I'm noticing an increasing number of WTB posts in the WTB section with no grade ranges OR price ranges in the listing. 10 10

[MattTheDuck]

I agree that WTBers ought to list enough for sellers to determine immediately if they have a book the person might want to see, especially for books that are more expensive or where there may be a large spread in price based on grade.  However, my view is that this is a very low priority for moderation and would much prefer it be handled by the community.  I thought the OP's work in the WTB thread regarding a $1 million comic WTB was perfect.  While creation of the Library Lounge thread has taken much off Mike's plate, the Mods still have plenty to do.  I'm not looking to add to it.

[oakman29]

What's wrong with saying I'll pay fair market value?

[lizards2]

On 1/8/2022 at 11:20 AM, oakman29 said:

What's wrong with saying I'll pay fair market value?

My 'fair' rocks, and your 'fair' sucks?

[Mystafo]

On 1/8/2022 at 1:25 PM, lizards2 said:

My 'fair' rocks, and your 'fair' sucks?

Eets nawt fayuh!

[VintageComics]

On 1/8/2022 at 1:38 PM, jcjames said:

I cannot imagine posting a WTB thread for a particular book without mentioning if grade or price is important. Of COURSE there will be a certain grade you don't want at a price you won't pay. At least have the courtesy of putting in a general range of grades you're looking for. Post grade (or grade range) yes. Post price... well that's negotiable. 

And if by chance grade is NOT important - then say THAT. 

Clarity!

It's hilarious to me that so many people voted no in the poll.

We're literally in a hobby where OCD rules and condition and price are all that matters to the majority and yet most don't feel it's important to list those in WTB threads.

I can only surmise that I've T'd off lots of people and they're voting no only because I started the thread topic. 

[VintageComics]

On 1/8/2022 at 2:20 PM, oakman29 said:

What's wrong with saying I'll pay fair market value?

Nothing. I literally came here to post that and you beat me to it! 

There's even nothing wrong with saying you'll pay UNDER FMV - some people may need some quick money and there are people willing to sell cheap to raise quick cash.

It's ALL about communication and the more you do upfront, the less everyone has to do after. 

[Buzzetta]

On 1/8/2022 at 3:20 PM, VintageComics said:

It's hilarious to me that so many people voted no in the poll.

We're literally in a hobby where OCD rules and condition and price are all that matters to the majority and yet most don't feel it's important to list those in WTB threads.

I can only surmise that I've T'd off lots of people and they're voting no only because I started the thread topic. 

Not that at all at least from my end which is why I offered an explanation. 

The for sale area is a seller's market.  As Brock told me years ago, "As a seller you can always come down in price."  Buyers are competing against themselves to get the book that is posted. 

The WTB area is a buyer's market.  Myself and others are not going to list a price that we are willing to pay.   A grade range is more than acceptable, if not needed though so the seller knows whether or not they have the book the buyer is looking for.  However, in the buyers market let the sellers compete against themselves for the buyer's money. 

You are looking at this from the perspective of a seller that wants to make the most he can off a sale at a price that allows the buyer to feel that they are going home happy and will shop with you again. 

Buyers want to get the best book at the best price and do not necessarily care who they buy the book from as long as it arrives. 

Many of us are not ticked off, we just disagree with you. 

Simply put I would never advertise the ceiling to which I am willing to spend.

 

 

[VintageComics]

On 1/8/2022 at 3:49 PM, Buzzetta said:

Not that at all at least from my end which is why I offered an explanation. 

The for sale area is a seller's market.  As Brock told me years ago, "As a seller you can always come down in price."  Buyers are competing against themselves to get the book that is posted. 

The WTB area is a buyer's market.  Myself and others are not going to list a price that we are willing to pay.   A grade range is more than acceptable, if not needed though so the seller knows whether or not they have the book the buyer is looking for.  However, in the buyers market let the sellers compete against themselves for the buyer's money. 

You are looking at this from the perspective of a seller that wants to make the most he can off a sale at a price that allows the buyer to feel that they are going home happy and will shop with you again. 

Buyers want to get the best book at the best price and do not necessarily care who they buy the book from as long as it arrives. 

Many of us are not ticked off, we just disagree with you. 

Simply put I would never advertise the ceiling to which I am willing to spend.

 

 

Why are you replies ONLY about price when EITHER price OR grade are both viable options?

You don't want to pigeon hole your price point, don't. Nobody is forcing you to.

But to pretend that grade is not an important detail in a hobby where condition has been more important than price for over half a century  is...well, I don't know what better word to use than ridiculous at this point.

 

[Prince Namor]

On 1/8/2022 at 10:52 AM, VintageComics said:

BTW, I edited my 1st post as I think I worded it too harshly. It was late and I was tired. 

To me, the real question is should there be a minimum requirement of EITHER a grade or a price range listed in WTB posts which I think is not unreasonable. 

 

Yes, a listed grade should be a minimum requirement.

[Buzzetta]

On 1/8/2022 at 3:53 PM, VintageComics said:

Why are you replies ONLY about price when EITHER price OR grade are both viable options?

You don't want to pigeon hole your price point, don't. Nobody is forcing you to.

But to pretend that grade is not an important detail in a hobby where condition has been more important than price for over half a century  is...well, I don't know what better word to use than ridiculous at this point.

