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Coollines question
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43 posts in this topic

I realize there have been a lot of posts about Coollines Artwork but from what I can tell my question is new.

Does anyone understand their business model? It seems as though the idea is to buy everything of value and resell it for a huge markup. That is fine but they must have a fortune tied up in inventory and their turnover must be really slow. Is the idea to create the market themselves? Eventually they buy enough to create their own art bubble they can take advantage of? It all just seems odd to me.

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5 minutes ago, ignimbrite said:

I realize there have been a lot of posts about Coollines Artwork but from what I can tell my question is new.

Does anyone understand their business model? 

Been asked before.

My understanding, based on numerous threads, is that they're collectors who will sell or trade when it works heavily in their favour and that art sales are a secondary income for them.

Edited by The Voord
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Little did I know that every single auction I was outbid on from around '98-03 was them.  Always, as in almost exclusively for YEARS.  And as soon as it's in their hands... it's gone.  Just consider anything in their hands to be in a museum.  It is not for us to reason why, only to lament that others with more money will ALWAYS control this market once a piece is in their hands.  Ownership is 9/10 of the law, and 10/10 of the price control.  Their reasoning is theirs, and I am not going to judge, I don't know what I'd do if I had that kind of money...except, what they're doing, without the 'crazy' markups and a lot more focused....My greatest fear is that this will someday, somehow??, be an insurance claim from hell.... just an evil, scary thought from someone who may have read too many crime novels as a kid.

At least it's worth nothing there is a dealer who pisses off the dealers who occasionally me off... As in my greatest piece I was (health) forced to sell at 2k 6 years ago is now 9k on a major dealer's site and gone forever... A dealer no one ever mentions in these terms and never will.  Saw a cover on ebay I wanted, spent 6 days talking the wife into letting me bid on it, then it's gone with 26 hours to go...traded off ebay to this dealer, next on that site at a 150% markup in one week.  But that's just business as far as I'm concerned, and I leanred my lesson to use back channels to get what you want...these cool guys have a plan/vision/plot/scheme yet to be determined...just my 3c (150% markup, see what I did there?)

 

 

Edited by williamhlawson
ommited word
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I was the underbidder on a terrific Byrne Power Man/Iron Fist cover on Clink a couple of years ago.  Then I saw it on their site.  I didn't even have the heart to "inquire" as to the "revised" price.  Lost at sea or burned in a fire as far as I'm concerned now.  

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2 minutes ago, Flambit said:

I was the underbidder on a terrific Byrne Power Man/Iron Fist cover on Clink a couple of years ago.  Then I saw it on their site.  I didn't even have the heart to "inquire" as to the "revised" price.  Lost at sea or burned in a fire as far as I'm concerned now.  

Burned in a ship fire....on a ship lost at sea...where the ashes are preserved in a museum...that's permanently closed for renovations...in Atlantis.

Edited by comix4fun
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I've always been moderately grateful they don't have a bunch of - for me - must-have stuff.  I'm a huge Byrne fan and they managed to lock in a lot of that Byrne post X-Men stuff that's really taking off now; I can't even imagine what they are asking for all those Alpha Flight covers at this point.  But there's this weird "Coollines phenomena" that sets in with me when I see something they have: just knowing they have a piece I might want strips away any desire I have to own it.  In a way, they are almost like a parody of the hobby itself, with it's outrageous, totally random, ever-increasing prices. 

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1 hour ago, Flambit said:

 But there's this weird "Coollines phenomena" that sets in with me when I see something they have: just knowing they have a piece I might want strips away any desire I have to own it.

As a guy I knew named Bob once yelled...."TAINTED MEAT!!!! HA HA HA TAINTED MEAT!!!"

nogood.jpg

Edited by williamhlawson
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2 hours ago, theflashunc said:

There's probably better-versed experts on this, but my hunch was always they use the "business" as a way to write-off their hobby to Uncle Sam every year.

Yep. They write off the losses, and make just enough sales to claim it’s a business. 

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9 hours ago, ignimbrite said:

I realize there have been a lot of posts about Coollines Artwork but from what I can tell my question is new.

Does anyone understand their business model? It seems as though the idea is to buy everything of value and resell it for a huge markup. That is fine but they must have a fortune tied up in inventory and their turnover must be really slow. Is the idea to create the market themselves? Eventually they buy enough to create their own art bubble they can take advantage of? It all just seems odd to me.

Let me offer my approach: unless you plan on selling in the next 5 years or so, it's best to mostly ignore the subject of pricing. 

