Hudson Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I received an email today from Mile High Comics. In the email, Chuck told me about his awesome "code word" that would allow me to take 60% off. Sounds like a great deal. and so I went over to his site looking to see if he had any early Actions. Unfortunately the oldest one I found was #193. What surprised me, however, was his prices on a number of low grade SA Actions. I thought something must be wrong with my eyes. How could Chuck be charging these prices and stay in business. I know he must have a business model that works, as he has been in business for a long time, however, I guess I just don't understand it. Even with 60% off, I cannot imagine anyone paying these prices for readily available SA books in low grade. Here are a few examples... Action Comics #244 Prices at Mile High Action #244 in Fair - $123 - Discounted by 60% is now $49.20 Action #244 in Good - $245 - With 60% off it is now $98.00 I then jumped over to My Comic Shop (MCS) to see if they had this same book. Action #244 in Fair - $21.00 Action #244 in Good Minus (1.8) - $34.00 I then jumped over to Metropolis Action #244 in G+ (2.5) - $38.50 Action #244 in G++ (2.75) - $43.00 Action #244 in G/VG (3.0) - $43.50 Action Comics #246 Mile High - Fair - $123 minus 60% or $49.20 Mile High - Good - $245 minus 60% or $98.00 MCS - Fair/Good - $29.50 Metro - Good (2.0) - $29.75 Action Comics #249 Mile High - VG - $441 minus 60% or $176.40 MCS - G/VG - $35.50 Metro - G/VG (3.0) - $43.50 Metro - VG/F (5.0) - $105 Action Comics #250 Mile High - Good - $240 minus 60% or $96 MCS - Good (2.0) - $44.50 plus 3% or $45.84 MCS - Good+ (2.5) - $40.00 plus 3% or $41.20 MCS - GD/VG (3.0) - $47.50 Metro - Good (2.0) - $29.50 I am NOT saying that each of these establishments grades comics exactly the same. In fact I would argue that they do not, however, that is another topic altogether. I just do not understand how a place that charges what IMO is way over FMV on readily available books, can stay in business. Does he not want to sell these books? Perhaps, he makes his money on newer books and these are ones he would rather keep. I don't know. Perhaps he figures "there is a sucker born every minute" and if he can find one, he can make a lot of money on a few books instead of having to sell lots of books on lower margin. Again, I don't know. I am not putting down Mile High. I believe Chuck and anyone else has the absolute right to charge whatever they want for their property. It does not matter to me, as I am not in the market for any of the above listed books anyway. I guess I am just curious about the business model. Perhaps another board member could enlighten me. Are there board members out there who buy from Mile High regularly? Are they buying any SA books? Am I missing something?? djzombi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Town Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 You're not missing anything. Mile High's prices, grading, and customer service have all been frequently discussed here over the years. I'd be surprised if anyone on the boards would choose to defend them. MCS has many fans here. And deservedly so. The Lions Den and Badlands 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 You can find a steal on there every now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudson Posted October 5, 2016 Author Share Posted October 5, 2016 You're not missing anything. Mile High's prices, grading, and customer service have all been frequently discussed here over the years. I'd be surprised if anyone on the boards would choose to defend them. MCS has many fans here. And deservedly so. I agree with you regarding MCS (at least as a buyer - as I have never sold them any books). They seem very strict in their grading and I have never been dissatisfied with any book I have purchased from them. At one point I had a "problem" with their customer service, however, Conan stepped up and resolved things. I give them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadroch Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I'll defend Chucks right to price his books any way . His bat, his ball. I will never buy from him, nor send anyone there, but who are we to tell him what to charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudson Posted October 5, 2016 Author Share Posted October 5, 2016 I'll defend Chucks right to price his books any way . His bat, his ball. I will never buy from him, nor send anyone there, but who are we to tell him what to charge. I agree 100%. He has every right to charge what he wants. This is America and I am a firm believer in the free market system. I am just curious how he stays in business. Hoping someone had some insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I'll defend Chucks right to price his books any way . His bat, his ball. I will never buy from him, nor send anyone there, but who are we to tell him what to charge. I agree 100%. He has every right to charge what he wants. This is America and I am a firm believer in the free market system. I am just curious how he stays in business. Hoping someone had some insight. Peyote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grebal Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 This doesn't seem to be a simple case of doubling your prices so you can advertise sales price at 50% off. And you'd think with that high level of "inventory fmv" their insurance premiums would be much higher than if something closer to liquidation value was used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 He doesn't want to actually sell books. Just see how many he can accumulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 It's like his prices got stung by bees or something Yeah gets all puffed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizards2 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 It's like his prices got stung by bees or something Yeah gets all puffed up. double Kramerica 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adampasz Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Maybe they are taking some kind of tax refund on business losses (a la Trump)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comicquant Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I think he's just not concerned with having to sell. I'm sure their brick and mortar stores do enough volume anything online is icing on the cake. I personally have never ordered from Mile High just because of the nightmarish stories I've heard. From never receiving a book, to getting the wrong book, being double charged. Even if I'd never heard the stories one look at their site and I'm on to the next site on the list. Its insane a business can operate so terribly and still be around so something must be keeping the lights on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddjob22667 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 When I worked in a used bookstore, we'd price comics like this: Check to see what certain issues were going for at Mile High. Then, since My Comic Shop was local, we'd check there to see what prices were going for reK certain issues in our geographic area. They were always lower for the same condition. So we'd price our stuff even less than MCS. As a buyer, MCS is great because they grade so strictly. I'll get a raw book at a good deal, then have it signed/slabbed and it will come back a half point to a point higher than what MCS sold it for. That's nice when it happens to a mid-grade Giant Size X-Men #1 a fella wants signed by the creators of Wolverine. Of course, as a seller, it works the other way around, too; the offer they give you for your raw books, and then what you actually get offered once they have been inspected, is usually going to be lower. As far as selling slabbed comics in their auctions, it is a gamble. I have lost bigtime on some books while other books have inexplicably brough in a nice price. I keep going back, but am looking more towards Ebay now to sell some slabs, although I have seen the same issue there. A Destoryer Duck signed by Jack Kirby doesn't sell at $30. It gets relisted at $75, and sells. An unsigned slabbed Manera cover goes one place for $138 while on Ebay a slabbed Manara, same grade and signed by Stan Lee, goes for less than $90. Madness. Madness! (Who are we to tell him? Well, in terms of suggestions rather than decrees, we're the people holding onto money and willing to spend it, wanting to spend it - but not throw it away, is who we are). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punksdropdirtysrh Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 This video may have been shared previously, but I enjoyed Chuck's explanation when a collector asked him about his raw NM 98 priced at $2,600. Fast forward to about 21:20. Interesting perspective. And if you've never heard of Comic Trips I highly recommend them. Great YouTubers. nH3sdv589gNn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterlingcomics Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I think we have over a petabyte storage of MH adventures here. We should probably dedicate an entire subforum for this garbage. "Is it the weed? Is everyone hi?" nH3sdv589gNn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Chuckles is a DRAG QUEEN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Less Blob Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 A year or two ago they actually had some stuff that after the codeword was not bad, especially if you got the free shipping. yes, it was like .01% of the listings. now it seems like they have jacked up the prices another 100%, so there is very little there. with that said, if you are looking for lower grade filler books, i think they are still probably ok if you hit the free shipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizards2 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Chuckles is a DRAG QUEEN! I always assumed you were too..., :shrug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Chuckles is a DRAG QUEEN! I always assumed you were too..., :shrug: That's a visual.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...