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When a LCS asks 2x Market Value . . .?3173

Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
I want to support brick & Mortar comic shops. I want to keep them in business. But the shop near where I am on vacation is asking over two times the fair market value on their key books.

A book I can click "Buy It Now" (or best offer!) on e-Bay for $1100, is $2300 in the shop.

I understand overhead. I get that I'd have to pay more than what I'd pay on e-Bay so he can stay in business. But it would be stupid to pay twice Market value. A twenty percent mark up would be somewhat reasonable.

The thing is, I can't even negotiate at that price point. If I offer half his asking price, it's insulting. If I tell the owner his price is 2x what it sells for online, it would probably piss him off.

Of course, the logical thing to do is to simply take my business elsewhere.

Do you guys see this level of price inflation at your LCS?
Post 1 IP   flag post
COLLECTOR DarthLego private msg quote post Address this user
Did you buy the eBay one yet?
Post 2 IP   flag post
Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
No. It was just a for instance. But I'd be super tempted if I could take it home today. I'd just tell the wife she doesn't have to get me an anniversary gift this year. šŸ˜„
Post 3 IP   flag post
I had no way of knowing that 9.8 graded copies signed by Adam Hughes weren't what you were looking for. drchaos private msg quote post Address this user
If the wall books are over-priced the easy answer is don't buy them.

Instead check out the bins to see if there are better deals to be found on the other back issues.
Post 4 IP   flag post
Collector X51 private msg quote post Address this user
It's not inflation. You are paying for the convenience of being able to buy locally. Comic shops are paying thousands of dollars in overhead. The jacked up prices are not going to their profit. It's going to pay the fixed expenses of running a business.
Post 5 IP   flag post
Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
But a $1,000+ Convenience charge?
Post 6 IP   flag post
COLLECTOR DarthLego private msg quote post Address this user
Maybe they should charge a monthly membership door fee to cover overhead, and membership gets you actual prices that are not marked up crazy? Let's think outside the box LCS owners.
Post 7 IP   flag post
Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by drchaos
If the wall books are over-priced the easy answer is don't buy them.

Instead check out the bins to see if there are better deals to be found on the other back issues.


This is the plan. šŸ‘šŸ¼
Post 8 IP   flag post
Collector X51 private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by 00slim
But a $1,000+ Convenience charge?


It's a bit much, but he's not going to sell high dollar stuff immediately to his customers buying their weekly $4 comics.

He's probably showing off that he has an expensive key book and he's using it as bait to get people to know he has it and come back to drool over it. I had a shop owner admit that he didn't want to sell his Luke Cage Hero For Hire #1. I was going to buy it as an extra copy, but he wanted too much.In all honesty, it was the coolest book he had on display.
Post 9 IP   flag post
Collector rckstr1253 private msg quote post Address this user
Wow the LCS by me had Ben reilly the scarlet spider Campbell variant for $80 the day it came out and the land variant for $50. I was like nope and went to a different shop for it.
Post 10 IP   flag post
Collector andy49 private msg quote post Address this user
show the guy the online book, offer him an extra 20%, if he wants to sell it, then he will
Post 11 IP   flag post
Collector Deadpoolica private msg quote post Address this user
See it all the time...just a way to let me know I don't need to shop there
Post 12 IP   flag post
Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by andy49
show the guy the online book, offer him an extra 20%, if he wants to sell it, then he will


I was considering this.
Post 13 IP   flag post
COLLECTOR JLS_Comics private msg quote post Address this user
Nope ... that's just ridiculous
Post 14 IP   flag post
Iā€™m not an ant. Iā€™m a rootin tootin Hornet! Zombie_Head private msg quote post Address this user
It's the same here also!!!
Post 15 IP   flag post
Collector DarthKribs private msg quote post Address this user
Yep! My LCS puts keys up for big bucks. Even new variants go for huge mark ups.
Post 16 IP   flag post
Collector Arikhan private msg quote post Address this user
For a book that price I would usually just get it online from a reputable dealer. I have found success at many LCS by trying to bundle items with over priced wall books. If I get more than two or three books I can usually negotiate the total price down 35 to 45 percent from what they are asking.
Post 17 IP   flag post
Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
I usually bundle that way at Cons. That would be a great strategy if he had 3-4 Wall books I wanted. šŸ‘šŸ¼
Post 18 IP   flag post
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user
My advice is, don't buy for charity from an LCS. Buy from him/her if you can get it for the same price elsewhere, to support them, which I think is a great idea. (Or even close to the same price.) I love my LCS and I'd do that all day long. But I also like mail order from Atomic Empire for 30% off on the new books. (They are a "LCS" too, just in a different city. And they always do a great job.) My local guy knows I get mine online, and won't buy his until they are discounted, and he's okay with that.

