eBay: Bronze Age Marvel and DC pages for sale! 1 1

[Meeley Man]

14 minutes ago, SquareChaos said:

 

Being very genuine here - I have no idea who you are, or what your history is here... but this thread, the way I've seen you respond more than once to your auctions ending... I wouldn't reach out to negotiate with you on anything out of a fear you'd act weirdly about it.

I'm honestly not trying to be rude here. If you currently feel like you have some sort of reputation problem in the community (fairly won or otherwise) to such an extent that people refuse to buy from you (this seems unlikely to me - I know guys that would buy pages from Satan himself if it was something they wanted), do you think these type of threads are helping you? What are you doing here to build up a better reputation? How is this helping you? Seriously, think about it.

So, you admit to knowing nothing about me, but won't talk business with me. Pretty much says it all right there, doesn't it? Could ask around for anyone who may have done business with me, right? See what a transaction is actually like and get some data about it? Nah, why do that?

As for the rest, well, what more can you all do to me? I mean, what "threat" (and let us face the facts, that is what you are talking about here) can you do to harm me? What? No buy? You are already doing that. Like I said, I've done tons of posts trying to be upbeat when informing on new art for sale and the like. No one ever responds. Only when some of my dismay is related, as it was here, do you all suddenly "have so much to say." Kind of telling, when you think about it.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[SquareChaos]

Just now, Meeley Man said:

So, you admit to knowing nothing about be, but won't talk business with me. Pretty much says it all right there, doesn't it? Could ask around for anyone who may have done business with me, right? See what a transaction is actually like and get some data about it? Nah, why do that?

As for the rest, well, what more can you all do to me? I mean, what "threat" (and let us face the facts, that is what you are talking about here) can you do to harm me? What? No buy? You are already doing that. Like I said, I've done tons of posts trying to be upbeat when informing on new art for sale and the like. No one ever responds. Only when some of my dismay is related, as it was here, do you all suddenly "have so much to say." Kind of telling, when you think about it.

Fair enough - good luck to you in your endeavors.

[Meeley Man]

19 minutes ago, MYNAMEISLEGION said:

Really James, C'mon man.  Nothing against Vosburg, but he's not regarded as an A-list artist by most purveyors and consumers of bronze art.  And just look at the thousands of pages Anthony has on ebay that never sell because they are too high a BIN.  I've had pages that I've tracked on ebay for literally years, and there they sit. YEARS.  Malvin starts all his auctions at 1 cent and lets the market decide.  Matt Stock (Make Mine Marvel) starts his at 9.99, but he literally shills just about every auction he posts.  A starting bid that is essentially a BIN price will get ZERO action, and if it does, it will be a snipe in the last 5 seconds, and not a moment before.  To bid sooner is stupid, especially for sub-prime art for which there are thousands of other pages to be had on ebay and dealers sites, and clink and HA.  Start your auctions at $9.99 with no reserve, or don't list auctions at all.  List as a BIN at about your starting price, and see if it sells after a few re-listings. Lower the price if you have too.  I can understand not wanting to go straight auction with a consignment, no other dealer does that for that very reason. Lambasting the CGC boards for not bidding WILL result in the self-fulfilling prophesy  of some people not bidding out of spite, though spite may not be the correct word for it.  

Again, this isn't MY stuff. Unlike Malvin, I can't just do what I want on prices. Unlike Stock, I don't shill to help me get a fair price (who knew being ethical was a detriment?). I've done BIN with "best offers" many times. No one makes offers. Who's at fault for that? I love that the only answer you guys have is to virtually give the stuff away. If that were the case, why would the artists even bother to work with me. They can give it away themselves. I said, I tried low starting bids and people barely bid them past the minimum. Don't tell me that's "fair market value." You burn someone like that, more than once, they stop doing those things. It seems you only want "fair" if that equates getting the art at "fire sale" prices. And that is neither "fair" or good business.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[Meeley Man]

8 minutes ago, SquareChaos said:

Fair enough - good luck to you in your endeavors.

Fair? Maybe. But will you do anything to change that? Seems highly unlikely. As such, it makes your "wish" for me to seem quite empty and disingenuous.

Just being genuine.

