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Selling on MCS - any tips?13447

Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Here's my update on selling raw comics at MCS. I'm very happy with the results. Within 14 days almost half of the 20 books have been sold so as you might imagine I'm prioritizing speed over getting top dollar. I'm doing this because I want to encourage them (Este) to keep accepting my raw book submissions.
Two things to consider when looking at these results: 1) My LCS offered me $350 in trade for pretty much this same group of books. So this is a test to see how much better I could do through MCS consignment. 2) These aren't just in-line comics, most of them have something key or interesting about them and would be wall books at a LCS, even in low grade. That's one thing I found frustrating about the LCS offer, almost every one of these books is more interesting than 80% of the books he has on the wall.

MCS grades and selling price:
Amazing Spider-Man (1963 1st Series) 36 VG- 3.5
Amazing Spider-Man (1963 1st Series) 62 FN/VF 7.0 $110
Amazing Spider-Man (1963 1st Series) 136 VG/FN 5.0 $55
Batman (1940) 368 VF+ 8.5
Brave and the Bold (1955 1st Series DC) 85 FN- 5.5 $70
Captain America (1968 1st Series) 101 VG/FN 5.0
Captain America (1968 1st Series) 118 FN 6.0 $50
Daredevil (1964 1st Series) 81 VF- 7.5
Daredevil (1964 1st Series) 131 FR 1.0 $40
INCOMPLETE. Marvel Value Stamp missing, slightly affects art.
Daredevil (1964 1st Series) 168 VG 4.0 $90
Daredevil (1964 1st Series) 181 VF+ 8.5
DC Comics Presents (1978 DC) 47A GD 2.0 $41
Iron Man (1968 1st Series) 2 FN- 5.5 $95
Oxidation.
Iron Man (1968 1st Series) 4 FN 6.0 $55
Marvel Spotlight (1971 1st Series) 32 VG- 3.5
Sgt. Fury (1963) 13 VG- 3.5
Spectacular Spider-Man (1976 1st Series) 64 VG+ 4.5 $35
Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 169 GD/VG 3.0
Heavy cover oxidation.
Tales of Suspense (1959) 54 VG- 3.5
Water damage.
Tales of Suspense (1959) 64 VG

Total sales so far of $641 for 10 of the 20 books. As compared to the $350 credit that the LCS offered me for all 20. I'm thinking ol Buddy might want this story for his newsletter.
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Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
just for fun I checked my MCS account today and it looks like a book sold on Feb 14th (today is the 15th) aren't they supposed to send an e-mail or something??

A decent one too - my Bat Adventures #12 in 8.0!
Post 52 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
just for fun I checked my MCS account today and it looks like a book sold on Feb 14th (today is the 15th) aren't they supposed to send an e-mail or something??

A decent one too - my Bat Adventures #12 in 8.0!


oooohhhhhh...if I could read I would be dangerous!! looks like everything is closed because Texas got some snow!

we are getting 25 to 30 centimeters tonight by Lake Ontario!! I can't do my math this late...10 to 12 inches??
Post 53 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
just for fun I checked my MCS account today and it looks like a book sold on Feb 14th (today is the 15th) aren't they supposed to send an e-mail or something??

A decent one too - my Bat Adventures #12 in 8.0!


oooohhhhhh...if I could read I would be dangerous!! looks like everything is closed because Texas got some snow!

we are getting 25 to 30 centimeters tonight by Lake Ontario!! I can't do my math this late...10 to 12 inches??

I never get a notice that a book has sold. I only get notices of new offers.
Post 54 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
@EbayMafia maybe that's why...this is the first time I've had a straight sale without an offer
Post 55 IP   flag post


Collector poka private msg quote post Address this user
@KatKomics agree with @EbayMafia . MCS does not send out notification of bin sales when they happen. Only when MCS pays the seller.
Post 56 IP   flag post
Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
@KatKomics to clarify and third, ebaymafia & Poka, mcs will send out a notification on a sale if buyer accepts your counter offer, but not when a buyer does a straight buy it now on you bin listing. Odd but true.
Post 57 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
lol..have to remember to pump the brakes every once in a while...have almost 40 books in with various promos and most will be making their way to MCS for sale....need to take a bit of a break on submissions and instead have sales so I can a) buy 1 or 2 books and b) send in more books to then sell and repeat the cycle!


