Should I be offended?9437
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 Collector
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Donnied private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I've been a full time collector /part time dealer for close to 40 years. Should I be offended when a potential buyer offers to buy all the comics I have that are hot sellers, key issues, first appearances, #1's etc., and is not interested in anything else? And is willing to pay as much as 25 or 30% of low guide (which guide?) to take them off my hands. If super hot, they may be willing to pay half! Do these people just automatically assume I'm an easy mark because they have no idea of my age or background? Especially irritating when they describe themselves as a "serious buyer". Its funny how my prices go up for these idiots. | ||
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 Collector
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ninjarobert private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Resellers looking for quick flip and profit. Would think collectors are more realistic |
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 I'll probably wake up constipated.
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Pre_Coder private msg quote post Address this user | |
No need to be offended. Just say YES or NO!  |
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 Beaten by boat oars
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Studley_Dudley private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I just tell them to piss off or if it's through eBay, I counter with an offer that is well above my asking price. | ||
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 I've spent years perfecting my brand of assholery.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
| It's not that they think you're stupid. It's that they are so dumb that they actually believe that their dumbassery is going to win them a "sweet score" that they can quickly flip and use the proceeds to go by more weed. | ||
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Collector
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Donnied private msg quote post Address this user | |
| The more arrogant the buyer the lower the discount goes or the higher the price gets! I love hearing them say good luck selling a book, and then telling them its sold when they come back with a better offer. Too late! | ||
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Collector
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Rafel private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied. I took about 20 raw (bag and boarded) comic books to shop to see what they would give me and the "Kid" behind the counter looked at them and with a straight face said he wasn't authorized to spend more then $20.00 but would give me $20.00 ($1.00 each) for them. I said no and left. Just one of my books is HULK 102 which later on I had CBCS grade and it came back as a 9.6 !! Later on I saw the owner of that shop and told him I wasn't to happy with his employee. Offended... no. Disappointed that he tried to cheat me ... YES. |
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 Collector
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied First issue is that many comic shops can't afford to offer more than they do. Their cash is tied up in new comics and inventory they can't sell. The second issue is that even if they can afford to pay more, they are probably going to put it in a store rather than sell it immediately on eBay. That means the comics will sit around like a rock making the wall on their store look pretty while they pay monthly rent to display it. The third issue is that all those non-keys might sit in their store for decades, not months or years. I don't know why many of the stores even stay open these days. Unless they are turning their inventory at a high rate, all they are doing is paying a high rate to rent the space it occupies. |
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Collector
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied If you've been dealing in comics 40 years, is it reasonable to assume that most of the comics you own are from 1979 or newer? What percentage are 80's comics? There used to be a guy who walked around with a short box at shows trying to sell his comics. The dealers would see the weird esoteric stuff in his boxes and just say they weren't interested. I would thumb through his box and pick out some rare and obscure stuff. Even in beat up condition, his stuff was so unusual, I knew I could sell it. I'd offer the guy 4 times what any other dealer would offer him -- if they were even willing to offer him anything. I would quadruple my money on the things I bought. Most of the other dealers didn't even know what the stuff was. I remember buying a Strangers in Paradise #1 from him right before the series got hot. I gave the guy $10. I showed another dealer what I got. He said "What is it?" I said "Nevermind." I shook my head walked off. I sold the book for $60 about 3 months later. I wasn't even trying to sell it. I was thinking about keeping it for myself. |
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 If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied Sounds like a 'standard' comic shop buy offer to me. It's a little offensive in that you know the person is going to turn around and sell it for 100% of whatever guide they have, but it's also the business model. I think you go with a polite no unless you want to start negotiating from there. |
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Collector
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Donnied private msg quote post Address this user | |
| All but a couple dozen of my comics are 50's, 60's and 70's. I sold off the newer 80's stuff years ago (should have kept some of it actually). | ||
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 Collector
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doog private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Pre EBay, a lot of the long term collectors I knew would sell books well below full retail. There were far fewer “flippers”. The concept was “I made money, you can get a deal, someday you will have something I want, and you will cut me a deal too” The more you spent, the better the deal. Now there are tons of vultures going through your boxes, looking for mistakes, or playing some serious low ball games. Some of those guys make their entire living off books, they can never pay retail. Some are just creeps |
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Collector
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied So it wasn't junk. LOL! Many surviving comic shops only cater to readers of new comics. Even though the stuff sounds like cool stuff, the shop might not have the clientele walking in the door to buy it. I think back to a store I used to go to. They had Marvel comics from the early 60's that sat in their boxes for a decade until the store closed. I was interested in some of the stuff, but I kept waiting because there was other stuff I wanted more. After they closed, I kick myself for not buying some of it because no shops in the area even carry stuff like that now. |
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I've spent years perfecting my brand of assholery.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied I know! When I worked with Dale Roberts Comics, nothing made me more happy than someone telling me that a discounted comic price was too high and good luck selling it, then coming back to buy it at the discounted price, and it already sold to someone else. |
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 Collector
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moodswing private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I still don't understand why people get offended when someone "low balls them". Buyers are trying to pay the lowest price and sellers are trying to get the most money. This is especially the case if you are selling to another person who plans on flipping them. If you get a low offer just take 1 minute and respond with what you want and move on. A no thanks, I want this much for a the comics, thanks for your interest is all you really need. Perhaps you can convince the buyer to offer more. If not, wait for another buyer. I don't sweat low offers. I have several items on ebay (not comics) and would love to even get a low ball offer on them ha. |