[Twanj]

no offense but you're asking too much for stuff that isn't in demand obviously. the attitude doesn't help either.

if you sell once at 10% of what you're expecting that's an oddity. if you consistently sell at 10% that's the very definition of fair market value.

[Meeley Man]

9 minutes ago, Twanj said:

no offense but you're asking too much for stuff that isn't in demand obviously. the attitude doesn't help either.

if you sell once at 10% of what you're expecting that's an oddity. if you consistently sell at 10% that's the very definition of fair market value.

And again, you can always talk it over with me. Maybe we can work out the price. Or when I do "best offer" eBay auctions, you can, oh  I don't know, "make an offer?" But no one ever seems to want to do that. How do you "work out a deal," when one side refuses to even discuss it? I wonder if dealing with that might give someone a little bit of attitude?

And I'd never sell consistently at 10% of asking price. I tried it a couple times. That was the result, so I stopped. To do anything else, is simply business suicide.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[MyNameIsLegion]

James here are your most recent unsold offerings- your prices are completely unrealistic. They are are borderline what you would get from inquiring about something from the Donnelys. You might also try mentioning the artist and the year, not additional hyperbole in the auction title like Avengers! X-Men! etc which are rather deceptive and the sort of over-selling I would expect from less reputable sellers. I was genuinely surprised you did that James, given what I believe to be your genuine belief in ethics and fairness and accuracy which you have always championed in your posts and discussions in the old chat room.  

Besides all that has been said in this thread, you are also running up against true FMV versus perceived FMV, which is highly manipulated thanks to shilling and strategic bidding by deep pockets to maintain price perception.  If you posted A-list art.  It would get bids or offers, and the first one's in line would be other dealers.  You wanna sell a decent Vosburg page from DHOKF? Price it at $450.  Not a BIN of $715.  You know what I can buy for $715?  75% of what Anthony posted in the last week, and its better art on the whole, even for being Bob Hall.  Thats your competition. The Mutant Massacre pages?  You might gets some nostalgia there, but not $650 for a glue stained page.  I can find 20 other pages I like more for less that Anthony has for sale right now.  Do you need any more concrete examples?

[Meeley Man]

42 minutes ago, MYNAMEISLEGION said:

James here are your most recent unsold offerings- your prices are completely unrealistic. They are are borderline what you would get from inquiring about something from the Donnelys. You might also try mentioning the artist and the year, not additional hyperbole in the auction title like Avengers! X-Men! etc which are rather deceptive and the sort of over-selling I would expect from less reputable sellers. I was genuinely surprised you did that James, given what I believe to be your genuine belief in ethics and fairness and accuracy which you have always championed in your posts and discussions in the old chat room.  

Besides all that has been said in this thread, you are also running up against true FMV versus perceived FMV, which is highly manipulated thanks to shilling and strategic bidding by deep pockets to maintain price perception.  If you posted A-list art.  It would get bids or offers, and the first one's in line would be other dealers.  You wanna sell a decent Vosburg page from DHOKF? Price it at $450.  Not a BIN of $715.  You know what I can buy for $715?  75% of what Anthony posted in the last week, and its better art on the whole, even for being Bob Hall.  Thats your competition. The Mutant Massacre pages?  You might gets some nostalgia there, but not $650 for a glue stained page.  I can find 20 other pages I like more for less that Anthony has for sale right now.  Do you need any more concrete examples?

Let me state this AGAIN, since it never seems to register. This isn't my stuff. I can't just do anything I want. Some of those high prices, are due to premiums the artists want. If I sold it for less, they would not be happy. If they are not happy, they might stop working with me. If they stop working with me, I have nothing. I don't think that should be a hard equation to grasp.

Also, AGAIN, you listed stuff that had a "best offer option." Did you make any offers? I have several hundred pieces on the art gallery for sale. Did you inquire about any and ask to work out the price? Kind of hard to do business, when one side is silent, don't you think? I can't promise you'll get the price you want, but the artists have given me leeway on most things (not ALL). You'll never know what can be done, when you clam up.

Third, I resent you impugning my ethics. There is nothing in ANY of those listings that is false. And if you looked closely, most of them do have the artist and year listed. But I guess when you want to smear someone for "gotcha points" facts don't really matter, do they? I'm the most ethical person you are ever likely to meet in this hobby. I don't jerk people around, or alter the art, like the Donnellys. I don't shill bid auctions, like Stock (or have my "friends" do it, like Burkey did). Ask anyone who ever HAS bought from me what the transaction was like. But I know you won't. Wouldn't want any inconvenient FACT getting in the way of your attempt at character assassination, would you?

