New Craigslist trend? 1 1

[Readcomix]

More and more I'm finding books listed on Craigslist and the seller saying "make offer." When I e-mail and ask what they have, I get something like "I dunno. Haven't given it much thought. Do you have an offer?"

Sight unseen, based on an email inquiry of whether the lot described is even still available. Anybody else notice this lately?

[ygogolak]

In general, yes. Comic book movies are popular and people that don't know about comics want to cash in. Rightfully so.

My main LCS has an approach that I like in that respect. "I don't grade your comics. Give me an offer that you wouldn't mind getting rid of them for. If you want an appraisal I charge xx/hour."

[kav]

1 hour ago, ygogolak said:

In general, yes. Comic book movies are popular and people that don't know about comics want to cash in. Rightfully so.

My main LCS has an approach that I like in that respect. "I don't grade your comics. Give me an offer that you wouldn't mind getting rid of them for. If you want an appraisal I charge xx/hour."

My LCS does likewise.  He's done giving free appraisals.  

[Fan Boy]

Had seen a few ads like that on Craigslist. Some people just don't get when it comes about grading and conditions. Some actually think a VG or Fine is like a NM and asked for $$ or give offer too much. 

I once replied one ad about a batch of BA comics by a lady (her dad's comics). I went to meet her to take a look at them. She said she want that $ XXX dollars for the lot. I told calmly that grades do matter and they are not what she think. I put my offer on table, explained I have to grade each one and it take time.  She didn't like my offer, oh well. But did asked me what grades her comics were. 

I didn't do grades for free to other people when it comes to buy comics. Then I went home without comics. 

[ygogolak]

51 minutes ago, Fan Boy said:

Had seen a few ads like that on Craigslist. Some people just don't get when it comes about grading and conditions. Some actually think a VG or Fine is like a NM and asked for $$ or give offer too much. 

I once replied one ad about a batch of BA comics by a lady (her dad's comics). I went to meet her to take a look at them. She said she want that $ XXX dollars for the lot. I told calmly that grades do matter and they are not what she think. I put my offer on table, explained I have to grade each one and it take time.  She didn't like my offer, oh well. But did asked me what grades her comics were. 

I didn't do grades for free to other people when it comes to buy comics. Then I went home without comics. 

I bet she sold them for half of what you offered a month later.

[1Cool]

I think it also boils down to the gambling mentality of people.  You can post a picture of a stack of old books and get someone on E-Bay who will pay $200 sight unseen for the stack.  You lay the books out on a table with a far away picture you may get $100 for the stack.  You take scans of the tattered Silver-Age books you will get offers of $60.  People are always on the hunt for the huge steal so I think Craigslist ads have now morphed to fill that niche.  I put an ad on Craigslist and said I have 15 long boxes of 25 year old books for $80 a long box - had 15 responses within the day.  All of them decided to not come look at them when I gave them more info so I changed the ad to say the collection was mostly 90s books and 1 guy responded after a week.  Very little info seems to be sales tactic for some people.

Edited August 14, 2017 by 1Cool

[1Cool]

4 hours ago, ygogolak said:

I bet she sold them for half of what you offered a month later.

Unless she really needs the cash I bet she is still sitting on them.  People get a number in their heads and it literally takes years for them to break down and clear stuff out of their basement.

[Fan Boy]

13 hours ago, ygogolak said:

I bet she sold them for half of what you offered a month later.

Bet accepted, and you owe me ... .  Actually 1Cool is almost right in saying that she sat on the books. This ad I mentioned above ... that was about few years ago. After I left from that sale, she tried to advertise for like about 6 months then disappeared. These BA books are nothing but Derks with a couple of minor keys in there, their grades were between VG-Fine+.  My offer was very reasonable at half price of what the books are worth by grades ... after all, I have to flip them over at my booth and have to supply bags and boards. 

She wanted three times by her number on the books, thinking they are gold because of the movies. Lacking of understanding about grades, how not easy to sell ... blah blah. You get what I mean. I was being nice in explaining few facts to her. But I do not want to waste my time to make a small profit. These books weren't no more than $140 based on value. She wanted $400. ... based on NM prices. 

