Selling Comic Book Lots 0

[Mr. Bombastic]

I've had mixed results so far selling my comic book lots and I could use some advice.

I usually list lots of about 50-70 books on ebay or Facebook containing keys and minor keys in good shape.  I try to get about $7 a book, which I know is high but the books aren't crappy.  Most of the offers I get are in the $3 per book range.  

I don't have the patience to sell them individually.  Should I just accept the fact that, unless I'm endlessly patient for the right seller to come along, I should only expect $3 per book or is there a better way to sell?  I have 100's of these books that I want to list for sale.

 

Thanks!

 

[comicginger1789]

5 minutes ago, Ericmcarr said:

I've had mixed results so far selling my comic book lots and I could use some advice.

I usually list lots of about 50-70 books on ebay or Facebook containing keys and minor keys in good shape.  I try to get about $7 a book, which I know is high but the books aren't crappy.  Most of the offers I get are in the $3 per book range.  

I don't have the patience to sell them individually.  Should I just accept the fact that, unless I'm endlessly patient for the right seller to come along, I should only expect $3 per book or is there a better way to sell?  I have 100's of these books that I want to list for sale.

 

Thanks!

 

Can you give us an example of the books? I sell in lots too, everything is Fine to VF but at $7, that is a lot unless you are getting some good Silver and Bronze stuff. If it is late 70s and early 80s filler, even if the condition is great, don't expect much more. At that price, I find it better to sell locally. You get a bit more (usually $4 or so for me anyways) and you avoid fees. Someone comes and picks them up and you get cash. Win!

[revat]

I would say if you're selling 50-70 books at a time, you have to try to picture who your buyers would be.  Random people who literally want to read any random pile of comics? Or people who might want to resell individually for higher profits.  And in the second case, what margins do you think people are looking for?  its not like they can examine condition individually, so they have to build in some cushion there, and possibility that you're committing fraud (not saying you are, but people factor that in too, cause its a hassle), and then after all that what do the profit margins need to be?  Unless they're super hot, you're looking at 20%-40% of fair value.  Also, if you using ebay, maybe sell some bigger books individually to build up your feedback.

Just like anything else, you want to put in the effort to squeeze more juice, that's fine.  But you can't be mad about the juice if you don't take the effort to squeeze.  With that being said, you can try and sell here on the boards (make sure you look for and follow the rules)  if you think a savvier buyer will appreciate your wares more.

[Mr. Bombastic]

These are great thoughts, thank you!

I always try to imagine who my audience is for the lots I sell but it's admittedly a bit grey.  My prices are likely too high for dealers (20% - 40% FMV - ouch!) and the randomness of the comics I put in the lots (Marvel, DC, Indep) may appeal only to a small number of those looking to expand their collections in different directions with nice books at decent prices.

I currently have a DD lot on ebay with mostly bronze FN to VF non-keys and several early Miller issues plus the Born Again run - 50 issues total.  I'm asking $365 with a Best Offer option.  So far, not a ton of interest but I'm going to see what happens. 

For my other lots, I'm going to break them down into smaller auctions.  I'll sell the keys individually and ask FMV, but for the bulk non-keys I'll ask for a percentage of FMV.  Wish me luck and thanks again for the advice!    

[Dick Pontoon]

As usual, revat offers good advice.

This is your listing, correct?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Huge-Lot-Of-Daredevil-Comics/293694514091?hash=item44618ea3ab:g:bNoAAOSwdRNfOm6d

From where I stand, $365 + $15 shipping falls into wishful thinking territory. '70s-'80s Daredevil is not a popular title, and mid-grade copies can be had anywhere for $5 a pop or less on the more recent issues. And whether FMV is $7 or $5 a book, anybody buying 50 at once is going to expect a bulk discount. Like revat said, you need to imagine who your buyer is. If you can sell them at your price, more power to you, but I'd suspect even your offers will be limited since your starting price is on the high side.

 

[revat]

1 hour ago, Pontoon said:

As usual, revat offers good advice.