Again, all this is very telling. No one can make an offer on eBay auctions that have them. No one can contact me direct to talk about a deal on the price of something. But the minute my dismay at that shows, suddenly, everyone has something to say about that.  SquareChaos admitted to knowing NOTHING about me. Not how long I've been doing this (10 years), not having talked to anyone who's done business with me, not seeing any of my positive posts here when relating new art for sale and the like, but THIS post, it was like a neon sign in the darkness for him. And based on ONLY THIS, he deduced I couldn't be trusted to do a fair deal. You never posted on any of my other posts, you never tried to work out a deal with me on the price for anything, but you had all the energy in the world to try to "dig up dirt" on me (or what you thought was), so you could come at me here. Never mind that what you stated is far from the truth. Never mind you failed to even closely look at what you were actually looking at (saying I didn't put the artist or year in the title of auctions). No, you couldn't be bothered to work out some business, but to talk some trash, you had all the drive and time in the world.  Gee, I wonder why anyone would get a bit of attitude with this place and the people in it? I guess it's just a mystery of the universe, I tell ya!

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[r100comics]

7 hours ago, Meeley Man said:

Let me state this AGAIN, since it never seems to register. This isn't my stuff. I can't just do anything I want. Some of those high prices, are due to premiums the artists want. If I sold it for less, they would not be happy. If they are not happy, they might stop working with me. If they stop working with me, I have nothing. I don't think that should be a hard equation to grasp.

Also, AGAIN, you listed stuff that had a "best offer option." Did you make any offers? I have several hundred pieces on the art gallery for sale. Did you inquire about any and ask to work out the price? Kind of hard to do business, when one side is silent, don't you think? I can't promise you'll get the price you want, but the artists have given me leeway on most things (not ALL). You'll never know what can be done, when you clam up.

Third, I resent you impugning my ethics. There is nothing in ANY of those listings that is false. And if you looked closely, most of them do have the artist and year listed. But I guess when you want to smear someone for "gotcha points" facts don't really matter, do they? I'm the most ethical person you are ever likely to meet in this hobby. I don't jerk people around, or alter the art, like the Donnellys. I don't shill bid auctions, like Stock (or have my "friends" do it, like Burkey did). Ask anyone who ever HAS bought from me what the transaction was like. But I know you won't. Wouldn't want any inconvenient FACT getting in the way of your attempt at character assassination, would you?

Again, all this is very telling. No one can make an offer on eBay auctions that have them. No one can contact me direct to talk about a deal on the price of something. But the minute my dismay at that shows, suddenly, everyone has something to say about that.  SquareChaos admitted to knowing NOTHING about me. Not how long I've been doing this (10 years), not having talked to anyone who's done business with me, not seeing any of my positive posts here when relating new art for sale and the like, but THIS post, it was like a neon sign in the darkness for him. And based on ONLY THIS, he deduced I couldn't be trusted to do a fair deal. You never posted on any of my other posts, you never tried to work out a deal with me on the price for anything, but you had all the energy in the world to try to "dig up dirt" on me (or what you thought was), so you could come at me here. Never mind that what you stated is far from the truth. Never mind you failed to even closely look at what you were actually looking at (saying I didn't put the artist or year in the title of auctions). No, you couldn't be bothered to work out some business, but to talk some trash, you had all the drive and time in the world.  Gee, I wonder why anyone would get a bit of attitude with this place and the people in it? I guess it's just a mystery of the universe, I tell ya!

 

This is the second time you've turned on the boards when your items didn't sell as if it were our fault.

Nobody owes you a living and it's a privilege, not a right, to sell here with access to so many great buyers.

To say the CGC boards, Ebay buyers and the CAF community are not buying from you due to "spite" is ridiculous, bordering on the paranoid.

If things aren't selling then you haven't priced them right for the current market - it's that simple.

As someone trying to run a business you must realize how unprofessional you sound ? You're writing all this on a public forum in full view of the artists you are supposed to represent and alienating potential customers you could have had in future.

