Chuck explains his Mile High pricing

[The-Collector]

Good lord…these excuses are atrocious!

 

We sell at a higher premium because we have to afford 3 warehouses at $30,000 per month…..not our problem. We will not spending $20 on a book we can get for $5 on eBay just to keep you in business when we "need" you.

 

We have to charge a higher price because of the time it takes to process and organize. We have to process 40,000 items on our website from #-A and therefore it cost me a lot to do that….also not our problem. Hire more cheap labor or stop carrying so many items. How much of that is drek that no one will ever buy, regardless of price?

 

Do you get this angry at all the Ebay sellers setting BINs that attempt to top previous sales of a given book by 50%? What's their justification for trying to get top GPA on the first appearance of Raccon Girl or Rocket Squirrel or whatever else the hot book du jour is?

 

Yes…yes I do. I would like to own the book but it's not right that they charge that exuberant of a price. Sure, they can charge whatever they want. But if I'm trying to own the book, it's not right that my happiness gets thwarted by greedy sellers. I know this sounds weird and I'm having a hard time explaining it on here.

 

Don't forget for the seller the price makes them happy when they sell. So unless your happiness is of greater importance than theirs you can't be angry with them for seeking to make money.

 

I think most people dislike flippers because they see their hobby as something pure and moral, as it brings them happiness by reminding them of their childhood. While flippers are not motivated by such laudable aims and only want to make money, the pursuit of which is seen as immoral.

[COI]

One way to increase inventory is to price things so they don't sell all that fast.

 

True. But a necessary condition for the increase is acquiring more which requires having capital above and beyond operating costs, which likely suggest that he at least breaks even, unless he's leveraged in debt up to his eyeballs. If that's the case, he won't last; if he's profitable, he's profitable. Either way, I don't get all the butthurt he elicits.

[dupont2005]

He has hardly justified his exorbitant markups. The analogy doesn't hold, I bet the price of a left handed widget at McGuckins doesn't cost 10 times the price I can get it at lowes.

 

Assuming that you can get a left handed widget at Lowes, which I think is his point. The analogy isn't perfect, but in essence he's trying to separate himself from the rest of the pack by offering a breadth of inventory no one else can or will.

I have never been able to find a hard to find comic on his website. There was never a time when something was impossible for me to find on eBay but it was sitting in his inventory.

 

I will admit, once he was cheaper than eBay on an old fanzine that I'm sure was a victim of his moronic pricing and fell through the cracks, but otherwise not only is everything in his inventory available on eBay right this very second, but for about an eighth of the price. I've had trouble finding common modern comics on his site. He's missing huge chunks of basic runs.

[dupont2005]

unless he's leveraged in debt up to his eyeballs.

I believed that to be the case back when I thought he owned huge warehouses. Now I'm sure of it. And I'm more convinced than ever that his pricing has something to do with inflating his collateral.

[Designer Toast]

Yep, I can't bring myself to watch it either.

[COI]

Good lord…these excuses are atrocious!

 

We sell at a higher premium because we have to afford 3 warehouses at $30,000 per month…..not our problem. We will not spending $20 on a book we can get for $5 on eBay just to keep you in business when we "need" you.

 

We have to charge a higher price because of the time it takes to process and organize. We have to process 40,000 items on our website from #-A and therefore it cost me a lot to do that….also not our problem. Hire more cheap labor or stop carrying so many items. How much of that is drek that no one will ever buy, regardless of price?

 

Do you get this angry at all the Ebay sellers setting BINs that attempt to top previous sales of a given book by 50%? What's their justification for trying to get top GPA on the first appearance of Raccon Girl or Rocket Squirrel or whatever else the hot book du jour is?

 

Yes…yes I do. I would like to own the book but it's not right that they charge that exuberant of a price. Sure, they can charge whatever they want. But if I'm trying to own the book, it's not right that my happiness gets thwarted by greedy sellers. I know this sounds weird and I'm having a hard time explaining it on here.

 

You're having a hard time explaining your position because it's self-interested and contradictory. Essentially, you want to say that capitalism is only right when you're the victor in the exchange, but because that's such a clearly untenable position, you're at a loss.

 

Not trying to attack you btw, so don't take it personally. Lots of people feel the way you do.

[The-Collector]

Good lord…these excuses are atrocious!

 

We sell at a higher premium because we have to afford 3 warehouses at $30,000 per month…..not our problem. We will not spending $20 on a book we can get for $5 on eBay just to keep you in business when we "need" you.

 

We have to charge a higher price because of the time it takes to process and organize. We have to process 40,000 items on our website from #-A and therefore it cost me a lot to do that….also not our problem. Hire more cheap labor or stop carrying so many items. How much of that is drek that no one will ever buy, regardless of price?

