So what is the board discount

[Ares]

Nothing.

I already offer discounted prices based on GPA. I am as low as I can get sometimes

[RockMyAmadeus]

Very few people pay what I think is a reasonable price here. I do fine on eBay. They are worth the 11% they take, if only in terms of traffic (their customer service isn't worth 2 cents.)

 

Is this really what eBay is charging now, 11%? Didn't they just raise it to 10?

 

I was rounding off, and counting in Paypal (which is 2-3%, depending on your dollar amount passing through.)

 

Top-rate gets 20% discount, though that's constantly in flux these days.

 

But yeah, non TRS gets 10%. Which is crazy.

[divad]

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

 

Just reading this was worth at least 5% . . .

[phampton1737]

Bob: I publicly apologize for making it sound as if I might have any beef (err. issue) with you, or in fact any reason for negativity toward you, whatsoever. I absolutely don't. My reaction to that phrase arises from my own miserable experience, and in looking back at it, I failed to make that clear.

 

I am truly sorry if you felt attacked, which I can easily understand. I am usually better at thinking before I write. I hope we can "wipe the slate clean," and in that spirit I ask your forgiveness.

 

As to the other point, I really am not any "type" of trader except one aspiring to fairness. Unlike some of the trading partners I've run into, I don't feel the need to come out "on top" every single time. Comic books come and go, but it's the relationships that I honor. I guess I have had good luck, but I have always included with my books an unconditional 100% guarantee of personal satisfaction, (except for slabs) with a no questions asked return and refund policy. I am proud of my 100% positive feedback on eBay, which as you all know does not happen by accident when one has been selling comics to the general public, on and off, for over four years.

 

Sincere thanks for your time.

[krighton]

I've found to quickly sell items (modern) I have to adjust my prices at break even or a loss. Course silver/golden age are different, those tend to go for normal prices.

[Lantern]

I don’t know if the sentiment is actually growing or if I’m just noticing it more but the “entitled” buyer mentality has been very prevalent and escalating around here, especially in the last year or so.

 

Millennials

 

[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 prevalence these last few years), but i wanted to offer my $0.02, too....

 

Thanks for reading my rambling.

Joey

 

Just reading this was worth at least 5% . . .

 

Totally!! . 10% for you!

[slym2none]

I don’t know if the sentiment is actually growing or if I’m just noticing it more but the “entitled” buyer mentality has been very prevalent and escalating around here, especially in the last year or so.

 

Millennials

 

Ebay & their "buyer-first" mentality has a bit to do with it as well, I'd imagine. I am not disagreeing with you, though.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

[dupont2005]

I don’t know if the sentiment is actually growing or if I’m just noticing it more but the “entitled” buyer mentality has been very prevalent and escalating around here, especially in the last year or so.

 

Millennials

Yeah I bet that's it

[slym2none]

*marks down dupont2005 as a 'Millennial'*

 

 

 

 

-slym

[vaillant]

Of course it is different for dealers (which make a living out of it) and simple collectors.

 

I generally try to price fairly, but I do not think of a specific audience, most importantly, as a private collector, when a relationship blossoms and I become friend with a board member, I always try to price the books I sell to him as low as possible.

But of course this is not what is expected from a dealer: if I were you, Bob, I would just buy what I am comfortable with, and if the seller has no intention to apply any kind of discount to dealers, I’d simply let go…

 

I think that when you are not greedy with dealers, dealers are motivated to treat you more amicably, and I am not saying you should do this just because of a discount possibility, but for better relationships. (thumbs u

 

P.S. In the past two years (the time I have been here) I’d have loved to buy books from you, do you sell on the boards also? I don’t remember any sales threads from you, I just visited your site.

[dupont2005]

*marks down dupont2005 as a 'Millennial'*

 

 

 

 

-slym

I'm a little older than that

[chrisco37]

 

Sometimes people prefer one in the hand rather than two in the bush.

 

I've seen pornos where they prefer all of that at once!

[ImageMask]

 

Sometimes people prefer one in the hand rather than two in the bush.

 

I've seen pornos where they prefer all of that at once!

 

Yes, but do they do it for a 10% cut in pay?

[Kevin76]

I don't believe in board discounts, This is the price I want, if you make an offer a little lower, I might take it but but I'm not going to undercut the price simply because I'm selling it on the boards, I do quite well on ebay.

[DavidTheDavid]

I have no problem with "starting points" As branget stated it is the "entitled" that I generally have issue with.

 

I'm a person who feels what goes around comes around. If you want 10%+ discounts I expect the same when you are selling. If you don't then don't be surprised if I don't buy from you ever again or recommend you to others.

I've done a lot of buying here, but I've never felt entitled to any discount. I look at GPA, check OSPG, consider any similar books I already have and what I paid for them, and then offer what I think is fair. I respect what the seller sets as his or her asking price, and I hope that they respect my offer. If there's too much distance between the amounts, how much I move depends on my motivation for that book.

 

But the great majority of sellers threads that I see, all either openly state or imply that they are open to offers, which means that posted price is their starting point. I don't throw unfounded and outrageous lowballs--it's insulting. If am negotiating several purchases from someone, I often will ask for a slightly larger discount.

 

I have bought from Bob's website, and I'm sure I will again. Many of my offers there have been accepted, and I tried to make reasonable, substantiated offers. Point is, that's how I approach things no matter the venue.

 

But to Bob's original point, I don't see that I have any entitlement to a discount just because.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I don't believe in board discounts, This is the price I want, if you make an offer a little lower, I might take it but but I'm not going to undercut the price simply because I'm selling it on the boards, I do quite well on ebay.

For an automatic loss of 13.5%, but if you get MORE on Ebay... By all means, don't let the forums hold back those profits.

[blazingbob]

Updated rant.

 

1). When I ask a person is there a better price on a book I don't expect "what are you thinking".

 

I expect a price. It is your book, not mine.

 

Is the logic that if they give me too low a price I might have paid more.

 

2). Package deals where the package discount is $100 on books adding up to $3000+ that are priced 10%+ over GPA. Thanks for that 3%.

 

 

 

 

[miraclemet]

Updated rant.

 

1). When I ask a person is there a better price on a book I don't expect "what are you thinking".

 

I expect a price. It is your book, not mine.

 

Is the logic that if they give me too low a price I might have paid more.

 

You expect a price? Didn't they already give you a price when they listed the book?

If you want a different price, make an offer. That's the back and forth of it.

 

I have the same reaction when someone says "whats your best price?"... I think "its the one on the tag!" Or as those Pickers guys say "I cant buy it AND sell it" (or in this cast it'd be I cant sell it AND buy it!)

 

[EC ed]

1). When I ask a person is there a better price on a book I don't expect "what are you thinking".

 

I expect a price. It is your book, not mine.

 

But if I'm understanding this hypothetical scenario, the seller has already given you a price...that is, their original asking price. If you're interested in the book but not at their asking price, it then falls to you to make a concrete counteroffer - that's what I would expect from you (the buyer) if I'm the seller...not an open ended invitation for me to start negotiating against myself. That's the first day of "Negotiation 101" right there....