Our Recent Experience Selling Comics Through Mycomicshop 23 23

[DHack4]

I won Fantastic Four 48 CGC 5.5. I feel like I got a decent price. Price out the door was under GPA average. Admittedly I'm still learning the ropes, but I'm happy with my overall experience.

[Ablation Steve]

On 10/12/2022 at 10:38 AM, mycomicshop said:

We already do for some books, generally keys or higher demand books where there's clear activity and demand and meaningful price difference. We don't intend to differentiate every single low value issue in our database that exists with direct and newsstand versions. To some degree it'll be a top-down process influenced by what CGC and GPA do.

@mycomicshopThat's too bad. I know I have some stuff consigned with you right now that would have probably sold already if it had "newsstand" in the title. Others I've had to drop multiple times before someone noticed what it was.

Love it or hate it, I honestly think you (and your customers) will make more money if you start labeling them as such.

Edited October 12, 2022 by Ablation Steve

[thehumantorch]

On 10/12/2022 at 3:31 PM, DHack4 said:

I won Fantastic Four 48 CGC 5.5. I feel like I got a decent price. Price out the door was under GPA average. Admittedly I'm still learning the ropes, but I'm happy with my overall experience.

You won't go wrong buying books like FF 48.

[ttfitz]

On 10/12/2022 at 5:15 PM, Heronext said:

I get MCS's interest in innovating, but I could send you 6 better ideas.

I'm sure Conan would welcome your suggestions.

[Nick Furious]

On 10/11/2022 at 5:51 PM, evilskip said:

I listed two items into the current Prime auction after they sat in the fixed pricing area for weeks. They sold for more than my highest prices and what I lowered them for over the weeks. Screwy, but I like it.

I've had that happen several times.  Clearly the added exposure of being in the auction helps some books.  

[marmat]

On 10/12/2022 at 5:27 PM, marmat said:

I have one book in the current auction who did not move since day 2 at $13. I hope the interested buyers are holding for the final minutes

Ended at $72, I was hoping a little more, but still happy

[Dick Pontoon]

On 10/12/2022 at 4:16 PM, Kramerica said:

I just don't think there are that many of them 

They're hard to find in the same way that similar Atlas books of the mid-late '50s are. There's not dozens available on ebay any given day, but they're not exactly scarce or rare. Before the MCU hype, #1 in low grade was a $300-$400 book all day long, for many, many years. Issues #2-5 could be had for about $100 a pop. The pricing was analogous to The Yellow Claw series from the same era. It was a niche book for folks who like that period of Atlas.

Because Marvel retconned the character into a relative of the modern Black Knight, as soon as Dane Whitman's MCU debut was imminent, the hype machine/FOMO took off. It's so ridiculous that even the completely unrelated Black Knight comic by Toby Press is being touted by some sellers as having to do with the MCU.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195326315551?hash=item2d7a5b0c1f:g:iDEAAOSw7HdjE1h~

We even had a seller here on the Boards pull the same schtick not long ago.

[shadroch]

On 10/14/2022 at 5:43 AM, MR. Pontoon said:

They're hard to find in the same way that similar Atlas books of the mid-late '50s are. There's not dozens available on ebay any given day, but they're not exactly scarce or rare. Before the MCU hype, #1 in low grade was a $300-$400 book all day long, for many, many years. Issues #2-5 could be had for about $100 a pop. The pricing was analogous to The Yellow Claw series from the same era. It was a niche book for folks who like that period of Atlas.

Because Marvel retconned the character into a relative of the modern Black Knight, as soon as Dane Whitman's MCU debut was imminent, the hype machine/FOMO took off. It's so ridiculous that even the completely unrelated Black Knight comic by Toby Press is being touted by some sellers as having to do with the MCU.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195326315551?hash=item2d7a5b0c1f:g:iDEAAOSw7HdjE1h~

We even had a seller here on the Boards pull the same schtick not long ago.

Just wait until Disney buys out Toby Press and adds their characters to the MCU.  If it happens, you read it here first.

