LCS Using eBay as a Price Guide

[the blob]

It is terrific how paypal/ebay hit the seller with fees TWICE on shipping charges...indeed, you get to pay a paypal fee for the portion of the FMV fee that goes to ebay attributable to your shipping costs! awesome!!!

[revat]

That's why a community such as this can be beneficial. YOu get see everything on ebay, hopefully the store owner is a boardie, and you can negotiate prices which gives you a discount (which makes you more likely to buy more), and the seller gets a higher percentage and hopefully moves more product, and potentially less hassle (hopefully).

[Badger]

Speaking of which...what is going on in your avatar??

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

Not quite sure but she is earning a $100!

 

http://my-retrospace.blogspot.com/2012/09/comic-books-47-spanked.html

 

Scroll down 3/4 of the way to read the panel; those 1950's comics were something else!

[slym2none]

Are we measuring size by word count?

 

word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word, word,

 

Trying to make up for a lack of something, are we?

 

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

Don't know what this refers to, but if shipping is free, that means this particular example...Alias #1...is in even worse shape. Media Mail for one book is a minimum of about $3, materials and postage included, and if you can't ship MM, First Class is the cheapest...and since it goes by the ounce (and can't be over 13 ounces) and Alias #1 weighs approximately 5 ounces, that means there will be little to no packaging...and the book will likely be destroyed.

 

I can ship two comics 1st class in an envelope with more than adequate protection. The average comic book weighs a little over 3 ounces by my measurements. Obviously, heavier paper stock (like East of West) or "special covers" (like DCs 3D lenticular animation covers) weigh more, but I can still get one of those mailed out 1st Class. Less than $4. If you don't believe me, try me.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[RockMyAmadeus]

Don't know what this refers to, but if shipping is free, that means this particular example...Alias #1...is in even worse shape. Media Mail for one book is a minimum of about $3, materials and postage included, and if you can't ship MM, First Class is the cheapest...and since it goes by the ounce (and can't be over 13 ounces) and Alias #1 weighs approximately 5 ounces, that means there will be little to no packaging...and the book will likely be destroyed.

 

I can ship two comics 1st class in an envelope with more than adequate protection. The average comic book weighs a little over 3 ounces by my measurements. Obviously, heavier paper stock (like East of West) or "special covers" (like DCs 3D lenticular animation covers) weigh more, but I can still get one of those mailed out 1st Class. Less than $4. If you don't believe me, try me.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

Mmmm...no, the average book weighs 5 ounces, by my calculation. The glossy stock moderns weigh more than the newsprint of the 80's and before. The difference between 3 ounces and 5 ounces is significant. "Adequately protected" rarely weighs less than 10 ounces, all told. And how much does the packaging cost? And how much does the envelope cost? Sure, you can recycle...but you're putting additional labor into cleaning up used materials, and used materials look realllly tacky to customers.

 

Quite regardless of the weight of the books, however, the point remains: it still costs around $4. The issue I was addressing was that of free shipping against a $15 comic sale. $4, when you start at around $15, means you make essentially the same amount as if you were selling that book for $3-$4 to the OP.

[Flatliner1313]

Hey guys, I heard you were doing Cocaine in this thread?

[miraclemet]

Hey guys, I heard you were doing Cocaine in this thread?

 

what'd you say?

[revat]

Don't know what this refers to, but if shipping is free, that means this particular example...Alias #1...is in even worse shape. Media Mail for one book is a minimum of about $3, materials and postage included, and if you can't ship MM, First Class is the cheapest...and since it goes by the ounce (and can't be over 13 ounces) and Alias #1 weighs approximately 5 ounces, that means there will be little to no packaging...and the book will likely be destroyed.

 

I can ship two comics 1st class in an envelope with more than adequate protection. The average comic book weighs a little over 3 ounces by my measurements. Obviously, heavier paper stock (like East of West) or "special covers" (like DCs 3D lenticular animation covers) weigh more, but I can still get one of those mailed out 1st Class. Less than $4. If you don't believe me, try me.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

Mmmm...no, the average book weighs 5 ounces, by my calculation. The glossy stock moderns weigh more than the newsprint of the 80's and before. The difference between 3 ounces and 5 ounces is significant. "Adequately protected" rarely weighs less than 10 ounces, all told. And how much does the packaging cost? And how much does the envelope cost? Sure, you can recycle...but you're putting additional labor into cleaning up used materials, and used materials look realllly tacky to customers.

 

Quite regardless of the weight of the books, however, the point remains: it still costs around $4. The issue I was addressing was that of free shipping against a $15 comic sale. $4, when you start at around $15, means you make essentially the same amount as if you were selling that book for $3-$4 to the OP.

