Comic buying ettiquette? what to do when you aren't the first buyer at a sale 2 2

[FineCollector]

I believe in giving people their space, and everyone should have their turn, but I have fun with the amateur flippers.  I flip through longs pretty quickly, especially when they're bagged.  The guy ahead of me is stalled while he looks up something stupid like Pirates of Dark Water #1 on eBay.  The fact that I'm racing through the boxes behind the flipper rattles him.  He'll look over at me, pause, and be unsure what to say.  I don't pay him any mind, but can see him out of the corner of my eye.  He takes even longer to look up his intended target because he's watching me pull books I need for my runs, but he thinks he missed.  When I finish the box before him, I jump over, keep going, and come back to that one afterwards.  If he tries to make conversation, I look at him, dismiss, and go about my business.  Just one of life's little pleasures.

[shadroch]

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 3:44 PM, jsilverjanet said:

this happens a lot here in Chicago. I had this "call" come up several times, buyer offers to pay for something unseen as I'm picking up. I know who one of them is

I think you guys are getting played. 

[jsilverjanet]

1 hour ago, shadroch said:

I think you guys are getting played. 

I got a name and apparently the person said some things about me to the seller.

 

[shadroch]

Grifter Handbook, Page 26

1)Advertise something rare.

2) Get someone interested

3) Have confederate call with a sight unseen offer much higher than your asking price.

4) Close the sale. Rinse and repeat.

 

Works when set up at shows, as well.

Edited March 28, 2018 by shadroch

[bababooey]

33 minutes ago, jsilverjanet said:

I got a name and apparently the person said some things about me to the seller.

 

Well thankfully you were able to clear up any misunderstanding by simply providing the seller with a link to the cgc leaderboard. 

[jsilverjanet]

1 hour ago, shadroch said:

Grifter Handbook, Page 26

1)Advertise something rare.

2) Get someone interested

3) Have confederate call with a sight unseen offer much higher than your asking price.

4) Close the sale. Rinse and repeat.

 

Works when set up at shows, as well.

I know you believe that your experiences are the same for everyone however....

I had already struck the deal. The seller informed of this when delivering the books (he had a truck I didn't). There was no increase in price etc. Ive heard this multiple times. Many times after I've closed the deal with no increase in price or not part of the negotiations etc

 

[Logan510]

10 hours ago, youmechooz said:

yes.

nothing confusing about it.

He ain't throwing hands with anyone, unless the other buyer is in Jr High...maybe

 

[justafan]

On 3/27/2018 at 6:21 PM, Bomber-Bob said:

All these stories pale in comparison to set up day at a larger convention. It's brutal.

Care to provide some stories or experiences?

[WolverineX]

On 3/27/2018 at 5:49 PM, Mercury Man said:

About 4 years ago, I sold a good chunk of my collection to buy an old classic car.   I put my comics on CL.  It was priced good, I had to move it fast, to secure the car.  The first person to contact me seemed like a nice guy, said he wanted to take a look and set up a time.   I got a lot of interest, (Silver/Bronze/Modern all mixed in, some keys), but I made a list of the order of the interested parties, in which they contacted me.  Told them all, that the first guy who contacted me has first dibs.  Before he arrived another person contacted me, and said that they would give me an extra $200 to sell it to them.   I told them, sorry, we have a line.  He said 'too bad' and even sent me a picture of his $100's spread out on a bed (like that was supposed to wow me or something?!?).   

I sold it to the first gentleman, at the listed price on CL, didn't care about the extra $200 because I am a man of my word.   Not saying this for any other reason, than to show that it can be done without whoring yourself out.   

That guy sounded incredibly immature... good thing you avoided him like the plague

[Bomber-Bob]

12 hours ago, justafan said:

Care to provide some stories or experiences?

It's not so much specific incidents, it's more pervasive than that. A no rules, every man for himself type of culture. Most of us are used to being at a con with all the merchandise up front, on the tables, difficult to impossible to hog anything but a specific box or two. At set up, everything is still behind the tables in boxes, a single aisle. A single individual, if so inclined, can block the whole aisle, preventing anybody else from looking at the stock until they are 'finished'. Now 'finished' means they have pulled a big stack, which they leave until later, so they can quickly move on to the next dealer's setup. And if word gets out about a new collection at a specific dealer's setup, it's insanity, a feeding frenzy. Some move in packs, others solo, but forget the normal rules of etiquette during this time frame. You really have to see it to understand but it's crazy. Good times !!!

[justafan]

6 minutes ago, Bomber-Bob said:

It's not so much specific incidents, it's more pervasive than that. A no rules, every man for himself type of culture. Most of us are used to being at a con with all the merchandise up front, on the tables, difficult to impossible to hog anything but a specific box or two. At set up, everything is still behind the tables in boxes, a single aisle. A single individual, if so inclined, can block the whole aisle, preventing anybody else from looking at the stock until they are 'finished'. Now 'finished' means they have pulled a big stack, which they leave until later, so they can quickly move on to the next dealer's setup. And if word gets out about a new collection at a specific dealer's setup, it's insanity, a feeding frenzy. Some move in packs, others solo, but forget the normal rules of etiquette during this time frame. You really have to see it to understand but it's crazy. Good times !!!