She was not the only one, I have seen quite a few people doing the same thing. One is still trying to sell his Disney books for three years (still reposting his ads) at full blow prices. No one ever buy from him. Some people just don't get the brains to realize they are wasting their time. Recently one seller is trying to unload 12,000 comics (likely all derks) mostly from CA to mordens at $1.00 ea.  I had emailed to ask what his bottom price for all. He said wanted $7500. He's still stuck with them after one month since then. 

Yup. There are many people like that on Craigslist.

[kav]

4 minutes ago, Fan Boy said:

After I left from that sale, she tried to advertise for like about 6 months then disappeared.

 

4 minutes ago, Fan Boy said:

One is still trying to sell his Disney books for three years

 

5 minutes ago, Fan Boy said:

He's still stuck with them after one month since then. 

 

  

I'm just glad that guy trying to sell a romita-romita-romita-lee signed scribble for $18,000 finally went away after so many years!!!

[Drbearsec]

8 hours ago, kav said:

 

 

  

I'm just glad that guy trying to sell a romita-romita-romita-lee signed scribble for $18,000 finally went away after so many years!!!

Forgive my ignorance but Who is the third Romita?

[kav]

4 hours ago, Drbearsec said:

Forgive my ignorance but Who is the third Romita?

John Jr's son, Vinny.  Not a comic artist or involved in comics in any way.  But the dude was convinced his sig bumped a $200 item into $18,000 as it was signed by 'three generations of Romitas".  

[ygogolak]

18 hours ago, Fan Boy said:

Bet accepted, and you owe me ... .  Actually 1Cool is almost right in saying that she sat on the books. This ad I mentioned above ... that was about few years ago. After I left from that sale, she tried to advertise for like about 6 months then disappeared. These BA books are nothing but Derks with a couple of minor keys in there, their grades were between VG-Fine+.  My offer was very reasonable at half price of what the books are worth by grades ... after all, I have to flip them over at my booth and have to supply bags and boards. 

She wanted three times by her number on the books, thinking they are gold because of the movies. Lacking of understanding about grades, how not easy to sell ... blah blah. You get what I mean. I was being nice in explaining few facts to her. But I do not want to waste my time to make a small profit. These books weren't no more than $140 based on value. She wanted $400. ... based on NM prices. 

She was not the only one, I have seen quite a few people doing the same thing. One is still trying to sell his Disney books for three years (still reposting his ads) at full blow prices. No one ever buy from him. Some people just don't get the brains to realize they are wasting their time. Recently one seller is trying to unload 12,000 comics (likely all derks) mostly from CA to mordens at $1.00 ea.  I had emailed to ask what his bottom price for all. He said wanted $7500. He's still stuck with them after one month since then. 

Yup. There are many people like that on Craigslist.

There is a person in my area that has been trying to sell an ASM 301 for at least a year. That's not big deal. The problem is they relist it about every 3 days.

[revat]

3 minutes ago, ygogolak said:

18 hours ago, Fan Boy said:

Bet accepted, and you owe me ... .  Actually 1Cool is almost right in saying that she sat on the books. This ad I mentioned above ... that was about few years ago. After I left from that sale, she tried to advertise for like about 6 months then disappeared. These BA books are nothing but Derks with a couple of minor keys in there, their grades were between VG-Fine+.  My offer was very reasonable at half price of what the books are worth by grades ... after all, I have to flip them over at my booth and have to supply bags and boards. 

She wanted three times by her number on the books, thinking they are gold because of the movies. Lacking of understanding about grades, how not easy to sell ... blah blah. You get what I mean. I was being nice in explaining few facts to her. But I do not want to waste my time to make a small profit. These books weren't no more than $140 based on value. She wanted $400. ... based on NM prices. 

She was not the only one, I have seen quite a few people doing the same thing. One is still trying to sell his Disney books for three years (still reposting his ads) at full blow prices. No one ever buy from him. Some people just don't get the brains to realize they are wasting their time. Recently one seller is trying to unload 12,000 comics (likely all derks) mostly from CA to mordens at $1.00 ea.  I had emailed to ask what his bottom price for all. He said wanted $7500. He's still stuck with them after one month since then. 

