General discussion thread - keep the other threads clean 29 29

[skypinkblu]

5 hours ago, Foolkiller said:

Towards the end of my time selling on the boards actively here people asked similar questions.  They wondered how or why my books sold so quickly.  Admittedly, there were some tremendous deals in my threads, while other stuff was probably closer to market.  There is a psychology to how you do these threads, how you market them etc.  Dale does a good job at it.  There's definitely a blue print.  October (Andy) and I were doing it before Dale, and before we did it, Nik (who some of you will remember) and Nick Beckett did it.  Two key components are putting up some hot/key books and being willing to not max out and to give deals.  That helps sell your other books.  That sentiment is somewhat gone from many of today's sellers here.  I don't blame them but it's a frenzy when you think you might get a WWBN 32 for 25% off but you don't know what book is coming next.  Dale is also the only guy on here where there is a true frenzy anymore, except when October comes back on and does one of his sales.  It's an annual tradition and he's grading fairly and accurately on raw stuff -- listing a huge amount all at once.  

I miss your sales, Brian, and your posts:) Happy Holidays:) 

I worked at Macy's on 34th st when I was in college. They marketed the same way,created a frenzy at a "table" near the front door. Once one person saw someone grabbing "bargains" other  people were ready to jump over the tables to grab "bargains". I think that cured me of ever shopping like that. I'd be in the center of the "table with someone else trying not to get strangled by a bargain "hunter". 

Shoppers/hunters love hunting and procuring the "prize".

When you had sales, I managed to pick up a few books after the frenzy.  I still have them:) because they were books I really wanted and I got to think about it for a few seconds before. Did I miss stuff I would have liked? sure... but luckily I like many books, so missing some is not life threatening;) 

People who know how to market like Dale and all three Ricks, plus a few others have a real talent. That's how they survive in business. There are plenty of us who just look at the end, because we realize that for the most part, there WILL be another copy...but lots of people enjoy taking the prize. 

Works in different ways for everyone.

I still miss Nik

Edited December 18, 2018 by skypinkblu
extra letter

[DR.X]

4 minutes ago, skypinkblu said:

I still miss Nik

Of course we all do. That melt down he had with that woman on here should be mandatory board reading. I start laughing just thinking about it. When he blew a gasket look out. I'll never forget that as long as I live. LOL

[Point Five]

A 1.5" photo on a $4K slab? Good grief.

 

[crassus]

A question here about the Showcase 4 thread in G/S/B, on first page, my  assumption is that Rule 12 about trading threads is about "trade only" threads and does not cover a normal sales thread with a trade option. I don't think the seller is obliged to find trade values for books that he is not, actually, trading for or with, as in the first instance he was merely listing books he might consider some cash/trade arrangement for, and there is no precedent that I am aware of obligating the seller to place values on such books.

He has a clear BIN on a book presented according to the rules as a sales thread, takes paypal, etc...to me Rule 12 doesn't apply to this. For example, Top City Comics has a generic "will consider time payments, trades" etc on every item I think, and correctly, with no obligation to spell out what he will or will not trade for, or for how much etc...

Just curious what everyone's views are on this... 

[Bird]

39 minutes ago, crassus said:

A question here about the Showcase 4 thread in G/S/B, on first page, my  assumption is that Rule 12 about trading threads is about "trade only" threads and does not cover a normal sales thread with a trade option. I don't think the seller is obliged to find trade values for books that he is not, actually, trading for or with, as in the first instance he was merely listing books he might consider some cash/trade arrangement for, and there is no precedent that I am aware of obligating the seller to place values on such books.

He has a clear BIN on a book presented according to the rules as a sales thread, takes paypal, etc...to me Rule 12 doesn't apply to this. For example, Top City Comics has a generic "will consider time payments, trades" etc on every item I think, and correctly, with no obligation to spell out what he will or will not trade for, or for how much etc...

Just curious what everyone's views are on this... 

I would say your analysis is correct. It confused me as well though, I thought that he was offering those books for trade just like the person who posted about the rules. But I agree, it doesn't pertain to his post.

