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Selling at a con to dealers.

Started by xrcst,

21 posts in this topic

xrcst

xrcst

Posted
Posted

I'm in need of some quick cash, and there is a con coming up next weekend. I have a few CGC graded books USM 1, and a few x men from the dark phoenix saga graded 9.6. Would a con be a decent palce to sell them without listing them on EBAY?

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Foolkiller

Foolkiller

Posted
Posted

I'm going to actually disagree with the above post. First of all, you have to factor in a number of things: 1) you need quick cash, 2) dealers I've been dealing with will pay a slightly higher than 50% price for a piece that they know they can move fairly quickly. Such as a 9.6 or better USM #1, 3) It depends on whether or not the dealer is having a decent show and can afford to outlay a little more, because they'll just flip it on ebay themselves and 4) factor in your time, time to wait for the money, pain of shipping and listing fees and decide whether or not moving it is indeed a better option.

 

I've sold a few CGC books to dealers that I thought were marginal sellers on ebay, and have yet to walk away with 65% of FMV.

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g-man

g-man

Posted
Posted

when i was at the philly show, i was able to buy/trade with one dealer and flip the book for an easy profit to another. i brought down some raw books and a few cgc books as well and turned them over for good prices. Came out of the show with over $1K more than I came with....and only bought a few small books. It can be done. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

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Foolkiller

Foolkiller

Posted
Posted

Ah, if I was selling pre 66 anything, I doubt you'd see me selling it dealers at 65%.

 

Let's call this more like modern stuff I'm selling that's slabbed that I think is iffy achieving some of the prices --

 

somehow Bob I get the sense you aren't interested in Crisis #1 9.6 or Captain America 332 9.8 or a Hulk 340 9.4 -- just guessing.

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micmack

micmack

Posted
Posted

You have to realize that you are probably a much better negotiator than the poster. You most likely have delt with a number of dealers and probably know some of them and they you, so they would by all accounts give you a fair deal. If they didn't, your experience would help you.

 

The poster obviously hasn't delt with dealers at con's (or else he wouldn't have asked), and doesn't have the clout or respect you have in dealing.

 

 

 

I'm going to actually disagree with the above post. First of all, you have to factor in a number of things: 1) you need quick cash, 2) dealers I've been dealing with will pay a slightly higher than 50% price for a piece that they know they can move fairly quickly. Such as a 9.6 or better USM #1, 3) It depends on whether or not the dealer is having a decent show and can afford to outlay a little more, because they'll just flip it on ebay themselves and 4) factor in your time, time to wait for the money, pain of shipping and listing fees and decide whether or not moving it is indeed a better option.

 

I've sold a few CGC books to dealers that I thought were marginal sellers on ebay, and have yet to walk away with 65% of FMV.

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Foolkiller

Foolkiller

Posted
Posted

Maybe.

 

But I also think that it depends on what you've got too. I think the real problem is the 'urgency' he has approaching the sale. It makes it easier on the dealer to sniff out the fact that the guy will take lower.

 

I don't think I've ever sold books where 'I had to get money' because it really handcuffs your ability to simply walk away. Although, I do remember selling some books right after law school while studying for the bar because I wasn't working. I wasn't desperate for cash (but I was close), but the money I made sure was welcome.

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chrisco37

chrisco37

Posted
Posted

Agree w/ Foolkiller. Your best bet is to sell off some "hot moderns". These are the books that many collectors are looking for at shows, so the dealer knows he can move it.

 

Gary Platt knocked $25 off of the sticker of a Miracleman #15 for me for a Batman #608 9.8. He sold the Batman book less than an hour later.

 

Hot books are hard for them to keep in stock, so they'll pay pretty well on some books as they know they'll sell them that show.

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the blob

the blob

Posted
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figure out a price you want for all of them -- but be realistic. something enough under the ebay average for these books for someone to be willing to buy them all at once, but don't shoot yourself in the foot.

 

go to each dealer with them as a group (don't get cherry picked!) and ask for a bit over what you want so there's some room for negotiation. speak loud enough so that convention goers around you can hear what you want for the books.

 

if the dealers don't pay your price or come close (and it's a sufficient discount of FMV), some convention goer probably will probably swoop in and try to.

 

i've picked up some nice deals after dealers have been to stingy with someone trying to sell them books -- like All of the Marvel Spotlight ghost rider appearances for $2 each, $20 each for GS X-Men 1 and X-Men 4 (lower grade, of course), JIM 112 in VF for $5, etc. It's not how I usually operate, but when someone looks like they're going to slit their wrists because some dealer only offered pennies on the dollar, I feel like I have a duty to help/

 

yeah yeah, it's bad etiquette, but if you're quick enough there's nothing anyone can do. it was bad etiquette for the dealer to offer $5 each for the GS X-Men 1/X-Men 4 and for the other dealer to only offer 50 cents each for the spotlights.

 

(not to mention the fact that every time I've plunked down good money for a table nobody has ever bothered to try and sell me anything half decent, so I feel entitled to take my opportunities where I find them!)

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DoubleCovaBrotha

DoubleCovaBrotha

Posted
Posted
when i was at the philly show, i was able to buy/trade with one dealer and flip the book for an easy profit to another. i brought down some raw books and a few cgc books as well and turned them over for good prices. Came out of the show with over $1K more than I came with....and only bought a few small books. It can be done. 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

Wow, that is absolutely ridiculous (in a good way). I am very impressed. Kudos! thumbsup2.gif

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gozer

gozer

Posted
Posted

You might try something like this (it's worked for me) ...

 

Sort of do it as an auction. Have your books and a pad of paper.

Go to dealer A, show him the books and ask if he's interested. If so, get his

offer and write it down. Tell him thanks, and you'll get some other offers.

 

Go to dealer B, and do the same. Tell them what the current offer is for your

material. I keep a "hidden" sheet of paper with the offers and who made them,

just to keep it confidential, and I only show folks the "current offer" and not who

made it.

 

Be friendly, outgoing, and a good salesman. Don't try and hide what you're

doing. The better "people person" you are, the easier it is to sell books.

 

I've only had 1 person get pizzed off about this -- was insulted that I would

dare sell anything to anyone but him -- but so what, he was an insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

 

And as someone else said -- is a con a good place to sell books -- it depends.

If you've got an X-Men #1, people WILL be interested. If you've got VG- common

books, you might not even get a nibble.

 

And you may get lucky, and have a book that a dealer just has to have for

their personal collection.

 

cheers,

gozer

----------------------

Ooh, the Pharaoh's Chamber has a vibrating sarcophagus.

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