Most buyers DO NOT CARE about grade4980
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BabaLament If no one prices above guide or what customers are willing to pay, then you just have sold out inventory and frustrated buyers. People thought retailers were gouging in the 90's when comics would be selling for $10 the day after they came out. They really weren't. They'd sell out of a comic for $2.50. Customers would be lined up asking for the sold out comic. The retailer would find a customer willing to sell back their comic for what they'd paid. The retailer would mark the comic up 50% and sell his to someone for $5. Customers were still demanding copies, so they get someone to sell the copy back for $5. The retailer would flip the comic for $10. There were still lines of customers wanting the comic and they were willing to pay more because they saw it going up in value. The demand drove up the prices. The rate at which prices increased could be estimated pretty accurately. Eventually retailer would split the difference between where the price was going and where it was at a specific moment. It was easier to keep customers happy by having hot items available rather than selling out and just having frustrated customers. |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BabaLament I'm an inspector, so I've seen how packages arrived for over 20 years. They treat packages worse. They do it in less time and they are dead serious when they hand you the package. My favorite was a square box that was received round. You could roll it on the floor. The $600 part inside was damaged beyond repair. I think Fed Ex delivered it and didn't want to pay the freight claim. Typical. A forklift's fork can go through a box. You can see the puncture shape and have a very good idea what caused the hole. Unless you saw the fork go through the box, the insurance company will take the stance that it didn't happen. |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Everyone wants the nicest copy they can get at an affordable price. If you go to the grocery store, you push aside the damaged box of Kraft Macaroni and cheese and you buy the one that wasn't crushed. | ||
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TommyJasmin private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by comic_book_man Actually, print runs are not huge these days. Pretty dismal really, compared to yesteryear. A good seller is 100,000 copies. That's top 5 for the month. When you have the current titles of Hulk, Ms. Marvel, Hellblazer, and so on selling way under 20,000 copies, that's not huge at all. There is something to what Doc says, of course, but I don't think I'd say "most". If that were true, we would not be writing on this forum right now. As far as eBay, the people who care find dealers who grade acceptably, and then tag them as a fave. Why would I compete with a million other people week in and week out with new dealers who's grading I know little or nothing about? And I guarantee most people buying unslabbed from Heritage care very much about grade, and know very well their catalogers and graders are damn good. So good I often see unslabbed pricing in my Nostomania sales data higher than slabbed pricing for the same book in the same grade. I can give examples if needed. I first noticed this trend back in 2010. I know what Doc will say here "this actually supports my point". Since the person(s) buying these books care more about the interior than the grade :-) Before I go on too big a rant I should probably read his entire post ;-) |
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TommyJasmin private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BabaLament Amen brother. You have no idea how much I wish that, since Nostomania supports both (track your comic collection and coin collection in one place!), as well as magazines, now that CGC grades 'em and hopefully these folks will soon as well. As a kid those were my two biggies - coins and comics, though at times I collected pretty much anything, stamps, beer cans, rocks (wow). I'd be walking along, "hey, cool rock, I think I'll keep it! :-) |
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CopperAgeKids private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Pro-tip for all who receive damaged or books: A lot of sellers, especially sellers who do not primarily sell comics, simply do not know how to properly handle books and pack them. When I pay for a book(s), I include a note requesting a revised total including bubblewrapped, boxed shipping. Basically, I include a note offering to pay an extra $5 or do for packaging/handling costs, on top of what the seller has down for s/h. It is a copy/paste, that I send to everyone that I buy comics from. I also ask for extra boards, in each bag.This is also a biggie. If I buy lots, I request that the key books be placed in the middle of the stack, and so on. After I send the note w/payment, I immediately send a follow up message asking for confirmation that my note has been received. My wording is inordinately polite/respectful. I have yet to get screwed on a buy. I have never had to return a book or ask for a partial refund. Out of an average of 50 comic(s) purchases per year, since as far back as I can remember. I also am super-duper, exquisitely just damn good at judging a books' grade by pics or scans. A sellers' assigned grade means next to nothing at all to me. FWIW, the bulk of the people I buy from are not "comic dealers".....they are by far, the best people to buy from. Or if they are dealers, they are not Johnny on the spot when it comes to obscure/in demand/hot books. |
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JustABitEvil private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BabaLament My father worked for USPS for 30+ years, I thought he was gonna die laughing when I showed him that. |