I buy stuff I like, and when I buy it, it stays bought. So, pricing doesn't really matter to me. It is not an investment. All that matters is if I can afford it, and if I like it well enough to spend what I can afford. I do look at prices to see what I might have to spend to get what I want, but that's about it.

I've said this before, but I don't see a 20 year investment strategy for this stuff. It's a hobby that will grow old with these generations, like collecting porcelain dolls or toy trains. So, for those who buy and hoard, their day of judgment will come. 

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On a related note, there is a piece listed on eBay which I am pretty sure they are bidding on (based on their past buying practices). It is listed at full market value, and is inferior to one I already have by the same artist. But, it's still pretty good. Would you bid and buy it just because of the presumed competition? Sounds dumb, as I type this out. But maybe, I'll go and be dumb.

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1 hour ago, Rick2you2 said:

On a related note, there is a piece listed on eBay which I am pretty sure they are bidding on (based on their past buying practices). It is listed at full market value, and is inferior to one I already have by the same artist. But, it's still pretty good. Would you bid and buy it just because of the presumed competition? Sounds dumb, as I type this out. But maybe, I'll go and be dumb.

I seem to recall reading some advice recently that might apply here:

 

"I buy stuff I like, and when I buy it, it stays bought. So, pricing doesn't really matter to me. It is not an investment. All that matters is if I can afford it, and if I like it well enough to spend what I can afford. I do look at prices to see what I might have to spend to get what I want, but that's about it."

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1 hour ago, JadeGiant said:

I seem to recall reading some advice recently that might apply here:

 

"I buy stuff I like, and when I buy it, it stays bought. So, pricing doesn't really matter to me. It is not an investment. All that matters is if I can afford it, and if I like it well enough to spend what I can afford. I do look at prices to see what I might have to spend to get what I want, but that's about it."

^^


^ Good Advice

Edited by Catwoman_Fan
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37 minutes ago, RICKYBOBBY said:

I inquired about a piece this weekend to coollines that was posted also on comic link. I wanted to make a deal happen but instead I got no response and they jacked up the price on comic link by 20%? Why would you raise the price when I am inquiring to buy it? 

Strange folks....

(I believe)...They raise the price because they genuinely don't want to sell it, only provide the illusion that it is for sale (even if at multiples of market value).  Money isn't important to them it would seem, merely control of the art.  If someone shows interest and they raise the price a common sense buyer leaves.  The fool with too much money pays it immediately, justifying their prices further and they laugh their asses off waiting for the next fool.   They then use the fools money to buy things at real prices, jack up 500% and repeat....and repeat.  They sell to those with a NEED for a piece of art and no concern for it's price, or those whom money truly isn't an object.  I wouldn't even imagine entering into a trade with them either...

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28 minutes ago, RICKYBOBBY said:

I inquired about a piece this weekend to coollines that was posted also on comic link. I wanted to make a deal happen but instead I got no response and they jacked up the price on comic link by 20%? Why would you raise the price when I am inquiring to buy it? 

Strange folks....

This is standard fare for these guys. If you show any interest, the price will go up if the art is offered somewhere with a listed price. If you ask a question on eBay, good chance it will get pulled and bumped and apparently the same at CL. This is why the majority of the collection is listed as “inquire” … so they can feel you out and try to see how high they can get you to pay for something. This approach also applies if you ask about a piece listed as inquire. If you don’t buy on the spot and inquire later, it will carry a higher price. As a rule, I don’t even look at their listings or site due to their shady behavior (like this).  However, if they ever listed a piece of art I was seriously interested in, I would be ready to buy on the spot if a miracle happened and their asking price aligned with a price I was willing to pay.

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9 minutes ago, JadeGiant said:

This is standard fare for these guys. If you show any interest, the price will go up if the art is offered somewhere with a listed price. If you ask a question on eBay, good chance it will get pulled and bumped and apparently the same at CL. This is why the majority of the collection is listed as “inquire” … so they can feel you out and try to see how high they can get you to pay for something. This approach also applies if you ask about a piece listed as inquire. If you don’t buy on the spot and inquire later, it will carry a higher price. As a rule, I don’t even look at their listings or site due to their shady behavior (like this).  However, if they ever listed a piece of art I was seriously interested in, I would be ready to buy on the spot if a miracle happened and their asking price aligned with a price I was willing to pay.

I think if the price aligned with the amount you were willing to pay - you should not buy it and thank the heavens for the signal to go and buy a lottery ticket while the stars are aligned in your favor.

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