My Favourite Story from C2E2 0

[Lazyboy]

11 hours ago, Hudson said:

I would love to see a convention in which the organizers made a rule that every book must be sold as marked or not at all.  In other words a "no negotiation convention", so a guy like me does not have to guess what the "real price" is and whether or not to waste my time at that booth.  I know this will never happen but a guy can dream.

1. Good luck enforcing that.

2. Anybody who has ever set up at a show before wouldn't bother getting a booth because they know attendance would plummet without the hagglers.

I know what you're saying and I've almost never started a negotiation, but it's something you have to deal with when you're selling.

[RockMyAmadeus]

8 hours ago, Hudson said:

I don't!!!

Then again, I also am a FIRM believer that dealers should make a reasonable profit.  When "buyers" try to take all the profit away from dealers, they are killing the very people we need to supply our collections.

I like your 10% under eBay.

My job as a buyer is to get what I want for the lowest possible price I can. My job as a seller is to sell what I have for the highest possible price I can. It is not my responsibility to make sure others get a "reasonable profit" (whatever that means), and it is no one else's responsibility to make sure I get the same. 

Competition is the key to success. If someone can't make a business of it, they're doing it wrong, and need...not just deserve, need...to go out of business, to make way for those who can do it correctly.

[Hudson]

6 hours ago, NoMan said:

My social anxiety makes putting my collection together kinda rough.

I understand.

[Hudson]

2 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

My job as a buyer is to get what I want for the lowest possible price I can. My job as a seller is to sell what I have for the highest possible price I can. It is not my responsibility to make sure others get a "reasonable profit" (whatever that means), and it is no one else's responsibility to make sure I get the same. 

Competition is the key to success. If someone can't make a business of it, they're doing it wrong, and need...not just deserve, need...to go out of business, to make way for those who can do it correctly.

i fully understand your thoughts on the what you label as the responsibility of a buyer and seller.  I think there is often, however, more to the equation  

As a buyer, I don't want to always pay the absolute low price from a dealer.  If I haggle a dealer down to their minimum profit, I don't think they leave the transaction with a good feeling and if they know the books I am looking for, this makes them less likely to contact me before trying to sell Tom someone else.  I don't mind paying a little more to build a relationship in which a seller will contact me before offering the books to the general public. 

Aa a seller, I think the same can hold true. B if you squeeze every last penny out of a deal, the buyer remembers that and is less likely to go to you in the future.  Repeat business and reputation may count for more than a few extra dollars on one sale.  

On another thought, do you "as a buyer" go into the grocery store and haggle over the price of a gallon of milk you are buying?   You may shop around for the best price, but if you live in America, I doubt you "negotiate" the price on the vast majority of items you buy.  

[1Cool]

12 hours ago, Hudson said:

If I can buy a book at a convention for the SAME price as eBay, see it in person, and take it home that day, I consider that a WIN!

10% under eBay would be a gift!

I wish more buyers were like you.  I constantly hear “this book you have priced for $50 was just sold for $45 in an auction.  How about $40?”  Never mind there has been 10 copies which sold for $50 in BINs over the month.  Con buyers just seem to be getting cheaper and cheaper but that also may be related to big Cons getting more and more expensive.

[thedude]

I actually like to negotiate as a buyer or seller, 

 

If I'm buying, and we can't come to an agreed price, then I keep my money and look for a better deal/book elsewhere, (which always happens anyway)

If I'm selling, and we can't come to an agreed price, then I keep the book and wait for another buyer who pays my asking price (which doesn't seem to take very long)

or 

I keep the book and wait for it to appreciate even more. so it's a win/win/win. 

 

Edited April 15, 2018 by thedude

[1950's war comics]

10 hours ago, NoMan said:

When I’m at a con and walk up to a dealer’s table, I just immediately turn around and walk away. My social anxiety makes putting my collection together kinda rough. I did mumble a word or two to Bob Storms at  Wondercon and also Greg Reece’s guys. And Dale Roberts, too. So I am getting better. I just usually buy from their websites. 

Good one !!...your kidding  ...right   ? 

Edited April 15, 2018 by 1950's war comics

[Hudson]

43 minutes ago, 1950's war comics said:

Good one !!...your kidding  ...right   ? 

I don't think NoMan intended this as a joke. 

Some people are not comfortable in certain social situations. 

[mattn792]

The easiest way to negotiate without really trying - be prepared to pay with cash.  Most sellers will knock off a few bucks if you save them the fees and hassle of a credit card, all it takes is a “hey, can you knock off a few bucks for cash?”

[NoMan]

2 hours ago, 1950's war comics said:

Good one !!...your kidding  ...right   ? 

KInd of, but kind of not, too.  It's overwhelming at times with all the books to look at. And yes, social anxiety is a problem. 

Edited April 15, 2018 by NoMan

[01TheDude]

I have a similar experience when I go to a comic book store. The prices seem well over realistic on even the most general issues. And I am not referring to the wall books-- just your regular issues in the bins. Not sure if they are set that way to be a starting point for negotiating but it sets a tone for me immediately that "everything thing in here is overpriced". The last place in question was during a visit back to Tampa. They had a pretty nice selection of back issues-- which was great. But there was no such animal as a $1 book or even $2 a book long box to be found. And I really want to go through those boxes but can never seem to find them anywhere. Plus the issues I was looking to fill out some of my runs were well beyond what I could do on ebay even including the shipping costs. So why should I bother picking anything up at the store only to carry it back with me on a plane?

If I was supposed to know that there was some room to haggle at the counter, I didn't get that impression. I can haggle if needed-- it doesn't bother me. But some times you just catch a vibe that this is not working.

I also got the impression that they had more important things to do than help me out or ask what I might be looking for. The one con I have been to felt sort of similar to that-- an overwhelming amount of books-- not a whole lot of deals-- but worse was the feeling like I was smashed into this tiny space. Too many people-- too loud -- too much walking -- I've decided cons are not a good fit for me at this age (52).

I don't have the patience to go to flea markets or garage sales. Really my only outlet seems to be ebay and occasionally board sales here. Not that I am complaining as access to books is a dream compared to what we had back in the day (mid 1970s).

Edited April 15, 2018 by 01TheDude