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by TommyJasmin Sure we would. Graded comics are a niche of a niche. Walk into a comic book store...a rarity these days...and count the number of graded books. Then go to a con, and count the number of sellers who sell graded books. If graded comics represent more than 1% of the combined sales of back issues in a year, I'd be very, very surprised. Graded books just get the press because they're $$$ and glamorous. It's most. Really. As someone who's bought and sold over a hundred thousand comics, and handled quite a bit more...it's most. Quote: Originally Posted by TJ And if those dealers aren't selling what you're looking for, you're out of luck. Even the biggest eBay comics dealers don't have multiple copies of pretty much anything for sale at any one time. Quote: Originally Posted by tj Heritage's focus is the high end comics market. Heritage caters to those people, not the casual buyer of comics. It's not even close. The overwhelming majority of back issue comics are sold to people who want to read them or casually collect them. And those people DO NOT care about condition, so it's something that the people who DO care about condition need to keep firmly in mind at all times, so that, as they say in corporate-ese, "expectations are managed." |
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 Granted. However, there's a substantial difference between a crushed box, and a box that has a scuff, or a small tear that doesn't compromise the contents, or a slightly crunched corner, or a small crease in the side. That's where the vast majority of comics buyers live. So long as it's not a "crushed box", it doesn't matter. To put it in comic book terms: no one's going to buy a comic with the cover torn off if they have an option. However...if the bottom corner is dented, or there are some spine stress marks from sitting in a rack or on a shelf...no big deal. The people who go out with their 20x jeweler's loupes, looking for perfection...that's me...are a teeny, tiny fraction of the market. My post was to encourage THOSE people, because it's something that would have helped me out tremendously had I understood that 20 years ago. |
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JustABitEvil private msg quote post Address this user | |
| rocks (wow). I'd be walking along, "hey, cool rock, I think I'll keep it! :-) I kept my rock collection in a box in a drawer, a BIG box in a large drawer and my mother went to put my laundry away once and she didn't know what was in that drawer, it fell out and broke her foot. My parents encouraged comics after that. |
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CopperAgeKids And humble. Don't forget humble. |
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JustABitEvil private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I've never bought a comic on eBay, I'd heard to many horror stories and while I have purchased books from mycomicshop.com I generally prefer the "hands on" approach. As for me personally, DocBrown is mostly correct. While I think it unfair to say that I don't care about condition it is not my top priority. I have a wife, mortgage and 3 kids so the fact that I get to collect vintage comics has to balance with the fact that those other people need food, clothes etc. This makes FN_2199's comment about chasing the price range 100% correct. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to have a wall of slabbed 9+ books and all 600 issues of UXM in mint/nm condition and maybe someday I will. But for now give me flea markets and Holiday Inn Cons and dirty, beat up comics that are almost as old as my father because I'm having fun finding them. | ||
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 I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Im completely OCD on Condition First. I'll even pay a premium to obtain High Grade copies of books I want or need. This does make it more difficult in the sea of overgraders. | ||
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CopperAgeKids private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown Eh, yeah...thst, too  🤣.....but with how I worded that, a bit of levity kinda goes along with it. |
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det_tobor private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown In the mid 60s, a guy on the next block was almost a dealer while he was in school. I bought older comics from him when I could save enough. Many, many months later he wanted to sell me a hard to find book in great shape EXCEPT IT HAD NO COVER. He said the cover didn't matter. Even with me being in school, I knew that was a lie and never talked to him again. There are far too many people who want to rip your pockets open with as little concern as possible to get anything you have. |
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thelastbard private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by TommyJasmin I've had to cut back on what I'm collecting, ha ha... Toys (too many different kinds), records, comics, t-shirts, books of certain types (not collectable, just amassing), stamps for a while, coins here and there, and and and... Donated all but some "key" toys, donated all but 200-ish shirts, stopped buying books except ones I know I'll read at the time, and now I'm down to comics and records... Comics started 30+ years ago seriously and records started 25+ years ago seriously, though, based on my house, you'd be able to see that comics are the dominant.  At what point when we're collecting SO many different things do we start to look like hoarders, ha ha... |
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thelastbard private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 I'm a supply chain guy... Worked in and around logistics companies, freight forwarding, whatever for 25 years now. HORROR STORIES galore (cables up to 100" tall mainframe computers). People don't know how to protect their packages against the "wears of the road", which, more often than not, is the number of "touches" happen along the way and the potential for a random drop kick or poke from a stray knife, bullet, or forklift... Sometimes, $@&# happens, but as collectors, we know the best defense is a good offense - bombproof that $#%@!!! If they don't want to pay for it, they'd better not raise a stink if it doesn't arrive perfect! YOU didn't want to pay for better shipping and YOU didn't want to pay for insurance, jackhole! I try not to leave an option in listings, or roll it into the minimum listing price. Eat a little bit sometimes for peace of mind. |
