Conversation with a dealer...

[Rival61-migration]

I recently stopped into a local shop looking for some high grade stuff to fill some holes. I had the weirdest conversation.

 

"Hi, I am looking for some high-grade bronze Captain Marvels, preferable CGC slabbed for my collection."

- Oh, we don't sell CGC comics here. Don't tell me you have bought into all that hype!-

"Hype? What hype?"

-It's all a big scam to get people to pay high dollars for comics... and just makes those guys in Sarasota richer.-

"Seems like a good system to me, I mean, it takes all of the guesswork out of grading, and allows me to track my collection more accurately."

-Well, we cater to people who actually READ comics here, once you slab them, you can no longer read them.-

"So that Amazing Spiderman #6 you have in the display case there for $450.00, you expect someone to buy that, take it home, and read it? How about this X-men # 95 that looks to be NM for $350.00... Should I buy it and the read it a few times, maybe dog-ear the pages while I am at it?"

-No, those comics are for investment, they are very rare.-

 

 

Can you believe this guy is an honest-to-goodness dealer? Sometimes I just don't get how some people think.

 

 

-Rival

 

[Silver Surfer]

Sounds like this guy is a piker and you need a new LCS.

[deathlok]

Most LCS all share the same attitude toward CGC.

[FFB]

Most LCS all share the same attitude toward CGC.

 

Yep. It is slowly changing, but the vast majority of small shop owners feel this way.

[Bronty]

....and I wonder why that is when most of those guys can't grade to save their freaking life... hmmm......

[shadroch]

Small store owners are between the rock and the hard place with CGC. They can't afford to get all their books slabbed,but if they get some,then their unslabbed books become suspect. Hence,its easier to adopt an anti-CGC stance in their stores.They will CGC their better books and move them elsewhere,selling unslabbed in their stores.

[Mephisto]

-Well, we cater to people who actually READ comics here, once you slab them, you can no longer read them.-

 

You should have went home got your worst CGC book in your collection. Then brought it to the store and broke the slab over his head. Last but not least cut open the inner well and read the comic while he is lying on the floor.

[bubbagump]

[deathlok]

Here in Los Angeles, I can think of close to a dozen local comic shops that do not have a single slabbed comic book.

 

Some of the owners scoff at CGC, and others just don't care for the price/wait/etc.

 

A lot of the owners deal mostly in the weekly moderns and don't bother with back issues. Nor do they find it cost effective to play the HG modern game.

[Forbush-Man]

Here in Los Angeles, I can think of close to a dozen local comic shops that do not have a single slabbed comic book.

 

Some of the owners scoff at CGC, and others just don't care for the price/wait/etc.

 

A lot of the owners deal mostly in the weekly moderns and don't bother with back issues. Nor do they find it cost effective to play the HG modern game.

 

I still remeber when a Very Fine was considered a "High Grade",...sigh!

One time, in Band Camp,........

[uclapeterg]

Most LCS all share the same attitude toward CGC.

 

Yep. It is slowly changing, but the vast majority of small shop owners feel this way.

 

Are people getting defensive because CGC may show them that they need to hone their grading skills?

[uclapeterg]

Here in Los Angeles, I can think of close to a dozen local comic shops that do not have a single slabbed comic book.

 

Some of the owners scoff at CGC, and others just don't care for the price/wait/etc.

 

A lot of the owners deal mostly in the weekly moderns and don't bother with back issues. Nor do they find it cost effective to play the HG modern game.

 

I can't even think of a dozen comic shops in Los Angeles

[Fan4Fan]

On a related note, I was in one of my LCS this afternoon and overheard/saw the following:

 

Customer: Are these books (all moderns just off the shelf) going to be a good long-term investment.... ya know, like stocks?

 

Clerk: Comics are a horrible investment. You're better putting money under your mattress.

 

Customer: Oh... ah... but Wizard said that these books are really hot.

 

Clerk: Pshah! Wizard. Nyuck. Snort. To them everything is hot... for about two weeks and then it's on to the next book.

 

Customer: Ahhh... OK... I'll... umm... put some of these back.