Yup. There are many people like that on Craigslist.

There is a person in my area that has been trying to sell an ASM 301 for at least a year. That's not big deal. The problem is they relist it about every 3 days.

I agree, the auto-relisting of waaaayyyy overpriced comics is super bothersome. 

[kav]

10 minutes ago, ygogolak said:

There is a person in my area that has been trying to sell an ASM 301 for at least a year. That's not big deal. The problem is they relist it about every 3 days.

how much they want for that hunk of junk?

[Fan Boy]

5 hours ago, revat said:

I agree, the auto-relisting of waaaayyyy overpriced comics is super bothersome. 

In my local Craigslist here, there is one seller who took his auto-relisting tactics to a new level. I nicknamed him "One book seller" because he alway list EACH comic book with full price ... he has like up to 100 books spammed into CL every week like a Swiss clock! 

[Readcomix]

20 minutes ago, Fan Boy said:

In my local Craigslist here, there is one seller who took his auto-relisting tactics to a new level. I nicknamed him "One book seller" because he alway list EACH comic book with full price ... he has like up to 100 books spammed into CL every week like a Swiss clock! 

I've got those guys too!

[Readcomix]

On August 13, 2017 at 11:22 PM, ygogolak said:

In general, yes. Comic book movies are popular and people that don't know about comics want to cash in. Rightfully so.

My main LCS has an approach that I like in that respect. "I don't grade your comics. Give me an offer that you wouldn't mind getting rid of them for. If you want an appraisal I charge xx/hour."

I like the free appraisal response, thanks. I've used a similar tack in buying books. I tell potential sellers I don't do bidding wars. For example, one guy (retiring flea market vendor) had six comics left to his name -- an ASM 4, a Hulk 181 and four really sharp ASM 300's. We discussed the books, I even gave him mylars and boards for them, but when he disclosed that he had a long-time customer who was a potential buyer too, I declined to give a firm offer. I told him instead I understood and appreciated his wanting to give his "best regular" a shot, especially as the person expressed interest and bought big ticket books from him in the past. I offered to exchange numbers and make an offer if they did not come to a deal he was happy with.

It took almost a year for him to say that the guy would not be buying the books, but I did buy them at a reasonable price.

The problem with CL is it's usually an email or text exchange off the bat, making it hard to do without human interaction. If CL people can't feel you out and get where you're coming from, they usually disregard and move on. So those who insist "make me an offer" are a bit frustrating. Not because they want to cash in but because they want an offer from a vague general,description (eg -- 77 Marvel superhero comics from the 1980s).

[ygogolak]

8 hours ago, Readcomix said:

I like the free appraisal response, thanks. I've used a similar tack in buying books. I tell potential sellers I don't do bidding wars. For example, one guy (retiring flea market vendor) had six comics left to his name -- an ASM 4, a Hulk 181 and four really sharp ASM 300's. We discussed the books, I even gave him mylars and boards for them, but when he disclosed that he had a long-time customer who was a potential buyer too, I declined to give a firm offer. I told him instead I understood and appreciated his wanting to give his "best regular" a shot, especially as the person expressed interest and bought big ticket books from him in the past. I offered to exchange numbers and make an offer if they did not come to a deal he was happy with.

It took almost a year for him to say that the guy would not be buying the books, but I did buy them at a reasonable price.

The problem with CL is it's usually an email or text exchange off the bat, making it hard to do without human interaction. If CL people can't feel you out and get where you're coming from, they usually disregard and move on. So those who insist "make me an offer" are a bit frustrating. Not because they want to cash in but because they want an offer from a vague general,description (eg -- 77 Marvel superhero comics from the 1980s).

Yes, and to further expand, the problem with giving the seller a number is that they will then use that to shop around for a higher price since they now have a base to work from. I'm really going to stick to the "what would it be worth for you to get rid of them" approach.

 

[ygogolak]

14 hours ago, kav said:

how much they want for that hunk of junk?

$25, want me to put an offer in for you?  ( newsstand)

 

[kav]

3 hours ago, ygogolak said:

$25, want me to put an offer in for you?  ( newsstand)