"if you feel like moving it, let me know" - a Poll.

[suspense39]

I've never really had anyone leave either of those comments on the public comments below the artwork, but i have gotten private messages stating the same.....and truthfully i don't even know why they bother.....on the few occasions i did want to sell and contacted them they never responded. I'm pretty certain that this has happened to a fair number of boardies

 

A little off subject.....Maybe this is just me, but if im trying to pull something from someones collection I'm going to offer at least 25% over retail or comps, why open your mouth unless you're going to back it up?

[BCarter27]

I think phrasing like "moving it" or even "Hey, this is my new pickup... " are just a tendency to not include words like "buy" and "sell" as those can feel very mercenary. I think we all like taking the focus off of the money involved in the hobby.

[Bronty]

I've never really had anyone leave either of those comments on the public comments below the artwork, but i have gotten private messages stating the same.....and truthfully i don't even know why they bother.....on the few occasions i did want to sell and contacted them they never responded. I'm pretty certain that this has happened to a fair number of boardies

 

A little off subject.....Maybe this is just me, but if im trying to pull something from someones collection I'm going to offer at least 25% over retail or comps, why open your mouth unless you're going to back it up?

 

 

Appreciate all the feedback. I'll leave it at this, but it was never my intention to make this about CAF comments specifically. For the sake of the discussion, I was picturing anything from that to - someone knows you own something and hits you up about it via email five years later. The public comments on CAF at the time a piece is posted I look into less as well since those are just placeholder comments for some uncertain time years from now. Maybe a message on Facebook amounts to the same thing but I don't see it that way since those messages drop off and are ineffective as placeholders

[batman_fan]

I put in the crack option mostly because I don't like either. Does it mean if I ever consider selling I need to give them first option to buy it? If someone is interested, they should let me know via email rather than marking my page like a dog whizzing on a tree.

[Bill C]

I don't personally see much difference. I wouldn't be irked at messages like those either.

 

Had a number of people ask me if stuff was for sale. No biggie, flattering if anything I guess. Did have one gentleman approach with not only a specific offer, but a strong one- so of course that got more immediate attention.

 

Did have one guy give a real lowball offer on a cover but there was a legitimate chance he did not have an idea of FMV.

 

Only time I got slightly miffed was when one guy wanted a piece I had- after I told him it wasn't for sale he started crying/bragging that he knew the artist and that the piece was stolen. Funny how the alleged theft wouldn't have bothered him if I sold it to him. At any rate my bases were covered and I only bought the piece after getting approval from said artist, who I had done business with in the past and was able to talk frank with. I made sure the fan knew he wasn't the only one who knows artists.

[IngelsFan]

A little off subject.....Maybe this is just me, but if im trying to pull something from someones collection I'm going to offer at least 25% over retail or comps, why open your mouth unless you're going to back it up?

 

If a piece that I am after is in someone else's gallery, especially if it's marked NSF, I'm going to assume that it will take anywhere from "X% over market" to "stupid money" to pry it loose, and make my offer accordingly. By the way, I've been fairly successful doing this; the times that weren't successful fall into one of three categories: 1) I never received a response back. 2) the seller politely said "sorry, it's a keeper". Then there's 3) where the owner's amount to purchase it was higher over market than I was willing to go. At the end of the day though, I still got to talk art with people of like interests, so it's win/win even when i don't walk away with the art.

[Panelfan1]

It's hard to tell intent from text alone. Tone and facial expression help in real life but in messages it's tough to read. That's why I would give the benefit of the doubt and talk to folks. Even if I don't really want to "move" a piece, I love interacting with others in the hobby. Knowing who is interested in your art and keeping on friendly terms could lead to positive experiences for everyone involved.

[Panelfan1]

On the topic of NSF, on CAF - it's a default setting. Sometimes I wonder how many folks might actually not mind selling but we're too lazy to change the setting. For those that do take the time to say things such as "permanent collection" or "Hell NO" - I take them at their word and abstain from making offers.

[AKA Rick]

I would simply respond to inquires as:

 

"When I an ready to sell this piece, in all fairness to all of those who have inquired, I will let everyone know when the auction starts and ends at (ComicLink, Heritage or eBay), allowing true marketplace valuation and every opportunity for all interested parties to purchase it."

 

Which is the truth and probably the best way to handle a sale anyway.

 

There's way too many "bargain hunters" who are kicking the tires on CAF looking for a deal, or a certain layer of quite frankly, psychotic collectors who feel if they inquire about a piece, that gesture alone gives them first dibs and a birthright of a "me first" to the piece.