 

this also doesn't take into account the initial time it took for the store owner/employee to identify the book in PREVIEWS, order the book, unpack the book, place it on the shelf, take it OFF the shelf, bag and board it (also cost of back and board), maybe put a price sticker (maybe not), and put it in the back issue bin. Yes most of these costs are amortized over a larger number of comics, but it still takes the time of a person, and therefore has cost associated with it. Costs add up quick. The lesson as always kids...don't own a comic book store unless YOU LOVE it and/or don't rely on it for money.

 

 

[Badger]

Hey guys, I heard you were doing Cocaine in this thread?

 

Here I thought flatliner was a medical term!

 

Hey, it's an economics and accounting party over here! Of course drugs are involved.

[Flatliner1313]

Hey guys, I heard you were doing Cocaine in this thread?

 

Here I thought flatliner was a medical term!

 

Hey, it's an economics and accounting party over here! Of course drugs are involved.

 

[dgarthwaite-migration]

 

Most stores I know about do not have heavy walk-in traffic. By that I mean they cannot afford a high profile and high rent location. Most of their customers had to seek them out and find them. If they've got a lot of shelf copies after segregating their subscription comics, it's because they suspect a customer might want the book already. It's very easy to set the comic aside with their subscription copies and then if they don't want it, put it back on the shelf later. I also don't see a huge advantage in putting out 20 copies of a comic so that someone can "clean you out." Having too many copies of a comic out gives people the impression that they can wait a week before buying it. You don't want to encourage people to wait. Often if people wait, they opt not to buy it entirely. In some situations you may want to hold some back and replenish as they sell.

 

This is a tricky strategy, that might or might not work, depending on your clientele.

 

That's why I say the details have to be tweaked. No two retail locations are exactly alike. Customer behavior changes based upon income levels, culture, and community.

 

As a general rule, a sense or urgency clinches a sale faster than a large stack sitting on the shelf. I've seen many additional sales generated by a retailer dropping "suggested" purchases into a subscriber's stack. You can't put them in the stack without letting them know it's there and also letting them know they are not obligated to buy it. It creates a trust with the customer. A VERY good book to read is "How to Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive" by Harvey McKay. It gives tips on how to outmaneuver and outsell the competition.

 

DG

[dgarthwaite-migration]

My #1 complaint about comic book stores is not customer service, pricing, or how well the store is lit. My #1 complaint is outdated, stale, 10 year old picked over inventory, that I wouldn't want to take home if it was given to me for free.

 

DG

True but most of that stock is there to create "ambiance". I've walked into and then quickly out of so-called "comic book" stores that have no back stock. It seems that most store owners ignore the concepts of stock turnover and getting stock through multiple suppliers.

 

"Ambiance" only works for people who don't have any clue what they want. The store I walked into the other day bored me within 5 minutes. It was spotless, immaculate, and well lit. The only thing that slightly tempted me was an obscure out of print TPB. I decided I didn't need it.

 

On a whim, I asked the clerk "Do you have any pre-hero Tales to Astonish?" They did have one low grade issue a year ago behind the checkout counter. I was really just wanting to know if they had a stash of better stuff somewhere or if they'd moved that copy somewhere else. The clerk says "If we do they'd be in the back issue bins". I chuckled quietly to myself and said politely "Nah! They'd be too expensive to be there." I checked anyway. There wasn't anything close.

 

I prefer to buy from retailers who are actually familiar with the product they are selling.

 

DG

[johnshabrock]

have to wonder if it was just 1 BIN he looked at, or several. or was it actual auctions he was looking at. with bids. cause a BIN is something that has not been bought, so it cant be a good indicator of price.

And with EBAY's constant lack of listing fee's as an enticement to drum up business, I can list the worst book anyone can think of at any ridiculous price and watch my listing go nowhere due to the price listed. and I BET I get some interesting emails from people telling me i have lost my mind for pricing book x and price y. come to think of it, this could be a great book idea.......dont steal my money making idea......

 

anycrap, Auctions that have bids may be better indicators, but what is the LCS going to do? wait for the auction to end to see the final price?

 

Buyer Beware I guess is the lesson learned. would it have killed OP to ask how they price things at that store? nope don't think so. and from the gist of the email I THINK OP was trying to find something to flip, got his hopes up, and then the LCS pulled the rug out from under his little flipping heart. I could be wrong though.

 

Now if you will excuse me i have some "youngblood" comics i need to put up on Ebay for quadruple digit amounts......

