Looks like the next round of HA and CLINK auctions should have some good stuff

[Bronty]

For whatever reason people seem to just buy at the auction sales now.

 

The auctions generate a lot of buzz through the thrill of the hunt (competition) scenario.

 

Wonder how dealers, with fixed prices, fare nowadays?

 

Yeah, I'd definitely wager there's been a shift of power from the dealers to the auction sites

[Bronty]

For whatever reason people seem to just buy at the auction sales now.

 

The auctions generate a lot of buzz through the thrill of the hunt (competition) scenario.

 

Wonder how dealers, with fixed prices, fare nowadays?

 

I think you're right about the competition scenario. Used to be that offers would come quick through CAF because people would be worried about somebody else making an offer too.

 

Nowadays I think its more of a thought that they can always come back to a piece on CAF but a page for auction on a given day they better go guns a blazin if they want it

 

 

[Eric Seffinga]

I think the shift in exchange rates has had a big impact on the buying and selling of things as well.

[comix4fun]

Its quite a thing sending in an unsolicited offer; trying not to go too low..or too high

 

just had one accepted right away; could not help but think darn it I should have offered less.

 

 

Not always a good idea going in too low with your unsolicited offers.

 

I had one guy regularly e-mail me about one of my covers over the years. He started off with an insultingly low offer that basically turned-me off to the idea altogether, even when offers rose to a realistic level . . .

 

Exactly, fully agree. Turns out that the guy who had it is some sort of 'dealer' as it were so essentially everything was for sale in their mind. I suspect they did some asking around and were told that's a good price take it.

 

on an amusing note, I just had the Donnelleys offer me a late issue Rom cover in exchange for my Infantino Star Wars cover !

 

All I said was not looking to trade or sell at this time; what I wanted to do was say its for sale at $65,000 but because we have done deals in the past I'll go to $64,500. All good?

 

 

 

 

Honestly, long term, Rom has the kind of appeal and staying power that whatever that "star wars" thing you are talking about could only dream of having.

[suspense39]

I've seen inventory from dealers sites show up in auctions fairly frequently, burkey had quite a few in a recent comic connect auction, the ones that didn't sell went right back on his site.

 

I've always thought, if you're going to make an offer on something from some ones permanent CAF section, it should be more than estimated market value. I've done it once, I offered about 25% over and it worked.

 

I think a lot of the preference for buying at auction is the vague values and pricing, it gives a better sense of demand, as well as the potential for a deal.

[Rune]

It seems that many CAF sellers are using the comicart-l mailing list, it's staggering how many mails I get each day about CAF art for sale. I think I read somewhere that there are 3000-4000 members receiving these mails. I don't know if this is the secret about why it's good to sell on CAF - but I think there is a lot of exposure.

 

Tried to get a great Punisher cover a few days ago, it's was only for sale on CAF, but I was too late - got info about the piece through the comicart-l mailing list (I get 10 - 30 mails from the list each day, hard work to check them all).

 

Are you a CAF premium member? The Premium option has a daily email sent to you with the results from a keyword list you create. Can be of artists comics or other galleries you watch. Its a great service and I have bought a number of pieces using the twice daily email. Also tracks ecay and other auction houses.

 

Yes, and thanks, I'll check that out (thumbs u

[Nexus]

For whatever reason people seem to just buy at the auction sales now.

 

The auctions generate a lot of buzz through the thrill of the hunt (competition) scenario.

 

Wonder how dealers, with fixed prices, fare nowadays?

 

Yeah, I'd definitely wager there's been a shift of power from the dealers to the auction sites

 

Yup. The balance of power shifted from dealers/galleries to auction houses in fine art and we're seeing it happen here, too. That partly explains the 900+ lot behemoth that was the last HA catalog. There's got to be a limit to what HA can handle so either they get pickier with consignments or sellers realize their lots are getting lost in the crowd and re-direct to other avenues. I understand that HA has set a minimum value for consignments now, at least for their Signature Auctions. That's a start.

 

[alxjhnsn]

I understand that HA has set a minimum value for consignments now, at least for their Signature Auctions. That's a start.

Is that a minimum value for a given lot or a minimum value for the total consignment?

[Bronty]

per consignment I think. If you are consigning a 100k piece with them, they almost owe it to you to sell your 500 dollar piece, otherwise you take the whole consignment elsewhere.