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BabaLament private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by thelastbard If I ever manage to save enough money to "live the dream" and open my very own LCS, if I do anything via mail order, I'm going to build decent shipping into the cost of the book. There are those who will whine, which is ok; I have very good headphones and a wide variety of music to drown it out. Then there are those who will appreciate the effort and pay without complaint; they shall receive prompt service. Of course, if I ever come across something uber-valuable, like Action Comics #1 or whatnot, that lil' guy is going to CBCS in a Pelican case via Wells Fargo armored car. |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown Well, I'm always amazed when someone buys comics from someone on eBay that's selling sewing patterns or porcelain figurines and they expect Mint comics. Comics are quite obviously NOT the seller's prime focus or expertise. I like the ads or auctions that say "MINT... still in the original plastic bag". If the comic wasn't shipped from the printer in a polybag, that's a clue that the seller knows absolutely nothing about comics. Do not expect a mint comic to arrive. |
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shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 Bought a $20 book from a guy once that had obviously never sold a comic before. Got it for a song compared to value, or so I thought. Bad pic but looked NM. It arrived rolled up, wrapped in several layers of newspaper, in a walmart bag, Beat to shit. I had to laugh. It wasnt actually even worth the $20. Did not return it, and left good feedback. He tried his best lol On the other hand, if a comic store sells me a book thats listed as NM, shows zero defects in the pictures, and it shows up with spine dings at an easy 9.0, you bet I’m returning it. They know better. |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by thelastbard I'm sitting on $70,000 dollars worth of denied freight claims at work and I can't get people to sign the scrap authorizations. The material is no good, but management thinks that they are magically going to find a way to get some money out of it. If it's not protected properly, it will get damaged. When a truck hits the brakes at 60mph and that box with a 30lb transformer... and it slides into your comic mailing envelope... whose fault is it that the comic is damaged? It's not the carrier. It's not the transformer manufacturer. It's your fault for thinking that a mailer envelope was enough to protect it during NORMAL transportation conditions. F=ma Force equals mass times acceleration. The mass of something heavy is going to be multiplied by 60 (mph) and move against the object you are trying to protect when a driver hits the brakes. It may tilt forward and the corner of that heavy box puncture yours. This is a NORMAL risk when you allow a package to be placed upon a truck. Within reason, you have to prepare for a worst case scenario when protecting your package. |
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CopperAgeKids private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 Nah, those are the best guys to buy from. |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CopperAgeKids You can get good deals, but if you are taking their word that something is "Mint", you will be sorely disappointed. |
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CopperAgeKids private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 Brother, I don't take anyome's word on a book's grade. "Thine own eyes do not deceive you." Othee than that sagely old adage, all I can say is that...well, I besiege the lot of you to employ my patented, trademark pending "3 STAGE CAK ATTACK" approach to buying books off eBay. The only other cat I know that straight up P'Owns as many sucka's on eBay as I do is mah man ,Aweandlorder ,from the CGC Forums.....that cat is roofless. |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 p=ma, Momentum = mass time velocity. Acceleration is a constant change in velocity which is sort of what is happening when the 30 lbs transformer slams into your comic protected by an envelope protected by weak cardboard. Technically the force is the reduction in velocity of the 30 lbs object as it crushes the comic...which is not much as the comic will provide little resistance in reducing (decelerating) the 30 lbs object...which is your point that comics get destroyed because it doesn't take much force to crumple those packages. |
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DocBrown private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CopperAgeKids Did his house get caught in a tornado...? Poor guy, no one should be without a roof. Speaking of "Aweandlorder", he's yet another of the millions who cannot handle being challenged about anything. I have no respect for people who shut down the discussion just because someone disagrees with them. As far as "p'owning" goes (it would be "pwns", by the way), I expect you'll find in the end that the most successful keep their mouths shut about it, and don't go bragging about it on internet chat boards. |
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shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user | |
| The proper nomenclature is pwned. Because |>|Z()848!|_!+’/ |
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shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DocBrown This is interesting, given that this very morning I rec’d a package from amazon, with a return option through amazon, in an amazon package, although I purchased it on ebay. I cant imagine Amazon is ok with this...  |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Drogio Sometimes those trucks have to slam on their brakes hard in our traffic. People cut them off. I haven't taken physic since high school, but I've seen some nasty damage on expensive materials. I've said it elsewhere, but UPS used to roll up to our dock and the shelves on the truck were empty and all the boxes were in a pile on the floor of the truck. I think there is some negligence in those cases, but you aren't going to be able to prove it. |
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BLBcomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Slabbed comics are "Certified" to be in the stated grade as encapsulated. It is sadly funny the slab trip gig has appropriated the word "graded" as its own personal fiefdom. And all else is relegated as "raw" which in some minds implies without even any protection at all. Even a bag & board. Much less uncooked I get inquiries from time to time asking if my books are graded. To which I reply ALL my comics & stuff are graded but of course. |
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