Candid VCC Discussion - Post your Opinions.

[1Cool]

First off - Thanks to everyone who puts a lot of time and effort into putting the Virtual Comic Con (VCC) together a few times a year. I know it must be time consuming and I have enjoyed every one of them. In my mind the VCC is a very innovative way to utilize the message boards to get a lot of comic buyers / sellers in one place at one time. I'm sure no one thinks the VCC will compete with an actual comic con but in some ways this format has a lot of advantages over the real version.

 

That being said, there must be a way to increase the number of vendors and definitely increase the number of buyers looking over the booths. Would closing down the sales thread for the weekend be an option to prompt people to go there? Why do some of the biggest sellers on the boards never put together a booth? Is it the lack of perceived sales? Would an increased amount of advertisement make the event better attended?

 

I'm sure a general discussion of the issue will help make the VCC a better event overall. Any thoughts?

[MrBedrock]

Why do some of the biggest sellers on the boards never put together a booth? Is it the lack of perceived sales?

Time could be one consideration.

Also the issue of having things available on the boards and nowhere else. In my case I generally list new arrivals on my site before I list them anywhere else. On some occasions and for special interest type stuff I will list in the sales threads here first. The VCC is a project to put together and plan for. There is some time required. Because the purpose is to accommodate a much larger amount of material in a "convention" setting, yet one also has to adhere to the board guidelines concerning exclusivity, I have never chosen to participate.

[MR SigS]

My immediate thoughts are that some "small" collector's/seller's (for lack of a better term) rely on last moment sales for emergency funds or to supplement income. Shutting down the FS forums for the weekend can potentially hurt them.

 

I feel more advertising is a better idea, though I have no suggestions as to how

 

 

[1Cool]

Why do some of the biggest sellers on the boards never put together a booth? Is it the lack of perceived sales?

Time could be one consideration.

Also the issue of having things available on the boards and nowhere else. In my case I generally list new arrivals on my site before I list them anywhere else. On some occasions and for special interest type stuff I will list in the sales threads here first. The VCC is a project to put together and plan for. There is some time required. Because the purpose is to accommodate a much larger amount of material in a "convention" setting, yet one also has to adhere to the board guidelines concerning exclusivity, I have never chosen to participate.

Never really thought about it that way. I guess most of the "bigger" sellers have their own website and occasionally will pull down a batch to sell on the boards. I also think the process of posting 50 - 60 books all at once is daunting to some since you can take a week to post that many books if you want to in the for sales threads.

[MK Ultra]

I've looked a little but never bought/sold anything.

 

My problem on selling is that I have OCD and never sell anything. I also envision it being lots of work and not worth the financial rewards. I'm fortunate enough to have a job today.

 

I look at buying and it's lots of work to scroll though the pages of sellers, and their posts. Large # of pics, Large pics, slow loader. If there were some faster way of seeing their wares I might be more inclined to buy. Perhaps have it so that there is a description/link only, and you can click that if you're interested.

 

Finally, I don't understand the allure. Stuff's posted everyday. There's no incentive to look/wait for the VCC. If I have stuff to sell, I would make a post. If I want to buy something I can look at seller's posts.

[thehumantorch]

First off - Thanks to everyone who puts a lot of time and effort into putting the Virtual Comic Con (VCC) together a few times a year. I know it must be time consuming and I have enjoyed every one of them. In my mind the VCC is a very innovative way to utilize the message boards to get a lot of comic buyers / sellers in one place at one time. I'm sure no one thinks the VCC will compete with an actual comic con but in some ways this format has a lot of advantages over the real version.

 

That being said, there must be a way to increase the number of vendors and definitely increase the number of buyers looking over the booths. Would closing down the sales thread for the weekend be an option to prompt people to go there? Why do some of the biggest sellers on the boards never put together a booth? Is it the lack of perceived sales? Would an increased amount of advertisement make the event better attended?

 

I'm sure a general discussion of the issue will help make the VCC a better event overall. Any thoughts?

 

Your points are all valid. It would be nice to get more people selling and more traffic/buyers and more advertising to draw them in. It would also be nice if boardies who're not participating didn't run a sales thread during the VCC.

 

Shin and Donut and anyone else who puts this together don't have the right to close the sales forum during the VCC and frankly, that would be pretty heavy handed. They're done an awful lot of work over the years trying to promote it and they've done a fair bit of experimentation to try and improve it. Ultimately the VCC should live or die depending on the happy participation of members.

[mysterio]

Why do some of the biggest sellers on the boards never put together a booth? Is it the lack of perceived sales?

Time could be one consideration.

Also the issue of having things available on the boards and nowhere else. In my case I generally list new arrivals on my site before I list them anywhere else. On some occasions and for special interest type stuff I will list in the sales threads here first. The VCC is a project to put together and plan for. There is some time required. Because the purpose is to accommodate a much larger amount of material in a "convention" setting, yet one also has to adhere to the board guidelines concerning exclusivity, I have never chosen to participate.

Never really thought about it that way. I guess most of the "bigger" sellers have their own website and occasionally will pull down a batch to sell on the boards. I also think the process of posting 50 - 60 books all at once is daunting to some since you can take a week to post that many books if you want to in the for sales threads.

 

Having just done a fairly large sales thread (that you were kind enough to buy from, thanks!) I can attest to it being a ton of work. And it is bad enough to do this over the span of a week or two listing while you go. To do all that work to set up for a VCC and delay gratification when you could just start a sales thread is difficult to justify sometimes.

 

I tend to agree with the thought that with the sales threads running 24/7 around here that it is difficult to make a VCC feel like a truly special event. I've thought about participating, but then I just end up opening a thread and selling my stuff. I'm sure plenty of others do the same thing as it is easier and more immediate gratification.

