several years (2003-2007) where my "items won/purchased" queue on eBay was never empty. Then "buy-it-nows" seemed to take over, and the deals, or at least fair market chances at deals, became fewer and fewer. Heritage gradually got a bit more of my business, then after discovering these boards, eBay purchasing took a nosedive. Then the economy tanked, along with my job, and my purchasing power became diminished, and now, aside from the very occasional eBay search turning up a deal, these boards get pretty much all the comic money I manage to scrape together.

[MagnetoWasRight]

I used to buy consistently on ebay but now I'd say most of my purchases are made through the selling forums or from board members.

[500Club]

After reading the recent threads about eBay scammers, it got me thinking that I almost never buy anything through eBay anymore. In fact, I only bought 7 books on eBay during 2010, and 6 of those were from people I'd dealt with multiple times over the years. The 7th item I ended up returning as "not as described". That's way down from the amount of business I used to do on eBay.

 

So, with that in mind I ask: "Where do you buy most of your comics?"

 

I'm an LCS guy. I've filled in most of the runs I want, and only occasionally upgrade.

 

As an aside, to address your comment about buying through eBay, I find buying to be safer than ever. It's the sellers that have been hung out to dry.

[MagnusX]

 

[font:Book Antiqua]CGC Books I Buy them in Internet

Raw Books at the local conventions[/font]

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Here

[seank]

New books and some back issues I get at my LCS.

I also buy at conventions and here. At the LCS, I fill in modern runs when they have their 60-70% off sales. It's like going through dollar boxes.

 

GA and HG bronze/silver I tend to get here since the local convention is fairly meager as to that stuff. I buy quite a bit at Wondercon every year, though.

[Scrooge]

# 1 - eBay is still a great source for me to buy books I need or find sellers with whom I establish contact for future sales.

 

# 2 - I like to buy on here as well but, again, it's the contact / connection you can make that is helpful. I have been blessed with many boardies sending me PMs and offering books they know I would be interested in before they list them.

 

# 3 - Cons are great for cheapies and local shows are super for more connections.

 

BUT I cannot repeat it enough, eBay comes through for me time and time again b/c, for example, I cannot remember the last time someone listed a Raggedy Ann & Andy comics on the boards. I would not be so close to completing that run without eBay.

 

# 4 - Dealers are the last avenue for me to buy since I am patient and have few Have to Have It books on my want list.

 

Please someone sell me a Fight # 34

[telerites]

I don't buy new comics so LCS for me.

 

 

Ebay = 25%

Boards = 25%

HA = 15%

CL = 15%

CC/Metro = 15%

Other Dealer Sites = 5%

[Boozad]

Seeing as there isn't a decent LCS within any sort of reasonable travelling distance, all of my purchases are done online. It's very rare I use eBay these days, cheap fillers maybe or the odd gamble here and there.

 

The vast majority of my stuff is bought from the boards, and lately it's focused on two specific dealers.

[gaz973]

I buy most of my books from the boards and a lot from FT. I occasionally buy from eBay but not much, though it used to be my main source.

[Loki]

After reading the recent threads about eBay scammers, it got me thinking that I almost never buy anything through eBay anymore. In fact, I only bought 7 books on eBay during 2010, and 6 of those were from people I'd dealt with multiple times over the years. The 7th item I ended up returning as "not as described". That's way down from the amount of business I used to do on eBay.

 

So, with that in mind I ask: "Where do you buy most of your comics?"

 

I'm an LCS guy. I've filled in most of the runs I want, and only occasionally upgrade.

 

As an aside, to address your comment about buying through eBay, I find buying to be safer than ever. It's the sellers that have been hung out to dry.

 

Buying slabs on eBay is certainly safe. Buying raw can still be risky - there's plenty of threads about PLODs returning as high grade raw books.

 

But you are correct about sellers. They have definitely gotten the shaft on eBay, to the point where I've seen a lot of sellers give up on eBay in the past few years. To be honest, I have to wonder if my drop in buying has been related to sellers moving on to other venues. I still search eBay every day, but I hardly ever spend any money there...

[Loki]

# 2 - I like to buy on here as well but, again, it's the contact / connection you can make that is helpful. I have been blessed with many boardies sending me PMs and offering books they know I would be interested in before they list them.

 

This is a big draw for me as well. I probably bought close to a dozen books last year in response to PMs, either direct sale offers or "heads up" notices that a book I'm interested in is listed at another site. I try to return the favor by letting people know when I stumble across books that they're looking for.

[moonpool]

90% ebay

10% other

I purchased my first book from these boards very recently, so .1%

[Batty Scrooge]

If my LCS has the book, or can get the book I want, I usually go through them for newer or raw stuff.

 

I buy slabs on E-Bay, but do try to find out if the seller is on the boards and do the transaction here. Most of my more expensive purchases have been through the forums. I feel a persons name and reputation here are more valuable than E-Bay where its too impersonal to feel comfortable.

 

I've gotten stuff from CL on occasion, but the for sale section is usually astronomical prices.

[the blob]

Mostly comic shops

 

Secondarily conventions

 

Here

 

a couple of times a year on ebay. i just don't have the patience to hunt around over there and toss out cadjillions of bids to win one item, and when I do, I do it so infrequently and I never win, I forget to check to see and I've actually won something....i put in such a low offer i assumed i'd get outbid, never checked back until 4 weeks later and wound up stiffing the poor seller. he left me positive feedback and never sent an inquiry about payment...I guess he just lost the whole F-up by me in the shuffle. he re-listed the lot and it sold fine later.

[RockMyAmadeus]

You forgot conventions.

 

I buy the vast majority of my books at cons.

[Mike Bray]

conventions are probably 80% for me with the other 20% split between Ebay / boards and LCS