 

A better question is, "Why is it that despite quoting my posts twice you are not reading what I actually wrote?"

In my first post that you quoted I wrote that I will list the grade.

In the post you are quoting right now, I wrote, "A grade range is more than acceptable, if not needed though so the seller knows whether or not they have the book the buyer is looking for."

How is that "ONLY about price?"

 

I did not change anything to fit this post.  Go back and read what you quoted.   

 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Buzzetta

[Buzzetta]

On 1/8/2022 at 2:18 PM, MattTheDuck said:

 While creation of the Library Lounge thread has taken much off Mike's plate, the Mods still have plenty to do.  I'm not looking to add to it.

That's because if you build a park for the kids to play in then perhaps they will go there rather than run around everyone's yard on the block. 

[mytastebud]

I've made a lot of purchases here and they have almost all been extremely positive. Grading has been all over the place but not nearly as bad as I have experienced on eBay and other sites. For me reading that a comic is VF on a listing is just one little piece of information. Pictures are better for showing condition. Problem is, most of the time, there is only one picture in the sales section. PGM section always shows multiple angles and views even though the poster is not trying to sell the book.  I often return to sellers I've purchased from in the past and stay away from sellers here that don't grade as well as I had hoped. I don't hesitate to buy from popular postings here too. There's a reason why they are selling a lot of their books.

I've posted WTB listings too and been successful. Filled in a lot of holes as I am a completist collector. In the listing I say "paying Overstreet" for raw books which I know many feel is outdated. Only had one problem on a WTB posting. It had to do with me not liking the book for the same grade the seller did. And, I did not want to pay his price. That being said I have replied to multiple WTB threads and been successful only once. I think a stricter outline of what's required in a WTB would be great.

[MattTheDuck]

On 1/8/2022 at 12:20 PM, VintageComics said:

It's hilarious to me that so many people voted no in the poll.

We're literally in a hobby where OCD rules and condition and price are all that matters to the majority and yet most don't feel it's important to list those in WTB threads.

I can only surmise that I've T'd off lots of people and they're voting no only because I started the thread topic. 

I haven't voted but would vote "no" only because, as noted in my post above, I don't think Moderation should spend their time on it.  A different question would probably get many fewer "nos."

[VintageComics]

On 1/8/2022 at 3:57 PM, Buzzetta said:

A better question is, "Why is it that despite quoting my posts twice you are not reading what I actually wrote?"

In my first post that you quoted I wrote that I will list the grade.

In the post you are quoting right now, I wrote, "A grade range is more than acceptable, if not needed though so the seller knows whether or not they have the book the buyer is looking for."

How is that "ONLY about price?"

 

I did not change anything to fit this post.  Go back and read what you quoted.   

 

It sounds like your focus is on price with grade as an afterthought. That's just my perception but I see your point now that I reread it. 

As far as intent, I absolutely have a few enemies that are spiteful against me. I even had two unsolicited PMs today about it from people I hardly ever interact with that have noticed it, so it's not just me.

But more to the topic of your post, I'm NOT looking at it as just a seller since I post WTB threads all the time.

I find it disingenuous for comic collectors to state that grades are not important in WTB posts when we're in a hobby where grade is literally more important than price...since people are willing to often OVERPAY for the grade they want and are more conscious of how their books look than how much they cost.

Maybe it's a shift in the hobby and eye appeal doesn't matter as much as it used to. Maybe price is the only important factor nowadays because we have more flippers now than we ever have before...this thread has been very telling without me realizing it was going to be. 

I apologize for misreading your post. 

 

[Turnando]

On 1/8/2022 at 1:53 PM, VintageComics said:

EITHER price OR grade are both viable options

The WTB rules state you must be specific about what you want to buy but there is no requirement to name your price.

"Stating a specific price range is no longer required."

I think the rules are good. I voted 'no' in the poll because it sounds like the OP is implying that a WTB post is OK if either price or grade is included.  The answer to that is 'No'.

Actually, the more times I read the title of the poll the more confused I get about what is means, logically speaking.

[VintageComics]

On 1/8/2022 at 4:20 PM, Turnando said:

I think the rules are good. I voted 'no' in the poll because it sounds like the OP is implying that a WTB post is OK if either price or grade is included.  The answer to that is 'No'.

Are you saying you don't think a price OR grade (not both, just one of them) should be included in each listing?

[musicmeta]

On 1/8/2022 at 11:07 AM, VintageComics said:

I think my initial wording of the 1st post really sent this thread off in the wrong direction. 

I think either a grade range OR a price range on any WTB post is a very reasonable expectation.

Does anyone disagree with this?

 

No

[VintageComics]

On 1/8/2022 at 4:33 PM, musicmeta said:

No

You know what's even more surprising to me than the fact that we have lots of posts without grades listed in WTB posts?

That some people, esp old school collectors  don't care if the grades are not listed.

That's the most surprising thing to me. I didn't even think it would be a discussion. 

[onlyweaknesskryptonite]

On 1/8/2022 at 2:59 PM, Buzzetta said:

That's because if you build a park for the kids to play in then perhaps they will go there rather than run around everyone's yard on the block. 

[Poekaymon]

If it helps, I voted no and I don't have the first clue who you are.  Just seems unnecessary and Mike is already doing yeoman's work around here.