[999ghosts]

Love it but after taking some time in writing some general HTML code for my booth two times in a row and not selling a thing I gave up on selling!

 

I will return to buy as you do seem to find some books not offered in the general sales.

[Jeffro.]

I've had good success selling at various VCCs and as much as I enjoy it, it's very time consuming. Photobucket doing away with being able to generate thumbnail pics quickly definitely has had an impact on recent selling. I've looked at several options but none that I've found works as well as Photobucket used to work.

 

Additionally, I have less time these days for the most time intensive activity, scanning.

[namisgr]

Finally, I don't understand the allure. Stuff's posted everyday. There's no incentive to look/wait for the VCC. If I have stuff to sell, I would make a post. If I want to buy something I can look at seller's posts.

 

I agree with this.

 

I participate as both buyer and seller in VCC to try and help make the concept fly, but when you get right down to it, the concept doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[slym2none]

Also, not as many rules to the general selling forum. I had thought about setting up a "booth" at the last VCC but decided against it. The regular selling forum is just easier.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[1Cool]

Finally, I don't understand the allure. Stuff's posted everyday. There's no incentive to look/wait for the VCC. If I have stuff to sell, I would make a post. If I want to buy something I can look at seller's posts.

 

I agree with this.

 

I participate as both buyer and seller in VCC to try and help make the concept fly, but when you get right down to it, the concept doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

I think the concept is the same as a physical comic con. Why go to a comic con if you can buy almost any book for half the price on E-Bay or other sites? Because its fun to get together and look at a bunch of books in one place. People have been branching off into selling toys at the VCC but it may be cool if a shirt vendor or the toon tumbler guys got an invite. Having a fun time looking at a ton of books has to be the basic goal of the event and to have fun.

[1Cool]

Also, not as many rules to the general selling forum. I had thought about setting up a "booth" at the last VCC but decided against it. The regular selling forum is just easier.

 

 

 

 

-slym

I don't understand. The rules about not being able to buy until the start times? That is really the only rule that is special to the VCC.

[slym2none]

Somehow I thought thumbnails and not full-sized pics were required, as well as a few other things. I should go look through the thread again, maybe.

 

But still, the reg. forum is just easier. Besides, no one wanted my drek anyway.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[Ares]

Would closing down the sales thread for the weekend be an option to prompt people to go there?

 

Bad Idea... Why Punish people who don't want to participate

[slym2none]

If you wish to participate in the VCC, you create ONE post as a placeholder for your booth anytime after the initial Virtual Convention Hall thread is created. As soon as you create your post, you then will have 48 hours to EDIT your post (your "booth"). If you wish to use HTML to code your booth, you should choose that when you create your booth. (You can choose to use both HTML and UBBCODE by selecting the appropriate entry via the drop down menu located directly below the EDIT window.) Note that you CANNOT switch formats (from UBBCode to HTML or vice versa) AFTER your post is officially created, so make sure to choose the format during your initial Placeholder post.

 

Do NOT create more than ONE POST in the Virtual Convention Hall Thread. If you do, you will be asked to remove it. If you REMOVE or DELETE your own post, you can create a new "Booth". This will also move your booth to the end of the thread.

 

One post per person within the thread, for a single "booth" for a seller.

 

Either a thumbnail or a link to a book, not large scans.

 

Responses only through PMs, NOT "I'll take it" signs. Seller is responsible for updating his/her own post.

 

 

I guess that is too many rules for me, personally. But, I don't want anyone thinking I am poo-pooing the VCC, putting it down in any way. It's just not my bag, baby.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

[thirdgreenham]

Would closing down the sales thread for the weekend be an option to prompt people to go there?

 

Bad Idea... Why Punish people who don't want to participate

 

Do it for the children!

[paperheart]

i love the idea of the VCC and will continue to participate but:

-setting up a booth is fairly time consuming

-some have mentioned they don't like thumbnails (i am the opposite, i dislike sales threads where there's one book for every post)

-selling slabs for anything approaching GPA is difficult

-figuring out what to list that will sell is a puzzle

 

I do like:

- the chatter amongst the booth sellers in the discussion thread

- making fun of the karp that Greggy lists

-Sunday discounts

-the PM byplay with buyers

 

Personally, i boycott the regular FS forums that weekend.

 

 

[oldmilwaukee6er]

I have drafted about 4 VCC threads, and even once created a place holder booth. But it is tough for me to give up a weekend "manning the booth" and being on call for each PM. Therefore, I end up not doing it.

 

That being said, I have it as one of my collecting goals to set up and man a booth for the November VCC.

[MK Ultra]

Finally, I don't understand the allure. Stuff's posted everyday. There's no incentive to look/wait for the VCC. If I have stuff to sell, I would make a post. If I want to buy something I can look at seller's posts.

 

I agree with this.

 

I participate as both buyer and seller in VCC to try and help make the concept fly, but when you get right down to it, the concept doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

I think the concept is the same as a physical comic con. Why go to a comic con if you can buy almost any book for half the price on E-Bay or other sites? Because its fun to get together and look at a bunch of books in one place. People have been branching off into selling toys at the VCC but it may be cool if a shirt vendor or the toon tumbler guys got an invite. Having a fun time looking at a ton of books has to be the basic goal of the event and to have fun.

 

Comic Con is in person. Namisgr and I have a show in Essington every what, six weeks? You can hold items in your hand, have no shipping, have the excitement of being at the show, can haggle face to face, meet artists, buy, sell, and trade. No worries of fraud. Sale prices at end of show. None of this is on ebarf, or at VCC. In person no slow loading, no worries about pic size, can zero in on particular book.