So what is the board discount

[the blob]

Some forum sellers should set up at a show where your sales equal expenses. Drive home mumbling I gave my books away for free.

 

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Been there, done that! Which is why I haven't had a table at a show since about 1998...

 

But what about all the great memories and people you get to chat with? What about all those formerly high grade books Mr. Bendy mangled as he went through your stuff? Those experiences are priceless!

[blazingbob]

Some forum sellers should set up at a show where your sales equal expenses. Drive home mumbling I gave my books away for free.

 

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Been there, done that! Which is why I haven't had a table at a show since about 1998...

 

But what about all the great memories and people you get to chat with? What about all those formerly high grade books Mr. Bendy mangled as he went through your stuff? Those experiences are priceless!

 

.

 

 

[paperheart]

Some forum sellers should set up at a show where your sales equal expenses. Drive home mumbling I gave my books away for free.

 

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Been there, done that! Which is why I haven't had a table at a show since about 1998...

 

But what about all the great memories and people you get to chat with? What about all those formerly high grade books Mr. Bendy mangled as he went through your stuff? Those experiences are priceless!

 

[namisgr]

But the CGC forum board is essentially FREE to the seller. I would think a seller would have more room here than anywhere else they choose to sell.

 

What do you think about having no room at all, instead listing books for your very best sale price right up front? And with prices that are fractionally lower than a seller could get on venues with commissions and service charges.

[CKB]

I have written and deleted this topic more than once.

 

I have had multiple 5% discounts thrown my way.

 

I am more sympathetic to a seller who admits they are tight into a book. I understand that. But I have had a lot of 10% discount requests turned down.

 

What has always amazed me is that a lot of sellers don't realize that Dealers write big checks, they buy a lot of books if you treat them right. Yes, sell to collectors but frankly my biggest convention sales are always to other dealers. And this is backed up by years of doing this.

 

 

Bob, I think you may be running up against the following:

 

If you (a full-time dealer with "no personal collection") are willing to pay $X, that must mean there is someone else out there that will pay at least $X + ~20%, probably more depending on the raw dollar amount on the table. The seller would rather that buyer find him than you. So you should consider that by making the offer you are giving the seller information that may make them reconsider their original price.

 

It might be time to employ a "shadow buyer". I am available...

 

 

[namisgr]

I have written and deleted this topic more than once.

 

I have had multiple 5% discounts thrown my way.

 

I am more sympathetic to a seller who admits they are tight into a book. I understand that. But I have had a lot of 10% discount requests turned down.

 

What has always amazed me is that a lot of sellers don't realize that Dealers write big checks, they buy a lot of books if you treat them right. Yes, sell to collectors but frankly my biggest convention sales are always to other dealers. And this is backed up by years of doing this.

 

 

Bob, I think you may be running up against the following:

 

If you (a full-time dealer with "no personal collection") are willing to pay $X, that must mean there is someone else out there that will pay at least $X + ~20%, probably more debending on the raw dollar amount on the table.

 

 

That's a good argument for consigning your books to Bob and taking advantage of his client base, which is much larger than that of the Boards.

[the blob]

But the CGC forum board is essentially FREE to the seller. I would think a seller would have more room here than anywhere else they choose to sell.

 

What do you think about having no room at all, instead listing books for your very best sale price right up front? And with prices that are fractionally lower than a seller could get on venues with commissions and service charges.

