Comiclink 4 4

[MAR1979]

On 3/23/2024 at 1:23 PM, Rick2you2 said:

If the differential represents the net recovery to the seller, after accounting for the reduced fees and charges of HA v. CLINK, plus $1.00, I would put up with the lesser auction “quality” and pocket the difference. In other words, people buy at Walmart and Costco instead of Macy’s. I have also found interesting odd pieces on CLINK, as compared to HA, so I confess I like it. 

Does Comic Connect figure into this too? I haven’t found much there over the years; not sure why.

Comic connect is a Super 8 that fancys itself a 5star Hotel which it clearly is not.

[Rick2you2]

On 3/23/2024 at 2:15 PM, MAR1979 said:

Comic connect is a Super 8 that fancys itself a 5star Hotel which it clearly is not.

I think I have bought exactly one thing off those auctions—ever.

[buttock]

On 3/22/2024 at 11:49 PM, tth2 said:

So long as some people continue to consign to Clink for whatever reason (e.g., lower fees), then bidders will have no choice but to continue to monitor auctions there if they're after those pieces. 

As we've seen with much smaller comic/OA auction sites like Hake's or Goldin, consignments might never completely dry up, but they might start falling short of the critical mass necessary to be a really attractive auction venue.  In the case of Hake's or Goldin, without their sugar daddies making or coercing their buddies to make (relatively) big ticket consignments, maybe their comic/OA auction business really would be dead. 

As a longtime player in the comic hobby, Clink will probably always have a presence and can do well within its segment of the market. There's nothing wrong with occupying the lower end segments of an industry so long as you understand that that's your segment and run your business accordingly.  Being Motel 8 or Best Western and occupying the lower end of the hospitality market is fine so long as you understand your clientele and set your opex/capex accordingly.  It's when you're Motel 8 but think you're Hyatt that you get into trouble.  So I would say that Clink's lack of investment in its infrastructure indicates that they understand their segment very well, are happy to operate in it and don't aspire to be something more than they are.

I think this has worked for them so far.  But there are more and more places stepping into the market and I think in time they'll have to adapt or die.  Josh may be fine with this if he plans to retire at a fixed date.  If he can see the horizon, why bother investing in unnecessary infrastructure if the plan is to flip it in a few years and let the new guy update it.  But that's pure speculation.  

[jimbo_7071]

On 3/20/2024 at 7:03 PM, KirbyCollector said:

You cannot tell me you enjoy their site on your phone. It's 2024, for them (and CAF) not to have a site optimized for mobile is atrocious.

I hate the sites that are optimized for mobile (and I'm not just talking about comic book sites). I always use my laptop for bidding, and the sites that are optimized for mobile are slower and clunkier on a laptop.

[KirbyCollector]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:48 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

I hate the sites that are optimized for mobile (and I'm not just talking about comic book sites). I always use my laptop for bidding, and the sites that are optimized for mobile are slower and clunkier on a laptop.

I'm guessing you are that guy still presenting a paper ticket at the airport 

[jimbo_7071]

On 3/25/2024 at 7:17 AM, KirbyCollector said:

I'm guessing you are that guy still presenting a paper ticket at the airport 

Well, I haven't taken a flight since 2014, but I probably used a paper boarding pass.

[tth2]

On 3/25/2024 at 7:17 PM, KirbyCollector said:

I'm guessing you are that guy still presenting a paper ticket at the airport 

[Rick2you2]

On 3/25/2024 at 7:17 AM, KirbyCollector said:

I'm guessing you are that guy still presenting a paper ticket at the airport 

I hear tell that some people even collect artwork on paper products. 

[Silver Surfer]

I think that everyone had some valid complaints/points about gaps the various auction houses could improve on but at first glance the thread makes me chuckle a bit. No offense to anyone but it does come across as if we are outraged that the limo driver forgot to stock some Grey Poupon!