[ComicsAndCode]

On 10/12/2022 at 3:15 PM, Ablation Steve said:

@mycomicshopThat's too bad. I know I have some stuff consigned with you right now that would have probably sold already if it had "newsstand" in the title. Others I've had to drop multiple times before someone noticed what it was.

Love it or hate it, I honestly think you (and your customers) will make more money if you start labeling them as such.

I see the benefit of a newsstand indicator for both MCS and buyers, but adding that property to comic books where applicable is no small feat. It requires a proper cost/benefit analysis. To put it into perspective, seeing that the online store is database driven, one or more table fields have to be introduced and queried for. Then the UI has to be updated to display the indicator where appropriate (eg. title in search results, on product page, etc.). Plus visitors might want to filter their search by 'newsstand' which means modifying the search functionality - a critical component business might be very hesitant to touch at all. Finally, assuming business doesn't test new development in production, then you add all the QA work that goes with it. MCS has to be sure all the time and money poured into the project is quantifiably worth it.

Edited October 19, 2022 by ComicsAndCode

[Ablation Steve]

On 10/17/2022 at 9:16 PM, ComicsAndCode said:

I see the benefit of a newsstand indicator for both MCS and buyers, but adding that property to comic books where applicable is no small feat. It requires a proper cost/benefit analysis. To put it into perspective, seeing that the online store is database driven, one or more table fields have to be introduced and queried for. Then the UI has to be updated to display the indicator where appropriate (eg. title in search results, on product page, etc.). Plus visitors might want to filter their search by 'newsletter' which means modifying the search functionality - a critical component business might be very hesitant to touch at all. Finally, assuming business doesn't test new development in production, then you add all the QA work that goes with it. MCS has to be sure all the time and money poured into the project is quantifiably worth it.

Absolutely understand, and I'm sure it's even more involved than I imagine it to be. But this isn't something that's going away, this is the way CGC's going to label from here on out (especially as people reholder). It might be niche collecting, but it's niche collecting that brings in higher-dollar books (in enough cases). If MCS adds these to their database once, they're done, because no new newsstands are ever coming out.

I just got some newsstands with the new CGC label back last week, and while I want to send them to MCS, I'll be putting them on eBay because I can put "newsstand" in the title and get double the price much more quickly. Currently on MCS, people have to choose each individual listing in order to see scans to determine newsstands, which can delay sales and cause sellers to drop the price.

I know MCS won't be affected by missing out on a 10% cut of my $500 books, but I can see the changes paying for themselves before long. And anything they can do to help me avoid eBay would be greatly appreciated!

[ComicsAndCode]

On 10/18/2022 at 8:44 AM, Ablation Steve said:

Absolutely understand, and I'm sure it's even more involved than I imagine it to be. But this isn't something that's going away, this is the way CGC's going to label from here on out (especially as people reholder). It might be niche collecting, but it's niche collecting that brings in higher-dollar books (in enough cases). If MCS adds these to their database once, they're done, because no new newsstands are ever coming out.

I just got some newsstands with the new CGC label back last week, and while I want to send them to MCS, I'll be putting them on eBay because I can put "newsstand" in the title and get double the price much more quickly. Currently on MCS, people have to choose each individual listing in order to see scans to determine newsstands, which can delay sales and cause sellers to drop the price.

I know MCS won't be affected by missing out on a 10% cut of my $500 books, but I can see the changes paying for themselves before long. And anything they can do to help me avoid eBay would be greatly appreciated!

Yeah I can see how CGC recognizing newsstand could motivate MCS to get with the program (so to speak). Obviously I'm in no position to speak for them, but by experience I know that this sort of thing could take a while to rollout. 

[mycomicshop]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:16 PM, ComicsAndCode said:

I see the benefit of a newsstand indicator for both MCS and buyers, but adding that property to comic books where applicable is no small feat. It requires a proper cost/benefit analysis. To put it into perspective, seeing that the online store is database driven, one or more table fields have to be introduced and queried for. Then the UI has to be updated to display the indicator where appropriate (eg. title in search results, on product page, etc.). Plus visitors might want to filter their search by 'newsstand' which means modifying the search functionality - a critical component business might be very hesitant to touch at all. Finally, assuming business doesn't test new development in production, then you add all the QA work that goes with it. MCS has to be sure all the time and money poured into the project is quantifiably worth it.

