Trading - How do you do it?

[Panelfan1]

Looking to know how others handle trades.

 

In particular NOT in person trades.

 

If it's someone you haven't dealt with before. Both folks need to send out an item - how do you go about it so both parties feel comfortable?

 

Is there an in between? What is the best way to handle such a situation?

[comix4fun]

Looking to know how others handle trades.

 

In particular NOT in person trades.

 

If it's someone you haven't dealt with before. Both folks need to send out an item - how do you go about it so both parties feel comfortable?

 

Is there an in between? What is the best way to handle such a situation?

 

 

 

If you haven't dealt with the person before, then the first thing you should do is search this forum for their real name and their screen name and see what you learn...for better or for worse.

[Panelfan1]

Have you done this before? is there any dealers you know that didnt mind doing this?

[Twanj]

I'd like to piggyback off this, since it's basically the same question.

 

how does a buyer get protection when you're dealing outside of the auction houses, for person to person purchases over mail?

 

I've seen not to use Paypal Friends & Family...but what are some other guidelines?

[Panelfan1]

Do you pay a fee to the dealer for their time? If so, what is appropriate?

[JadeGiant]

Never executed a trade - will follow this thread as well

[JoeRock]

I recently traded, well sorta to a dealer. He had a page I really wanted, but couldn't drop the coin all at once. And since I knew the page would sell fast, I asked if he would be interested in a trade. Instead he said he would hold the page, and sell my art. Realizing I could sell my own art, but perhaps sacrificing losing the page I wanted as someone else could instantly purchase it. Plus the fact that he is a well known dealer and people pay more attention to him, I agreed. So basically he sold the pages, took out the sellers fee, then shipped the page after everything cleared. Deal was if my art sold under the price of his, I owed the remaining balance. It was a good turnout and got a page I'm extremely happy with.

[eewwnuk]

what do dealers charge for brokering these sales / trades? x% of value? flat fee?

[malvin]

I've only done a few trades, usually with a dealer, once or twice direct. For each we just send out what we agreed to, never had a problem. One dealer I traded with insists on receiving the art prior to sending out what he is trading to me, and that is fine too.

 

Malvin

[artistlost]

I have traded before but with members of these boards. We always sent the art with in a few days of each other and provided tracking. I of course did my research and/or had dealt with the person before.

 

 

[pinupcartoonguy]

If it's someone new, I usually ask for references. The stuff they have in their CAF usually helps too.

[JadeGiant]

I haven't traded but I would approach it like a purchase. Research the seller - check their history, ask for reference, start up a conversation, etc. Whatever it takes to get a comfort level and then do a deal if you are comfortable. As for the shipping - curious how most people do trades. Ship at the same time?

[Mighty Hal]

When I initiate a trade, I always send my piece first. I haven't been burned yet.

 

It's different if I know the other person personally, but that's only happened once. On that occasion, we both shipped at the same time.

[Michael Browning]

I have traded A LOT with several dealers, including Tom Fleming, Mike Burkey, Saul Zimmerman, Hans Kosenkranius, Anthony Snyder, Steve Donnelly, Albert Moy and others. They all know me and I know them, so I don't worry about getting my art and the trades have usually been very pleasant and fun.

Some make you send your art first and some send the art simultaneously.

The first dealer to ever make a trade with me was Tom Fleming for the Doom Patrol #1 cover by Steve Lightle. I offered WAY too much for it (way over what he was asking) and Tom didn't take advantage of me. He told me that he didn't want everything I had offered, but allowed me to pick the pieces to reach the value he had placed on the DP 1 cover.

I have probably made more trades with Mike Burkey than anyone, with Anthony close behind. Saul and I have made several trades.

The key to trading is to offer the dealer more than what he is asking for his art because he has to have some incentive to make the trade.

If the piece you are wanting is one that the dealer has had for a long time, sometimes it's easier to trade for, as the dealer may be wanting to unload that particular piece.

