Do you think its ok to flip a book at a Con where you bought it?

[thehumantorch]

I've heard a couple people voice different opinions about the subject so I want to hear what you think. If you are selling at a Con is it ok to grab a stack of books from another booth to just put it up in your booth for way more money? Is it ok to ask for a discount for the stack of books if you plan on reselling them within minutes of buying them?

 

Is it a situation of an open market and everything is fair or is there a code that should be followed to prevent hurt feelings?

 

 

 

As long as you didn't lie to get them from the guy ("I really love these and have always wanted them for my collection." or "These are for my kid" etc.) or knowingly cheat the guy in some way it's ok to do whatever you want with the books.

 

What you describe has been a standard practice across conventions for decades.

 

I used to sell giant stacks to other dealers before shows, giving them a discount depending on the bulk size of the purchase, and many were going to resell them at their booths. That was cool with me.

 

It does seem like an odd practice to me. I hear dealers saying "you will get the standard fellow dealer discount" but knowing the books are only being bought to be resold (possibly at that same Con) for a nice profit. I'm sure it comes down to the buying power of dealers since they can drop $3,000 on books but just seems strange to offer other dealers a discount. I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

It happens all the time. Last show I sold a full long box of $1 books to another dealer. He'll price them at $4 or $5 each and make money over time. He doesn't carry expensive books and specializes in cheaper books that I couldn't be bothered to wait for the right buyer.

 

I also go around the show looking for underpriced books or a dealer who had a bad show and needs money - their pain can be my gain.

 

As far as good books, I won't discount them for dealers any more than I would for any other customer. I feel zero need to improve their inventory at a discount

[RockMyAmadeus]

I have a book listed on eBay right now that a major national dealer also sold a copy of...for more than I would have taken for mine. Same book, identical in all respects.

 

Why?

 

Who knows?

 

I saw the sale price and thought "well, that's dumb. I would have taken less than that."

 

But that's the way it goes.

[RockMyAmadeus]

In some other thread about selling at cons I asked the question why do dealers give each other discounts. If I remember correctly the majority of responses were that moving a large number of books for a smaller profit quickly is sometimes better than taking a much longer time to sell the same books at a bigger profit.

 

The practice is part of the business, and when upping the price like 20%-30%-ish, I have no problem with it. Much more than that I think it is polite to point it out to the dealer.

 

I know I was in the minority if not alone, but when I was doing shows seriously with a lot of books, I did not like this pre-show dealer activity. Often I would keep my boxes covered until the doors opened, and if I did sell to dealers before the show it was at my listed price.

 

If I underpriced something I was looking to get it into the hands of a collector rather than a dealer.

 

This was probably (certainly?) misguided idealism but I did it anyway.

 

I happily sold to dealers during the show giving volume discounts. At the end of the show I would give "dealer" discounts, taking into account they were buying for resale. There is less activity at the end of a show than I would have expected, but it did happen on occasion.

 

More surprisingly, at the end of a big show, I would not find other dealers as willing to give any discounts. Usually that's when I shop, thinking that anything left might be up for some nominal negotiation. Instead, I would find it was the time they were most protective of their books.

 

Just my take on it, YMMV!

 

 

You're not alone. I am much, much happier selling books at a discount to collectors who will enjoy it, rather than people just looking to flip.

 

I don't mind flipping, but there's a substantive "quality of life" issue involved with making collectors happy that can't be quantified.

[Prince Namor]

I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

On a offer? Sure. That's your prerogative.

 

I've heard of dealers turning down sticker price sales from customers they KNOW are successful flippers because they think they must have MISSED something because that customer is interested.

 

That's annoying.

 

I tend to sell by what my OWN profitability is, rather than what someone else's MIGHT be.

[1Cool]

I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

On a offer? Sure. That's your prerogative.

 

I've heard of dealers turning down sticker price sales from customers they KNOW are successful flippers because they think they must have MISSED something because that customer is interested.

 

That's annoying.

 

I tend to sell by what my OWN profitability is, rather than what someone else's MIGHT be.

 

I'd definitely sell the books to whom ever at full price and if my prices are low then shame on me. But if a dealer came up and offered me 25% discount on a stack of books I'd definitely consider saying no and then go check out those books to see why they wanted them so badly.

[kimik]

I also go around the show looking for underpriced books or a dealer who had a bad show and needs money - their pain can be my gain.

 

I like doing the same to you at shows as well.........

 

 

[RCheli]

I am much less likely to give a good deal to anyone -- dealer or even customer -- before a show starts or at the beginning. For example, with my $1 books, I'll gladly sell a long box for $125 before the show starts to a dealer. At the end of the show, I'll sell a long box for $50.

 

For wall books, that $200 book is going to be a $180 book at least at the beginning; if it's still there by the end, it could be $150.

[Robot Man]

For me I guess the discount would depend on what you are buying. Obviously, it it's a hot book there is a very slight (if any) discount. Dealer or not. Nobody is giving their stuff away at a con. It also depends on how much I need the money or if it is a cash deal. I personally don't mind if anyone makes a little off me. Keeps 'em coming back for more. Just don't think you are going to grab all my hot books cheap before the show even opens.

[Doktor]

I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

On a offer? Sure. That's your prerogative.

 

I've heard of dealers turning down sticker price sales from customers they KNOW are successful flippers because they think they must have MISSED something because that customer is interested.

 

That's annoying.

 

I tend to sell by what my OWN profitability is, rather than what someone else's MIGHT be.

 

I'd definitely sell the books to whom ever at full price and if my prices are low then shame on me. But if a dealer came up and offered me 25% discount on a stack of books I'd definitely consider saying no and then go check out those books to see why they wanted them so badly.

