Dealer Rankings 2011

[DrWatson]

Don't be jealous now, you know you want to hang out at Highgradecomics.com's booth. I saw how you perked up when I stopped by to say hi.

That's because I knew you'd be leaving.

 

 

Besides, when I work Dale's booth, he lets me hold the change.

[blazingbob]

You get to hold change because you don't drop rows off the display rack

[DrWatson]

[Foolkiller]

I'm not surprised by anything people who want to detract from Metro have said. I won't go through defending the ranking, except to say that the perception that lots of people use them for common books as well as high end items.

 

That being said, they are the biggest dealers of the high end items in the hobby as well -- and are able to run an auction house and a full service dealership as well. No one else on the list doing that.

[Cat-Man_America]

Number 1: Metropolis Comics, Owners Steve Fishler and Vincent Zurzolo, New York, New York

 

Pros: I can hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth from here. How can you pick Metropolis #1 again? They are the devil! Fishler is evil! They overgrade all their books! They're too expensive! They ship too slow! They don't immediately return my phone calls and emails!

 

Being the biggest, doesn't make them the best.

 

 

This is absolutely true,...why would you want to rank a dealer who constantly overgrades and overprices as a #1 dealer,....Yes they would be one of the top 3 logical dealers to sell or buy an Action #1, But Brian 99.99 % of the collectors here won't ever have to worry about that problem,...they might want to buy an Action #300 though that is graded and priced correctly,...so I can't follow your train of logic as to why they should come out on top,...

 

 

 

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded, and their prices, while occasionally high, are usually within reason and in some cases negotiable. Maybe I'm in that .01% of collectors buying high grade GA who constitute their best customers, but I've never seen them mistreat anyone.

 

Metropolis may not be perfect (is anybody?) and I'm sure that there are anecdotal stories which place them in a negative light, but my experience has been that they try hard to satisfy the needs of their customer base and are no better or worse than most experienced dealers who are board regulars. Of course, I like everybody here and have only rarely had bad experiences with any dealer, so I may not be the right target audience for criticizing Metro or any other dealer.

 

To me, the idea of ranking dealers is a rather fruitless enterprise to begin with. How do you gauge: ...total sales? ...best service? ...highest grades? ...most consistently accurate grading? ...biggest inventory? ...biggest sale? ...biggest smiles? ...all of the above?

[Snake Eyes]

It would, however, be interesting to have a ranking list on other variables (although it might involve lots of stepping on toes and hurt feelings....and therefore not be worth the effort )

 

i.e. Ten Dealers with best customer service...ten best dollar book dealers, etc., etc.

 

On a personal note. I ordered from Comic Connect's July Auction. Paid on the July 12th. Irritated, I called last week asking what the hold up might be (the books were not even on the way yet). Friendly fellow on the phone made me feel like things would get going. He checked with shipping, and yes they are delayed. Then he assured me that they would go out that day (they are just sitting there apparently :doh: ) or at the latest the next day...that next day was four days ago, and they still have not shipped.

 

I have come to the conclusion that is simply how Metro treats folks. The peace I have made with it is that if they have not delivered my books by the time the next auction starts again, I do not bid. Now for what it is worth, my theory is that this costs Metro commission money. For every book I win, I am the underbidder on several. On top of costing them money, and more concerningly, it costs their consigners money with lower selling prices. Hopefully, one day a consigner will realize that they can do better elsewhere. A few defections and maybe they will hire more shipping/.receiving personnel Anyway, just my little way of getting back at what is clearly poor customer service.

[Rocketeer]

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded,

 

... I guess I'm too tight of a grader, but I always find them about 1.0 to sometimes 2.0 points overgraded,...you may be a loser grader than I

 

 

and their prices, while occasionally high, are usually within reason and in some cases negotiable.

.....hard for me to say, because most times I don't ever get a response from them when I ask for scans, or try to negotiate a price,..like many dealers I find they pick and choose who and when if ever to respond to with e-mails and scans ,...maybe you're on their answer list,...bully for you!!,...but I don't think I've had a request answered from them in the last 3 or 4 inquiries,...guess I'm just too small a fish,...

 

 

 

Maybe I'm in that .01% of collectors buying high grade GA who constitute their best customers, but I've never seen them mistreat anyone.

 

...never said they mistreat anyone,...I said they give poor customer service to the common collector,...there are lots of dealers out there who go the extra mile or even just meet the common courtesy expectations of an operating business,..my money goes to them

 

[FFB]

Bob's ethics are beyond reproach and I have happily bought from him on the internet several times and been happy with almost every purchase from a pricing and grading standpoint. (There was one book where he missed some damage and the book wound up being overgraded, but that happens to everyone from time to time and Bob took the return with no hassles.) I know I'll never get ripped off by Bob Storms.