 

Customer puts all of them back and hurries out of the store.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Silver Surfer]

-Well, we cater to people who actually READ comics here, once you slab them, you can no longer read them.-

 

You should have went home got your worst CGC book in your collection. Then brought it to the store and broke the slab over his head. Last but not least cut open the inner well and read the comic while he is lying on the floor.

 

[awe4one]

On a related note, I was in one of my LCS this afternoon and overheard/saw the following:

 

Customer: Are these books (all moderns just off the shelf) going to be a good long-term investment.... ya know, like stocks?

 

Clerk: Comics are a horrible investment. You're better putting money under your mattress.

 

Customer: Oh... ah... but Wizard said that these books are really hot.

 

Clerk: Pshah! Wizard. Nyuck. Snort. To them everything is hot... for about two weeks and then it's on to the next book.

 

Customer: Ahhh... OK... I'll... umm... put some of these back.

 

Customer puts all of them back and hurries out of the store.

 

Have to appreciate the honesty. Most dealer would feed you a line of bull...

 

Jim

[awe4one]

Can you believe this guy is an honest-to-goodness dealer? Sometimes I just don't get how some people think.

 

I don't see the problem. Small dealers don't have to embrace CGC. Nothing is stopping you from buying that Spidey or X-Men and slabbing it yourself. In fact, his "read 'em" mentality is GOOD for this hobby.

 

Jim

[tth2]

Can you believe this guy is an honest-to-goodness dealer? Sometimes I just don't get how some people think.

 

I don't see the problem. Small dealers don't have to embrace CGC. Nothing is stopping you from buying that Spidey or X-Men and slabbing it yourself. In fact, his "read 'em" mentality is GOOD for this hobby.

 

Jim

 

I think what is exasperating him is this particular dealer's lack of logical inconsistency. On the one hand, the dealer doesn't believe in CGC because comics are to read and not to be slabbed. On the other hand, when asked whether some of his more expensive comics should be taken home and read, he replies "No, those comics are for investment, they are very rare."

[awe4one]

Can you believe this guy is an honest-to-goodness dealer? Sometimes I just don't get how some people think.

 

I don't see the problem. Small dealers don't have to embrace CGC. Nothing is stopping you from buying that Spidey or X-Men and slabbing it yourself. In fact, his "read 'em" mentality is GOOD for this hobby.

 

Jim

 

I think what is exasperating him is this particular dealer's lack of logical inconsistency. On the one hand, the dealer doesn't believe in CGC because comics are to read and not to be slabbed. On the other hand, when asked whether some of his more expensive comics should be taken home and read, he replies "No, those comics are for investment, they are very rare."

 

Yeah....that does seem to be a contradiction....

 

Jim

[Timely]

Here in Los Angeles, I can think of close to a dozen local comic shops that do not have a single slabbed comic book.

 

Some of the owners scoff at CGC, and others just don't care for the price/wait/etc.

 

A lot of the owners deal mostly in the weekly moderns and don't bother with back issues. Nor do they find it cost effective to play the HG modern game.

 

About a year ago I went into Continental Comics (in Northridge, CA) and the owner had just got his latest CGC shipment in, about 75 books. He was looking though them and preparing to put them on ebay. He did not have a single CGC item his walls, just the same 100 books that had been fading there for the last 5 years.

 

He understood CGC was the way to go and the way to make money for him and his store, but still had not thought of putting some in his showcases or on the wall. It's a slow process for some of the LCS owners...unfortunately some may never get it.

 

West

[awe4one]

He understood CGC was the way to go and the way to make money for him and his store, but still had not thought of putting some in his showcases or on the wall. It's a slow process for some of the LCS owners...unfortunately some may never get it.

 

Why is it unfortunate? Why must/should LCS owners deal CGC comics?

 

I can understand people selling/buying CGC off eBay or the Internet from unknowns. A store owner usually deals with a whole other demographic than your typical CGC collector. These buyers usually spend far less than the average CGC collector and frankly the majority of these fans may not care a wit about CGC or a slabbed comic.

 

CGC has entered the market in a major way in some respects but in others, I doubt they'll ever gain a foothold or even be relevent to the majority of collectors.

 

Jim