 

Fair enough, but it might not be that they want them so badly, so much as it's more in the wheelhouse of their regulars & think that they can buy them in bulk at 25% off & then mark them up 15% so it's still lower than your list? especially dealers that specialize in certain types of books.

 

Or it could be that they're just low on stock of certain issues & they're just looking to refill stock because they weren't finding them elsewhere?

 

I would just caution anyone to not assume, just because a dealer wants to buy a stack at x% off, that they know something you don't know.

[shadroch]

Shows can be a lot more fun and less stressful when you've made your nut before noon.

[RCheli]

Shows can be a lot more fun and less stressful when you've made your nut before noon.

 

True, but you often know what you're getting into.

 

Sometimes you set up at shows because it's just a place for you to buy, and it doesn't really matter what you make. Other shows you know that you can sell books all day long and make nearly full price on everything. There are rarely surprises any more.

[1Cool]

I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

On a offer? Sure. That's your prerogative.

 

I've heard of dealers turning down sticker price sales from customers they KNOW are successful flippers because they think they must have MISSED something because that customer is interested.

 

That's annoying.

 

I tend to sell by what my OWN profitability is, rather than what someone else's MIGHT be.

 

I'd definitely sell the books to whom ever at full price and if my prices are low then shame on me. But if a dealer came up and offered me 25% discount on a stack of books I'd definitely consider saying no and then go check out those books to see why they wanted them so badly.

 

Fair enough, but it might not be that they want them so badly, so much as it's more in the wheelhouse of their regulars & think that they can buy them in bulk at 25% off & then mark them up 15% so it's still lower than your list? especially dealers that specialize in certain types of books.

 

Or it could be that they're just low on stock of certain issues & they're just looking to refill stock because they weren't finding them elsewhere?

 

I would just caution anyone to not assume, just because a dealer wants to buy a stack at x% off, that they know something you don't know.

 

I do get what you mean about certain sellers having certain buyers that may need specialized books. I had a big buyer from California last year that wanted nice looking mid grade Silver-Age books and would pay 65% - 75% of guide for most of the bigger name books (Avengers, Iron Man, etc). I ended up buying up a ton of these books for 35 - 40% of guide even though most people were paying less for common books. I didn't care since I was doubling my money and just needed to get a ton of books before he got saturated (which happened

[gaz973]

Shows can be a lot more fun and less stressful when you've made your nut before noon.

+1

[KPR Comics]

You can choose to curate the museum or run the gift shop. It's all about the turn for me, so I choose the latter.

[Hamlet]

You can choose to curate the museum or run the gift shop. It's all about the turn for me, so I choose the latter.

 

That reminds me of a odd thing that happened this weekend at a little local convention I was at. There is a dealer that had a book that I've considered buying for quite awhile, but I've always found a reason to leave it in his box. I asked him to take it out of the bag (for the first time, I hadn't gotten to that point in the past), and was considering making an offer. He rediscovered that it was a pretty book, and said that if I didn't buy it he'd probably mark it up and put it on his wall. I decided against it (again), and he put it back out of the way to re-price.

 

I'm going to be very curious to see what he prices it at, and whether it sells on his wall at a higher price than it had when it was just gathering dust in his box.

 

[jsilverjanet]

I am much less likely to give a good deal to anyone -- dealer or even customer -- before a show starts or at the beginning. For example, with my $1 books, I'll gladly sell a long box for $125 before the show starts to a dealer. At the end of the show, I'll sell a long box for $50.

 

For wall books, that $200 book is going to be a $180 book at least at the beginning; if it's still there by the end, it could be $150.

 

this is good info for me in the future

[jsilverjanet]

I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

On a offer? Sure. That's your prerogative.

 

I've heard of dealers turning down sticker price sales from customers they KNOW are successful flippers because they think they must have MISSED something because that customer is interested.

 

That's annoying.

 

I tend to sell by what my OWN profitability is, rather than what someone else's MIGHT be.

 

bird in hand, worth more than...

[youmechooz]

You can choose to curate the museum or run the gift shop. It's all about the turn for me, so I choose the latter.

+100

I just want it gone at a price i can make money on.

[youmechooz]

I'd almost be inclined to not accept the offer and then research the books a little closer since you have obviously left a bunch of meat on the bones.

 

On a offer? Sure. That's your prerogative.

 

I've heard of dealers turning down sticker price sales from customers they KNOW are successful flippers because they think they must have MISSED something because that customer is interested.

 

That's annoying.

 

I tend to sell by what my OWN profitability is, rather than what someone else's MIGHT be.

 

I'd definitely sell the books to whom ever at full price and if my prices are low then shame on me. But if a dealer came up and offered me 25% discount on a stack of books I'd definitely consider saying no and then go check out those books to see why they wanted them so badly.

If the dealer stops at 25% off, they dont want them badly. If a dealer wants it bad, they will pay 100% of your asking. Ask gator. He was buying hulk 181's last year for something like 100% gpa. He wanted them badly.

[RCheli]

I am much less likely to give a good deal to anyone -- dealer or even customer -- before a show starts or at the beginning. For example, with my $1 books, I'll gladly sell a long box for $125 before the show starts to a dealer. At the end of the show, I'll sell a long box for $50.

 

For wall books, that $200 book is going to be a $180 book at least at the beginning; if it's still there by the end, it could be $150.

 

this is good info for me in the future

 

When have I ever not given you a great deal, Hector?

 

I think my prices are always pretty damn good and even better to board members.

 

In fact, I think I can honestly say, without exaggeration, that I'm the best person on the planet and am the nicest and fairest and the most handsome, too.

 

And I'm an excellent dancer.