 

But in person, I have just never been able to get him to be anything other than gruff or even rude on occasions. I don't care where he's from; it's an attitude that I don't enjoy dealing with when I'm trying to spend money at a booth.

 

But that particular personality trait cannot detract from the fact that he's a great dealer to work with if you're not in the same room with him. It definitely would not keep me from buying from his website.

 

I think that is understating things a bit. I no longer focus my collecting on SA, but I used to make a point of visiting Bob's booth each year at cons and say hi and admire a key or two. I no longer bother. Too gruff for my taste.

 

We all know Bob's personality can be a bit gruff at times -- as he has that New York attitude.

 

Bob has never been anything but kind and very helpful to me. Heck, in San Diego he was downright jovial. Super nice guy.

 

Me too.

 

I mean this post in the most positive way, so hopefully nobody takes it as a poke at them (or that I am trying to be an apologist for Bob). The main reason for posting this is to show how differently we see each other:

 

What I find interesting about both EffEffBee's post and pennynike1's post is that I have had trouble getting along with both of them in the past online (I think I had it out with both of them at one point somewhere on here) and both of you found Bob to be gruff in person and yet I've never had anything but fairly easy exchanges with Bob in person.

 

Me and Alex (pennynike1) get along now (we've met in person several times since, I've never met Scott) but I think this just goes to show that one person's perception of a person being gruff is sometimes not the case for everyone.

 

That tells me that people can similarly seem to conflict with other personalities when interacting making the gruffness just be a personality perception very much like it happens here online. People hear or see what they perceive to be one thing and act on it when something entirely different is actually happening.

 

That's where a majority of complaints seem to stem from when people talk about personal interactions on these boards.

 

Thought that was interesting enough to be brought up in this thread.

 

I don't remember having trouble with you online, Roy. Are you sure you aren't thinking of someone else? We've disagreed about things but I have always respected the fact that you never got personal when you disagree.

[FFB]

Roy, if you ever meet Scott in person, you two will get along great.

 

I suppose I should have added that. I was in no way implying that we wouldn't.

 

Just an interesting POV to see who differently people (in this case Bob, 2 weeks ago Jamie) are perceived by people.

 

Often its just personal chemistry much like a couple who doesn't get along. Neither person is necessarily bad, they just don't get along face to face.

 

That's the only point i was trying to make.

 

 

I've interacted with Bob more than once at conventions. I have gotten the same general vibe from him each time, so I am pretty sure it wasn't just a one-time deal. Whatever, it doesn't really matter to me whether I vibe well with every dealer. At the end of the day, all I really care about when dealing with comic book dealers is that they treat me honestly and fairly. And Bob Storms has always done that. I don't dislike the man. I just haven't been able to warm to him in person, and I get along with just about everyone in person.

[dopy02]

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded,

 

... I guess I'm too tight of a grader, but I always find them about 1.0 to sometimes 2.0 points overgraded,...you may be a loser grader than I

 

I almost believe ebay grading is tighter than Metro. I use Metro but just assume the book is over graded and factor that into the price I am willing to pay.

[Rocketeer]

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded,

 

... I guess I'm too tight of a grader, but I always find them about 1.0 to sometimes 2.0 points overgraded,...you may be a loser grader than I

 

I almost believe ebay grading is tighter than Metro. I use Metro but just assume the book is over graded and factor that into the price I am willing to pay.

 

...I agree,..I would post some scans for example, but I would not want to do that without their permission,..

[Bomber-Bob]

I'm not surprised by anything people who want to detract from Metro have said. I won't go through defending the ranking, except to say that the perception that lots of people use them for common books as well as high end items.

 

That being said, they are the biggest dealers of the high end items in the hobby as well -- and are able to run an auction house and a full service dealership as well. No one else on the list doing that.

 

Brian, good job on the rankings. Well thought out and presented well. However, I am in the camp about Metro not deserving #1. Though they are the biggest, they are far from the best. They spit on the little guy.

[Ken Aldred]

My opinion probably means very little around here,but Bob is the greatest guy to talk to at shows.I don't understand anyone who says he's gruff,just a very pleasant,funny and always wants to help you find any book you want.

Being from Northern England I'm used to bluntness, and I've never noticed anything terribly extreme like that from Bob.

 

He's always been very helpful, knows what I'm looking for and is willing to screen an item for me to check that it meets my criteria, regardless of its price tag, high or low.

[silvers]

I just thought I would share my experience with Metro. I'm a small collectors, I only collect Timelys and have 150 different books in my collection both raw and graded.

 

I've been trying to put together the All Select and All Winners runs for what seems like forever. Metro was the only site I was able to find that had any copies I needed so I contacted Vince by email concerning some books on their site.