[Bird]

Gee whiz, those Golden Age guys are excitable! I posted a few GA for sale in the G/S/B forum, my first attempt at selling raw GA books there. I had them in my mixed ages thread but no one goes there so I moved the GA over. I mistakenly listed Speed Comics 22 rather than Speed Comics 42 in the title of the thread and the PMs were fast and furious. I couldn't keep up. Everyone was all  Everyone wanted Speed 22. Where is it? How much is Speed 22? What grade is it? What are you doing? What is the air speed of a European swallow? That must be 1% of what it feels like being Dale Roberts! I thought that I was an experienced seller here but those guys were ready to eat me alive!

I gotta take a nap now. Or some medicine! I will think twice about listing GA again! 

[grebal]

 

22 hours ago, ajbeck21 said:

Its frustrating when you are generally interested in issues and you get beat by someone that doesn't even know what they are buying. I definitely stand by that aspect of it.

I quit even trying for that same reason.  But addicted enough to still click into the thread on occasion every year in to see what's up?  But my hair stopped thinning !

1 minute ago, Bird said:

 Everyone wanted Speed 22. Where is it? How much is Speed 22? What grade is it? What are you doing? What is the air speed of a European swallow? 

Laden or unladen?

[skypinkblu]

6 minutes ago, Bird said:

Gee whiz, those Golden Age guys are excitable! I posted a few GA for sale in the G/S/B forum, my first attempt at selling raw GA books there. I had them in my mixed ages thread but no one goes there so I moved the GA over. I mistakenly listed Speed Comics 22 rather than Speed Comics 42 in the title of the thread and the PMs were fast and furious. I couldn't keep up. Everyone was all  Everyone wanted Speed 22. Where is it? How much is Speed 22? What grade is it? What are you doing? What is the air speed of a European swallow? That must be 1% of what it feels like being Dale Roberts! I thought that I was an experienced seller here but those guys were ready to eat me alive!

I gotta take a nap now. Or some medicine! I will think twice about listing GA again! 

It's a tiny bit scarce...but I think it's also something about the #22, next time accidentally list Fantastic Comics 22 or Amazing Man 22 and see if you get a similar response (dive under the bed quickly after typing those numbers out;) 

[Bird]

5 minutes ago, grebal said:

 

I quit even trying for that same reason.  But addicted enough to still click into the thread on occasion every year in to see what's up?  But my hair stopped thinning !

Laden or unladen?

 

Carrying a coconut, of course.

 

3 minutes ago, skypinkblu said:

It's a tiny bit scarce...but I think it's also something about the #22, next time accidentally list Fantastic Comics 22 or Amazing Man 22 and see if you get a similar response (dive under the bed quickly after typing those numbers out;) 

Yeah, I have since been told that! I have a Haunt of Fear 22 so got my numbers mixed up. It wasn't there for more than 1 minute before the PMs started arriving. I couldn't fix it fast enough as my screen kept going to the PMs!

Thanks for the clarification Sharon. Pricing GA is hard enough without making those types of mistakes.

Edited December 19, 2018 by Bird

[Ryan.]

GA is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared for riches beyond your wildest dreams as well as soul-crushing losses, often in equal measure.

[crassus]

26 minutes ago, Ryan. said:

GA is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared for riches beyond your wildest dreams as well as soul-crushing losses, often in equal measure.

Sounds like love... 

[Ricksneatstuff]

I have a lot of thoughts about the "frenzy" and yes, Dale's thread is almost the only one that gets that reaction these days. I agree with pretty much everything @Foolkiller and @skypinkblu said in their previous comments. I came around here not long after Foolkiller stopped doing threads. I wish I would have been here for that and for the famous Cheetah Fiction House thread. I am jealous of those times. I would have loved to have been there buying.

I watched on the sidelines during an October thread a few years ago and saw continuous and was fascinated and I shifted towards selling more here instead of eBay. I find it more exciting than other places to sell and more interactive. I mostly like that. I have probably done over 100 sales threads here and have achieved "frenzy" maybe 8-10 times. I don't know that there has been one of those times in 6 months or more though. Even October threads (as killer as they are) don't get the frenzy lately. I guess that is OK but I really miss it. I don't miss it from the standpoint of selling a bunch of books as much as I just enjoy the action and the excitement of it and the feeling that these are rare things we all want and it has a certain friendly competition angle that I like. Every now and then a little PCH thread will pop up with mostly small to mid level books that gets the sharks circling. There are other cool frenzies that would happen with some of @jimjum12 threads and a few others. A little slower around these parts these days though.

