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Inventory system, Which works the best?
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34 posts in this topic

So I’ve recently switched from collecting video games for 15 years, to comics. I came across a bunch at an estate sale a few months ago, and ever since I have been obsessed. I do have about 2000 comics currently, and will continue to increase my collection, but I have no accurate way of keeping inventory. I’d like to be able to input my purchase price of the comic, and see which comics I need to complete a collection. Along with what storage box they are kept in, and features like that. I’ve heard of comicbase and collectorz, but I have no experience with either. What are your thoughts and opinions on the different inventory services, and which brand would you choose?

 

Thank you in advance!

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On 8/27/2018 at 5:08 PM, jfree580 said:

So I’ve recently switched from collecting video games for 15 years, to comics. I came across a bunch at an estate sale a few months ago, and ever since I have been obsessed. I do have about 2000 comics currently, and will continue to increase my collection, but I have no accurate way of keeping inventory. I’d like to be able to input my purchase price of the comic, and see which comics I need to complete a collection. Along with what storage box they are kept in, and features like that. I’ve heard of comicbase and collectorz, but I have no experience with either. What are your thoughts and opinions on the different inventory services, and which brand would you choose?

 

Thank you in advance!

Can't remember if it's in this "Newbie" area or "General", but there was just a thread a few days ago about this. Several different examples & opinions of what everyone uses. Some of the online software versions look very cool. I personally made my own spreadsheets. One with my inventory (Series, issue #, grade, which box it's in, cost, est value, etc). The other is strictly for my ASM. It lists each issue & current gpa value in each grade. The online versions are probably less work & update everything weekly. If they offer a demo version, it may be worth checking into.

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Is there some reason we are not naming the services, free or pay? I have collected for years and recall at a convention a few years ago a booth advertising an inventory service that you pay for. Don't remember the name. I should probably do something beyond my own computerized lists, which is an upgrade from my index cards I used until about ten years ago. 

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Just to throw in my 2c...

When I graded my books two years ago I cataloged all of my books/grades/notes by making lists in the "compose message section" of my e-mail and then saved it all to my computer as a Draft and a PDF so it can be changed/upgraded at any time.

It is also backed up on a flashdrive.

As of right now there are 41 pages saved as a PDF. (3600 books)

I also have photographs of 3600 books saved on my computer and backed up on a flashdrive.

Here is a small example of how it is typed up on my computer and saved as a draft, presents differently when it is saved as a PDF.

Hope you find something that works for you, have Fun and Enjoy!!!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1962) (MVS IN ISSUES 130-141, 144-147, 152, 154, 156, 157)
2)PR 0.5
3)PR O.5
4)PR 0.5
5)FR/GD 1.5
6)GD- 1.8
7)FR/GD 1.5
8)FR/GD 1.5
9)GD 2.0
10)FR 1.0
11)FR/GD 1.5
12)GD 2.0
13)GD 2.0
14)VG/FN 5.0
15)GD 2.0
16)VG/FN 5.0
17)GD 2.0
18)GD/VG 3.0
19)FN/VF 7.0
20)VG/FN 5.0
21)VG- 3.5
22)GD/VG 3.0
23)VG+ 4.5
24)GD 2.0
25)GD 2.0
26)VG+ 4.5
27)GD 2.0
28)GD/VG 3.0
29)FN- 5.5
30)GD+ 2,5
31)VG+ 4.5
32)FR/GD 1.5
33)GD 2.0
34)FR/GD 1.5
35)FN/VF 7.0
36)GD+ 2.5
37)GD/VG 3.0
38)FN- 5.5
39)FR/GD 1.5
40)GD+ 2.5
41)VG 4.0
42)VG/FN 5.0
43)VG+ 4.5
44)FN/VF 7.0
45)VF 8.0
46)VG/FN 5.0
47)*FN- 5.5 (*BINDERY DEFECT, NO TOP STAPLE)
48)VG/FN 5.0
49)GD/VG 3.0
50)GD 2.0
51)GD 2.0
52)VG/FN 5.0
53)GD/VG 3.0
54)VG+ 4.5
55)VG/FN 5.0
56)*VG 4.0 (*WOULD BE FN 6.0 EXCEPT FOR SUBSCRIPTION CREASE)
57)*VG- 3.5 (*WOULD BE VG+ EXCEPT FOR SUBSCRIPTION CREASE)
58)GD 2.0
59)GD 2.0
60)GD 2.0
61)*FR/GD 1.5 (*1/5TH OF LAST PAGE MISSING, LETTER PAGE/ADVERTISEMENT
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Since I posted this, I have been using Collectorz as well. It was pretty easy for me to use the barcode scanner, and input all of my comics (New to collecting, but about 700ish comics). It maybe took an hour or two. Plus I have access from my phone, computer and back up in their cloud. If they had some sort of selling price average for the comics, that would be nice, but I'm pretty happy with what I paid for.

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On 9/30/2018 at 3:49 PM, Vfactor1 said:

I started using Collectorz about a month ago, best $15 I’ve spent. I love being able to carry collection with me on my phone...