so far my first MCS experiment is a positive one....12 books 87 days..with 5 sales so far.
The last 7 will be tough though.....WW1984 was a flop so 3 will likely either not move or will require steep discounts (go to auction?) or come back home? 2 Battman Family 6's (8.5 and 7) are over priced and I don't want back so auction down the road...Infinity Gauntlet 1 in 9.0 signed by Perez, Starlin and Rubinstein..don't actually think this is over priced....we get what 1 year free at MCS before they charge storage.....will hold out and if all else fails bring it back.
Post 58 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
so far my first MCS experiment is a positive one


@KatKomics Happy to help . It's kind of sad though that our transaction went through MCS and created an extra $95 in taxes and 3rd party fees. Each of us lost about $47 dollars there. I still want to find a way to do more buying and selling here on the forum. But I think for that to happen we would need to recruit a bigger pool of buyers and sellers as forum members.
Post 59 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
@EbayMafia for me the loss of access to the US means MCS is my only real outlet for now. Shipping from Canada is prohibitive (way too much $$$). I live close enough and work even closer to the border (well..when I worked in the office anyway) so in the before times I would just pop over on my lunch break or after work and mail books off (tacking on $5 to cover my tolls etc.!). I will admit though that I like MCS because it takes away dealing with unscrupulous ebay buyers.

One of my first sales years ago was a signed set of Scud : The Disposable Assassin.....after I got burned on that I never send anything without tracking or a required signature (preferably both!)

Maybe I'll try offering things up here first but my latest order MCS will pickup straight from CBCS (saving me both return postage and postage back to MCS!)

I see some have an MCS store?? not sure how to go about getting one of those....maybe it's a volume thing and the dozen or so books they will have of mine at any time will just blend into all the others available.
Post 60 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
@EbayMafia for me the loss of access to the US means MCS is my only real outlet for now. Shipping from Canada is prohibitive (way too much $$$)


Yeah I get it. I have even less excuse but unless it's a really expensive item I would rather just pay MCS to handle the packing and shipping and getting it there undamaged.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
I see some have an MCS store?? not sure how to go about getting one of those....maybe it's a volume thing and the dozen or so books they will have of mine at any time will just blend into all the others available


I have to assume that would help items get exposure.
Post 61 IP   flag post
Ima gonna steal this and look for some occasion to use it! IronMan private msg quote post Address this user
@KatKomics
I too have seen references to MCS stores for sellers, but have not been able to find any information on such. Anyone have a link or information?

I think I'm done with eBay. It might seem a minor thing, but eBay is now going to start collecting their fee on the SALES TAX that they collect when you are switched over to eBays new payment system. Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand. Charging 10% fee on the sales tax collected - $$ I never see - is just the final straw.
Post 62 IP   flag post
Collector poka private msg quote post Address this user
@IronMan to me the worst thing about managed payment is if there is a call back - ebay expects you to foot the bill - even when you have met all requirements from a seller perspective. Should be ebay who should foot that bill - it is part of the coverage of a processor fee but ebay has turned the processor into a risk free fee for them
Post 63 IP   flag post
Have I told you about the time I dropped off 3,000 comics at SDCC? Scifinator private msg quote post Address this user
@IronMan @KatKomics - don’t think there is anything published. As such, I don’t know what the base requirements might be. You’ll have to contact Este.
Post 64 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by IronMan
I think I'm done with eBay. It might seem a minor thing, but eBay is now going to start collecting their fee on the SALES TAX that they collect when you are switched over to eBays new payment system. Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand. Charging 10% fee on the sales tax collected - $$ I never see - is just the final straw.


@IronMan While I agree with you emotionally, I can't help but realize that there is a cost to Ebay of handling the sales tax issue. They have to collect it and remit it to the various states on a regular basis. So I can't really begrudge them charging an after-tax fee on total payment. However, I don't think that MCS charges their fees on an after-tax basis. It certainly creates an interesting situation where the total fees vary based on which state the buyer lives in. I think Ebay would be smarter to just build it into their fee structure and charge a flat fee regardless of the buyers location.
Post 65 IP   flag post
Ima gonna steal this and look for some occasion to use it! IronMan private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by EbayMafia
Quote:
Originally Posted by IronMan
I think I'm done with eBay. It might seem a minor thing, but eBay is now going to start collecting their fee on the SALES TAX that they collect when you are switched over to eBays new payment system. Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand. Charging 10% fee on the sales tax collected - $$ I never see - is just the final straw.