 

I purchased the following books raw:

All Select 6 their grade was 8.0 All Select 8 their grade was 8.0. I had the books graded by CGC and they came back 6 8.5 and 8 8.0 and was very happy.

 

I purchased another group of books raw:

All Select 10 their grade was 9.4 All Winners 15 their grade 8.5 All Winners 18 their grade 9.4 Human Torch 7 their grade was 7.5 and 9 their grade was 7.5. I has those books graded by CGC the All Select 10 came back a 9.2 (which I knew it would) the All Winners 15 came back a 9.0 All Winners 18 came back a 9.4 the Human Torch 7 came back a 8.0 and the Human Torch 9 came back a 7.5.

 

Vince gave me a discount on the books when I pointed out a few issues with books that I felt were overgraded and was great to deal with.

 

I'm sure they have issues like everyone else but I've found they have more hard to find book than anyone and my experience with them has been very positive!

 

Again just my 2 cents

 

 

[FFB]

My opinion probably means very little around here,but Bob is the greatest guy to talk to at shows.I don't understand anyone who says he's gruff,just a very pleasant,funny and always wants to help you find any book you want.

Being from Northern England I'm used to bluntness, and I've never noticed anything terribly extreme like that from Bob.

 

He's always been very helpful, knows what I'm looking for and is willing to screen an item for me to check that it meets my criteria, regardless of its price tag, high or low.

 

Since others have had different experiences with Bob, I will explain my last experience with him in person.

 

I'll begin by saying that what you describe is exactly how he has conducted himself when I've dealt with him online, too. He is great and has always been one of my go-to dealers. Very helpful, very knowledgeable, and honest as the day is long. If I ever heard someone complain that Bob Storms ripped them off, I just wouldn't believe it. I'd need to see videotape proof to take it seriously because I know deep down that Bob is one of the good guys in the hobby.

 

That said, my personal interactions with Bob at conventions have led me to believe that his personality is not my cup of tea and so my preference has been to deal with him online in the past.

 

In person, my last interaction with him at his booth was, I think, at WW Chicago in 2005 or 2006. Assuming I am correct about the year, this was the last time I went to his booth as opposed to buying from his site at highgradecomics.com. I walked up to his booth, said hello, and asked to look at a book he had on his display rack. I think it was a raw ASM#28 in VF-ish or maybe even VF/NM, but my memory of the particulars is fuzzy.

 

Bob knew who I was and I knew who he was. I asked to see the book and he pulled it down and handed it to me. I took it out of the mylar and noticed a very prominent transfer stain on the interior front cover. I did not know how CGC would grade a book with a transfer stain like this, so I asked him something about the grade of the book in light of some of the damage I could see. I think I asked him whether he had seen CGC-graded books at this grade level with a similar, heavy transfer stain. I didn't ask it in an accusatory way; I just asked the question. Rather than having a normal and respectful discussion, his first comment was said with a very sarcastic tone: "Oh, I guess I don't know how to grade comics...." I thought it was uncalled for, and was consistent with the way I'd seen and heard Bob talk to me and to others at his booth in the past.

 

I said something like, "Nice seeing you, Bob." And then put the book down and walked away.

 

Like I said, I've bought from Bob before and have been very happy with his selection and his willingness to help find books that I wanted. But whereas I usually find people easier to get along with in person than via email or online, with Bob it's the opposite. I don't really go to conventions much anymore and I haven't done much buying since I sold my ASM collection, but if I were to start buying comics again, Bob's site would likely be my first stop. I'll probably stop by his booth next time I'm at a show, too, and hopefully have a better interaction with him. I do admire him and his unquestionably high ethics, though his personality has rubbed me the wrong way in the past.

 

Just my opinion.

[FFB]

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded,

 

... I guess I'm too tight of a grader, but I always find them about 1.0 to sometimes 2.0 points overgraded,...you may be a loser grader than I

 

 

My experience is the same as Rocketeer's.

[FFB]

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded,

 

... I guess I'm too tight of a grader, but I always find them about 1.0 to sometimes 2.0 points overgraded,...you may be a loser grader than I

 

 

My experience is the same as Rocketeer's.

 

I should also add that any dealer that consistently overgrades as Metro has on essentially every book I've purchased from them should not be listed at #1, regardless of inventory.

 

Metro has great books and I like Vinny in person (I've never met Steve Fishler in person), but almost every book I've ever purchased from them was significantly overgraded. Having said that, I still continued to buy from them and just factored it into my purchasing decisions. Sometimes you have to overpay to get a hard-to-find book. And when it comes to hard-to-find books, Metro is one of the best places to look. But when one is making a list of the best dealers in the hobby, I would weight the "grading accuracy" factor much more highly than my friend BK has.

[DrWatson]

My opinion probably means very little around here,but Bob is the greatest guy to talk to at shows.I don't understand anyone who says he's gruff,just a very pleasant,funny and always wants to help you find any book you want.