This is your listing, correct?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Huge-Lot-Of-Daredevil-Comics/293694514091?hash=item44618ea3ab:g:bNoAAOSwdRNfOm6d

From where I stand, $365 + $15 shipping falls into wishful thinking territory. '70s-'80s Daredevil is not a popular title, and mid-grade copies can be had anywhere for $5 a pop or less on the more recent issues. And whether FMV is $7 or $5 a book, anybody buying 50 at once is going to expect a bulk discount. Like revat said, you need to imagine who your buyer is. If you can sell them at your price, more power to you, but I'd suspect even your offers will be limited since your starting price is on the high side.

 

Purely from evaluation of this listing, I would say the following things:

1.  I do like that its a relatively cohesive lot, all DD's from a certain extended era.

2.  There's no book count.  So if I was interested in thinking about the lot in terms of average price per book, I'd have to count and do math on my own.  Not the hardest thing in the world, but most people spend very little time on a given posting, and aren't looking to count AND do math.  But this might be by design because you're afraid the avg book cost is higher than desired.

3.  Who would want this lot?  If you're thinking its a Daredevil fan, wouldn't the average DD fan have some or all of those books, making them less likely to value many of your books at a premium (assuming they just wanted to fill a bunch of holes)?  If its just someone who wants to randomly read DD, would that person be willing to pay $7 per book for a lot that doesn't even have consecutive issues?  And what would be the impetus for some random person to suddenly read DD?  Upcoming movie or tv show?

4.  As stated previously, dealers are obviously not willing to pay anything near FMV (your estimate seems high anyways).

5. Also, some people think by putting 'best offer' it automatically means people will then make an offer if they think its too high.  But I can't see anyone offering more than $100-125 (pretty generous), and then those people will probably think you're an unrealistic seller based on your pricing.  Out of 50 comics, you're essentially giving them at least 15 comics that are unsellable for more than $1 (if they sell at all), for the right to sell maybe 10 comics at around $10 (but no hot keys). and another 25 at $2-$5 (not quick sellers though).  And that's if they sell the books individually and they are already established as sellers somewhere.  Then they factor in selling costs and the pandemic and possibly the work of advertising and shipping, and the extreme unlikeliness of a DD tv or movie in the near future.  So no upside, just a grind to get your money back.  

 

 

 

[William-James88]

If you want to move these at your prices of 7$ per book, make the lots more digestible. Like a run of 10 comics. You are more likely to get average fans who don't want to spend too much and also the odds of someone not having a repeat of what is already in their collection goes up. Also 3$ per book is a fair offer for large lots, I'd take it. Selling these to a dealer would get about 10 cents to 1$ a book by comparison. 

So yeah, basically 3$ per book or make much smaller lots.

Edited August 19, 2020 by William-James88

[William-James88]

2 hours ago, revat said:

Then they factor in selling costs and the pandemic and possibly the work of advertising and shipping, and the extreme unlikeliness of a DD tv or movie in the near future.  

Even then, only keys go up with the hype that may generate. And it's still not a guarantee. Owlsley was in the DD show and yet Daredevil issue 3 still sold (and sells) below guide. We had a justice league movie and yet their second appearance sells way below guide as well.

Edited August 19, 2020 by William-James88

[thehumantorch]

A few thoughts.

I've never had much luck selling singles of Daredevils of this era at $4 or $5 each let alone a large lot.  I have a couple short boxes of these books that sit in my basement.  There are some keys in this era that sell but I don't see them. 

You mention that these are higher grade and there is some value if these are cgc graded 9.8 but to give a buyer any confidence that these are high grade you'd need to provide individual scans or pics of some of them.  A group pic of all of them or 6 to 8 of them, in their bags, won't convince a buyer that they are high grade.

[William-James88]

21 minutes ago, thehumantorch said:

You mention that these are higher grade and there is some value if these are cgc graded 9.8 but to give a buyer any confidence that these are high grade you'd need to provide individual scans or pics of some of them.  A group pic of all of them or 6 to 8 of them, in their bags, won't convince a buyer that they are high grade.

The OP said the books are F to VF.

[Mr. Bombastic]

These are some great replies and valid points, thank you!  

My #1 problem is my emotional attachment to these books.  I bought, treasured and cared for each of them since I was a kid.  It's hard for me accept that they're not worth much.  But, I want to sell them so I've already lowered the price significantly and I will probably break the lot up into smaller, cheaper bundles eventually.

I think this may be the first time I'm not just selling obvious keys so it's been a good lesson.

Thanks again!