I think Comic book shows are broken 2 2

[gcstomp]

Ok, that video is nuts. You would think the dealers, knowing they are being featured on a video, would put their best foot forward. Of the books featured, UF 4 9.6 being offered at 3x gpa, Hulk 2 at 2x gpa, Avengers 1 4.0 at only 20% above gpa but has the most washed out color I have seen. But definitely the only one where ,maybe you could negotiate a fair deal. IH 181, 2x gpa. And shortboxed offering a 2nd app of Ghost Rider at 10x gpa winning the most overpriced offering of the day and maybe of the entire show floor... 

[gcstomp]

Thread has a florida centric focus, 1st post being about Tampa being overpriced. Then video showing Megacon being Mega overpriced. Not so fast, if I may plug a show. Make your way to an old school show, Daytona CC coming up 9/7-9/8, run by a super long time comic dealer, you will see more quality and quantity of comics, than at either of the 2 other florida shows. And realistic market prices, how about that for a change of pace.

Show is wall to wall 50+ comic vendors, admission is $10, vendors have affordable booth costs so they can pass along way better pricing than Tampa or Mega where they are slammed with expenses and have to recoup with markups. Not my show and I do not get anything for giving a shoutout, but cmon, why not show love to actual old school comic show. 

[troydivision1]

On 8/28/2024 at 4:47 PM, gcstomp said:

UF 4 9.6 being offered at 3x gpa

Facts.
UF#4 in 9.6 is a book I own and since I track each book in my personal collection monthly since 2019...I can safely say that in December of 2023 that book was selling for between $510 - $600.
$1400 was happening in Feb - April 2022 though...
COVID prices were wild!

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:39 PM, Poutine said:

Toy dealer at the local show puts up displays of originals but gives people who don't know any better cheaper knock offs.

Slimy 

This actually makes me mad. And I don’t even know the guy. 

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:50 PM, Buzzetta said:

Oh sheet - seen that before.  

Okay... so anyone doing shopping at NYCC... all I am going to say is this.... be VERY careful when buying Masterpiece Transformers and certain other toy lines.  There was a time period when they were the most knocked off bootlegs being produced.

There are guides that review the subtle nuances so you do not pay the Dealer Closeout of a 20% off the retail of say $125 on average with what you think is a genuine article when you are really looking at something that would cost you $30 on AliExpress with free shipping.   if you do inspect it to make sure it is genuine, make sure that as @Poutine said, the item you looked at and inspected is the item you are taking home and the switch is not pulled giving you the knock off in the bag. 

Here is what a "seeker" should cost.  Skywarp is currently on BBTS at retail for $200

Here is a listing for the knock off item on AliExpress.  I promise you the box will look very similar and some of you won't be able to determine those differences unless it is pointed out for you.   Note that for the advertisement they use the Hasbro / Tomy Takara images. 

 

Also the legit ones MP should have a number stamped into the cardboard. I’ve seen KOs where that number is wrong as a tell. 

[Kramerica]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:49 AM, kimik said:

Give it a bit of time and the overpriced sellers will be forced to adjust downwards. My guess is they bought during the 2021 and into 2022 peak and do not want to book that large of a loss. Eventually they will have do it, and if they are good they will take the hit, recycle the money into new stock, and make enough to cover that loss.

This is exactly it. 5 Gold Stars. But right now it kinda sucks not being able to order from my favorite sites. Their prices are very much 2021. They are all stubborn and - I get this part - who has the time to reprice their website? With MCS it's just as bad or worse. However, the MCS auctions have been good so there's a plus.

[Kramerica]

On 8/27/2024 at 5:21 PM, Buzzetta said:

He is just in the game for the fun of it. 

You mean to pizz people off

[Kramerica]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:16 PM, DougC said:

I also collect low end trash so there is almost never an instance when I can't find a new copy of Fish Police to add to the collection.

Same with Alien Legion, Suicide Squad, Secret Six, Thunderbolts, JLI. I can always find my favorite books on the cheap!