Being from Northern England I'm used to bluntness, and I've never noticed anything terribly extreme like that from Bob.

 

He's always been very helpful, knows what I'm looking for and is willing to screen an item for me to check that it meets my criteria, regardless of its price tag, high or low.

 

Since others have had different experiences with Bob, I will explain my last experience with him in person.

 

I'll begin by saying that what you describe is exactly how he has conducted himself when I've dealt with him online, too. He is great and has always been one of my go-to dealers. Very helpful, very knowledgeable, and honest as the day is long. If I ever heard someone complain that Bob Storms ripped them off, I just wouldn't believe it. I'd need to see videotape proof to take it seriously because I know deep down that Bob is one of the good guys in the hobby.

 

That said, my personal interactions with Bob at conventions have led me to believe that his personality is not my cup of tea and so my preference has been to deal with him online in the past.

 

In person, my last interaction with him at his booth was, I think, at WW Chicago in 2005 or 2006. Assuming I am correct about the year, this was the last time I went to his booth as opposed to buying from his site at highgradecomics.com. I walked up to his booth, said hello, and asked to look at a book he had on his display rack. I think it was a raw ASM#28 in VF-ish or maybe even VF/NM, but my memory of the particulars is fuzzy.

 

Bob knew who I was and I knew who he was. I asked to see the book and he pulled it down and handed it to me. I took it out of the mylar and noticed a very prominent transfer stain on the interior front cover. I did not know how CGC would grade a book with a transfer stain like this, so I asked him something about the grade of the book in light of some of the damage I could see. I think I asked him whether he had seen CGC-graded books at this grade level with a similar, heavy transfer stain. I didn't ask it in an accusatory way; I just asked the question. Rather than having a normal and respectful discussion, his first comment was said with a very sarcastic tone: "Oh, I guess I don't know how to grade comics...." I thought it was uncalled for, and was consistent with the way I'd seen and heard Bob talk to me and to others at his booth in the past.

 

I said something like, "Nice seeing you, Bob." And then put the book down and walked away.

 

Like I said, I've bought from Bob before and have been very happy with his selection and his willingness to help find books that I wanted. But whereas I usually find people easier to get along with in person than via email or online, with Bob it's the opposite. I don't really go to conventions much anymore and I haven't done much buying since I sold my ASM collection, but if I were to start buying comics again, Bob's site would likely be my first stop. I'll probably stop by his booth next time I'm at a show, too, and hopefully have a better interaction with him. I do admire him and his unquestionably high ethics, though his personality has rubbed me the wrong way in the past.

 

Just my opinion.

Bob can run hot and cold. I've told this to him on more than one occasion. I can relate as I have been called "moody" by more than one individual, and it is true. I have heard him use the "Oh, I guess I don't know how to grade comics...." line before and I never thought he was being serious as he typically tilts his head to the left and raises both hands toward his shoulders, as if he's starting to do jazz hands, when he says it. I guess his New York tone gives it a different twist if you aren't used to it.

 

Over the years, I have learned there are times when you just don't try to have a conversation with him. Set up being one of those times as well as opening and take down in the mornings and evenings. You just walk away and come back when he's more like Good Bob as opposed to Bad Bob. Back when I actually bought books, Bob was always easy to deal with and gave discounts whenever he could. Plus, now that I think about it, I have never gone to dinner with him and not had a good time.

[paperheart]

i guess i was mistaken in thinking this was brian's thread; seems like it's opened up to everyone's opinion so i'll chime in. i've had very good experiences with Metro over the years. i've bought plenty of raw 38's and 41's that have come back from cgc 9.4, 9.6, 9.8. i had one book that came back PLOD, steve refunded my purchase price even though i had purchased the book many years before i had it slabbed. i had one issue with a damaged shipment, refund received. i am by no means a big customer of Metro's but given my experiences they would be my #1 or #2 dealer.

[Cat-Man_America]

Rocketeer, I hate to derail your train of logic, but my experience with Metro is that they haven't constantly overgraded,

 

... I guess I'm too tight of a grader, but I always find them about 1.0 to sometimes 2.0 points overgraded,...you may be a loser grader than I

 

I almost believe ebay grading is tighter than Metro. I use Metro but just assume the book is over graded and factor that into the price I am willing to pay.

 

...I agree,..I would post some scans for example, but I would not want to do that without their permission,..

 

Sorry, I have to beg difference with both of you. I know that I've covered this ground before, but I can provide evidence that conflicts with this assessment. Of course, maybe you guys have had terrible luck with Metro, but I can point to examples in my own collection of Metro graded raw books that actually came back higher from CGC.

 

BTW, any loose personal behavior on my part does NOT extend to grading!