 

Do you get this angry at all the Ebay sellers setting BINs that attempt to top previous sales of a given book by 50%? What's their justification for trying to get top GPA on the first appearance of Raccon Girl or Rocket Squirrel or whatever else the hot book du jour is?

 

Yes…yes I do. I would like to own the book but it's not right that they charge that exuberant of a price. Sure, they can charge whatever they want. But if I'm trying to own the book, it's not right that my happiness gets thwarted by greedy sellers. I know this sounds weird and I'm having a hard time explaining it on here.

 

You're having a hard time explaining your position because it's self-interested and contradictory. Essentially, you want to say that capitalism is only right when you're the victor in the exchange, but because that's such a clearly untenable position, you're at a loss.

 

Not trying to attack you btw, so don't take it personally. Lots of people feel the way you do.

 

I agree.

 

The other thing people resort to to justify this sentiment is that their motivations are not capitalistic and so are somehow more moral. Can't say that works either.

[COI]

You're all pointing out reasons why his business model is untenable or may fail. That's fair, but it doesn't explain the hate, and it's not based on any actual data, unless one of you is his accountant.

[The-Collector]

You're all pointing out reasons why his business model is untenable or may fail. That's fair, but it doesn't explain the hate, and it's not based on any actual data, unless one of you is his accountant.

 

My post had absolutely no hate in it. In my experience his prices are ridiculous, this video is tendered in support of those prices and my response was that it is woefully inadequate.

[Meeklo]

Good lord…these excuses are atrocious!

 

We sell at a higher premium because we have to afford 3 warehouses at $30,000 per month…..not our problem. We will not spending $20 on a book we can get for $5 on eBay just to keep you in business when we "need" you.

 

We have to charge a higher price because of the time it takes to process and organize. We have to process 40,000 items on our website from #-A and therefore it cost me a lot to do that….also not our problem. Hire more cheap labor or stop carrying so many items. How much of that is drek that no one will ever buy, regardless of price?

 

Do you get this angry at all the Ebay sellers setting BINs that attempt to top previous sales of a given book by 50%? What's their justification for trying to get top GPA on the first appearance of Raccon Girl or Rocket Squirrel or whatever else the hot book du jour is?

 

Yes…yes I do. I would like to own the book but it's not right that they charge that exuberant of a price. Sure, they can charge whatever they want. But if I'm trying to own the book, it's not right that my happiness gets thwarted by greedy sellers. I know this sounds weird and I'm having a hard time explaining it on here.

 

You're having a hard time explaining your position because it's self-interested and contradictory. Essentially, you want to say that capitalism is only right when you're the victor in the exchange, but because that's such a clearly untenable position, you're at a loss.

 

Not trying to attack you btw, so don't take it personally. Lots of people feel the way you do.

 

I agree.

 

The other thing people resort to to justify this sentiment is that their motivations are not capitalistic and so are somehow more moral. Can't say that works either.

 

I don't take it personally…I agree.

 

It is as if a person says "I have a right to own this book but your price is insane and keeps me from fulfilling what I should rightfully (as a living breathing person) be able to do."

 

BTW…it's technically Friday

[COI]

Good lord…these excuses are atrocious!

 

We sell at a higher premium because we have to afford 3 warehouses at $30,000 per month…..not our problem. We will not spending $20 on a book we can get for $5 on eBay just to keep you in business when we "need" you.

 

We have to charge a higher price because of the time it takes to process and organize. We have to process 40,000 items on our website from #-A and therefore it cost me a lot to do that….also not our problem. Hire more cheap labor or stop carrying so many items. How much of that is drek that no one will ever buy, regardless of price?

 

Do you get this angry at all the Ebay sellers setting BINs that attempt to top previous sales of a given book by 50%? What's their justification for trying to get top GPA on the first appearance of Raccon Girl or Rocket Squirrel or whatever else the hot book du jour is?

 

Yes…yes I do. I would like to own the book but it's not right that they charge that exuberant of a price. Sure, they can charge whatever they want. But if I'm trying to own the book, it's not right that my happiness gets thwarted by greedy sellers. I know this sounds weird and I'm having a hard time explaining it on here.

 

You're having a hard time explaining your position because it's self-interested and contradictory. Essentially, you want to say that capitalism is only right when you're the victor in the exchange, but because that's such a clearly untenable position, you're at a loss.

 

Not trying to attack you btw, so don't take it personally. Lots of people feel the way you do.

 

I agree.

