Just want to vent about a LCS experience today

[Jay1982]

Sort of a long read.

 

I've been on the hunt for 4 comics for some time now. Looking for a high grade of

 

Hulk 340

New Mutants 87

New Mutants Annual 2

X Factor 24

 

By no means are they hard to get but I am looking for them raw and I'm quite picky about condition.

 

Anyways, a month ago I head into a LCS that I have never been to before and ask if they had said four issues. I specify NM to M. They claim to have them at their warehouse but it'll take 3-4 weeks for them to have the time to go retrieve them. He tells me to call back in 3 weeks. Long story short after a few phone calls I finally pass by today after getting the prices on the books over the phone: Hulk is 60, NM87 is 60, NMA2 is 25, and X Factor is 50.

 

The 340 seems like a good deal, but the other 3 are overpriced, but I figured as much if they were in mint I would pay a premium. I look at the covers one by one noticing that they are far from near mint or mint. The hulk 340 has large dents as if people played dice on the cover and a crease the size of a large thumb and a tear on the bottom right corner. I ask again the price to be sure I understood.

 

"Turn it around and see" is the reply.

Sure enough, 60 is the price. I move along. The other books are in as bad of a state as the hulk so I calmly state that I appreciate him bringing in the books but I'll pass on the lot.

 

"What's the problem?"

"It's just not what I am looking for" is the answer I give after reflecting for a moment on what to say.

 

He starts saying how the books are in great condition and how its just the bags that make the comic look a bit off. I try to avoid any confrontation because its honestly just not worth it anymore. So he tells methat I should specify if I am looking for "ultra high grade."

 

He continues to say how I'll end up paying double or triple the cost to get the ultra condition am looking for. His price point is already out of wack (IMO) and I don't see how he can think someone will pay that money for those books. At this point I am not planning on leaving with any books so I thank him again for brining in the books. He tells me that he'll look for them but expects me to buy them if he looks. I tell him not to bother leave and he thanks me for wasting HIS time.

 

I'm sure he was just trying to pull a fast one on me (I've been getting that a lot lately with local shops and people through craigslist and kijiji). I live 2 hours out of the city and its a pain in the to displace myself, not to mention the guy gave me ample opportunities to rip into him for pawning off his maligned copies as if they were mint and then when he saw I wasn't biting turned it on me for not informing him and wasting his time. Obviously I won't be going back but I'm thinking of sucking it up and rolling the dice with eBay; but its so hard when you see ads like these to take it seriously:

 

eBay auction

 

Anyways, thanks for "reading me out"

 

[Doohickamabob]

Your link is blowing out the table width of the message display. You should change it to a text link. It will make it easier for everybody to read your ventin' commentary. (Edit: Fixed, and it looks much better now.)

 

Oh, and the LCS guy is in the wrong. If his deal was that he'd only look for them as long as you agreed to buy them sight unseen, then he should have said that beforehand. For him to say that after-the-fact is lame.

 

Regarding the part of the conversation where you declined to say what was wrong, that was your choice and you probably did the right thing. I would say, though, that if you had pointed out the flaws he probably would have lowered his price (and you're right, it probably still would have been too much).

 

The part where he said the plastic made it look worse than it is? If he's going to say that, then he should be willing to remove the comic from its sleeve and prove it.

[Jay1982]

Oops, Thanks!

 

 

[oakman29]

75 bucks for that junk?

[trmoore54]

Your link is blowing out the table width of the message display. You should change it to a text link. It will make it easier for everybody to read your ventin' commentary. (Edit: Fixed, and it looks much better now.)

 

Oh, and the LCS guy is in the wrong. If his deal was that he'd only look for them as long as you agreed to buy them sight unseen, then he should have said that beforehand. For him to say that after-the-fact is lame.

 

Regarding the part of the conversation where you declined to say what was wrong, that was your choice and you probably did the right thing. I would say, though, that if you had pointed out the flaws he probably would have lowered his price (and you're right, it probably still would have been too much).

 

The part where he said the plastic made it look worse than it is? If he's going to say that, then he should be willing to remove the comic from its sleeve and prove it.