 

Simple enough, do what 50% of the show dealers do and simply lie and say they're on consignment so you have no wiggle room. ;-)

 

of course, sometimes pricing is just a stab in the dark +/- 10-20% and sometimes you have something special not accurately reflected in ebay sales data (like a genuinely high grade vintage raw book...that is always the tricky analysis)

[G.A.tor]

I know I don't sell on eBay etc because many times I only have a 10% or less mark up (i have no secret source for inv... i buy from auctions and boardies etc) and I can't afford to sell on eBay because of lack of margins. In most all instances I will meet a buyer in the middle (which might only technically be 5% or less discount, but to me, it is making the fairest deal I can)

 

On a rare case I own a book long enough to see a good margin, I try to reciprocate to the buyer, if they've sold to me, whether it is 5% or 10% or 20% or whatever

 

Don't/didn't you own a store, do lots of shows? Don't you have dozens of little old ladies coming in with boxes of comics that have been sitting in the closet since their kids were little in the 50s and 60s?

best GA books that have ever been brought into the store were a brick bradford #6, and a plasticman #3...I have managed 2 ASM 1's, but unfortunately no little ole ladies with stash of comics in my neck of the woods...but I optimistically start every day "hoping"

 

 

[djpinkpanther67]

My problem is that I am first and foremost a COLLECTOR. I don't buy a book to flip, I buy it with every intention of it staying in my collection.

 

I rarely ask for discounts, I generally pay what people are asking. I don't want anyone to lose money on a book, regardless if they are a BSD dealer or collector, or a small budget wonder like myself.

 

The drawback of being a collector is that bad luck seems to follow me. I have had 3-4 instances in the past 6-7 years where I HAD to sell. The problem with needing money in a small time window reduces your options. It's funny. I came back into the hobby after 24 years in late 2006, and joined the Boards in early 2007. Had I kept every FF between 2006 and now, I would have (slabbed) every issue from 1-300, with the notable exceptions of #'s 1, 5, 12, 45, and Annuals 1, 3 & 4. Murphy's Law reared it's ugly head and has gotten in my way every time.

 

Have I sold books at a profit? Yes, but those are far and few in between. I have invested more than I got in return. Am I bitter? Absolutely not! I didn't get back into the hobby to make money. I got back into the hobby because my love of comics and OCD keep me coming back.

 

 

 

[Transplant]

I know I don't sell on eBay etc because many times I only have a 10% or less mark up (i have no secret source for inv... i buy from auctions and boardies etc) and I can't afford to sell on eBay because of lack of margins. In most all instances I will meet a buyer in the middle (which might only technically be 5% or less discount, but to me, it is making the fairest deal I can)

 

On a rare case I own a book long enough to see a good margin, I try to reciprocate to the buyer, if they've sold to me, whether it is 5% or 10% or 20% or whatever

 

Don't/didn't you own a store, do lots of shows? Don't you have dozens of little old ladies coming in with boxes of comics that have been sitting in the closet since their kids were little in the 50s and 60s?

best GA books that have ever been brought into the store were a brick bradford #6, and a plasticman #3...I have managed 2 ASM 1's, but unfortunately no little ole ladies with stash of comics in my neck of the woods...but I optimistically start every day "hoping"

 

Get Pons to teach you how to make an Action 1-10 run walk through the doors.

[blazingbob]

But the CGC forum board is essentially FREE to the seller. I would think a seller would have more room here than anywhere else they choose to sell.

 

What do you think about having no room at all, instead listing books for your very best sale price right up front? And with prices that are fractionally lower than a seller could get on venues with commissions and service charges.

 

Bob,

If I list a "best price" customers still expect a discount.

 

I get very very few outright buys unless it is a "movie book"

 

Epic illustrated #3 for example is the latest

[blazingbob]

If I lie I have to remember who I told it to.

 

Not worth the overhead to my brain.

 

 

[FineCollector]

Is there a price range or dollar amount we're thinking of here? There's gotta be a difference between the margin on a $10,000 book, like you guys toss around, and the $20-75 drek that I buy At my end of the scale, if it has a healthy discount under guide, I'm happy to pay the asking price. I'm not scanning through historical eBay sales to determine how much I should be paying for silver/bronze mid-grade run-filler.

[blazingbob]

I am generally looking to buy high ticket items.

