Is it rude to haggle on price with back issues at local comic shops? 2 2

[grendelbo]

On 7/13/2024 at 2:26 PM, Brock said:

Plus wages, rent, utilities, signage, advertising, book-keeping, telephone, store fixtures, bags & boards, and taxes on anything left over.

i also love a good deal, but there’s a reason comic shops are closing.

Exactly. I understand the business model. There's overhead. And sometimes books will sit and not get sold. At least not for a while. Often those are the ones you can take advantage of. A number of times I've seen an issue I want but don't "need." I'll see it visit after visit. After many months or maybe a year or more I'll pull it down to haggle over. You know it's been up for quite a while. Will you take this much for it? It's worked for me every time.

Then again I am polite as all get out.

Always depends on the shop though. There's one LCS I visit ever so often. I hate it for many reasons but I still go by because I like digging through long boxes even if I'm not going to buy something. 

This one shop had like 8 copies of Adventures on the Planet of the Apes 1 ranging in condition from VG to VF all marked for $25. I tried to haggle a lower price on a lower grade copy and they told me the sticker price was the price period. The books remain unsold.

[Lightning55]

I had several stores. We had a formal discount program you signed up for. You were given a card with an account number. You got an automatic 10% off just for being a member.

Based on your accumulated purchases per calendar quarter, your discount rate could go up to as high as 30% the following quarter. Or go up on the spot,  if a major purchase exceeded a particular threshold. 

So everyone was treated equally and fairly, no negotiating necessary. 

[JollyComics]

Pete of Comic4less once told me that he and his company are no longer retailing at Wizard World Chicago (it's now Fan Expo Chicago).  They reserved 8 booth spaces for $3 & $5 BIN (3 times 10' x 10' booth - 30 foot long each).  In 2019, they sold $34K but they paid $33K for the booths. That was the last time for them at the show.  The show haggled the company.

Edited July 13 by JollyComics

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 7/13/2024 at 4:14 PM, grendelbo said:

Exactly. I understand the business model. There's overhead. And sometimes books will sit and not get sold. At least not for a while. Often those are the ones you can take advantage of. A number of times I've seen an issue I want but don't "need." I'll see it visit after visit. After many months or maybe a year or more I'll pull it down to haggle over. You know it's been up for quite a while. Will you take this much for it? It's worked for me every time.

Then again I am polite as all get out.

Always depends on the shop though. 

This as it makes sense in logic. There was a LCS that had albedo 4 SS and had it for a long time, I tried but no dice. Part of me will never know, and part of me thinks I asked to trade for it early on when first acquired. I'd inquire periodically three months later at a time, as it wasn't ever in the budget or I'd again think of it on bin diving days. Owner never got annoyed but it annoyed me and probably him even though neither of us complained

[ttfitz]

On 7/13/2024 at 5:14 PM, grendelbo said:

Exactly. I understand the business model. There's overhead. And sometimes books will sit and not get sold. At least not for a while. Often those are the ones you can take advantage of. A number of times I've seen an issue I want but don't "need." I'll see it visit after visit. After many months or maybe a year or more I'll pull it down to haggle over. You know it's been up for quite a while. Will you take this much for it? It's worked for me every time.

One store I used to shop at (no longer around) would occasionally get books in that I was interested in but was over my price. I had a good relationship with them, and I'd say, "Look, that's a decent price, I know it is, but way more than I can offer. If it's still here months from now and you'd give me a ridiculous discount to get rid of it, just let me know."

Didn't get a lot of books that way, but I got enough. I think they appreciated that I knew they were being fair.

[Kevin76]

On 7/13/2024 at 1:26 PM, grendelbo said:

I will also avoid paying tax if I use cash. 

I just hand them my State tax ID reseller certificate and pay no tax with a card 

[EastEnd1]

Nothing wrong with asking, "Can you do any better on this?"

[ThothAmon]

I always haggled with Wayne at wonderland comics near Rochester ny. He would add up the numbers on a sheet of paper and would write a smaller number on a piece of paper and I’d either agree or counter. The dance. 

Edited July 14 by ThothAmon

[grendelbo]

Won't haggle?!

 

 

[Robot Man]

As a buyer at a show or store, If the price is already cheap or below actual value I just pay sticker. If we are close, I make a fair offer. If we are way off, I just politely pass.

As a seller at a show, I reluctantly price a little above what I want. If the buyer wants it lower, it’s up to them to make an offer. When I am asked “what is your best price?”, I give it to them. End of discussion. Of course it depends on what and how much they are buying. The good stuff gets discounted very little if at all. I primarily deal in GA/SA which has gotton nearly impossible to replace.

This is just a hobby for me and can just as easily take the good stuff home. Good stuff always sells…

[mrwoogieman]

It's rude NOT to haggle on price!

 

[SeniorSurfer]

On 7/13/2024 at 3:11 PM, Lightning55 said:

Sounds to me like the LCS is taking the transaction "under the table", so no sales tax, no income tax either. 

 

[Cat]

On 7/14/2024 at 6:16 AM, grendelbo said:

Likely. Last book I bought was $375 that I haggled down to $300 straight up. Cash saved me $27 in taxes. 

[Cat]

Negotiating over here is getting a bag and board included with your purchase.*

 

 

 

 

 

*Not Even Joking

[Robot Man]

Had a young kid scour my half price boxes. He pulled out a very high grade Forever People #1. The only book he wanted. I obviously screwed up but, I manned up. He then offered me half of my half price.

I looked at him and asked to see it. I dropped it in a box behind the table, looked him in the eye and said: “when you get a steal of a deal, just pay up and walk away happy”.

He whimpered and whined a little and left empty handed.

Life lesson…

[Lightning55]

On 7/15/2024 at 10:32 AM, Robot Man said:

Had a young kid scour my half price boxes. He pulled out a very high grade Forever People #1. The only book he wanted. I obviously screwed up but, I manned up. He then offered me half of my half price.

I looked at him and asked to see it. I dropped it in a box behind the table, looked him in the eye and said: “when you get a steal of a deal, just pay up and walk away happy”.

He whimpered and whined a little and left empty handed.

Life lesson…

People always say, "It can't hurt to ask".

As per above, it can.

I don't invite offers on any of my eBay listings. Sometimes I get rude, abrupt, lowball messages like "50?" on a $100 book. I ignore the message and block the buyer.

So, yes, it can hurt to ask.