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I've spent years perfecting my brand of assholery.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
| It gets offensive after you've been on your feet for anywhere from eight to twelve hours a day for three, four, or more days straight, you haven't eaten since breakfast at 8 am, you have to piss like a race horse but you can't leave the booth, and you've been low balled on the hottest comic book on your wall for the eleventy millionth time that weekend or week by the same backwards-ball-cap-wearing, my-dad-used-to-have-that-issue, I-need-that-for-my-collection, cool bro flipper who can't afford it at the price he's offering but just wants to see if you would accept it anyway. That's when it gets offensive. Of course, if you're armchair selling on eBay and only have to click a button or two, then I guess it wouldn't be that big of deal. |
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 Collector
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CatCovers private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Lowball offers on eBay aren't a big deal except for those who won't let it go. A couple times I've turned down several offers in a row only to have the lowballer message me to ask what's the lowest price I'll accept for the item. When I respond by asking what's the most they'll pay, I usually never hear back. My favorite was the buyer who sent me an insulting lowball offer. I turned it down and he immediately sent another offer for like $1 more. That repeated a couple of times until I sent a note along telling him he'll need to make a significant improvement before we could negotiate. I got a huffy note back from him reading (and I quote - I memorized the damn thing it was so ballsy) "My business is buying and selling these books. I can't make a profit if I pay you what it's worth. You will have to sell it to me at the price I'm offering." I wrote back with this: "Thank you for the explanation. But what you failed to explain is how that's in any way my problem." Guess who got added to my blocked buyer list? |
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 Collector
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MR_SigS private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CatCovers Oh, so he's the one that's in that business. I was wondering who it was. |
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Collector
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DrWatson There used to be a comic shop in town that also sold records. At one point they were selling a hard to find picture sleeve to a Beatles 45rpm record. It was just the sleeve, no record. A regular customer was staring at it and whining about the price. The manager was getting annoyed. Finally, the customer says will you take half of that. The manager ripped it in two and says "Which half do you want?" The customer was horrified, but I guess he got the point. |
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 To answer your question, no, this is not where the comics go to die.
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MutantMania private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I am also a full time collector part time dealer / reseller for over 33 years. I just had about the same thing happen with the 13,000 + comics I am trying to sell. The guy said there was probably no keys or anything special in the collection and said he could be generous and offer me $3000 for everything without even seeing them. Stuff and people like that used to bug me but now I just laugh, block their email,and move on. Life is to short and it's not worth my time. | ||
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 I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by moodswing Exactly. I always find it amusing that sellers seem to think they are entitled to get certain prices for books based on past sales, and you may very well indeed get that price. Nobody owes you a profit. The bottom line..... Comic Books like any other collectable are ONLY worth what someone is willing to give for them. Not what someone previous gave for them. There are plenty of sellers on the flip side who put ridiculous prices up fishing for unsuspecting naive buyers with more money than brains. I especially love low balling these guys! Surprising how many have actually accepted. |
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DrWatson "eleventy millionth time"? That sounds like just about everyone Doc! Buying is easy, Selling is indeed work, but again nobody owes you a set price or a profit, just the opportunity to entertain offers until you find the right buyer, which may or may not ever happen. How about I buy you breakfast and a piss jug for the book? |
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 PEDIGREED... Again!
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martymann private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Doesn't sound like too much fun trying to sell books,,,can only imagine what I would be in for if I tried to sell any of my collection. Marty |
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Collector
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doog private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by martymann It’s actually kind of fun, Marty. Been selling on EBay about 10 years, and doing a couple cons a year as well. The time will come however when I decide to start selling the “good stuff” the keys, the #1’s, the pre code horror etc. I know that stuff will sell quickly and well, but the sense of loss will be profound. My only weird thing now is I get unsolicited best offers on EBay, and I never use the best offer option. I just say, “I don’t do best offers, thanks |
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by doog The problem with the unsolicited Ebay offers is that Ebay has decided whats in your best interest and takes it upon themselves to change your listings to include "Best offer" and acts like they are doing you a favor. Ive complained multiple times to Ebay to QUIT changing my listings to include "Best Offer". If i wanted it listed that way I would have chosen that option. It always just falls on deaf ears. |
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Collector
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Donnied private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Sorry BigRed but you missed the entire point of the post. It had nothing to do with any offers that I had received, low ball or not. The point was the demeaning arrogance of the buyer. I don't mind a low offer but if a buyer is going to be an jerk about it, he can go to hell. I've bought comics from people before and was always respectful about it. Once, while set up at a con I had a man bring by a pile of comics to ask if I was interested. I was friendly and respectful and talked to him about what he had. I made him the best offer I could afford, but said he should talk to other booths first to get an idea of what they might pay. A little while later he came to me and said he would take my offer over a higher offer from another dealer, who was an ass to him. He even yelled to the dealer while I was paying him to tell the rude guy what he thought about his attitude. It pays to be nice, something lost in this world it seems. | ||
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Donnied Sorry Donnied I didn't see anything in your post above suggesting the rude, obnoxious, assholes that do seem to have a presence in the hobby. Absolutely they can take a hike..... ANY offer I made for a book, Low ball or not is done with a legitimate respect in trying to come to a reasonable price in hopes of making a successful deal for both buyer and seller. Always Thank the seller for their time and consideration. Indeed a little kindness can go a long way, regardless weather a deal is struck or not. I did over look your other comments earlier, which your are spot on with. |
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