[Eric Seffinga]

I take PMs seriously. The posts to the artwork I take as a compliment and nothing more. As an example, I once received a comment that read "If you EVER sell this, I'm your guy!!!", and after a few very nice PMs it became clear, he was most definitely not the guy and never intended to be. And truthfully, no one's obligated to follow through on these statements anyway. So either it's meant as a kindly but oddly worded show of jealousy, or as Batman Fan states, it's just whizzing on the tree.

 

If they are serious, they'll send a direct PM to open a dialogue at the very least.

 

When I have sold pieces via CAF in the past, I usually know who else is interested in those, and if they are friends I start there. Then I check past PMs with offer inquiries (I save these as it's proven worth while).

[Terry Doyle]

Here’s the background story to this thread . . .

 

On one of the Magic the Gathering FB groups I recently posted photos of all my Kev Walker originals (on the basis of sharing and not with the intent of looking to sell anything, you understand).

 

Lots of ‘likes’ and compliments ensued, with one responded post that read:

 

“If you ever feel like moving Street Saavy let me know...I really like that one.”

Bronty was following my FB post and replied directly to the poster saying:

 

“No disrespect to you S***** whatsoever! But I know that when I own something and someone says "if you feel like moving it, LMK" I wouldn't consider responding to that. Just the phrasing of it puts all the power in your court and implies that when the time comes I'll be looking to sell rather you than you looking to buy (and that's a huge difference). Maybe it’s just semantics but personally I am way more receptive if someone says something like "if you'd consider selling one day, I'd be a buyer" because if I like the piece, I'm not even having a conversation with someone who is flagging my radar as a bargain hunter. Just my two cents or less!”

A few more exchanges ensued, but the above kicked-off that off-shoot discussion.

 

Shortly afterwards, Bronty started this thread here on the CGC art forum.

 

I didn’t actually respond to the guy potentially interested in wanting to buy the Kev Walker ‘Street Savvy’ MTG original as it’s not something I’m looking to sell and (in some regards) I kind of lean towards Bronty’s gut feeling on this one (not that it’s any biggie to me).

 

As a FB comment, I’m likely to forget it within a few days anyway.

 

Had a PM been sent to me, I would have provided the common courtesy of a reply.

 

And along those lines, I often receive private approaches over OA I own marked as NFS in my CAF galleries. If I have absolutely no interest in selling the piece in question, I will make my response perfectly clear to that effect. On the other hand, some pieces may possibly be released if any resulting offer makes it worth my while (yes, above FMV). My response in those instances are usually along the lines of, “I’m not looking to sell this art but if you want to make me a tempting offer, I’ll give the idea serious consideration”

 

As I wasn’t looking to sell the art in the first instance, I don’t have a price in mind and prefer to leave the ball in the enquirer’s court. If he or she is serious, they will follow-up with a serious offer.

 

Most of the time these exploratory discussions come to an abrupt end once I invite an offer (make of that what you will).

 

[jjonahjameson1]

Some back and force on facebook had me wondering what attitudes here are.

 

We've all had these situations. You post something on CAF, or what have you, and there is a comment along the lines of "if you feel like moving it, let me know".

 

As a potential seller, what's your first impression of the way that statement is phrased? For me, I don't much like it and wouldn't respond. It assumes I want to sell (and therefore gives the buyer the power). I'm much more likely to respond to something like "if you'd consider selling it one day, let me know." (Doesn't assume I want to sell. I retain power).

 

Do you have a more favorable impression of either statement that would make you more likely to reply?

 

I personally when I am in the seller's shoes am more likely to open a conversation with the second guy and kind of view the first guy as a waste of time.

 

This may be minutia but I think its an interesting difference in language and one that I'm personally sensitive to.

 

Wow, this whole thread could be the basis for another Seinfeld episode.

[Mephisto]

Some back and force on facebook had me wondering what attitudes here are.

 

We've all had these situations. You post something on CAF, or what have you, and there is a comment along the lines of "if you feel like moving it, let me know".

 

As a potential seller, what's your first impression of the way that statement is phrased? For me, I don't much like it and wouldn't respond. It assumes I want to sell (and therefore gives the buyer the power). I'm much more likely to respond to something like "if you'd consider selling it one day, let me know." (Doesn't assume I want to sell. I retain power).

 

Do you have a more favorable impression of either statement that would make you more likely to reply?

 

I personally when I am in the seller's shoes am more likely to open a conversation with the second guy and kind of view the first guy as a waste of time.

 

This may be minutia but I think its an interesting difference in language and one that I'm personally sensitive to.

 

Wow, this whole thread could be the basis for another Seinfeld episode.

 

I will ask Dave Mandel on Facebook if he ever feels like moving his Giant Size X-Men 1 cover to let me know.