[KirbyCollector]

On 3/25/2024 at 11:27 PM, Silver Surfer said:

I think that everyone had some valid complaints/points about gaps the various auction houses could improve on but at first glance the thread makes me chuckle a bit. No offense to anyone but it does come across as if we are outraged that the limo driver forgot to stock some Grey Poupon!

The point of my post was CL's policy against watchlisting notifications led to some of my fellow collectors receiving less money. Frankly, I hate that. Perhaps a $1000 or $1500 shortfall on a page is nothing to you, but to some poor collector trying to meet the bills when the cost of everything is running higher, that extra "Grey Poupon" on a sale sure tastes great.

Edited March 26 by KirbyCollector

[tth2]

On 3/26/2024 at 7:42 PM, KirbyCollector said:

The point of my post was CL's policy against watchlisting notifications led to some of my fellow collectors receiving less money. Frankly, I hate that. Perhaps a $1000 or $1500 shortfall on a page is nothing to you, but to some poor collector trying to meet the bills when the cost of everything is running higher, that extra "Grey Poupon" on a sale sure tastes great.

But anyone who chose to consign to Clink should've been aware of its limitations but decided to consign to them anyways.  So they need to accept the consequences of their decision.

[Bronty]

On 3/26/2024 at 10:34 AM, tth2 said:

But anyone who chose to consign to Clink should've been aware of its limitations but decided to consign to them anyways.  So they need to accept the consequences of their decision.

True, you take the good with the bad, including the lesser fee structure.

[cstojano]

On 3/26/2024 at 7:34 AM, tth2 said:

But anyone who chose to consign to Clink should've been aware of its limitations but decided to consign to them anyways.  So they need to accept the consequences of their decision.

I always assumed it was long time friends, people who aren't that active in the hobby, and the increasingly high number of people turned away by heritage. 

Edited March 27 by cstojano

[dirtymartini1]

[Dr. Balls]

On 3/26/2024 at 8:34 AM, tth2 said:

But anyone who chose to consign to Clink should've been aware of its limitations but decided to consign to them anyways.  So they need to accept the consequences of their decision.

Numbers-wise, I believe HA has more limitations than CLink, which is why I opted for CLink.  I guess we'll see how it shakes out. 

[Xatari]

eBay honestly has the best fee structure on higher end art but just doesn’t seem to get the eyeballs or sales. It’s too bad. 

[cstojano]

On 3/27/2024 at 6:45 AM, Xatari said:

eBay honestly has the best fee structure on higher end art but just doesn’t seem to get the eyeballs or sales. It’s too bad. 

Yeah, while CL may have made no changes or improvements to their site over the last 20 years eBay has invested heavily in making their experience for the buyer and seller worse, so I guess CL wins there

Edited March 27 by cstojano

[tth2]

On 3/27/2024 at 4:26 AM, cstojano said:

On 3/26/2024 at 10:34 PM, tth2 said:

But anyone who chose to consign to Clink should've been aware of its limitations but decided to consign to them anyways.  So they need to accept the consequences of their decision.

I always assumed it was long time friends, people who aren't that active in the hobby, and the increasingly high number of people turned away by heritage. 

That might be the case, but regardless of their motivation for consigning to Clink, I'm not sympathetic if they achieve lower prices than expected.

[Silver Surfer]

On 3/27/2024 at 7:30 AM, cstojano said:

Yeah, while CL may have made no changes or improvements to their site over the last 20 years eBay has invested heavily in making their experience for the buyer and seller worse, so I guess CL wins there

And if you want to almost guarantee taking a bath on a sale (only to see your piece relisted by someone else at one of these auction houses), list it on Ebay as an auction starting at $1. 

[RBerman]

On 3/27/2024 at 8:45 AM, Xatari said:

eBay honestly has the best fee structure on higher end art but just doesn’t seem to get the eyeballs or sales. It’s too bad. 

It murdered its own potential by allowing fakery to thrive and failing adequately to segregate published published comic art from either prints or the ocean of cheesecake cartoons.