Wow, that sounds like black friday.  One of these day's I'll have to offer up some help to a dealer to get into a con early enough to see that.  I can now imagine how "fresh meat" dealers often get picked clean when setting up at a big con for the first time. 

[Bomber-Bob]

1 minute ago, justafan said:

 I can now imagine how "fresh meat" dealers often get picked clean when setting up at a big con for the first time. 

Very true. I always say, all the good stuff is gone before they open the doors to the public. You can only hope to find something they missed. We have two big conventions a year in Chicago and I always used to go to setup day but I think I have given up, too frustrating. Too many others have the same idea. Last time, last year, I walked out with nothing in hand.

[SteppinRazor]

1 hour ago, Bomber-Bob said:

Very true. I always say, all the good stuff is gone before they open the doors to the public. You can only hope to find something they missed. We have two big conventions a year in Chicago and I always used to go to setup day but I think I have given up, too frustrating. Too many others have the same idea. Last time, last year, I walked out with nothing in hand.

Isn't it up to the vendor to decide if he/she wants to pre-sale items on set up day?

[Ken Aldred]

On 27 March 2018 at 6:07 PM, the blob said:

Today I got on a subway elevator. I was about to press the button to go up (it was one of the few that is not automatic), only to notice that someone had spat some disgusting phlegm all over the buttons. I was paralyzed and grossed out. Stood in the elevator for a minute and found some scrap paper in my pocket to press the button, but a lady had hit door open and stepped in. She was about to press the button and I screamed "don't press the button!"..after being freaked out for a second she realized I was doing her a favor and said "people are disgusting"...

As someone who's badly obsessive-compulsive = nightmare fuel.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Ken Aldred

[Get Marwood & I]

On 27/03/2018 at 6:07 PM, the blob said:

Today I got on a subway elevator. I was about to press the button to go up (it was one of the few that is not automatic), only to notice that someone had spat some disgusting phlegm all over the buttons. I was paralyzed and grossed out. Stood in the elevator for a minute and found some scrap paper in my pocket to press the button, but a lady had hit door open and stepped in. She was about to press the button and I screamed "don't press the button!"..after being freaked out for a second she realized I was doing her a favor and said "people are disgusting"...

...."aren't they just" I said, and carried on piddling into the corner. 

[Bomber-Bob]

2 hours ago, SteppinRazor said:

Isn't it up to the vendor to decide if he/she wants to pre-sale items on set up day?

Yes but most will sell on setup day. 

[Logan510]

13 hours ago, Bomber-Bob said:

Very true. I always say, all the good stuff is gone before they open the doors to the public. You can only hope to find something they missed. We have two big conventions a year in Chicago and I always used to go to setup day but I think I have given up, too frustrating. Too many others have the same idea. Last time, last year, I walked out with nothing in hand.

While I do find stuff on setup day, I've still been able to find good stuff through the rest of my time at a show. For collecting purposes I can always find something. For flipping, the "sharks" leave a lot of scraps because they think it's not worth their time 

[mackenzie999]

On 3/26/2018 at 6:44 PM, jsilverjanet said:

this happens a lot here in Chicago. I had this "call" come up several times, buyer offers to pay for something unseen as I'm picking up. I know who one of them is

Seems like that could almost be a shilling tactic for the seller

[blazingbob]

2 hours ago, mackenzie999 said:

Seems like that could almost be a shilling tactic for the seller

Yeah,  I have this same tactic.  Its called a website and I love nothing more then pulling books off the wall when they sell in front of guys who have to think about it.

[the blob]

On 3/29/2018 at 11:05 AM, Bomber-Bob said:

It's not so much specific incidents, it's more pervasive than that. A no rules, every man for himself type of culture. Most of us are used to being at a con with all the merchandise up front, on the tables, difficult to impossible to hog anything but a specific box or two. At set up, everything is still behind the tables in boxes, a single aisle. A single individual, if so inclined, can block the whole aisle, preventing anybody else from looking at the stock until they are 'finished'. Now 'finished' means they have pulled a big stack, which they leave until later, so they can quickly move on to the next dealer's setup. And if word gets out about a new collection at a specific dealer's setup, it's insanity, a feeding frenzy. Some move in packs, others solo, but forget the normal rules of etiquette during this time frame. You really have to see it to understand but it's crazy. Good times !!!

With that said, at NYCC a couple of years ago I got in on Thursday at about 11:30, proceeded to one of the big dealers I usually hit, and secured one $75 book, another $50 book, several $25 books, and a stack of $10-$20 books (as in books that I actually sold on ebay for that much within a month of the show) out of their $2 boxes (along with a bunch of other less exciting stuff, I am not a cherry picker). Mind you, they have a big set up and these guys would administer a beat down on anyone who tried to c**ck block their aisles and what not. I would be terrified doing a big show solo or just with my junior high school kid to help me.