Comiclink 4 4

[Randall Dowling]

On 3/13/2024 at 12:11 AM, tth2 said:

I say nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

I just don't see the point of negotiating against one's self and not even asking Heritage the question because you've already convinced yourself that they'll say "No". If one asks Heritage to reduce their fees, the worst thing that can happen is that they say "No". 

Unless one has a pathological fear of rejection, what's the harm in trying?  It's not like they're going to blacklist you or send thugs to beat you up for having the temerity to ask.     

The fear of offending others is strong for many.  And they've grown up in an environment of shopping malls where the price is the price (actually not always, most people are shocked at how much you can negotiate and who is willing, but you understand my meaning).  So the idea of negotiating something like a declared premium from an auction house doesn't even enter their thought process.

Personally, I think the world would be a better and more honest place if more people tried to negotiate, as appropriate, with respect and no emotion.

[KirbyCollector]

On 3/13/2024 at 1:48 AM, Randall Dowling said:

The fear of offending others is strong for many.  And they've grown up in an environment of shopping malls where the price is the price (actually not always, most people are shocked at how much you can negotiate and who is willing, but you understand my meaning).  So the idea of negotiating something like a declared premium from an auction house doesn't even enter their thought process.

Personally, I think the world would be a better and more honest place if more people tried to negotiate, as appropriate, with respect and no emotion.

I've found you can negotiate car repair, furniture, any kind of home repair etc. You just have to try.

I even negotiated successfully with Bechara once... though he now denies he ever did such a thing.

[delekkerste]

On 3/13/2024 at 8:31 AM, KirbyCollector said:

I even negotiated successfully with Bechara once... though he now denies he ever did such a thing.

 

[KirbyCollector]

On 3/13/2024 at 9:20 AM, delekkerste said:

 

Years ago... dead Friday at an old NY Armory show... didn't know who he was, met him for the first time and just asked. It wasn't an artist he liked, perhaps that was why he cut me a break... It's funny, the bad opinions of some here about him are very well known, but I don't think he is a bad guy. He knows a lot about comics history and will talk with you about art even if you aren't buying, unlike a few other dealers who go cold fast when they realize the wallet isn't opening.

[Dr. Balls]

On 3/11/2024 at 1:40 PM, drdroom said:

Scuttlebut I've heard is HA is getting tougher in these negotiations, & I believe they've recently doubled the minimum consignment value from 5k to 10k (?). All which suggests they are not hurting for merchandise.

I spoke about trying to consign (what ended up being) a $3k piece of art with HA, they poo-pooed me away, so I sold it on Ebay. I figured they did not want to mess with one singular piece of art.

On 3/12/2024 at 11:15 AM, tth2 said:

I get the impression that some people don't even try to negotiate, because it doesn't occur to them that it's even an option.  

Honestly, I did not know you could negotiate. It's not that I didn't want to try - but my previous interaction (above) with HA, I thought that the fee is the fee because they were selective with their consignments. After-the-fact I am a bit frustrated with the fact you can negotiate fees, however, I sold the $35k of big key PCH books that I wanted to send to HA elsewhere at a much lower fee, with no BP on the buyer's end - which stimulated quick sales. All but two books sold in a matter of days and I had my money immediately with the exception of two that went on the payment plan.

Brian at HA was easy to work with, I had asked questions - he answered, all very professional. I had zero problems with my interactions. Did I expect HA to discount the seller fee without being prompted? No, because as you guys have pointed out - and I can admit that I should have asked - I didn't know that was something I should ask.

The part I think leaves me a little miffed is that I pointed out to HA that my sales numbers would likely leave me at a loss so I have to back out - there was no negotiation on their part to get my books in their auction. I mean, this wasn't a big pile of Avon romance books - it was Chamber of Chills 19, Black Cat 50, Crime Suspenstories 22, Venus 19, etc. books that would have gotten some action there. In hindsight, I would have expected more negotiation on their part to get my books for the $10k in fees they would have gleaned from it (based on their previous sales of those books). But they do have auction standards - these books were mid-grade, not high grade rarities - so I can see the other side of the justification by HA. Maybe they didn't want to have them in their auction badly enough to bring the fee down.

I don't bear any ill will towards HA or anything like that - I learned the lesson of negotiating lower fees for the next time.

[Rick2you2]

On 3/13/2024 at 10:06 AM, KirbyCollector said:

Years ago... dead Friday at an old NY Armory show... didn't know who he was, met him for the first time and just asked. It wasn't an artist he liked, perhaps that was why he cut me a break... It's funny, the bad opinions of some here about him are very well known, but I don't think he is a bad guy. He knows a lot about comics history and will talk with you about art even if you aren't buying, unlike a few other dealers who go cold fast when they realize the wallet isn't opening.