[suspense39]

It's 5k in value for the lot. They do make exceptions from time to time, but it has to be close to that.

[jjonahjameson1]

I think the shift in exchange rates has had a big impact on the buying and selling of things as well.

 

There was soooo much eye candy in the latest round of HA and Clink auctions that it was difficult to stay focused.

 

To your point, the exchange rate certainly made me grind my teeth and keep my finger away from the 'bid' button.

 

In the end, I didn't pull the trigger on anything in the HA auction, and I narrowed my focus to just two items in the Clink auction.

 

My wallet may be thankful, but sometimes I think regret is the most expensive thing in the world.

 

Only time will tell...

[Doc Joe]

Its quite a thing sending in an unsolicited offer; trying not to go too low..or too high

 

just had one accepted right away; could not help but think darn it I should have offered less.

 

 

Not always a good idea going in too low with your unsolicited offers.

 

I had one guy regularly e-mail me about one of my covers over the years. He started off with an insultingly low offer that basically turned-me off to the idea altogether, even when offers rose to a realistic level . . .

 

Exactly, fully agree. Turns out that the guy who had it is some sort of 'dealer' as it were so essentially everything was for sale in their mind. I suspect they did some asking around and were told that's a good price take it.

 

on an amusing note, I just had the Donnelleys offer me a late issue Rom cover in exchange for my Infantino Star Wars cover !

 

All I said was not looking to trade or sell at this time; what I wanted to do was say its for sale at $65,000 but because we have done deals in the past I'll go to $64,500. All good?

 

 

 

 

Honestly, long term, Rom has the kind of appeal and staying power that whatever that "star wars" thing you are talking about could only dream of having.

 

big time..especially with the untapped market of Ladies...they love Rom-Com !!!

 

(Rom Comics I assume )

[AKA Rick]

The kind of 'please enquire' status people like the Donnelly brothers place on their listings is something I've always found very off-putting.

 

I do agree to a degree that the term "Please Inquire" usually comes with the stigma of potential price gauging, and in many cases it might not be, but discourages a lot of potential customers from conjuring enough interest to bother inquiring. Then, a seller runs the risk of getting that prejudiced bad reputation like certain sellers where you anticipate the jacked up off the scale pricing and never even bother to ever inquire. "Please Inquire" feels to many like a seller is playing a game to pit buyers against each other or get a feel for how to maximize the price and take advantage of a buyer's interest, like selling water to a man dying of thirst.

 

One alternative is using the term "Make Offer" which isn't so bad for the casual seller and collector (as opposed to dealer/rep/retailer) on pieces they like, want to keep, but for the right price they'd sell. The tricky thing about "Make Offer" is when it's used to negotiate and if a seller gets an offer, a good respectful legitimate one and no matter what, wants to try to juice it more and counteroffer higher even though the price offered they'd have accepted (i.e. The seller would take $300 in their mind, but they got offered $500 on an unpriced "make an offer" piece and then counters with $600 out of greed). Usually, a good approach is a "no-negotiation" rule where a seller just tells the buyer, make a legitimate offer and I'll either accept or decline, and won't counteroffer nor disclose what I was looking for. It's fair because in truth, a buyer wants to pay the least amount possible where the seller wants to generate the most amount possible, so they're interests are conflicting. Removing the games can help in some cases. Usually 'tho it's in cases where the seller is a collector who doesn't need the money nor doesn't mind keeping the piece and whose motivation to sell is on the "if the price is right" terms.

 

I don't think putting a high price tag out of the gate knowing or expecting to negotiate downwards is good for impulse driven purchases and may scare potential customers away too. I'm not a fan of the marketing of the term "OR BEST OFFER" which to me, as a buyer tells me, "okay, you are listing a price that you know you won't sell the piece for, so your expecting to sell it for a lower price" - I always find it funny and odd for fresh to market pieces have that "OBO" pricing since unlike with real estate where buyers often offer higher than asking price, I don't think any buyer nor seller would ever expect a higher than asking price for any item.

 

I think using the "Or Best Offer" is a multi-stage process.

 

First offer the piece at your pie in the sky price, then if no bites nor offers, then lower it to a still comfortable level you'd be happy with, then if you're financially distressed or just want to get rid of the piece, put the price at what you're willing to sell it for (whether that's break-even of what you paid or even at a loss), and then when you've still not garnered any interest, then put "Or Best Offer" as the final sales pitch... then when all else fails do a $0.01 starting bid auction on ebay and let the marketplace dictate the value to get rid of it.