[Readcomix]

On 8/27/2024 at 8:21 PM, Buzzetta said:

That's not always true.  There is a dealer that I know of that does not care if you buy his stuff or not.  Maybe he deals in comics... maybe art... maybe both.... those who know, know.  He may have cashed in a few things in the last couple of years and has the money to live off of.  Want the item?  Buy it at his price.  Don't want it?  Don't buy it.  It doesn't matter if it sells or not since they have some money to burn.  He is just in the game for the fun of it. 

I know a coupla that kinda guy in our general region, Buzz.

[Artboy99]

i sell at local shows and most of what I have is priced at current market.

One reason the price may be high on some books is it depends what I paid for the book. Many of the books I bought a couple of years ago I am very underwater on (FF 48 as an example).

Another reason may be because I have no idea that the value of some book has tanked and I have the last price sticker I put on it 

Some books I like to have on my wall as it attracts people to my booth to look at it which is why I bring one of my Hulk 181's. Most the books that I can't sell for a huge loss I generally don't bring so that I don't appear to be crazy high priced. 

This has 2 effects:

1. I have less for you the attendee to look at

2. the attendees leave the show feeling like they "didn't see anything".

Shrug, what to do? 

I bring what I can hopefully sell and my prices are always very reasonable. Also starting to think attending the more expensive shows right now in a market when many comics are down in value is a bad idea.

[joeypost]

On 8/29/2024 at 12:08 AM, Artboy99 said:

i sell at local shows and most of what I have is priced at current market.

One reason the price may be high on some books is it depends what I paid for the book. Many of the books I bought a couple of years ago I am very underwater on (FF 48 as an example).

Another reason may be because I have no idea that the value of some book has tanked and I have the last price sticker I put on it 

Some books I like to have on my wall as it attracts people to my booth to look at it which is why I bring one of my Hulk 181's. Most the books that I can't sell for a huge loss I generally don't bring so that I don't appear to be crazy high priced. 

This has 2 effects:

1. I have less for you the attendee to look at

2. the attendees leave the show feeling like they "didn't see anything".

Shrug, what to do? 

I bring what I can hopefully sell and my prices are always very reasonable. Also starting to think attending the more expensive shows right now in a market when many comics are down in value is a bad idea.

I travel from FLA to Calgary to buy from most of the Canadian dealers. The last three conventions I attended locally I spent less than $1,000.00 each time because the prices were not based on reality. 

[1Cool]

On 8/29/2024 at 7:24 AM, joeypost said:

I travel from FLA to Calgary to buy from most of the Canadian dealers. The last three conventions I attended locally I spent less than $1,000.00 each time because the prices were not based on reality. 

Ouch - doesn't it cost more to fly all that way and stay for a couple nights then you are spending?  By the third time, are you considering not going?

[1Cool]

On 8/29/2024 at 7:24 AM, joeypost said:

I travel from FLA to Calgary to buy from most of the Canadian dealers. The last three conventions I attended locally I spent less than $1,000.00 each time because the prices were not based on reality. 

I've always thought about driving up to Niagara Falls and Toronto to attend some of the shows up there but then I see show recaps posted on the boards and the prices just seem crazy high.  Even when the Canadian dollar is weak it still doesn't seem worth the time or effort to travel across the border to attend shows when we have shows like Baltimore and Heroes a fairly short drive away.

[joeypost]

On 8/29/2024 at 8:20 AM, 1Cool said:

I've always thought about driving up to Niagara Falls and Toronto to attend some of the shows up there but then I see show recaps posted on the boards and the prices just seem crazy high.  Even when the Canadian dollar is weak it still doesn't seem worth the time or effort to travel across the border to attend shows when we have shows like Baltimore and Heroes a fairly short drive away.

I buy the bulk of my books at Heroes and Baltimore. I go to Canada mainly for my friends and to talk hockey. I also buy books, but not as much as before covid.

[Stefan_W]

On 8/29/2024 at 12:08 AM, Artboy99 said:

 

Some books I like to have on my wall as it attracts people to my booth to look at it which is why I bring one of my Hulk 181's. Most the books that I can't sell for a huge loss I generally don't bring so that I don't appear to be crazy high priced. 

 

I agree with your approach in general, but I stopped bringing flashy books for my wall like Hulk 181s. I found they dont sell at the shows I do so they just take up wall space for nothing. The last show I brought zero slabs (those sell better online than in person for me) and loaded up my wall with $100-$700 books (in Canadian dollars) and they were selling well all day long.