 

The "plastic" would make the book look better...not worse. What a DA!

[oakman29]

To the OP.If you want great books at great prices hit up some of the sellers here. (thumbs u

[Maccai3]

*coughbuythemslabbedcough*

[Jay1982]

Oakman, great advice, I have been buying from a few sellers on here so far with only great results. Still looking for those 4 issues to pop up

 

Maccai, actually the only real comment I said against his price point was that I could have the NM87 at that price slabbed in 9.6-9.8 range and that was after he told me I would pay through the nose for the ultra quality.

 

Doohickamabob, thanks! And yeah, its not something he mentioned and I wouldn't have agreed to that in the first place. And yeah if it the covers were nice I would have had him take them out of the mylars they were in. There is no way he didn't know about the imperfections though because they were so evident that it was almost blinding haha.

[500Club]

I've been on the hunt for 4 comics for some time now. Looking for a high grade of

 

Hulk 340

New Mutants 87

New Mutants Annual 2

X Factor 24

Buy slabbed 9.4s. Many modern 9.4s are great books with miniscule defects, and, often any post-1980 slab less than a 9.8 is shunned by the market and sells for a very reasonable price. Take a close look at the scans of these books in the CL auctions, and try to snag copies with the eye appeal you want at a good price.

 

Or, as suggested above, start a thread in the 'Want to Buy' section here.

[excelsior1986]

That guy seems like a d-bag to get pissed at you for not wanting to buy his crappy books. I think you handled it the best way possible. If it was me on the other hand, the books would've been thrown in his face.

[fastballspecial]

I am going against the grain here. There is nothing wrong with you buying high grade raw. What I would suggest is you start posting in the WTB thread here. The reputations for sellers here are very good and unlike most ebay or craigslist seller we know how to pack our books.

 

You shouldnt have to switch to slabs to just buy high grade books you just need to find better dealers. I could easily recomment 8 or 9 sellers here who do you up well with raw books, but post in the WTB thread and I gurantee they will take care of you unless its a $2 book then you gotta beg.

 

[excelsior1986]

Yes sir, Want to Buy thread will do you wonders.

[DiceX]

Wow, man. You need to get laid.

 

 

[Brian48]

Heh. There are detractors who say that services like CGC (and PSA for the card collecting community) has ruined the hobby, but I say it's only ruined it for all these dealer/sellers who have been getting away with overgrading for years.

 

Back 30 years ago when I was originally collecting, I could almost count on EVERY dealer to overgrade their stock. I never saw one get it right and every book bought via mail order were guaranteed to be below the grade advertised.

[Designer Toast]

Not too many comic shops that are big on the customer service. I dislike walking into a shop, throwing downs some bucks, and not even hearing a thank you.

 

There are a couple of thoughtless drones in the two shops here in town and they'd have no idea what customer service is if you hit them in the nads with a board full of rusty nails.

[Buzzetta]

Yes sir, Want to Buy thread will do you wonders.

 

I totally agree with this.

 

Even if someone does not have it people will sometimes point you somewhere else, in the direction to someone who does.

 

Many people helped me out in 2012. I think I am now done spending money on books until 2014, but they helped me out.

[Transplant]

If you want for sure high grade books, buy slabs. Inside a slab is a raw book waiting to get out.

[Jay1982]

Thanks guys, yeah I will try to be more active in the WTB board; I've listed a few books with good results, although no real hits on the Avengers 54 I am looking for. But I suppose I'll have to wait a bit longer on that one.

 

EDIT: Just posted in the WTB board. If anyone has any issues feel free to shoot me a PM

 

 

[youmechooz]

looked for a nm 87 don't have a first print raw thou, but I do have a couple of copies of that nm annual 2 I'll send to you for the cost of priority mail shipping. let me know

[dupont2005]

What a jerk of a store owner. Just because he didn't make that sale doesn't mean he won't make another in the future if he's courteous. But I really haven't ever seen a comic shop with decent prices on back issues in my opinion. I have to snicker at the stuff my LCS owner has $20 pricetags on. Dollar books in dollar book condition.