Copper's Heating/Selling Well on Ebay 33 33

[the blob]

I commend the RMAesque structuring of your posts.

Edited February 4, 2015 by the blob

[Silverdream]

I commend the RMAesque structuring of your posts.

[BettrFastrStrongr]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

[RockMyAmadeus]

I commend the RMAesque structuring of your posts.

 

Admit it.

 

You missed me.

[fastballspecial]

The only high feedback sellers that I am reluctant about dealing with are the ones that have so many transactions that their feedback rating absorbs negatives. You can have hundreds of negatives and still have a very high feedback rating.

 

Yes I see this from time to time. However, eventually other then very very large sellers they get kicked eventually. Some board members on here don't sell on ebay anymore for that exact reason. I realize they are intangibles as well, but your feedback score does point out some truths.

 

[fastballspecial]

i think people are usually reading new comics they are buying off the rack at $3-$5 a pop, likely a much higher % of the copies are being read now than 20+ years ago. perhaps not the variant expensive editions and what not, but I'm pretty sure a nice chunk of the people buying Walking Dead are reading them. they aren't necessarily reading back issues/vintage stuff they are collecting, true, particularly when, gasp, actually opening them might worsen their condition!

 

I agree I am reading more books in the past couple of years then I have in the past 10. There is a lot of good material out there that wasn't there a few years ago.

 

It has even caused me to leave my super hero world that I love and branch out.

 

I read books now I wouldn't have touched 10 years ago, because I didn't want to be that guy that lectured everyone else on the indy book flavor of the month. The "I am smarter then you because I read this approach".

[Bosco685]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

[Bosco685]

Solar 10 CGC 9.6 & 9.8 - still one of the craziest price gaps

 

When a 9.8 can sell for hundreds of dollars - and a lowly 9.6 ranges from $30-$50. I still don't get it, other than people do not appreciate these early Valiants.

[Prince Namor]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

 

I have a feeling some sales guru somewhere said, 'don't make the customer work and you'll have better success'.

[Bosco685]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

 

I have a feeling some sales guru somewhere said, 'don't make the customer work and you'll have better success'.

 

I do agree in the seller putting the time in to demonstrate they care enough about the buyer experience. That is why stores that practice this approach in and outside of the comic book hobby build a loyal fanbase. We are in agreement there.

 

I just like to encourage knowledge as well so even when that buyer is not dealing with me, they remember who helped them out later on if a not-so-nice seller attempts to take advantage. I hate hearing of someone being treated like a sucker.

 

[Prince Namor]

That's buyer beware. If someone comes into my shop and seems uninformed, I going to INFORM them. Not take advantage of their ignorance by selling them a lemon.

 

Nobody said to sell them a lemon. That's the extreme opposite of recommending they know the hobby they are now playing in. But if that is how you see it, so be it.

 

Not the same thing as a con. These are the people who actually CREATE the comics, for goodness sake. They are selling something with a premium of interest - their signature and their time.

 

Ahhh. But let's go down the path that you have taken. So someone in the know realizes how easy it is to get these signatures. Find the right show, bring the right amount of cash, and walk away with loads of books that then you tell people they can purchase the 'HARD TO FIND - RARE - STAN LEE' signature.

 

How can we have these people taken advantage of so easily? There should be signs hanging up 'STAN LEE WILL SIGN YOUR BANANA PEEL FOR A BUCK'.

 

Not the same as trying to sell a PREVIEWS as a first appearance.

 

Sure it is. Sellers do it now all over Ebay. Especially when they can get Stan Lee to sign a DC comic or something else that has nothing to do with him, and now state it is a one-of-a-kind item. All because Stan said 'Where do you need that signature?'

 

I've honestly never met anyone who said, "Hey Jim Lee sold me this book with his autograph for $40, I'm OUT."

 

How about all those 90's collectors and speculators that ordered directly from Image the rare, limited distribution, personally signed Jim Lee WILD C.A.T.S. #1's? Of course later on they said they were out - they tried to sell either to feed their collecting habit, or to turn a profit, and found out there were loads of this material going around. Not one word had to be uttered, because their financial disappearance made all the statement necessary.

 

Though with the cardies that were buying up loads of books leading to inflated distribution numbers, better they did leave. It was a falsely inflated market.

 

Heard from plenty of people who thought Death of Superman would pay their kids way through college.

 

And Bloodshot 1, and Turok 1, and X-Force 1, and X-Men 1, and ....

 

Very odd times indeed.

 

Buyer Beware.

 

What you're saying is, people should know: DON'T walk into a comic book shop or go to a comic book show, WITHOUT being completely educated as far as what to buy and especially NOT buy, because you could get ripped off very easily. Too bad, you lose.

