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The Thread that No One Demanded: Buzzetta at NYCC 2018
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Started by Buzzetta,

178 posts in this topic

Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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8 hours ago, Larryw7 said:

I have to ask: was Carbo there?

heh - I made reference to that by posting a picture of Eaglemoss and saying that there didn't seem to be any problems there this year. 

Carbo was not seen by myself or any of my friends at the show.  

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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On 10/9/2018 at 2:04 AM, VintageComics said:

It would be interesting to note which dealers said what about NYC?

Remember that MANY of these dealers were in Baltimore just a few days prior and so would have moved a lot of inventory there as well as depleted some inventory. You also would have had many NYC buyers travel to Baltimore the week before and maybe avoid the business and expense of the NYC whereas other years they may have gone to both shows to shop if they were further apart like that have been in previous years.

It really is a disadvantage to have two shows, 2 hours apart on consecutive weeks.

I think there is more to it than that though.

I think that people are gravitating away from selling to dealers and instead opt to sell it themselves.  At least that is what I see more and more of. Sure, dealers can increase the amount they pay collectors for their books but are only going to raise their prices when they eventually resell it. Why should I buy something in certain price ranges at a show, when I can do better at ComicLink, Comic Connect, Pedigree (Even pedigree), Hakes, Heritage... and even eBay?  In fact that's where some of the dealers are getting their books from.

A couple of years ago I wanted to get rid of some books and offered them up on here. Bob Storms commented in the thread that he wondered why I was giving ComicLink free advertising because I did not take the stickers off the back. He was right. I realized that Storms was absolutely right.  When I go to NYCC though or the Carbo show, I see quite a few dealers that have books in their bins or on their wall with stickers from different places.  If that is the source of some of their books then why shop at the show for the markup?  I should just wait until it shows up on CLink.  Now I realize that some people are not comfortable shopping outside of eBay or are unaware or don't want to pay the tax but that notion still remains. 

While I was there Dolgoff got into a 'discussion' with someone trying to sell / trade him books. Dolgoff was debating the value that CGC adds to a book.  I get the argument both ways from both parties.  However, someone behind the guy that owned the book told him "why are you even selling it to him, just sell it yourself on eBay." Not wanting to stick around for that discussion I left and decided that I really did not need that Disney Mickey Mouse Golden Age infinity cover. (one day).  I think that when it comes to buying from dealers, that dealers have the same concerns that brick and mortar vendors do, that people can comparatively shop online with most of the same benefits and rewards at a cheaper price. 

Now someone like Storms, Reece, Metropolis, Rick and others get in a few rare books that you may not see frequently at auction.  However, unless it is a rare book, it is most likely that the book I want can be found cheaper online.  One of my friends did at NYCC what I did once at another show. They shopped around the floor and saw that the item was cheaper online and did a BIN on eBay.  So while I think that some dealers are going to do well, others will always struggle especially as people are carrying smart phones capable of comparatively shopping.  As more people do that, less people will shop with the non major dealers and those guys won't see the benefit to even spending $2000 for a smaller setup.

 

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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1 hour ago, Robot Man said:

Seems like Carbo is at EVERY show...

Wears the same suit most of the time.

You know how he hosts a cosplay contest at Big Apple?

hm 

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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On 10/10/2018 at 6:28 PM, Buzzetta said:

I think there is more to it than that though.

I don't think being able to shop elsewhere was the issue.

The issue was two shows, a week apart and only 2 hours apart. Overkill.

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Aman619

Aman619

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On 10/10/2018 at 6:28 PM, Buzzetta said:

I think there is more to it than that though.

I think that people are gravitating away from selling to dealers and instead opt to sell it themselves.  At least that is what I see more and more of. Sure, dealers can increase the amount they pay collectors for their books but are only going to raise their prices when they eventually resell it. Why should I buy something in certain price ranges at a show, when I can do better at ComicLink, Comic Connect, Pedigree (Even pedigree), Hakes, Heritage... and even eBay?  In fact that's where some of the dealers are getting their books from.

A couple of years ago I wanted to get rid of some books and offered them up on here. Bob Storms commented in the thread that he wondered why I was giving ComicLink free advertising because I did not take the stickers off the back. He was right. I realized that Storms was absolutely right.  When I go to NYCC though or the Carbo show, I see quite a few dealers that have books in their bins or on their wall with stickers from different places.  If that is the source of some of their books then why shop at the show for the markup?  I should just wait until it shows up on CLink.  Now I realize that some people are not comfortable shopping outside of eBay or are unaware or don't want to pay the tax but that notion still remains. 

While I was there Dolgoff got into a 'discussion' with someone trying to sell / trade him books. Dolgoff was debating the value that CGC adds to a book.  I get the argument both ways from both parties.  However, someone behind the guy that owned the book told him "why are you even selling it to him, just sell it yourself on eBay." Not wanting to stick around for that discussion I left and decided that I really did not need that Disney Mickey Mouse Golden Age infinity cover. (one day).  I think that when it comes to buying from dealers, that dealers have the same concerns that brick and mortar vendors do, that people can comparatively shop online with most of the same benefits and rewards at a cheaper price. 

Now someone like Storms, Reece, Metropolis, Rick and others get in a few rare books that you may not see frequently at auction.  However, unless it is a rare book, it is most likely that the book I want can be found cheaper online.  One of my friends did at NYCC what I did once at another show. They shopped around the floor and saw that the item was cheaper online and did a BIN on eBay.  So while I think that some dealers are going to do well, others will always struggle especially as people are carrying smart phones capable of comparatively shopping.  As more people do that, less people will shop with the non major dealers and those guys won't see the benefit to even spending $2000 for a smaller setup.

 

Yes many dealers buy from auction houses. But, they are careful how much they bid, so as to not overpay.  You are implying that a dealer with a auction sticker pays simply full retail and adds 20% or so isn’t really what’s happening.  (Of course some probably do try to markup regardless of what the final price comes to compared to retail.) and some of the stickered books you see may have been gotten in trades by collectors moving onto the NEW hot book.

dealers I know look for books selling at auction well below retail —  and a lot do sell for less — and pass on the ones at retail prices.  

anyway, I think a dealer is within his rights to charge whatever he wants, it’s a very tough grind of a business... and as you say, we don’t have to buy from them if prices too high, it’s perfectly okay for us to seek out the lowest prices we can find. 

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the blob

the blob

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On 10/12/2018 at 7:29 PM, VintageComics said:

I don't think being able to shop elsewhere was the issue.

The issue was two shows, a week apart and only 2 hours apart. Overkill.

3.5 hours to baltimore from NYC. 2 hours to philly

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