 

The other thing people resort to to justify this sentiment is that their motivations are not capitalistic and so are somehow more moral. Can't say that works either.

 

Yep, it doesn't. That would be like someone arguing that the bank should cut the interest on their mortgage because they really love their family, and their desire to give their kids security is of greater moral leverage than the bank's desire to make a return on their investment.

[COI]

You're all pointing out reasons why his business model is untenable or may fail. That's fair, but it doesn't explain the hate, and it's not based on any actual data, unless one of you is his accountant.

 

My post had absolutely no hate in it. In my experience his prices are ridiculous, this video is tendered in support of those prices and my response was that it is woefully inadequate.

 

Not targeting you or anyone specifically, just the general bandwagon-jumping of hate I always see in threads about Chuckles. Considering the current flipping/investing-crazed atmosphere on these boards as of late, the criticisms often levied at him, usually in a very personal way, strike me as incredibly ironic and hypocritical.

[The-Collector]

You're all pointing out reasons why his business model is untenable or may fail. That's fair, but it doesn't explain the hate, and it's not based on any actual data, unless one of you is his accountant.

 

My post had absolutely no hate in it. In my experience his prices are ridiculous, this video is tendered in support of those prices and my response was that it is woefully inadequate.

 

Not targeting you or anyone specifically, just the general bandwagon-jumping of hate I always see in threads about Chuckles. Considering the current flipping/investing-crazed atmosphere on these boards as of late, the criticisms often levied at him, usually in a very personal way, strike me as incredibly ironic and hypocritical.

 

[Meeklo]

I really had nothing against Chuck or Mile High. I have purchased from him when I believe their prices were reasonable and adequate.

 

But I am aware that they tend to be of a higher end of pricing on a regular basis and I am aware that they do have a negative reputation amongst the comic book collecting community.

 

Hearing him defend their pricing was kind of laughable. Regardless of my capitalist examples, my original reasons are true call outs.

 

If Best Buy started pricing everything higher than it does to cover all their stores or if they didn't compete with Amazon at all, they'd be deader than Circuit City…plain and simple, Chuck will not last much longer if those are his reasons behind their pricing.

[steveinthecity]

Not directed at anyone in particular, but what I find baffling is no one giving careful consideration as to why or how Chucks business model actually works, and few could argue that his business has been successful. The most frequent complaint I hear is regarding his prices, yet people still buy.

 

The guy has something figured out. Maybe what he does goes against the grain of normal retail practices, but it works for him. One may dislike Chuck for any number of reasons, but he is certainly retail savvy as far as the comics marketplace is concerned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[benz]

one thing you cant argue with is that he Mile High is still alive and kicking so good business sense for him

[marmat]

one thing you cant argue with is that he Mile High is still alive and kicking so good business sense for him

 

+1

He's in the business 40 years, owns probably the biggest inventory in the business. His model is working.

And I am sure he is a really smart guy, the way he brought the Curch collection to market is pure genius, and he did it 30 years before the coming of CGC and he established the "multiples of guide" that rules the market today.

 

[ttfitz]

Good lord…these excuses are atrocious!

 

We sell at a higher premium because we have to afford 3 warehouses at $30,000 per month…..not our problem. We will not spending $20 on a book we can get for $5 on eBay just to keep you in business when we "need" you.

 

We have to charge a higher price because of the time it takes to process and organize. We have to process 40,000 items on our website from #-A and therefore it cost me a lot to do that….also not our problem. Hire more cheap labor or stop carrying so many items. How much of that is drek that no one will ever buy, regardless of price?

 

Do you get this angry at all the Ebay sellers setting BINs that attempt to top previous sales of a given book by 50%? What's their justification for trying to get top GPA on the first appearance of Raccon Girl or Rocket Squirrel or whatever else the hot book du jour is?

 

Yeah, I don't get it either. I've bought from Mile High in the past, but haven't in many, many years, largely because I, too, find his prices ridiculous on the things I am interested in. But that's just me.

 

In the 40+ years I've been collecting comics, I have bought books from many different comic dealers, many of them with what we would consider reasonable prices. The main difference between many of those dealers and Mile High is that those dealers are no longer in business, and Mile High is - bigger than ever.

 

[shadroch]

Chuck has helped many a struggling comic shop by buying up their surplus books on a regular basis.

He's a tremendously successful businessman and one of the true pioneers of our hobby. He's also his own worst enemy.

[Prince Namor]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - when he begged for business because the Northeast was too busy dealing with the flood tragedy of Hurricane Sandy to place their usual order of comics, I knew he was someone I didn't want to ever deal with again.

 

That's the issue I have with his business model. He lacks ethics.