Sounds cool. Would be awesome if one of these had a connection to GPA. :baiting:

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Okay, sorry for replying to a post that has not seen much traffic in the last little bit but I was wondering if Collectorz.com is a really good service. Originally I was looking at Comicbase but if I go that route I am looking at an up front cost of about $300 (unless, they offer discounts for  purchasing the barcode scanner and the software together, which I am not sure I would even be able to do.) This seems like a cheaper option especially if I can get a barcode reader really cheap (although, I will be honest, I am not sure what types of barcodes I would even need to be reading for comics. I want to be able to put them in fairly quickly because I think I have upwards of 1,000 comics or more that I have not touched in a bit that are going to have to be organized. Would collectorz.com even be a good option for me if I want to put my collection in quickly or would I be better of spending the money on something like Comicbase? I will admit the idea of buying the mobile version to put on my phone as well to have at my fingertips if I am out somewhere is really appealing.

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As a newbie I'm just getting started and have a small collection.  I collect mainly for the cover art so do any of these online services have a Cover Artist field?  That way I can search for an artist or artists that may be coming to my local comic con and see what I have that they have done.  I have my own spreadsheet but being able to scan in titles would be nice.

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18 hours ago, mljones99 said:

As a newbie I'm just getting started and have a small collection.  I collect mainly for the cover art so do any of these online services have a Cover Artist field?  That way I can search for an artist or artists that may be coming to my local comic con and see what I have that they have done.  I have my own spreadsheet but being able to scan in titles would be nice.

Collectorz just updated their cloud based version to allow for a cover artist sort, which is really nice. I am a big fan of the service, I use cloud and mobile apps and so far its been a huge help to getting back into collecting. I have not tried the mobile bar code reader but it is a free option with the cloud or desktop services. spideyscreenshot.thumb.jpeg.6e926ba980083b6bd32f537b11692008.jpeg

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2 hours ago, SearchForSpidey said:

Collectorz just updated their cloud based version to allow for a cover artist sort, which is really nice. I am a big fan of the service, I use cloud and mobile apps and so far its been a huge help to getting back into collecting. I have not tried the mobile bar code reader but it is a free option with the cloud or desktop services. spideyscreenshot.thumb.jpeg.6e926ba980083b6bd32f537b11692008.jpeg

Thanks!  Exactly what I was looking for!

I've started adding my comics and the mobile app works pretty well.  Combine that with the web based version for easier editing and I think I have found a winner for my needs.

Edited by mljones99
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On 10/25/2018 at 4:57 PM, Lord_Knikon said:

Okay, sorry for replying to a post that has not seen much traffic in the last little bit but I was wondering if Collectorz.com is a really good service. Originally I was looking at Comicbase but if I go that route I am looking at an up front cost of about $300 (unless, they offer discounts for  purchasing the barcode scanner and the software together, which I am not sure I would even be able to do.) This seems like a cheaper option especially if I can get a barcode reader really cheap (although, I will be honest, I am not sure what types of barcodes I would even need to be reading for comics. I want to be able to put them in fairly quickly because I think I have upwards of 1,000 comics or more that I have not touched in a bit that are going to have to be organized. Would collectorz.com even be a good option for me if I want to put my collection in quickly or would I be better of spending the money on something like Comicbase? I will admit the idea of buying the mobile version to put on my phone as well to have at my fingertips if I am out somewhere is really appealing.

I am just as new to it as you are. All I can tell you is collectorz seems seems to have everything I need and more. I was able to put in over 600 comics in a very short period of time. Older comics, took a little longer because of not having barcodes or things like that. I am very happy with the service, I have the cloud, the phone app, and the computer version. I can put in purchase price, and things of that nature. I just read they did an update for cover art, but I haven’t really looked into that yet. I have the barcode scanning option as well. You basically use your phone as the barcode reader and it inputs them that way. Very neat, and great for newer comics! Sometimes all the variants aren’t on there, but I haven’t really figured that part out yet. Overall I’m happy with it, and it helps me keep track of where my comics are too.

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I add my contribution to this thread by saying that I also recently discovered Collectorz and it's bringing me back to the comic books world. I have been an avid comic book reader for my entire life, but I stopped buying and collecting some years ago. I was tired of all the relaunches, the new titles, etc. It was difficult to keep track of everything.

Collectorz makes it so easy to add comics and follow a series! I have scanned all my comics in few minutes using their iPhone app, and now I am having fun going through my collection with the web-based software, and I can finally see any gap in the collection, all titles and series, etc.

It's a lot of fun.

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On ‎8‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 4:08 PM, jfree580 said:

So I’ve recently switched from collecting video games for 15 years, to comics. I came across a bunch at an estate sale a few months ago, and ever since I have been obsessed. I do have about 2000 comics currently, and will continue to increase my collection, but I have no accurate way of keeping inventory. I’d like to be able to input my purchase price of the comic, and see which comics I need to complete a collection. Along with what storage box they are kept in, and features like that. I’ve heard of comicbase and collectorz, but I have no experience with either. What are your thoughts and opinions on the different inventory services, and which brand would you choose?

 

Thank you in advance!

I just use excel. You can have as many columns and tabs for whatever information you want to enter. I use color codes too for quick reference.

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