If you really can't reconcile fair market pricing with the interests of your artists, it may be time to consider another line of work.

Edited April 22, 2017 by r100comics

[r100comics]

On 4/16/2017 at 10:12 PM, Meeley Man said:

eBay: Bronze Age Marvel and DC pages for sale!

Some Marvel and DC Bronze Age pages, by Mike Vosburg, for sale on eBay. Go place some bids. Or don't. Whatever.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item=191225202282&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&_sop=1&rmvSB=true&hash=item2c85e9066a&afsrc=1&_ssn=whatwhatwhat06

 

 

To be fair, this isn't the best start for encouraging interest....

Not that I could bid if I wanted to as you've also blocked all international bidders from viewing your auctions.

[Bird]

I like Mike Vosburg's stuff (Offcaste was a lot of fun, that was Vosburg right?) but have never been a collector of his art (I did buy a print from ebay years and years ago) and possibly the first page I ever bought was a Dan Lawlis Doc Strange page ($15 in 1995 for Rintrah and Pip, still have it). Good solid artists. But I don't buy because I don't collect that art, nothing to do with who is selling it. I am looking for Alex Raymond and Moebius at this time in my collecting life, not random panel pages. I have two Tom Raney sketches on ebay right now, $100 cost and I think I listed them at $110 - no takers. Sweet sketches. But it isn't anyones FAULT that they don't sell except maybe mine as I am the only one in control here.

The anger and outrage seems waaaay out of proportion from the OP. Meeley Man, you seem to take it personally and make it personal when your listings don't sell. It is just business, learn to compartmentalize this stuff and relax a bit. You seem to be adding artists and not losing them so you must be doing something for them. Accept feedback and modify accordingly. Or don't. Whatever. But when 10 out of 10 people tell you something it is wise to at least listen to what they are saying.

 

[wood83]

James, my first ever interaction with you was about two weeks ago when you messaged me on CAF introducing yourself and your gallery. I took a look and then politely expressed that you didn't have anything I wanted right now but I appreciated the introduction and would keep an eye out.  The proper response to that would've been, "Thanks Jason! Please do keep an eye on what we are listing as we add new pieces all the time. In the meantime is it okay if I reach out to you occasionally if there's a piece I think fits your preferences?'

Instead this was your response:

Quote

James Meeley wrote:

 

Really? Hmm, that's odd, considering I have severla Power Man and Iron Fist pages I'm selling for Gerry Acerno and you said Luke Cage is one of your favorite hcaracters. Ah well. No problem.

Do you really think a passive aggressive response like that was going to make me do a 180 and say, "Oh that's right! I DO love Luke Cage and that means I will buy any page he's ever been on regardless of vintage, price or artist!' 

Instead it put me off of doing business with you on the very first day you introduced yourself!

But here's the truth of it, if you had pages I coveted, I would still test you out and buy something even though you made a horrible first impression. But your inventory doesn't appeal to me. 

You seem to be hung up on the idea that your prices are in line with prices for inventory pages at many other dealers. Well guess what? That's why there's no market for them! The Donnelleys have an insane collection but their prices all but guarantee they won't ever sell most of it. They don't really want to sell most of it. They only want to part ways with something if the buyer is willing to pay a price they literally can't fathom saying No to.

One of the biggest issues in OA collecting is stale inventory. 90% of what's at dealer sites is 100% known and frankly has no market at the listed prices. There are thousands of pages out there I would buy at a different price interval, and if a dealer ever feels the need to unload inventory aggressively many other buyers will be ready to spend. Until then, we wait and pick our spots when something comes to market that truly blows our socks off.

Edited April 22, 2017 by wood83

[Meeley Man]

8 hours ago, r100comics said:

 

This is the second time you've turned on the boards when your items didn't sell as if it were our fault.

Nobody owes you a living and it's a privilege, not a right, to sell here with access to so many great buyers.

To say the CGC boards, Ebay buyers and the CAF community are not buying from you due to "spite" is ridiculous, bordering on the paranoid.

If things aren't selling then you haven't priced them right for the current market - it's that simple.

As someone trying to run a business you must realize how unprofessional you sound ? You're writing all this on a public forum in full view of the artists you are supposed to represent and alienating potential customers you could have had in future.