Oh I for all the cocaine talk, i am disappointed that there is not a single Dr. Rockso reference.

[dgarthwaite-migration]

 

Most stores I know about do not have heavy walk-in traffic. By that I mean they cannot afford a high profile and high rent location. Most of their customers had to seek them out and find them. If they've got a lot of shelf copies after segregating their subscription comics, it's because they suspect a customer might want the book already. It's very easy to set the comic aside with their subscription copies and then if they don't want it, put it back on the shelf later. I also don't see a huge advantage in putting out 20 copies of a comic so that someone can "clean you out." Having too many copies of a comic out gives people the impression that they can wait a week before buying it. You don't want to encourage people to wait. Often if people wait, they opt not to buy it entirely. In some situations you may want to hold some back and replenish as they sell.

 

This is a tricky strategy, that might or might not work, depending on your clientele.

 

If nothing else, by only having 1 or 2 out on the rack at any given time you avoid having all 10 copies destroyed by "Mr. Bendy" as he goes through the rack and folds every book in half. Gosh I hate that guy.

 

A LCS had a long box full of X-Men #1 (1991) in the back of the store with a sign indicating they were a dollar each. People thumbed through the box, but they never sold a copy. I suggested that they hide long box in the back room, then put a single bagged/boarded copy in the back issue bin priced something like $5. They sold several a week at the higher price. There's nothing wrong with the comic. People wanted it. Seeing a long box full gave customers the impression there was something wrong with it.

 

DG

 

 

[johnshabrock]

 

Most stores I know about do not have heavy walk-in traffic. By that I mean they cannot afford a high profile and high rent location. Most of their customers had to seek them out and find them. If they've got a lot of shelf copies after segregating their subscription comics, it's because they suspect a customer might want the book already. It's very easy to set the comic aside with their subscription copies and then if they don't want it, put it back on the shelf later. I also don't see a huge advantage in putting out 20 copies of a comic so that someone can "clean you out." Having too many copies of a comic out gives people the impression that they can wait a week before buying it. You don't want to encourage people to wait. Often if people wait, they opt not to buy it entirely. In some situations you may want to hold some back and replenish as they sell.

 

This is a tricky strategy, that might or might not work, depending on your clientele.

 

If nothing else, by only having 1 or 2 out on the rack at any given time you avoid having all 10 copies destroyed by "Mr. Bendy" as he goes through the rack and folds every book in half. Gosh I hate that guy.

 

A LCS had a long box full of X-Men #1 (1991) in the back of the store with a sign indicating they were a dollar each. People thumbed through the box, but they never sold a copy. I suggested that they hide long box in the back room, then put a single bagged/boarded copy in the back issue bin priced something like $5. They sold several a week at the higher price. There's nothing wrong with the comic. People wanted it. Seeing a long box full gave customers the impression there was something wrong with it.

 

DG

 

 

supply and demand, the basis of capitalist society at work, using X-men 1.

[dgarthwaite-migration]

 

Most stores I know about do not have heavy walk-in traffic. By that I mean they cannot afford a high profile and high rent location. Most of their customers had to seek them out and find them. If they've got a lot of shelf copies after segregating their subscription comics, it's because they suspect a customer might want the book already. It's very easy to set the comic aside with their subscription copies and then if they don't want it, put it back on the shelf later. I also don't see a huge advantage in putting out 20 copies of a comic so that someone can "clean you out." Having too many copies of a comic out gives people the impression that they can wait a week before buying it. You don't want to encourage people to wait. Often if people wait, they opt not to buy it entirely. In some situations you may want to hold some back and replenish as they sell.

 

This is a tricky strategy, that might or might not work, depending on your clientele.

 

If nothing else, by only having 1 or 2 out on the rack at any given time you avoid having all 10 copies destroyed by "Mr. Bendy" as he goes through the rack and folds every book in half. Gosh I hate that guy.

 

A LCS had a long box full of X-Men #1 (1991) in the back of the store with a sign indicating they were a dollar each. People thumbed through the box, but they never sold a copy. I suggested that they hide long box in the back room, then put a single bagged/boarded copy in the back issue bin priced something like $5. They sold several a week at the higher price. There's nothing wrong with the comic. People wanted it. Seeing a long box full gave customers the impression there was something wrong with it.

 

DG

 

 

supply and demand, the basis of capitalist society at work, using X-men 1.

 

There is true supply and demand and there is perceived supply and demand.

Most customers never really know how rare something is.

Rare items don't look rare if a retailer has 15 on display. Common items don't look common if the retailer has one on display.

 

DG