@IronMan While I agree with you emotionally, I can't help but realize that there is a cost to Ebay of handling the sales tax issue. They have to collect it and remit it to the various states on a regular basis. So I can't really begrudge them charging an after-tax fee on total payment. However, I don't think that MCS charges their fees on an after-tax basis. It certainly creates an interesting situation where the total fees vary based on which state the buyer lives in. I think Ebay would be smarter to just build it into their fee structure and charge a flat fee regardless of the buyers location.


Money is money and I should no doubt just look at the bottom line. I would accept higher final value fees much better than charging me for money I never even get a whiff of. It is an emotional thing. And sometimes just to be at peace with oneself you have to say "oh hell no". But truth is eBay isn't that important to me and my sales. While I always maintain half a dozen books just to sort of hold a place in the event I'm interested in using them, the truth is that eBay's only real appeal is getting paid quicker. MCS, ComicLink, ComicConnect, Pegigree all ultimately cost a bit less and do all the work for you. eBay wants me to switch over to managed payments on April 25th. The half a dozen books I have listed will be gone April 24.

If one is willing to list on eBay for years and have a store, you can develop some brand loyalty and following that you don't get on the other platforms. Comics4Less comes to mind. Which is why I'm interested in a "seller store" on MCS. But eBay stores take years of always listing new books to develop this loyalty, because the vast majority of buyers on eBay don't seem interested in following particular sellers. They are eBay customers, not any particular businesses customers.
Post 66 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
oooooOOOOOoooo....just noticed that MCS tells me that someone else has a raw book in the same grade up for auction....so if I add my CBCS book to the auction with luck I can steal their potential sale!!
Post 67 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
oooooOOOOOoooo....just noticed that MCS tells me that someone else has a raw book in the same grade up for auction....so if I add my CBCS book to the auction with luck I can steal their potential sale!!


If the value is in the hundreds I can almost guarantee that the raw book will sell for more than your CBCS graded book.
Post 68 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
so..how come 1 book is in the weekly auction and 1 is in the Prime auction? it only gave me the option to choose 'auction'
Post 69 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by EbayMafia
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
oooooOOOOOoooo....just noticed that MCS tells me that someone else has a raw book in the same grade up for auction....so if I add my CBCS book to the auction with luck I can steal their potential sale!!


If the value is in the hundreds I can almost guarantee that the raw book will sell for more than your CBCS graded book.


we'll see....it's only a $80 book...raw might go for more if people think they can press it higher..either way 3 months with no offers and it needs to go...don't really care too much at what price (Batman Family 6 in 7.0)

have the same book in 8.5 that I just dropped to $100 but would be ok with a bit less
Post 70 IP   flag post
Ima gonna steal this and look for some occasion to use it! IronMan private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by EbayMafia
Quote:
Originally Posted by KatKomics
oooooOOOOOoooo....just noticed that MCS tells me that someone else has a raw book in the same grade up for auction....so if I add my CBCS book to the auction with luck I can steal their potential sale!!


If the value is in the hundreds I can almost guarantee that the raw book will sell for more than your CBCS graded book.


Yep...Everyone plus their dogs know MCS is extremely strict in grading consignment books. Because everyone knows this, most sellers using the normal buy it now exchange type listing format still price their books at what they, THE SELLER thought they should grade. MCS set the grade, but the seller sets the price.

The auctions represent a chance to buy often overly strict graded raw books at whatever an open, competitive auction brings. This still - most of the time - ends up with books graded by MCS beating similarly graded slabbed books.
Post 71 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
wow, never looked at their auctions before...might have to consider sending some raw books or runs of raw books to off load!!
Post 72 IP   flag post
Collector Rafel private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by EbayMafia
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rafel
Good luck with your auctions. Your SGT. FURY 13 is one of my favorites. I have one graded by CBCS at a 7.0 and one being graded by CBCS. Do you know when the auction starts?