If you really can't reconcile fair market pricing with the interests of your artists, it may be time to consider another line of work.

How do you alienate something that you don't have?

As I've already said multiple times, if you don't like a price talk it over wit me. Maybe I can do something on it. But you never do. Who's fault is that? I'm not the one clamming up and refusing to discuss things. Do you not discuss prices with other dealers and reps? You always just buy at whatever price they list, no questions asked? Somehow that doesn't seem likely to me. But no one can ever discuss these things with my offerings, it seems.

And the funniest part in all of this, is how easy any one of you could have proven me wrong. All you had to do was go to the art gallery, find a piece or two you were interested in, and then email me to discuss it. You don't like the price? Hit me with your offer on it. Maybe I'd be able to go for it, or give you a counter you liked. I can't promise you for sure you'll get a price you want, but had you ever given the slightest effort, you would have proven me wrong about this "community." But you didn't, did you? All that, with someone here saying you'd all "deal with the devil" to get a piece of art. Stock shills his auctions, but I bet you still bid. Burkey had his friends do that, but you still buy from him, I'm sure. The Donnellys, well, we all know them, but I'm sure many of you still TRY to deal with them. But when it comes to me, you see a price you don't like, and then it's just clam up and ignore. Who really is the one doing the alienating? That thought never even entered your mind. I'm sure you'll blame me for that. After all, you guys never seem hold yourselves accountable for anything you say or do.  It's only what I've come to expect.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[Meeley Man]

7 hours ago, r100comics said:

 

To be fair, this isn't the best start for encouraging interest....

Not that I could bid if I wanted to as you've also blocked all international bidders from viewing your auctions.

That's all the effort I feel this place is worth now. I've given more in the past and gotten the same results. Why give your best to people who don't appreciate it?

And I've explained many times that I don't sell Internationally on eBay, because of the scam that is their "Global Shipping Service." You have to opt out of it. Anything you have to do that with, pretty much tells you isn't something that is fair or right (even if it is legal). International buyers have always been asked to deal with me direct through the art gallery, as I'll give you a much more fair deal on shipping, than eBay will. But, like so much else, no one ever tries to discuss it. Seeing a pattern yet?

[Meeley Man]

7 hours ago, Bird said:

I like Mike Vosburg's stuff (Offcaste was a lot of fun, that was Vosburg right?) but have never been a collector of his art (I did buy a print from ebay years and years ago) and possibly the first page I ever bought was a Dan Lawlis Doc Strange page ($15 in 1995 for Rintrah and Pip, still have it). Good solid artists. But I don't buy because I don't collect that art, nothing to do with who is selling it. I am looking for Alex Raymond and Moebius at this time in my collecting life, not random panel pages. I have two Tom Raney sketches on ebay right now, $100 cost and I think I listed them at $110 - no takers. Sweet sketches. But it isn't anyones FAULT that they don't sell except maybe mine as I am the only one in control here.

The anger and outrage seems waaaay out of proportion from the OP. Meeley Man, you seem to take it personally and make it personal when your listings don't sell. It is just business, learn to compartmentalize this stuff and relax a bit. You seem to be adding artists and not losing them so you must be doing something for them. Accept feedback and modify accordingly. Or don't. Whatever. But when 10 out of 10 people tell you something it is wise to at least listen to what they are saying.

 

I take it personal that if people don't like a price, they don't even bother to discuss it. eBay auctions that are "best offer," but never get any. Posting tons of art, but no one even inquiring or willing to discuss pricing. Do you just pay what a dealer or seller tells you? No questions asked? If you see a piece you like, but not the price, do you just ignore it, without discussing it with the seller, to see if a compromise can be reached? Somehow, I highly doubt it. But that is what you guys do to me. And then when I express any frustration at that, only then to do pipe up to say anything. Complaining about the prices, but you never talked it over with me in trying to buy anything. Telling me to sell super-cheap, forgetting that this isn't my stuff and I can't just go doing that. So, "feedback" is all well and good, if it were actually useful. But telling me to sell it for next to nothing, or prices need to be changed when you have never even discussed it with me, really isn't all that helpful. At least not to the artists and myself. I'm sure all of you who would like to get it on the cheap think it is, though, so you can flip it or whatever other reason you have to expect that.