 

If that is the way you read it. Meanwhile, we have threads here about every 1st appearance worth talking about, every investment worth making immediately, repeated posts about latest sales, and loads of historic details as well to tell the good and the not so good about our hobby.

 

Are you saying these new collectors and readers shouldn't do research as well as being treated fairly? That's not very safe advice. How could you set people up like that for potential failure?

 

Better to suggest not only they engage with sellers they can trust in not hyping them on the latest fad, but also point them to all the resources that are out there to educate them. Or do you think that research may not help in getting more immersed in our hobby?

 

Not a very welcome message to new comers.

 

Do you mean 'avoid reading about our hobby'? I totally agree. Not only should they engage with sellers that they can trust in presenting a fair statement about their comics, but also get to know that hobby as a parallel effort.

 

I'm surprised you don't see the value in research.

 

Sorry, I'm not going to blame the potential customers for deciding NOT to come in because of a message like that, I'm going to blame the creeps who are making the market that way.

 

The answer to this statement is 'it depends'. If they take the time to engage in the hobby, ask questions, listen, read and yes - also buy from sellers that treat them fairly - it's a safe bet they won't get burned.

 

I would never encourage someone to jump into any collectible hobby and not point them towards the right resources to also protect themselves through knowledge. That is just a dangerous approach otherwise to assume reputable sellers will be at every street corner to shy them away. Knowledge is power in this case!

 

Worst marketing campaign I've ever heard of.

 

You went sub-quote crazy, there. Better check that user manual.

 

 

I have no idea what you're trying to defend, other than a customer should be educated when he walks in the door of a comic shop.

 

And I call bull.

 

Hey, all of you 45-55 year olds out there who collected oh so many years ago, making' good money in your later years, ... haven''t kept up, too busy to read all the nonsense on this board as well as any others, COME ON IN TO MY SHOP..... I"LL educate you, give you some great advice. A) a PREVIEWS is not a first appearance.

 

Soccer moms.... looking for something for your kids but you're afraid to walk into the comic shop.... COME ON IN TO MY SHOP.... I will treat you fairly and educate you on what is good or bad for your kid and what's appropriate based upon your personal standards.

 

Anybody interested in comics that doesn't want to go through the hassle of reading the nonsense on this board or any others, NO EDUCATION NECESSARY - COME ON IN TO MY SHOP!

 

See? That's how you try and grow a business.

 

Educate me sir. Do you have any data on the print runs or Diamond Previews?

 

I have a small store in Indiana. I give out Previews (and Marvel Previews) for free to subscription customers - I order 50 a month. A friend of mine has a bigger shop in Missouri (but still nowhere near a large Diamond retailer) and he does the same, except he orders 200 a month.

 

There are 3000 Comic shops roughly...it wouldn't surprise me if it's print run is over 100,000.

That's in TODAY's market.

In the early Spawn days (1993) there were over 10,000 Diamond accounts...

[revat]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

 

I have a feeling some sales guru somewhere said, 'don't make the customer work and you'll have better success'.

 

I think one thing to keep clear is that there is a huge difference between bad/poor customer service or marketing, and actually conning someone.

 

Lowballing a customer who comes in to sell their comics IS not the same as conning someone. Selling for multiples of GPA is not conning someone, regardless of how much the customer knows or doesn't know. If you knowingly lie about something to induce a transaction (whether its about 1st appearances, restoration, etc), THAT is conning someone.

 

It'd be nice for everyone to have good customer service or use best business practices, but if you're gonna worry about that....well that's a lot to worry about.

 

I think honestly the best we can do is hope that people act in good faith, and encourage that behavior. Nobody is owed anyone anything else, but hopefully those that provide more will thrive more.

[Prince Namor]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

 

I have a feeling some sales guru somewhere said, 'don't make the customer work and you'll have better success'.

 

I do agree in the seller putting the time in to demonstrate they care enough about the buyer experience. That is why stores that practice this approach in and outside of the comic book hobby build a loyal fanbase. We are in agreement there.

 

I just like to encourage knowledge as well so even when that buyer is not dealing with me, they remember who helped them out later on if a not-so-nice seller attempts to take advantage. I hate hearing of someone being treated like a sucker.

 

 

And I think someone should be able to enjoy the simplicity of a single issue without having to feel like they have to read the equivalent of Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time), to enjoy comics.

 

[Bosco685]

So this was about that first, magical experience when you break open your very first comic book? Now that's different. No prior experience necessary there.

 

 

But by the second one, someone better have dug into The Encyclopedia of Comic Books.

 

 

[Prince Namor]

You said:

 

Lowballing a customer who comes in to sell their comics IS not the same as conning someone.