This last thread I am running had NO frenzy but still has fared very well with people thinking over whether they will buy or not. I think the factors are many that create a frenzy thread:

1. Some advance notification or promotion- nearly impossible to have a show without an audience.

2. Most books under $500. I think this has hurt my "Action" because my average book I sold a year ago was probably $150 and now it is at least double that as an average. 

3. A catalyst. Someone who wants all the good stuff and will take it if you don't. I miss take-bot here. He stirred the waters, no doubt about it.

4. The right books- this really should be number 2. Western photo covers do not a frenzy make...yet.

5. Fair prices. Most of the neat stuff I sell is not all that GPA dependent but you can't ask the moon on everything and if you are selling silver and bronze you gotta be in line with the market. That being said some stuff costs the moon to buy and you don't want to take a loss.

6. Don't have too many threads.  People would be well served to do threads no more than every other month. I am talking to myself here obviously.

I am sure I am missing some other factors, like the economy, etc and the biggest one lately probably being auction fatigue.

Thanks for listening. 

Edited December 19, 2018 by Ricksneatstuff

[Bird]

I done jinxed myself! I was all talky talk about how well my last sales thread in mixed went and this one was a bit of a dud. I still sold a few things and am grateful for those buyers but no where near what I had done last month. I see nochips having an awesome time of it though (maybe because his books are all minty minty) so I stole his move and put some of my stuff at 30% off. 

And I killed that GA slaes thread...500 views and no sales. Lots of likes on the posts though.  Prices were a bit high I guess. So off to the bay we go.

Thanks again for the well wishes yesterday!

[Shadow Images]

9 minutes ago, Bird said:

I done jinxed myself! I was all talky talk about how well my last sales thread in mixed went and this one was a bit of a dud. I still sold a few things and am grateful for those buyers but no where near what I had done last month. I see nochips having an awesome time of it though (maybe because his books are all minty minty) so I stole his move and put some of my stuff at 30% off. 

And I killed that GA slaes thread...500 views and no sales. Lots of likes on the posts though.  Prices were a bit high I guess. So off to the bay we go.

Thanks again for the well wishes yesterday!

Its been a day. Stuff does not move that quick unless its hot, key and priced right or your name is Dale  Especially a week before Christmas.

[Bird]

3 minutes ago, Shadow Images said:

Its been a day. Stuff does not move that quick unless its hot, key and priced right or your name is Dale  Especially a week before Christmas.

I know, I am impulsive as well.I tend to kill my sales threads pretty quickly. I was moving down the page so I figured on to the bay, where my stuff has been flying off the shelf and maybe a coupon pops up soon.

But tons of views tells me something. Perhaps you are correct though. One loooong day is still only one day.

 

I am also planning a huuuge Silver Age sale soon and figured I should lay low to make that work well. I can always add the GA to that thread once it gets cooking.

Edited December 20, 2018 by Bird

[Bird]

Don't get me wrong but these GA are a chore to price! How do I price Boys Ranch 1-6? Frontline Combat 1-15? Good problems to have but what a pain in the rear!

[Bird]

It is a bit of a drive for me but I have been to my new honey hole again today and have a significant pile of books to be priced. Lots and lots of groovy comics, including many that I have never even heard but were waaay too groovy to leave there. I am making a huge pile to better negotiate a discount. Books like Vault of Evil, Black Magic, Crypt of Shadows, Creatures on the Loose, the Art of John Buscema. Nothing is high grade but all are fantastic! Today I added 2 copies of Tales of Suspense 75, 6 issues of Epic with Last Galactus Story and BWS interviews (those were in pretty sharp condition) and lots of Wrightson DC horror covers. I plan on adding some Jack Kirby Collector issues and other magazines next trip, which is scheduled for Monday before I head out to Christmas Eve gathering!  Wifey said to go and do it to it, just be home in time for supper! I will show them off at the end of next week when they are all in hand.  I'll have a sales thread as well to put some out there into the world.

Edited December 22, 2018 by Bird

[Bird]

I am off to buy the comics I mentioned above tomorrow. Very psyched.    

Edited December 27, 2018 by Bird

[Dick Pontoon]

Speaking of comics, I knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith.

[pickycollector]

Jeez, I cannot believe the frenzy in some FS threads.

Do people really look at the book, grade and price before they buy?