The local crowd typically likes flash but open their wallets for deals. So I put keys and minor keys into bins up front and mark those a few bucks below value. Based on what I have seen, sellers who use the classic old school approach of marking books up like crazy and letting people "bargain" them down to full market value no longer do as well unless they have silver age keys that everyone still wants. 

[WolverineX]

It's definitely a buyer's market now.  The sellers that are priced too high will eventually be forced to drop because no one will buy from them.  

Edited August 29 by WolverineX

[Stefan_W]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:25 AM, WolverineX said:

It's definitely a buyer's market now.  

Unless there is a comic boom, like during the pandemic, it is always a buyer's market. Sellers who do not get that don't do as well. 

Edited September 2 by Stefan_W

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/29/2024 at 12:08 AM, Artboy99 said:

i sell at local shows and most of what I have is priced at current market.

One reason the price may be high on some books is it depends what I paid for the book. Many of the books I bought a couple of years ago I am very underwater on (FF 48 as an example).

Another reason may be because I have no idea that the value of some book has tanked and I have the last price sticker I put on it 

Some books I like to have on my wall as it attracts people to my booth to look at it which is why I bring one of my Hulk 181's. Most the books that I can't sell for a huge loss I generally don't bring so that I don't appear to be crazy high priced. 

This has 2 effects:

1. I have less for you the attendee to look at

2. the attendees leave the show feeling like they "didn't see anything".

Shrug, what to do? 

I bring what I can hopefully sell and my prices are always very reasonable. Also starting to think attending the more expensive shows right now in a market when many comics are down in value is a bad idea.

EXACTLY this.

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/29/2024 at 9:21 AM, Stefan_W said:

I agree with your approach in general, but I stopped bringing flashy books for my wall like Hulk 181s. I found they dont sell at the shows I do so they just take up wall space for nothing. The last show I brought zero slabs (those sell better online than in person for me) and loaded up my wall with $100-$700 books (in Canadian dollars) and they were selling well all day long.

The local crowd typically likes flash but open their wallets for deals. So I put keys and minor keys into bins up front and mark those a few bucks below value. Based on what I have seen, sellers who use the classic old school approach of marking books up like crazy and letting people "bargain" them down to full market value no longer do as well unless they have silver age keys that everyone still wants. 

"The last show I brought zero slabs (those sell better online than in person for me)".  This is my issue - was almost strictly bringing slabs and $1 books.  You can't make the table back like that if slabs are not selling.  IMO - show goers don't want the super expensive '9.8' but would rather buy the reasonably priced 9.4 or 9.2.  Signatures don't usually help as the cost for the signing / grading increases the cost of the book.  Ex. I have a large 80's / Copper age collection of raws that I purchased new.  Basically cost nothing.  I get it graded for lets say $30 after shipping etc.  Now if I get that 9.8 and price it at $100 I'm tripling with $70 profit.  Now - imagine I"m paying $150 for grade / press / signature.  Maybe I can get $200 for the same book. $50 profit - IF (BIG IF) IT SELLS!  But alas - I love SS!  

[revat]

On 8/29/2024 at 6:49 AM, Neo "The One" said:

"The last show I brought zero slabs (those sell better online than in person for me)".  This is my issue - was almost strictly bringing slabs and $1 books.  You can't make the table back like that if slabs are not selling.  IMO - show goers don't want the super expensive '9.8' but would rather buy the reasonably priced 9.4 or 9.2.  Signatures don't usually help as the cost for the signing / grading increases the cost of the book.  Ex. I have a large 80's / Copper age collection of raws that I purchased new.  Basically cost nothing.  I get it graded for let’s say $30 after shipping etc.  Now if I get that 9.8 and price it at $100 I'm tripling with $70 profit.  Now - imagine I"m paying $150 for grade / press / signature.  Maybe I can get $200 for the same book. $50 profit - IF (BIG IF) IT SELLS!  But alas - I love SS!  

Good call.  Signatures (especially Cgc as) are very rarely a path to bigger better profits.   Definitely not a consistent path.