Grouchy Comic Dealers...

[Wally's Comics]

So I went to the local Flee Market and while I was looking through this guy's stock he was singing this song about how people are making so much money off of him, yadda yadda. I try to make him feel better by telling him "yeah, I sell too and some times that happens, it's always best to keep in mind the money you made off of selling it" He replied "I didn't make that much and I've sold books for $15 that people are flipping for $100 and only a fool could be happy with that". I told him "it was his responsibility to know the market and price accordingly, anyway I want my customers to do well on the books I sell because that only helps the flow when they come back" As a final word - I told him that it's always good to do the best you can to learn while take anything with a glass half full approach. He was still grouchy so I left it at that.

 

Some people you can't reach. I sold just last year a ST 110 for over GPA and walked away with nice money for what I had in it. Currently it's selling for multiples what I got for it and I take the oh well approach because I made money.

 

What is your take???

 

 

 

[the authority]

I ask what I want for the goods I sell and after that, more power to them. I want repeat business and people have to feel they've won something to get them back in. It doesn't matter if it is reality or perception, a win is a win.

[kav]

Flee from that guy

[jools&jim]

 

If my experience with some old-school flea market and antique store dealers over the years is any indication, I'm betting he priced some of those books (the ones "that people are flipping for $100") at $15 back when their real market value was 50-cents to a buck each...if that...

[Wally's Comics]

"I good no matter what."...

 

Hah! all that tuition money up in smoke.

 

 

 

[Wally's Comics]

If my experience with some old-school flea market and antique store dealers over the years is any indication, I'm betting he priced some of those books (the ones "that people are flipping for $100") at $15 back when their real market value was 50-cents to a buck each...if that...

 

you may have a point there...

 

The tape on the back of these bag flaps are ancient they aren't translucent any more.

 

so it was more of a dirtbag whine then...

 

 

 

 

[Awax]

I ask what I want for the goods I sell and after that, more power to them. I want repeat business and people have to feel they've won something to get them back in. It doesn't matter if it is reality or perception, a win is a win.

 

aren't you on vacation. Why are you wasting time in here.

[Wally's Comics]

HBD Geoff!

 

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I would have told him "I know, I bought a book from you last time for 10.00 and sold it for 300.00 due to movie hype!" And watched him explode.

[CAHokie]

I went to a huge flea market today looking for comics. I learned that some people really should not use ebay as a guide if they know nothing about comics. I saw a Silver Surfer earlier with a sticker that said last sale 700, this issue 1/2 price. I realized they were using the last sale of a 9.8. This was a reader copy of non key that was falling apart.

[Awax]

HBD Geoff!

 

 

 

Thank you...

 

Love the torchbearers there.

[Wally's Comics]

I would have told him "I know, I bought a book from you last time for 10.00 and sold it for 300.00 due to movie hype!" And watched him explode.

 

I wouldn't do that, but I must admit this was fueling my fire to go through his boxes for sweet snag...

 

His siren call was almost like a drunken hot blonde in a frat house whining about how easy she is in nothing but a tank top and a thong...

 

'Cus AWWWW YEAH SON!!!!

 

 

 

[Chip Cataldo]

Speaking of "pricing off eBay," there's an effing tool that runs a HUGE shop locally...all sorts of collectibles. Nothing is priced.

 

Not. One. Thing.

 

The last time I was there April and I went through all 20 long boxes of comics he had...about 20% were bagged. I picked out about 100 issues I wanted and when we took them up to the register and asked how much he wheeled around, opened up an eBay window and said "Give me a few minutes to price all these." The first few books he priced were off of unsold current auctions that were overpriced.

 

I said, "Are you serious?" He said, "Huh? What are you talking about?" When I explained that nothing was priced and that it was pretty unprofessional of him to price things that way when he wasn't taking into consideration condition, actual realized sales and if the issues were in-demand or not he proceeded to cop an attitude about how I knew nothing about running a collectibles shop. Keep in mind he had 20,000 records in the back and who knows how many dollars in NASCAR stuff that was exactly the same stuff as when we first went in there a few years back. Covered in dust.

