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Did u change from Collector to Flipper?
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Started by 2Sunny,

175 posts in this topic

Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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In high school around 1992-1993 my parents hooked up Prodigy Online in the house on a dial up modem. 

I quickly realized that I could go to my LCS who might have things that other people in the country might have.  So... I would advertise popular things that the store had on the Prodigy Message board at a marked up price.  When someone would say that they wanted to buy it, I would then go to the store, pick it up and wait for a check to appear.  The delay was acceptable because no one had become accustomed to instantaneous gratification. 

You really could not get away with that now.  However I did realize early on the value of internet sales. 

Power Rangers and indulgent parents would later pay for my college books at Christmas time. 

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oakman29

oakman29

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On 11/1/2021 at 5:58 PM, thehumantorch said:

I've been collecting since the mid 1970s.  For the last 15 years I've also been buying collections, setting up at shows and selling.  It's hard work but it's a lot of fun and almost every collection I buy kicks some books directly into my own collection.  So yes, you can be both.

Dave you freaking rule! 😎

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oakman29

oakman29

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On 11/2/2021 at 9:06 AM, Robot Man said:

I don’t get pawing through newer $1. Boxes. Sure, you might be able to get $5., $10 or even a little more. But way too much work. Not to mention storing them. And what happens to those “flash in the pan” books that quickly end up forgotten? They sit and you have to deal with box upon long box of books nobody wants anymore. As I said, a lot of time and hassle. 

At this point in my life, I prefer quality over quantity. 

 

Amen to this. I have sold a handful of comics, but only in private sales to board members. I'm in the collecting part of this game, the flipping, selling game is just way too much time to devote to an already extremely busy life I have. Nobody wants my stuff anyway. I mean who in the hell wants a Showcase 4 in 7.5 , or other equally dumb book.

When I go to the big man upstairs,  my kids can deal with it. Haha...

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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On 11/7/2021 at 9:17 AM, MAR1979 said:

^ oh man Prodigy that is an ancient reference :)

 

The name, "Buzzetta" in one form or another has been in circulation since 1993 I believe and I have been on eBay since 1998.  Even in 1991 I realized that I could buy from one store across town when my LCS was out of something and make a few bucks off it to take home a few comics for free for myself.  When they killed Superman, I had teachers asking me if I could get them a copy. 

It's been 30 years.  I retire in 8 from my real job and I am starting to become... tired. 

That is why, after 30 years, I am honestly closing down the eBay store and taking a break after December.   For my regular job I am up at 4 and don't get to go to bed until almost 11.  Comiclink / Metro and can sell my comics through their exchanges and once I retire and move somewhere else to a state that won't tax me as heavily as New York, I will probably start selling the bigger things off. 

Perhaps as U2 once said, It will be time to, "go away and dream it all up again."

But yeah, I've been thinking of taking a massive break since the start of the pandemic.  

I am down multiple comic boxes, basically cut the Lego collection down significantly in selling off 7 x 25 gallon containers worth and a ton of plastic crack.   At one point I had over 500 GI Joes and am now down to less than 50.  If the remainder sell of what I offered out there, I will have around 25 remaining. 

I am in total love with the space I have reclaimed and am turning the place from a house into a home. 

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rjpb

rjpb

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Yes. I buy very little to keep anymore, and even then I contemplate selling that as well. Having stuff sit in boxes doesn't give me that much pleasure, but I do enjoy buying comics, so I buy stuff to sell. Pretty much just old stuff I find interesting; GA, pulps, vintage girlie mags. I end up buying more stuff than I would if I was going to keep it, and if I only own it for a few days or weeks (or months) before it's gone, I still had the pleasure of acquiring the book. 

The profits would have to huge for me to do stuff like speculate in moderns though, I just can't envision spending the time to verse my self on values of books I'd never buy in the first place. 

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2Sunny

2Sunny

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On 11/7/2021 at 9:55 AM, Buzzetta said:

The name, "Buzzetta" in one form or another has been in circulation since 1993 I believe and I have been on eBay since 1998.  Even in 1991 I realized that I could buy from one store across town when my LCS was out of something and make a few bucks off it to take home a few comics for free for myself.  When they killed Superman, I had teachers asking me if I could get them a copy. 

It's been 30 years.  I retire in 8 from my real job and I am starting to become... tired. 

That is why, after 30 years, I am honestly closing down the eBay store and taking a break after December.   For my regular job I am up at 4 and don't get to go to bed until almost 11.  Comiclink / Metro and can sell my comics through their exchanges and once I retire and move somewhere else to a state that won't tax me as heavily as New York, I will probably start selling the bigger things off. 

Perhaps as U2 once said, It will be time to, "go away and dream it all up again."

But yeah, I've been thinking of taking a massive break since the start of the pandemic.  

I am down multiple comic boxes, basically cut the Lego collection down significantly in selling off 7 x 25 gallon containers worth and a ton of plastic crack.   At one point I had over 500 GI Joes and am now down to less than 50.  If the remainder sell of what I offered out there, I will have around 25 remaining. 

I am in total love with the space I have reclaimed and am turning the place from a house into a home. 

Great history!  Thanks for sharing that.  Makes me not feel so bad about the 10 x 10 corner I've taken over in the basement to store my 3 short boxes of comics.  Big question is how best to display the high value comics.

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valiantman

valiantman

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On 11/8/2021 at 10:16 AM, JasonTodd69 said:

It's better to leave first. Win win situation

Or maybe just be careful about what you get attached to. lol

Wife, children, all-time personal favorite comics, it's fine to get attached and protect all of these. :foryou:

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thehumantorch

thehumantorch

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On 11/8/2021 at 1:15 AM, JasonTodd69 said:

First you should Learn to not get attached to anything

 

And that would make someone a flipper.  I'm attached to the hobby and the artform and many of the books I own.  That makes me happy and I consider that priceless.  But there are many comics I don't want or need and I have no problem selling them.

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MetalPSI

MetalPSI

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On 11/8/2021 at 6:20 PM, thehumantorch said:

And that would make someone a flipper.  I'm attached to the hobby and the artform and many of the books I own.  That makes me happy and I consider that priceless.  But there are many comics I don't want or need and I have no problem selling them.

I'm very attached to some of my books

Others, not so much and get purged

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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On 11/7/2021 at 4:53 PM, Joe Peck said:

Great history!  Thanks for sharing that.  Makes me not feel so bad about the 10 x 10 corner I've taken over in the basement to store my 3 short boxes of comics.  Big question is how best to display the high value comics.

I do not have a single comic book out on display. 

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ramrodcar

ramrodcar

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for all of you "switchers", I'm curious how you've isolated your personal collection inventory vs. your selling inventory, as well as tracking cost of goods sold/cash basis accounting/accrual accounting, etc....... How are you guys accounting for buying up say 100 books  @ $100 total, keeping 5 for yourself, and slowly selling off the remaining 95 books?

Edited by ramrodcar
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littledoom

littledoom

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On 11/8/2021 at 9:41 PM, ramrodcar said:

for all of you "switchers", I'm curious how you've isolated your personal collection inventory vs. your selling inventory, as well as tracking cost of goods sold/cash basis accounting/accrual accounting, etc....... How are you guys accounting for buying up say 100 books  @ $100 total, keeping 5 for yourself, and slowly selling off the remaining 95 books?

if an overprinted comic I bought for $4 suddenly becomes $30-50+ overnight I will sell

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