 

In that way, I'm a fan of the "No Reserve" auctions as well.

 

[Bronty]

You can't enforce the no counteroffers thing.

 

You offer 500. I say no. You whether by design or because you've decided you can't live without it and offer 1500. I'm still going to accept, and you know this.

 

Or

 

You offer 500. I say no but boy you're close to what I would sell it for - 550. I'm not supposed to mention that Id sell it for just 50 more?

 

It's totally unenforceable, but I do agree that make offer sounds a little better than please inquire. It's mostly a small semantic difference, but please inquire feels like I am going to get scoped out and if I've demonstrated more willingness to spend, I'll get charged a higher price than someone else

[Terry Doyle]

Good reasoned post, AKA. (thumbs u

 

Funnily enough, I had a collector contact me about two pieces of art in one of my 'Keepers' folders just the other day.

 

Not pieces I wanted to sell, but I wouldn't rule the idea out altogether - preferring to remain open on exploratory discussions (all things are possible, so never say never, I guess).

 

In this case, I've suggested to the other guy that he gives me his 'Best offer' on the two artworks - and will give the idea serious consideration. That way, he knows that it's really down to him to tempt me (I'm certainly not playing games my end).

[zhamlau]

CAF has some issues and I think they are whats driving this current trend to auction.

 

1. Most items the average published art collector would want are priced 10-40 percent over market, thus allowing the seller when they get someone interested the ability to "give em a deal" that works out to either full retail or 10%+ higher.

 

2. Most buyers are trying to buy items at 1/2 market value so they can flip em instantly if they want, or have instant equity if they are trying to trade later.

 

People are people and they are looking to land super good deals all the time, who can blame em?

 

I sell some stuff on CAF but honestly at this point no matter how you list it or what price you put on it (unless its 1/2 normal market) its almost not worth doing. I'm to the point if it hasn't sold In 6 months I send it by the dozen to CL or Heritage with no reserve (indeed many here have bought items from me in those auctions). For every loser there are 2 winners i find.

 

 

 

 

[Terry Doyle]

I sell some stuff on CAF but honestly at this point no matter how you list it or what price you put on it (unless its 1/2 normal market) its almost not worth doing.

 

As mentioned before, CAF has served me very well these past ten years. Within the past two months I've sold a lot of high-end stuff (including a multiple-items private sale to Jim Halperin who spent a lot of cash and was great to deal with). I guess it all depends on what you have on offer.

[zhamlau]

I sell some stuff on CAF but honestly at this point no matter how you list it or what price you put on it (unless its 1/2 normal market) its almost not worth doing.

 

As mentioned before, CAF has served me very well these past ten years. Within the past two months I've sold a lot of high-end stuff (including a multiple-items private sale to Jim Halperin who spent a lot of cash and was great to deal with). I guess it all depends on what you have on offer.

 

 

There is truth to this, every sale and piece is unique in this hobby so anything can happen at any time and there are no hard and fast automatics in this hobby. But, it appears that most people here are noticing that the trend has heavily gone to selling in auction instead of on CAF, for items both great and small. With that being the case, its likely your experiences are closer to the exception rather then the rule

[Terry Doyle]

I sell some stuff on CAF but honestly at this point no matter how you list it or what price you put on it (unless its 1/2 normal market) its almost not worth doing.

 

As mentioned before, CAF has served me very well these past ten years. Within the past two months I've sold a lot of high-end stuff (including a multiple-items private sale to Jim Halperin who spent a lot of cash and was great to deal with). I guess it all depends on what you have on offer.

 

 

. . . it appears that most people here are noticing that the trend has heavily gone to selling in auction instead of on CAF, for items both great and small.

 

I wouldn't disagree as it's a trend I'm well aware of.

 

I wouldn't rule out the idea of going the route of auction at some future point, but for now if I can sell stuff privately (at prices I'm happy with), it's a better option than paying a percentage of any sale/s to a third party.

 

I suppose that if you choose to consign art to auction, you run the risk of making a loss if the results are not exactly what you were hoping for (conversely, you could make more than expected?). Bit of a gamble either way, imho.

[Terry Doyle]

Only other thing I'd mention is that for most of the time we're not aware of the private transactions that result from CAF sales. Yes, a lot of routine stuff is likely to go unsold, but the top examples should always attract interested buyers.