 

I hate tools that have shops when they don't deserve them. Eff him.

 

Rant over.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[Filter81]

If someone makes money off a book they buy from me, I always consider that a good thing. It means I have a buyer who is happy, who may even come back and spend more $$ on another book.

 

A few years ago I had a dealer buy a DD 1 CGC 9.2 from me for a good price, pressed it up to a 9.6 and sold it for $50k. It stings a little to leave that kind of money on the table, but at the end of the day if I made money and the person buying from me made money its win/win.

 

There are a few books that I've sold over the years (my Action 1 CGC 2.5 & Superman 1 CGC 6.0 being the first two that come to mind) that when I see what they sell for today compared to what I sold them for at the time it hurts a bit. Not sure if it's because in those cases we're talking about life-changing $$ or if it's because now those books are so expensive I won't be able to buy them back for myself. But 99% of the time, if I've made money and the buyer is happy that's all that matters.

 

Being afraid to ever leave any $$ on the table is not a good philosophy if you want to actually sell stuff.

 

 

 

 

[kav]

Yep that collectible shop dealer is so afraid to leave money on the table he sells nothing and all his money just sits there.

[That Ron Dude]

Leave some money in the deal. Then your customers will be working for you.

 

[kav]

They never realize-if you never sell anything, you're overpriced.

Way overpriced.

Looking up ebay current auctions for prices is just dumb.

Anyone can list Youngblood #1 for $50,000

[southerncross]

Speaking of "pricing off eBay," there's an effing tool that runs a HUGE shop locally...all sorts of collectibles. Nothing is priced.

 

Not. One. Thing.

 

The last time I was there April and I went through all 20 long boxes of comics he had...about 20% were bagged. I picked out about 100 issues I wanted and when we took them up to the register and asked how much he wheeled around, opened up an eBay window and said "Give me a few minutes to price all these." The first few books he priced were off of unsold current auctions that were overpriced.

 

I said, "Are you serious?" He said, "Huh? What are you talking about?" When I explained that nothing was priced and that it was pretty unprofessional of him to price things that way when he wasn't taking into consideration condition, actual realized sales and if the issues were in-demand or not he proceeded to cop an attitude about how I knew nothing about running a collectibles shop. Keep in mind he had 20,000 records in the back and who knows how many dollars in NASCAR stuff that was exactly the same stuff as when we first went in there a few years back. Covered in dust.

 

I hate tools that have shops when they don't deserve them. Eff him.

 

Rant over.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

 

The reply you should have gave " a collectibles shop that does not want to move inventory needs to just charge admission, that's how museums operate. And it appears you have the same business plan " (thumbs u

[kav]

BAZINGA!

[oldbsturgeon]

Speaking of "pricing off eBay," there's an effing tool that runs a HUGE shop locally...all sorts of collectibles. Nothing is priced.

 

Not. One. Thing.

 

The last time I was there April and I went through all 20 long boxes of comics he had...about 20% were bagged. I picked out about 100 issues I wanted and when we took them up to the register and asked how much he wheeled around, opened up an eBay window and said "Give me a few minutes to price all these." The first few books he priced were off of unsold current auctions that were overpriced.

 

I said, "Are you serious?" He said, "Huh? What are you talking about?" When I explained that nothing was priced and that it was pretty unprofessional of him to price things that way when he wasn't taking into consideration condition, actual realized sales and if the issues were in-demand or not he proceeded to cop an attitude about how I knew nothing about running a collectibles shop. Keep in mind he had 20,000 records in the back and who knows how many dollars in NASCAR stuff that was exactly the same stuff as when we first went in there a few years back. Covered in dust.

 

 

 

I hate tools that have shops when they don't deserve them. Eff him.

 

Rant over.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

I hope its not apocalypse as I am going go be in the area for vacation and that store is quite close to my hotel