He isn’t a bad guy. Just a tough seller. 

He could also use a wardrobe makeover.

[MAR1979]

Liars is as liars does.

Edited March 13 by MAR1979

[grapeape]

For HA it's $5k and you can ask for a negotiated rate down on your end as seller.

Its 10k above if you want to negotiate closer to 0% seller fees.

 

[MAR1979]

On 3/13/2024 at 2:44 PM, grapeape said:

For HA it's $5k and you can ask for a negotiated rate down on your end as seller.

Its 10k above if you want to negotiate closer to 0% seller fees.

 

Thanks.

Do you know approx/estimated current amount to get a % of the buyer's fee?

[grapeape]

On 3/13/2024 at 11:45 AM, MAR1979 said:

Thanks.

Do you know approx/estimated current amount to get a % of the buyer's fee?

I don't know the exact dollar amount to actually get a piece. But I think the rarer, hard to find piece will give you more leverage. The great pieces draw eyes and dollars to the other items auctioned. 

I think 5% on the buyers end is the most you can claw back. I think I own one piece I could get away with that if I auctioned it. Rarified air.

 

 

Edited March 13 by grapeape

[batman_fan]

On 3/13/2024 at 11:04 AM, Rick2you2 said:

He isn’t a bad guy. Just a tough seller. 

He could also use a wardrobe makeover.

1st thing that popped in my mind when you posted this

[KirbyCollector]

On 3/13/2024 at 3:29 PM, batman_fan said:

1st thing that popped in my mind when you posted this

Add backpacks and you pretty much have your average art con attendees

[Fischb1]

On 3/13/2024 at 2:44 PM, grapeape said:

For HA it's $5k and you can ask for a negotiated rate down on your end as seller.

Its 10k above if you want to negotiate closer to 0% seller fees.

 

This is how it was 3 years ago. Not anymore. Not if you're a new seller with them. (If you already sold with them in the past, it's different.)

Now, it's 50k and they lower it to 5% and 100k they lower it to 0. 

[tth2]

On 3/14/2024 at 2:44 AM, grapeape said:

For HA it's $5k and you can ask for a negotiated rate down on your end as seller.

Its 10k above if you want to negotiate closer to 0% seller fees.

 

The key is to make at least one big consignment that gives you maximum leverage in negotiations.  That puts you on their radar as a player, and after that, you can usually make smaller consignments and still get the same deal because you're considered to be one of their big consignors. 

What people should avoid is just constantly doing small piecemeal consignments, because then you're just viewed as an ad hoc consignor and will be assessed on each consignment on a standalone basis (i.e., no discounts). 

So if what you'd be consigning is a bunch of less valuable pieces rather than 1 or 2 big ticket pieces, it's better to hold off consigning with Heritage until you can consolidate a fairly sizeable/valuable lot to be consigned all at once (which doesn't necessarily mean they'd all go in the same auction, as they might go into the weekly auctions if they don't make the cut for a Signature Auction, and might be spread out over multiple weekly auctions if you've got a lot of pieces, but Heritage will view it as one big consignment).     

[Grant Turner]

I always deal with Matt Griffin at HA, and he’s the best! 
willing to negotiate on seller fees and very fair with advances.

[MyNameIsLegion]

if you have a high six or a potential 7 figure consignment, you can get much better terms, that extend not only to what you give them up front, but anything else you throw their way for a year. (more common with comics, that may need to go through the CGC pipeline) Not to mention an advance on the expected sales.

[KirbyCollector]

Customers with a high spend rate also get favorable selling rates. I don't know the internal # they use, but I'm guessing 25K/yr might be close.

[tth2]

On 3/14/2024 at 10:01 PM, KirbyCollector said:

Customers with a high spend rate also get favorable selling rates. I don't know the internal # they use, but I'm guessing 25K/yr might be close.

Yes, it also helps to be a big buyer.  

[thethedew]

I've heard whispered from at least one source (which I can't recall now, tsk.) that if your consignment is big enough, notable enough, that HA might even be willing to give you points against their Buyer's Premium.  Can anyone confirm that detail?

[jjonahjameson11]

On 3/14/2024 at 4:56 PM, thethedew said:

I've heard whispered from at least one source (which I can't recall now, tsk.) that if your consignment is big enough, notable enough, that HA might even be willing to give you points against their Buyer's Premium.  Can anyone confirm that detail?

Yes, I’ve heard the max is 5% and I know of 2 people who receive this amount.

lets just say that you need to be a whale to achieve this