In spite of all that has been said here, no one has ever accepted that none of you have ever tried to discuss the price of something with me. Not ONCE! So, how much value would you put in the advice from such people?

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[Meeley Man]

6 hours ago, wood83 said:

James, my first ever interaction with you was about two weeks ago when you messaged me on CAF introducing yourself and your gallery. I took a look and then politely expressed that you didn't have anything I wanted right now but I appreciated the introduction and would keep an eye out.  The proper response to that would've been, "Thanks Jason! Please do keep an eye on what we are listing as we add new pieces all the time. In the meantime is it okay if I reach out to you occasionally if there's a piece I think fits your preferences?'

Instead this was your response:

Do you really think a passive aggressive response like that was going to make me do a 180 and say, "Oh that's right! I DO love Luke Cage and that means I will buy any page he's ever been on regardless of vintage, price or artist!' 

Instead it put me off of doing business with you on the very first day you introduced yourself!

But here's the truth of it, if you had pages I coveted, I would still test you out and buy something even though you made a horrible first impression. But your inventory doesn't appeal to me. 

You seem to be hung up on the idea that your prices are in line with prices for inventory pages at many other dealers. Well guess what? That's why there's no market for them! The Donnelleys have an insane collection but their prices all but guarantee they won't ever sell most of it. They don't really want to sell most of it. They only want to part ways with something if the buyer is willing to pay a price they literally can't fathom saying No to.

One of the biggest issues in OA collecting is stale inventory. 90% of what's at dealer sites is 100% known and frankly has no market at the listed prices. There are thousands of pages out there I would buy at a different price interval, and if a dealer ever feels the need to unload inventory aggressively many other buyers will be ready to spend. Until then, we wait and pick our spots when something comes to market that truly blows our socks off.

I was genuinely surprised at someone, who is such a self-professed big fan of the character, just so easily blew off what I had. If I offended you, I apologize. That was not my intention in the least. I would think, from seeing this here, that you would now understand, that if I want to insult someone, I don't hide it. I come right out and say what I feel. There was no intended insult to you from me in that. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression.

And comparing me to the Donnelleys? Really? In spite of everything I've said here. Saying how part of my frustration is people NOT discussing things with me. That if they don't like a price, they can talk to me about it and maybe we can reach a happy medium. You noted yourself that they would NEVER do that. But I'm open to trying. But it is all of you who seem to shun that option. You said you were interested in my current inventory. But based on what? The art? The artists? If so, there's nothing I can do about that. But is it the price? If so, why didn't you talk with me about it? Why not see if we can reach a compromise that we both find acceptable? Is that what a "real big fan" would do? But you didn't do that. You didn't even broach the subject. You just blew off my offerings, without much information of why.

As for the whole thing about sitting inventory. Did you know almost every year since I've been doing this, I hold a Christmas sale? I try to get all the artists on board and they decide how much of a discount they are willing to give. Everyone here creams their pants for Spencer Beck's sale, sometimes making multiple topics on it. And he has a reputation for having a "prickly attitude." But it doesn't stop people from buying. Know what happened at my sale last year? Not one single buyer. Some of the artists were offering 35% off all their inventory (cover, splashes, DPS, the works). I guess that isn't "aggressive" enough for you all, huh? So, now that you know all of this, maybe my frustration here doesn't seem so "unjustified."

And I'll again state, how ironic it is, that everyone here is whining about the prices, yet have never once tried to discuss it with me. And that in spite of all I've said here, still no one here has tried to do so, if for no other reason, than to prove me wrong. So, what is one to take from that? When you have been told "folks will make a deal with the devil for a piece of art," yet they won't even discuss a price with you? When guys who have done unethical business practices still get people inquiring and buying, but just ignore the ethical one? When everyone is whining about prices, yet won't talk them over with the person selling?

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[Bird]

Since you asked me directly...I have purchased one piece of art so far this year and I bought it at auction. I think I may have purchased 5 or so pieces last year, most at auction but also from Kwan Chang. I accepted the prices and purchased (but we did do a twofer where there was negotiation). So I buy at auction mostly these days. But I swam in the lowest pools for a decade or two so I offered advice. I think I would listen to whatever people have to say and treat it accordingly. But again, when 8/10, 9/10, or 10/10 people tell me the same thing I would have to think "maybe I am off a bit here" and see why everyone but me feels that way.