I enjoy a trade and will make that offer first. I think some trades are a lot of fun.

I don't enjoy a trade that stretches on for weeks. Some dealers are tough to trade with and can really make a trade grueling. I very seldom trade much with those who hold me up for a long time.

I have also made trades with a few private collectors, but not too many. There for awhile, I traded repeatedly with a collector named Jim Cardillo, who was a guy that was very fair and fun to trade with. I think at one time, his collection was made up of a lot of art I had and mine was made up of a lot that he had owned.

You should never try to burn anyone because you might want to trade with that person or dealer in the future. Make it as fair as possible and you establish a good relationship and that sometimes opens doors.

[John E.]

I'd like to piggyback off this, since it's basically the same question.

 

how does a buyer get protection when you're dealing outside of the auction houses, for person to person purchases over mail?

 

I've seen not to use Paypal Friends & Family...but what are some other guidelines?

 

Paying through PayPal "Good and Services" is the way to go because now it becomes a business transaction. If the seller doesn't send you what you paid for you can open a "claim" with PayPal, or get your money back if the seller never sends you the piece. There's also postal insurance to cover you for shipping damage. I'm sure all these seem obvious to you, I'm just pointing that you put yourself in a vulnerable position if you don't do either. I think the biggest thing you should worry about is shipping damage. Otherwise, I think that your gut will tell you if this is a person you want to deal with.

[John E.]

I also have a lot of interest in this topic and I was hoping for more anecdotal responses. I think the underlying question to this topic is how to trade with strangers through the mail. It seems like the majority of respondents trade with dealers, who have something at stake if they become bad actors, or with collectors they know and have cultivated relationships with. It appears that trading with strangers puts both parties in a vulnerable position. There are frequent Posters here whom I've never met but I would feel comfortable with trading because their reputation on the boards is at stake. The question though is, would they trade with me? I'm a firm believer in going with your gut when dealing with strangers.

 

I like the idea of a dealer acting as a middleman. The issue is that they have to be willing to do it. Also, I expect that trades will cost you money anyway, but I find having to pay for shipping twice--once to the middleman, and again from the middleman to the intended recipient--is a bit much, especially if these are hundred dollar pieces we're talking about. But if it has to done, so be it.

 

I hate trying to pass off theory as an answer, but when trading with strangers one idea is creating a network or alliance of collectors who pledge to make honest trades and follow the regulations that the alliance sets forth, such as:

 

shipping out the artwork within the network's agreed upon time frame;

 

packaging the artwork in a manner agreed upon by the network;

 

Approved shipping services (USPS, UPS, FedEx), type of shipping (Priority Mail, 2-Day, etc), mandatory insurance and who's responsible for paying;

 

Resolution for disputes and a timeframe for returns (although the purpose of this Alliance would be to minimize disputes to near zero).

 

 

Something like this can take a lot of the risk out of over-the-mail trading. But at the same time, it might not be necessary at all. Trading is also a lot like matchmaking; you either have what the other person wants, or you don't. Thus, how often will you meet your perfect match?

 

 

 

[Twanj]

I also have a lot of interest in this topic and I was hoping for more anecdotal responses. I think the underlying question to this topic is how to trade with strangers through the mail. It seems like the majority of respondents trade with dealers, who have something at stake if they become bad actors, or with collectors they know and have cultivated relationships with. It appears that trading with strangers puts both parties in a vulnerable position. There are frequent Posters here whom I've never met but I would feel comfortable with trading because their reputation on the boards is at stake. The question though is, would they trade with me? I'm a firm believer in going with your gut when dealing with strangers.

 

yeh I'm still interested in the buying from a stranger (like on CAF) that isn't on here. I have more trust here as well for regular posters that are involved.

 

I dunno about going with your gut with strangers tho, seems a bit risky.