We already have fields for noting variants, so that's not really an issue.

The main cost/benefit for us is that issues in our database have inventory management parameters associated with them, plus desired stock levels. We try to carry at least 1-2 copies of everything in our catalog excluding certain especially adult books. If we take a run of the mill $3 comic that hasn't been direct/newsstand differentiated, and set it up as two separate listings for direct and newstand, we've now doubled the number of inventory pricing parameters we need to keep up to date, and we're also potentially doubling the number of comics we're storing for that issue. All for a $3 comic where most buyers don't care that much about the direct vs newsstand difference. Multiply that across thousands of potential books (if the goal is to differentiate every possible D/N variation), and it adds up to a lot.

For higher value books and keys, it makes sense to do that, but it's different if you're talking about cheap books, and there are a lot more cheap books.

Not saying we won't ever change our minds, but that's where we're at currently.

[ThothAmon]

On 10/19/2022 at 1:51 PM, mycomicshop said:

most buyers don't care that much about the direct vs newsstand difference

Trust the science as Lord knows you have the data to back it up. 

[THE_BEYONDER]

Does MCS do trades?  

@mycomicshop

 

[ttfitz]

On 10/22/2022 at 2:54 AM, THE_BEYONDER said:

Does MCS do trades?  

@mycomicshop
 

When you sell books to them, you have the option to get "paid" in trade credit (which has limited usage, I believe). Does that count?

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 10/22/2022 at 3:19 PM, ttfitz said:

When you sell books to them, you have the option to get "paid" in trade credit (which has limited usage, I believe). Does that count?

That works.  Thanks.  What's the quickest/best way to solicit an offer from MCS?  I have a book I'd like to see if they're interested in.

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 10/22/2022 at 3:42 PM, Techmate said:

https://www.mycomicshop.com/webuycomics

I tried the text option last night when I was browsing their site and just had to have something.  Loved the idea of just shooting a text over.  No clue if they got it.   My passion for the book has waned since, but I'm still interested to see their offer.  

[ttfitz]

On 10/22/2022 at 6:39 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

That works.  Thanks.  What's the quickest/best way to solicit an offer from MCS?  I have a book I'd like to see if they're interested in.

It's been a while since I've sold anything with them, but the link from Techmate is how I did it. I didn't have anything particularly pricey, though.

[jimjum12]

On 10/22/2022 at 6:39 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

That works.  Thanks.  What's the quickest/best way to solicit an offer from MCS?  I have a book I'd like to see if they're interested in.

Create an account, log in, and go to the "selling" option. You'll enter the book(s) by title, then scroll down to find your number and select the grade. It will say if they will outright buy it from you, or if it's eligible for consignment or auction. GOD BLESS...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[mycomicshop]

On 10/22/2022 at 1:54 AM, THE_BEYONDER said:

Does MCS do trades?  

@mycomicshop

 

There are basically two different ways you can accomplish a trade with us:

- Use our online want list system to list the books you want to trade, and for each you'll see how much we're paying either in cash, or in trade credit. For stuff where our offer would be above $50, you won't see the offer amount listed on the site, instead you'll need to submit it to us first and we'll check pricing and make you an offer. We pay more in trade credit than we do in cash, but there are some limitations on trade credit: it can't be spent on auction purchases, consignment items, or preorders. If you're primarily buying and selling more expensive older books, that may be too limiting.

- Alternatively, you can deal directly with our buying department and sell us anything from a single comic to an entire collection, raw or slabbed or both. We'll make you an offer, and if there's something you know you want from us, instead of paying you for the comics we can apply that offer price to whatever it is you want to buy from us.

Buying department contact info:
email buying@mycomicshop.com
call or text 817-701-0704