There are reasons the artists still have these pages 20-30 years later. Perhaps the same reasons why you are unable to move them.

I don't need to discuss prices with you if the stuff sits and sits unsold. Customers watch how dealers handle these things (the piece I bought this year sat with Albert Moy for years and I knew talking to him about it every year was useless but when it popped up in the French auction I bought it.) Info can be gathered directly or indirectly. You have been given feedback in this very thread about your sales but are unwilling to even consider it and this seems a pattern in your posts here; so why would I approach you if I feel all I will get is attitude.

And you paint us here with far too broad a brush. I myself have never bought from Stock. I stopped even looking at Burkey's site last year when the kerfuffle hit. I have never emailed a Donnelly (but I will look at the stuff East Coast Donnelly brings to comic art cons). I stick with those I have had good experiences with...Moy, Eder, Snyder, Kwan et al. Stop railing against the world and relax and listen up a bit, you may learn something. You seem unhappy with the results but unwilling to change your approach...why is that? What sense does that make?

 

 

[MyNameIsLegion]

Jame's you will NEVER sell a glue stained X-Factor page like the one you just had on ebay for $650. Not now, not tomorrow, not five years from now.   You might sell the DHOKF page for $400, but not a BIN of $715.  You spam everyone of CAF with sub-par art and then get indignant when someone politely declines (but hey, they replied, which was more than you deserved) We've given you ton of candid, valid, constructive advise, and still you rant about no one ever discusses price with you. Well we are discussing it now. If you continue to just vent this passive aggressive bile it's a one-way ticket to ignores-ville. It's a self-fulfiling prophesy.  You want to sell something? You want someone to haggle with you? I can only imagine what that exchange would look like.  why would anyone sign up for that? They can find dozens of pages of comparable or better art on Anthony's site for less.  What possible motivation would a buyer have to do that? You can't make an apples to apples comparison to what other dealers do, or what other people buy from those sellers. You are not an apple. You are not Anthony, or Burkey, or Spencer.  You don't have the inventory, pure and simple.  You certainly work hard to build your business, and rep your artists. I applaud that.  But blaming your potential customers for not buying what you are selling is just about the dumbest thing any retailer can do.  You have nothing that any collector can't live without, or can't get elsewhere for less, and with less drama. Put the shovel down and climb out of the hole you just dug for goodness sake.  

Edited April 22, 2017 by MYNAMEISLEGION

[Meeley Man]

2 hours ago, Bird said:

Since you asked me directly...I have purchased one piece of art so far this year and I bought it at auction. I think I may have purchased 5 or so pieces last year, most at auction but also from Kwan Chang. I accepted the prices and purchased (but we did do a twofer where there was negotiation). So I buy at auction mostly these days. But I swam in the lowest pools for a decade or two so I offered advice. I think I would listen to whatever people have to say and treat it accordingly. But again, when 8/10, 9/10, or 10/10 people tell me the same thing I would have to think "maybe I am off a bit here" and see why everyone but me feels that way.

There are reasons the artists still have these pages 20-30 years later. Perhaps the same reasons why you are unable to move them.

I don't need to discuss prices with you if the stuff sits and sits unsold. Customers watch how dealers handle these things (the piece I bought this year sat with Albert Moy for years and I knew talking to him about it every year was useless but when it popped up in the French auction I bought it.) Info can be gathered directly or indirectly. You have been given feedback in this very thread about your sales but are unwilling to even consider it and this seems a pattern in your posts here; so why would I approach you if I feel all I will get is attitude.

And you paint us here with far too broad a brush. I myself have never bought from Stock. I stopped even looking at Burkey's site last year when the kerfuffle hit. I have never emailed a Donnelly (but I will look at the stuff East Coast Donnelly brings to comic art cons). I stick with those I have had good experiences with...Moy, Eder, Snyder, Kwan et al. Stop railing against the world and relax and listen up a bit, you may learn something. You seem unhappy with the results but unwilling to change your approach...why is that? What sense does that make?

 

 

How did you know talking to Moy was "useless?" Because you had tried in the past and that was the outcome? So, do you now "broad brush" all dealers, of any stripe, as "impossible to discuss prices with?"