@Rafel A Sgt Fury 13 at 7.0 is a nice book to have...I've owned 5-6 copies, never owned one quite that nice.
I'm not really planning to auction any of these books. I plan to start the BIN's around FMV for my grades. This will most likely be above FMV for the grade that MCS gives them. Then I plan to either take offers or lower the BIN price by about 5% every 10 days. Anything that remains after 6 price reductions (60 days) will likely be put in auction. Thanks for asking.


I've sold at auction with mycomicshop and comiclink and I've had no problems with either. I think you'll like working with them.
Post 73 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Here's a thought on why you don't want to go straight to auction at MCS:
MCS lists your books on Ebay where they reach a much larger and far broader audience. If you go straight to auction you miss this opportunity of having your books presented on Ebay as well. You miss out on that large audience with a broadly mixed demographic. Yesterday a Daredevil V2 #9 (first Echo) in CGC 9.6 sold at Ebay auction for $510. Today that same book sold at MCS auction for $265. The MCS auction buyers probably are a much narrower demographic than Ebay...probably older and less international. Unless your books are tailored to that demographic, I would not suggest sending them to auction at MCS immediately...or ever maybe.
Post 74 IP   flag post
Suck it up, buttercup!! KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user
Comics is weird though!! Saw a 8.5 Batman Family #6 go at Heritage last week for $50 but someone took my buy it now price a MCS for $85 a day later...now as a BIN it would have had exposure on ebay...so maybe that helped?

Also just sold my Infinity Gauntlet #1 in 9.0 signed (Perez, Starlin and Rubinstein) thought I was maybe asking too much as there weren't even any offers since it got there 3 months ago...dropped the BIN a bit and bang! sold!!

Not doing too bad I think...12 books and only 4 left after 3 months

Should have a CBCS order back in the next month (in shipping now) so will be able to send more books to sell
Post 75 IP   flag post
SpongeBob Comics #1 sells for $991! Joosh private msg quote post Address this user
I’ve been selling more and more through MCS. The only books I’m hesitant to send them are the modern newsstand editions that MCS hasn’t broken out from their direct counterparts. CGC/CBCS haven’t notated many too.
There’s some significant value differences for these books and so I use eBay to list those for now. I’d love to just send MCS everything in confidence. eBay has become an ever increasing burden on small sellers. I joined eBay in 2002.
Post 76 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Anyone else checking out the MCS April Prime Auction? It's blowing my mind. So many books on my watchlist and I'm only like 7 pages into the 50 or so. There's an Albedo 2 in 8.5 remarqued, which may be one of the worst choices I've ever seen for an artists remarque (talk about gilding the Lily). I had a bid in for $2,500 that I knew of course would never last but it was fun for a day or two to imagine having to scrape that money together.
Post 77 IP   flag post
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by EbayMafia
Anyone else checking out the MCS April Prime Auction? It's blowing my mind. So many books on my watchlist and I'm only like 7 pages into the 50 or so. There's an Albedo 2 in 8.5 remarqued, which may be one of the worst choices I've ever seen for an artists remarque (talk about gilding the Lily). I had a bid in for $2,500 that I knew of course would never last but it was fun for a day or two to imagine having to scrape that money together.

Oh, wow ... yeah, that's way out of my league.

Maybe what you should do is set your sights a little bit lower? Have you considered a nice mid-grade Four Color #386? Or perhaps a 9.2 Silver Age FF with white pages? I hear they also have a 9.8 Strange Academy #1 ... In first, second, or third print varieties.
Post 78 IP   flag post
Masculinity takes a holiday. EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tedsaid
Maybe what you should do is set your sights a little bit lower? Have you considered a nice mid-grade Four Color #386? Or perhaps a 9.2 Silver Age FF with white pages? I hear they also have a 9.8 Strange Academy #1 ... In first, second, or third print varieties.


Well those are some fantastic suggestions! I saw the Four Color books but honestly I can't get past the Golden Age section of the auction.
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I'd like to say I still turned out alright, but that would be a lie. flanders private msg quote post Address this user
Sakai should be ashamed for what he did to that book. That completely ruins the cover for me. As an artist you would think he would refuse to do something like that and be aware that it ruins the aesthetics of the book. I have a decent amount on my watchlist, over 50, mostly CBCS and non-marvel, since I'm assuming everything else will be far too inflated for me to win anyway.

Out of all the books I've looked through there's one cover that I've never seen before and I'm drawn to it. Unfortunately, it may be out of my price range.


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