Suggestions for Comiclink to become more competitive 2 2

[cloud cloddie]

On 4/12/2022 at 10:33 AM, RBerman said:

 

Seems to me that the biggest obstacle to higher sales on CL is the snipe-based auction conclusion, rather than allowing bidders to duke it out, taking each piece to higher valuations until someone drops out. That would take a complete rewrite of their auction interface, but it could be done.

Although I agree the snipe option is not always the best, I appreciate that the auctions have a set end time. Actually helps me plan out what I’m going to bid on - I can just set an alarm on my phone like a month out. There’s always items I miss on HA because I’m not going to sit around all Sunday to bid - I love my art, but I love SoCal Sundays more. And half the time I give up on CC because I have no desire to bid on one piece for half an hour. 

[RafaVia]

I am from Europe, so the auctions end in the middle of the night. Before going to bed I put my bids in and in the morning I see what I have won.

I actually like the straightforward Clink site. I find it more difficult to navigate the HA site. 

about the lack of tracking, here is what I do:

I take pen and paper and click on the artists names which I like to see qhat is up for auction. And make a list. 
At the last day of auction I take my list and put my bids in. 

[MattTheDuck]

No buyer should want the "snipe system" to change.

[Will_K]

I could never figure out the difference between ComicLink's "focused auctions" and "featured auctions".

[RafaVia]

Me neither.
i call them the monthly auction and the event auction

[malvin]

On 4/12/2022 at 2:42 PM, Will_K said:

I could never figure out the difference between ComicLink's "focused auctions" and "featured auctions".

In theory Featured are the higher end pieces, in practice....

I just assumed that nicer things in the focussed could be the consignor being unaware, or wanting the sale sooner rather than waiting for the next featured auctions.  

HA has their own head scratchers too.  I know in this case the consignor likely had super high end pieces also, but why would a very recent con sketch make their signature auction?

David Finch 2018 DD piece in HA Signature Auction

What's the minimum price for items in a signature auction? last I heard was $5K, this one never stood a chance of getting there.

Malvin

[PGEAR12]

My 2c, to be competitive/better:

- Stop running the website as a hobby.

- Get people working for ComicLink that are responsive. Ignoring emails is rude.

- Re-design the old, fugly website.

- Add auction archives.

- Promote that employees are not consigning, bidding on, shilling lots. As opposed to some peer sites that will remain nameless, ComicLink believes in fairness for the bidder/buyer and the health of the hobby.

- Stop letting consignors post to the exchange just to advertise their art. When you request to buy it, it is mysteriously not available. One dealer in particular stands out.

- Take ACH payments, like peers do.

- Add features features features.

Etc.

[Will_K]

On 4/12/2022 at 6:07 PM, malvin said:

HA has their own head scratchers too.  I know in this case the consignor likely had super high end pieces also, but why would a very recent con sketch make their signature auction?

A bunch of other pieces like that also helped to pad out the auction to 4 days.  Four days !!!

[tth2]

On 4/13/2022 at 1:33 AM, RBerman said:

Seems to me that the biggest obstacle to higher sales on CL is the snipe-based auction conclusion, rather than allowing bidders to duke it out, taking each piece to higher valuations until someone drops out. That would take a complete rewrite of their auction interface, but it could be done.

But a lot of people really like CL's snipe-based auction endings.  All they do is complain about the auctions at Heritage and CC running on.

[tth2]

On 4/13/2022 at 6:07 AM, malvin said:

HA has their own head scratchers too.  I know in this case the consignor likely had super high end pieces also, but why would a very recent con sketch make their signature auction?

David Finch 2018 DD piece in HA Signature Auction

What's the minimum price for items in a signature auction? last I heard was $5K, this one never stood a chance of getting there.

Sometimes a big consignor can say "I'd really really really like this minor piece to appear in the Signature Auction" and Heritage will acquiesce to keep their client happy.

[RBerman]

On 4/12/2022 at 11:11 PM, tth2 said:

But a lot of people really like CL's snipe-based auction endings.  All they do is complain about the auctions at Heritage and CC running on.

Seems like an example of the seller's interests (extending a bidding war on their consignment to reach the highest possible final bid) and buyer's interests (knowing exactly what time to tune in for some specific item, not having to wait through everything else) not being well aligned. Somewhere out there is a programmer who can make an interface to satisfy both these constituencies more than the current auction houses do.