I've already said here, too many times to count, that you CAN discuss it with me. I'm open to it. But you have to say something. I don't read minds. But you guys never do. Who's at fault there?

And direct info is always best. Indirect can be wrong. Indirect can be off. You ask why you'd bother to discuss it with me? Because you never have, so you have no idea what the outcome will be. I didn't learn about the Donnellys from "indirect info." I learned directly from my own attempt to engage with them. Then I KNEW how they operate and it  is why I'll NEVER do business with them. Buying OR selling. But it seems I can't be given the same consideration. You tell me to listen to the feedback here, which is almost entirely about prices, but none of you have EVER been willing to discuss it with me. So, you tell me what the issue is, but then ignore trying to work it out? How helpful is that? I'm not going to arbitrarily drop all prices. If that is what you expect, that is showing you guys as the unreasonable people I see you as now. But if you don't like a price on something, talk to me about it. I will try to work it out. I will always be beholden to the artists final wishes on these matters, but I will do everything I can to give everyone a square deal. If that isn't good enough for you, then all your "feedback" is pretty much worthless.

You are telling me I need to change, yet you never even consider maybe YOU GUYS need to change, too, do you? Just because you have the money, doesn't mean you are never wrong. My door to discuss things, like price, has always been open. It is all of you who walk by and refuse to engage. Maybe you should listen to MY feedback, just as much as you think I should yours.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man

[Meeley Man]

23 minutes ago, MYNAMEISLEGION said:

Jame's you will NEVER sell a glue stained X-Factor page like the one you just had on ebay for $650. Not now, not tomorrow, not five years from now.   You might sell the DHOKF page for $400, but not a BIN of $715.  You spam everyone of CAF with sub-par art and then get indignant when someone politely declines (but hey, they replied, which was more than you deserved) We've given you ton of candid, valid, constructive advise, and still you rant about no one every discusses price with you. Well we are discussing it now. If you continue to just vent this passive aggressive bile it's a one-way ticket to ignores-ville. It's a self-fulfiling prophesy.  You want to sell something? You want someone to haggle with you? I can only imagine what that exchange would look like.  why would anyone sign up for that? They can find dozens of pages of comparable or better art on Anthony's site for less.  What possible motivation would a buyer have to do that? You can't make an apples to apples comparison to what other dealers do, or what other people buy from those sellers. You are not an apple. You are not Anthony, or Burkey, or Spencer.  You don't have the inventory, pure and simple.  You certainly work hard to build your business, and rep your artists. I applaud that.  But blaming your potential customers for not buying what you are selling is just about the dumbest thing any retailer can do.  You have nothing that any collector can't live without, or can't get elsewhere for less, and with less drama. Put the shovel down and climb out of the hole you just dug for goodness sake.  

How many times must I say "if you don't like a price, discuss it with me" before it takes? And the BIN are higher, so that people can use the "best offer" option. Again, so prices can be discussed. Seeing a trend here?

And you aren't discussing prices with me. You are telling me "it's too high, sell it on the cheap." That's not discussion. That's closer to demands. If you see a piece on the gallery you like, but not the price, discussion goes like this: "Hey, I like this page, but the price seems a bit high. Would you be willing to go $X on it?" Then I reply and accept, or give you a counter offer, and we DISCUSS it, to see if a compromise can be found. THAT is discussing it. Have you ever done that? Now you don't have to imagine what the discussion would be, I've just laid it out for you.

As to you comments on me and other sellers, yes, I don't have massive inventories of stuff they do. But all your blather on that only proves what I said about this being an "old boys club." How can a new guy get there, when he's cut off at every turn. You insult my artists and the work I have from them. You call my attempt to get people to engage "spam." Well, I'm sorry I wasn't doing this 20, 25, 30 years ago or longer. 30 years ago I was 13. Not even old enough to work. I wasn't even into comics yet. So, I'm sorry I didn't buy up massive amounts of art in the "glory days" and sit on it until it was high dollar inventory. I'm sorry the artists I work with aren't named McFarlane, or Finch, or Wrightson, or Lee, or Adams. I'm sorry you see the ones who I've been fortunate enough to work with as just "hacks with sub-par work." I'm sorry they didn't put in long runs on Batman or Amazing Spider-Man, in the days of yore. I guess there is just no room at the table for someone else.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Meeley Man