 

but two sentences later you say:

 

If you knowingly lie about something to induce a transaction (whether its about 1st appearances, restoration, etc), THAT is conning someone.

 

 

You also said:

 

Selling for multiples of GPA is not conning someone, regardless of how much the customer knows or doesn't know.

 

even though you followed it by saying:

 

If you knowingly lie about something to induce a transaction (whether its about 1st appearances, restoration, etc), THAT is conning someone.

 

 

 

[Lazyboy]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

 

I have a feeling some sales guru somewhere said, 'don't make the customer work and you'll have better success'.

 

I do agree in the seller putting the time in to demonstrate they care enough about the buyer experience. That is why stores that practice this approach in and outside of the comic book hobby build a loyal fanbase. We are in agreement there.

 

I just like to encourage knowledge as well so even when that buyer is not dealing with me, they remember who helped them out later on if a not-so-nice seller attempts to take advantage. I hate hearing of someone being treated like a sucker.

 

 

And I think someone should be able to enjoy the simplicity of a single issue without having to feel like they have to read the equivalent of Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time), to enjoy comics.

 

Sure, but if they're spending any kind of real money on that single comic without really knowing much about it, they are insufficiently_thoughtful_persons. That doesn't come even close to excusing a seller who tries to take advantage of them, but the quality of the seller doesn't make the buyer any less stupid.

[Vikingreed]

So what's hot?

 

Besides that picture if Gene Hackman, of course.

[Prince Namor]

So this was about that first, magical experience when you break open your very first comic book? Now that's different. No prior experience necessary there.

 

 

But by the second one, someone better have dug into The Encyclopedia of Comic Books.

 

 

 

I didn't say anything about a first comic.

 

Someone who hasn't read a comic in 20 years might stop in to read a comic. IF it doesn't intimidate them. And often it does. I do my best to make sure they know it's NOT necessary to read the Encyclopedia of Comic Books in order to enjoy a single issue.

 

It's important to recognize that, Comic Books at their peak in the Golden Age rarely ever had continued stories or shared universes and all of that. It was a simple form of entertainment and it did it's job. I'm not saying it should go back to that, but it certainly doesn't always need to be about all of that continued universe stuff either.

 

The rise of Image Comics as a powerhouse trade paperback seller has a lot to do with Walking Dead, but it also has a lot to do with all of the stand alone entertaining series that people can read that they DON'T have to read and know the Encyclopedia of Comic Books. It's what is helping grow the healthier part of the hobby. New Readers.

 

All that shared Universe stuff IS bringing in some new readers as well, but with it comes the sharks who know they can prey upon people who can't possibly learn everything there is to know from the Encyclopedia of Comic Books.

[Prince Namor]

 

"I never thought this thing would go the distance."

 

 

Chuck was making some valid points about not taking advantage of unknowing collectors. Nobody should.

 

But making it sound like they shouldn't put in the time to educate themselves - that I don't agree with.

 

I have a feeling someone had been sitting back waiting to make that point for a while. It just all came out - on me.

 

 

I have a feeling some sales guru somewhere said, 'don't make the customer work and you'll have better success'.

 

I do agree in the seller putting the time in to demonstrate they care enough about the buyer experience. That is why stores that practice this approach in and outside of the comic book hobby build a loyal fanbase. We are in agreement there.

 

I just like to encourage knowledge as well so even when that buyer is not dealing with me, they remember who helped them out later on if a not-so-nice seller attempts to take advantage. I hate hearing of someone being treated like a sucker.

 

 

And I think someone should be able to enjoy the simplicity of a single issue without having to feel like they have to read the equivalent of Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time), to enjoy comics.

 

Sure, but if they're spending any kind of real money on that single comic without really knowing much about it, they are insufficiently_thoughtful_persons. That doesn't come even close to excusing a seller who tries to take advantage of them, but the quality of the seller doesn't make the buyer any less stupid.

 

Which is the more realistic scenario:

 

Some guy who knows virtually nothing about comics, walks into a store and starts buying expensive comics, 'just because'.

 

or

 

An unscrupulous dealer talks some guy who does't know enough about comics to buy something he really shouldn't.

 

Really... the problem isn't the customer.

[Bosco685]

All that shared Universe stuff IS bringing in some new readers as well, but with it comes the sharks who know they can prey upon people who can't possibly learn everything there is to know from the Encyclopedia of Comic Books.

 

With all the money flowing into this hobby right now, the sharks are going to pounce at the first sign of blood.

 

But that's why we need to protect those new members of the community through personal mentoring, guiding them towards reputable sellers, and arming them with knowledge. Some of that knowledge is not something they need to read immediately, but more having references to reflect on prior to making a purchase.

 

There is no way around that. It's the smart way to guide them down a safer path.