 

I hate trying to pass off theory as an answer, but when trading with strangers one idea is creating a network or alliance of collectors who pledge to make honest trades and follow the regulations that the alliance sets forth, such as:

 

shipping out the artwork within the network's agreed upon time frame;

 

packaging the artwork in a manner agreed upon by the network;

 

Approved shipping services (USPS, UPS, FedEx), type of shipping (Priority Mail, 2-Day, etc), mandatory insurance and who's responsible for paying;

 

Resolution for disputes and a timeframe for returns (although the purpose of this Alliance would be to minimize disputes to near zero).

 

I think your first 3 points can just be boilerplate for any transaction. the 4th point is harder.

[Rodey]

If dealing with creepy Craigslist people:

 

1) Find dude with art I want.

2) Offer something of yours.

3) Meet at their house.

4) Ring doorbell

5) They show your the art

6) You show them your art

7) You both slowly slide art to each other

9) They pull out a knife

10) You pull out your knife

11) Slash their throat

12) Take all the art

 

Anyone want to trade with me? Muahahaha!

 

(I wish I could remember the comedians' name that talked about this. But it made me laugh)

[Bronty]

Looking to know how others handle trades.

 

In particular NOT in person trades.

 

If it's someone you haven't dealt with before. Both folks need to send out an item - how do you go about it so both parties feel comfortable?

 

Is there an in between? What is the best way to handle such a situation?

 

Best way to trade is to not trade

 

Its usually a frustrating time waster.

 

In theory its great, we have different tastes so we trade. In practice, rarely are two pieces equal so both guys always want the same piece.

[Eric Seffinga]

Best way to trade is to not trade

 

Its usually a frustrating time waster.

 

In theory its great, we have different tastes so we trade. In practice, rarely are two pieces equal so both guys always want the same piece.

 

Exactly what I've come away with.

In over 25 years of collecting comic art (did I just say 25? Sheesh!), ahem... in all that time I have had exactly 2 art-for-art trades go through and smoothly. In both cases they were with collectors that I had spoken with on many occasions, and would call friends after a fashion. The point being I was comfortable with them, and they with me. There was never any need for who ships first, or how, or worries about ripoffs.

 

There were other attempts as trades over the years, but like Bronty said, the chances of all the moons aligning is so so slim. All my others fell apart at one stage or another.

 

Anecdotally speaking, from what I've seen in the hobby in general, more often there are lopsided trades. A partial trade plus cash, or less frequently a multi-part trade, or multi-person trade. Those can and do happen, but I've seen more fall apart than actually go through. Especially without bruised egos or reputations. I'm sure a few folks here have heard stories of trades that have melted down in epic fashion.

 

The simple truth is, the solid folks in this hobby are not going to rip other folks off. I'd say one of the absolute most important things you can have in this hobby as a buyer, seller or even just as a person, is a good reputation. There are a lot of people playing with original art, but the serious guys have looooooong memories, and you never know who's going to have something you want down the line.

 

Burn bridges at your own expense.

 

If you don't know someone, get to know them. If you don't know how to work a trade with a specific individual, you aren't ready to start trading yet. There are no hard fast rules. The etiquette is, don't be a . Don't be an insufficiently_thoughtful_person. Don't scam someone for short term gain or you will reap the rewards. Don't send your AH! Catworman cover in trade to a Nigerian Prince who says he has Ditko Spidey to trade with. If it's too good to be true, it more than likely is. If it's shadey, walk. If you just don't know the person, try asking for references, and make sure those references know people you know. Other dealers, or collectors preferably.

 

I could say for instance that I've never actually met Bronty, or Bird, or any number of other folks here on this board. But I'd not hesitate to ship a piece to them "first", because I know if they stiff me, they'd be hosed publicly. They wouldn't do that, and neither would I. And that goes for maybe a couple thousand people I've seen around over the years. people I may never have even talked to via email before. But I have seen their names around. I know of them by reputation. So... there's that.