 

 

[WesW]

I'm not sure how everyone else feels but I don't get a 10% break when buying from auction houses plus to have any credibility on these boards is worth 10% so my take is offer 10 % lower if that's how you feel but don't expect to get it. Plus nice books don't even apply to this board selling scenario they will sell for what its worth.

[blazingbob]

Auction houses charge a percentage, CGC board sales are FREE.

[Red_Hood]

Auction houses charge a percentage, CGC board sales are FREE.

 

Exactly! I think there are a lot of sellers on this forum taking this point for granted.

They price books in hopes of "End of the Rainbow" buyers.

While this happens once in a while, they need to have room to negotiate.

 

If it's a hot book priced reasonably and in line with the market then I can understand not discounting.

But if it's a hot book that a seller prices at 20% above the highest known sale, they should be willing to negotiate, especially since they are saving 10% in fees by being able to sell in the forum.

[dupont2005]

But the CGC forum board is essentially FREE to the seller. I would think a seller would have more room here than anywhere else they choose to sell.

 

What do you think about having no room at all, instead listing books for your very best sale price right up front? And with prices that are fractionally lower than a seller could get on venues with commissions and service charges.

 

Bob,

If I list a "best price" customers still expect a discount.

 

I get very very few outright buys unless it is a "movie book"

 

Epic illustrated #3 for example is the latest

What? Is that one hot now?

 

Why is it always one of the few issues I'm missing from a run?

[revat]

But the CGC forum board is essentially FREE to the seller. I would think a seller would have more room here than anywhere else they choose to sell.

 

What do you think about having no room at all, instead listing books for your very best sale price right up front? And with prices that are fractionally lower than a seller could get on venues with commissions and service charges.

 

Bob,

If I list a "best price" customers still expect a discount.

 

I get very very few outright buys unless it is a "movie book"

 

Epic illustrated #3 for example is the latest

 

Even if people 'expect' a discount, what's the big deal? Provided everyone is cordial and polite, I think its fine if everyone is politely offering away on both sides, and giving 'rationales' for their position. Isn't that the nature of the comic business?

 

If the price isn't right for either party, they should politely decline and move on. Obviously if you have someone being rude, that's an issue, but that would be an issue either way IMO.

[roulette44]

I suppose it's a bit different for those that do this for a living - versus buying/selling as a hobby (and it seems that that latter category has increased in prevelance these last few years), but i wanted to offer my $0.02, too....no change required.

 

I have no problem making offers, and have no problems when people make me offers. I've been offered 50% of my asking price, 25%, 5%, 0.001% (yep)......and 102%, 105% of my asking. I've also paid more than someone's asking price and less, lots less, way less, no less, etc.........It's about making a deal that both the buyer and seller objectives are met and (in my case) having the flexibility to try to make things work as often as possible! I love the negotiation process - an opportunity to engage in dialogue with the buyer/seller, and try to find a place that both sides like. As some of you know, i'm a big fan of the deal+resub (where the amount paid for the book depends on the grade realized ultimately).

 

Alot of what I sell goes to resellers, so I understand the meat on the bone comment for sure. Sometimes though, people put way too much creedence into GPA, rather than use it as a tool. If GPA says last sale is $5,000, but book is worth $7,000 and it's priced at $6,500 and then discounted to $5,750.......different people will have different opinions of what's been done (great seller for offering a discount?, price gouger for being over GPA? doing what's expected because it's on the boards?)

 

I believe in the following tenets as well (borrowed and amended from an earlier post)

 

- It's good business to not bleed the last dime (or even the 2nd or 3rd last dime) out of every sale.

 

- relationships trump most/all and while there are d-bags out there, if you find a network of people with mutual trust and respect, then everyone can win

 

- Turnover is important. If i make 5%-10% on my money four times in a year, that's better than making 25% once.

 

But remember that for many books, selling them now means the opportunity cost of selling them later at a higher price.....is the seller doing a service to the market by making the book available? or not?

 

Thanks for reading my rambling.

Joey