Anyway, the comic shops with overpriced comics have them that way because, if they were cheaper, they'd sell all their stock too fast. Then you'd be complaining that they never have anything good. :-)

I never mind someone trying to sell something for too much; I just don't buy it.
Post 19 IP   flag post
COLLECTOR Wolverine private msg quote post Address this user
I've seen a lot of times at different LCS that they overpaid for issues and now are trying to recoup what they lost on buying the book. 2 times the amount of market value sounds more like trying to get money back then overhead costs.

But like TESAID said, your Can't overpay by that much just to support them. Offer them a fair price and if they decline then get the one that's the better price for you
Post 20 IP   flag post
Collector Drogio private msg quote post Address this user
are these raw or graded comics? I find my lcs has everything overpriced (if I consider eBay the standard) however for raw books eBay is a risk...and sometimes eBay sellers will "overgrade" but still price it at its true grade. For example, the online price you saw may state the issue is "very fine" but the seller applied a price equivalent to "fine" with hope that the buyer either will not be able to distinguish the difference or care because "they got a great deal." And "grading is subjective" disclaimers are common with those sellers.

See it all the time. Most lcs will allow you to examine the book with the owners supervision for higher priced ones. You don't get that online unless the seller offers returns and you're paying for shipment back and forth plus insurance. Which goes back to "buy only from reputable online dealers who offer full refunds".

I also agree that some lcs overprice items because they don't really want to sell them, but if someone does "bite" they'll gladly take it and replace it with another one at the lower online price...thus making a profit without losing anything.
Post 21 IP   flag post
Collector 00slim private msg quote post Address this user
@Drogio The book I'm referring to is slabbed. šŸ‘šŸ¼
Post 22 IP   flag post
Collector 50AE_DE private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by 00slim
I want to support brick & Mortar comic shops. I want to keep them in business. But the shop near where I am on vacation is asking over two times the fair market value on their key books.

A book I can click "Buy It Now" (or best offer!) on e-Bay for $1100, is $2300 in the shop.

I understand overhead. I get that I'd have to pay more than what I'd pay on e-Bay so he can stay in business. But it would be stupid to pay twice Market value. A twenty percent mark up would be somewhat reasonable.

The thing is, I can't even negotiate at that price point. If I offer half his asking price, it's insulting. If I tell the owner his price is 2x what it sells for online, it would probably piss him off.

Of course, the logical thing to do is to simply take my business elsewhere.

Do you guys see this level of price inflation at your LCS?


I don't know if this is the case for your situation, but maybe this particular store gets a lot of travelers or buyers from out of the area and the shop owner has his price set higher to discourage cherry picking from non-locals.

A local LCS I shop at would charge me straight sticker price for books, but once I was an established customer, he wound up giving me 30-50% off the price of the entire purchase plus there would be room to negotiate even after he gave me a price.
Post 23 IP   flag post
Collector bennyb86 private msg quote post Address this user
Same, the shops near me act like all books are Action #1 9.8s in regards to pricing. I don't even look at the wall or slabs anymore just the bargin bins hoping for buried treasure.
Post 24 IP   flag post
COLLECTOR conditionfreak private msg quote post Address this user
I buy from anyone anywhere, for one of two reasons.

1. I want that book and am willing to pay what they are asking.

2. I don't want their book at their price, but will find it elsewhere at a more comfortable price.

Or do without.

I don't buy from any company to support them. I will buy from a kid selling lemonade or an elderly woman holding a garage sale, just to support them.

But not a business.

How much you gonna get for that book if you go out of business, sir?
Post 25 IP   flag post
Collector KiloGraham private msg quote post Address this user
Brick and mortar stores don't need to exist nowadays. If a shop owner tried to tell me they charge more for their merchandise because they have rent and overhead I'd tell them that it's their choice to operate a store instead of an online business. Just like its the customers choice to buy or not to buy.
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