[vodou]

On 4/12/2022 at 12:34 PM, cloud cloddie said:

With HA’s fees, I still think Clink is the better option for lower priced items - I used to think sub 10K, but I’d probably adjust to sub 5K at this point.

Maybe. The real comparison is would the same lots do better or worse on eBay instead?

Consignor fees about the same and get paid faster (and possibly more) too?

[vodou]

On 4/12/2022 at 5:42 PM, Will_K said:

I could never figure out the difference between ComicLink's "focused auctions" and "featured auctions".

One McFarlane cover.

[RBerman]

Last night on CAF live, Mike Burkey commented that he had consigned 70 pieces to this HA event, many of which were lower end pieces he just wanted to clear out, including some large pieces that were difficult to store. Spring cleaning is always good.

I agree that buyers benefit from the snipe system -- as long as sellers are willing to participate. But will they, if HA consistently seems to give better results despite the usurious commissions that hit you both coming and going? Where is CL compared to a year or two ago? How does that match up with where HA was a year or two ago?

[delekkerste]

On 4/12/2022 at 9:32 AM, tth2 said:

I don't think they've got the ambition or capital to seriously take on Heritage.  They're happy in their niche.

Plus, change can be bad, as we've seen with CC.

Heritage have continued to progress forward.  CL have stayed the same.  CC have gone backwards.  Relatively speaking, that's not so bad for CL, and costs them nothing.

I think CC has actually moved forward - they refreshed their website not that long ago and their consignments have improved. I've actually been buying from them fairly regularly over the past year or so. 

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

Clink will never move forward unless they post back covers to all their books. If I see something I’m interested in, I contact them in advance for a back scan (having learned this the hard way). The problem with this is you cannot peruse their auction and throw down a last minute bid without taking your chances. I broke my own rule by bidding on something last minute that I thought was going lowlooks good, right? and when the book arrived, I got this

D’oh!!!

Never again!!

Edited April 13, 2022 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[GreatEscape]

On 4/13/2022 at 12:51 PM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

Clink will never move forward unless they post back covers to all their books. If I see something I’m interested in, I contact them in advance for a back scan (having learned this the hard way). The problem with this is you cannot peruse their auction and throw down a last minute bid without taking your chances. I broke my own rule by bidding on something last minute that I thought was going lowlooks good, right? and when the book arrived, I got this

Never again!!

On the comics side, in addition to the lack of back cover scans, I’ve alway been frustrated how you can’t select “Golden Age” or “Silver Age” like Heritage.  To be fair, ComicConnect has same problem).  So buyers scroll through Marvel Mystery and Marvel Spotlights to find what they focus on.  Symbolic of CL’s aged platform and/or ignoring opportunities to enhance collector experience.  Heritage makes things easy and effortless…and has earned its recent success. 
 

Have faith…in the past, CL did follow Heritage in catalogs, differentiated auctions (Focused, Featured) and their previews are quicker to post scans (vs. Heritage “scan not available”).  Let’s hope current ‘best practices’ like auction archives, lot tracking, closing times convenient for Euro buyers, etc will soon follow.  

Edited April 13, 2022 by GreatEscape

[PGEAR12]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:51 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

Clink will never move forward unless they post back covers to all their books. If I see something I’m interested in, I contact them in advance for a back scan (having learned this the hard way). The problem with this is you cannot peruse their auction and throw down a last minute bid without taking your chances. I broke my own rule by bidding on something last minute that I thought was going lowlooks good, right? and when the book arrived, I got this

D’oh!!!

Never again!!

How on earth was this a 7.5?

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 4/13/2022 at 2:23 PM, PGEAR12 said:

How on earth was this a 7.5?

Whoever sent this into Clink knew exactly what they were doing. And Clink enabled it. But shame on me. I just can’t treat clink like other auction houses where I just jump in if I see something going low

[tth2]

On 4/14/2022 at 12:25 AM, delekkerste said:

I think CC has actually moved forward - they refreshed their website not that long ago and their consignments have improved. I've actually been buying from them fairly regularly over the past year or so. 

The mere fact that CC's new website is so polarizing can't be a good thing.  I mean, who complains about Heritage's website today versus 10 years ago?  Everybody thinks it's better.  But while some people seem to like CC's new website, there are also a number of people who really don't like it. 

I personally find it difficult AF to navigate and to track my transactions, to the point that I haven't even bid on any of their past few auctions.  

Edited April 14, 2022 by tth2