Instagram 6 6

[Callaway29]

Well, I’ve been at it for a couple months, expanding my followings and keeping an eye on feeds. I’ve bought two books that were reasonably good deals, but nothing to write home about. I’m finding myself looking at it less and less, and frankly slowly losing interest.

If you want to pursue a deal via Instagram the best course is to branch out your network to less mainstream folks (non-dealers/collectors that infrequently sell). More obscure the better... Otherwise expect GPA, which is understandable from a seller’s POV, but personally I might as well buy on eBay if I’m paying full market value (buyers protection, ebucks, coupons, etc..). I’m actually finding myself wanting to unfollow some of the bigger dealers because they consume my feed...

In short, you aren’t missing much...and there’s “no place like home”...aka the CGC forums. Besides the transaction side of things, the sense of community and legitimate content of thoughts/experience exchanged is unparalleled. 

[GACollectibles]

On 10/31/2018 at 8:51 PM, blazingbob said:

Instagram is useless on a desktop. 

You can upload images from your laptop, I very rarely if ever do it from my phone for MySlabbedComics.

Link on how to do it from your computer (you might have to hit refresh page after toggle)

On 10/31/2018 at 8:51 PM, blazingbob said:

 Snapping pictures while I'm loading a collection into a truck,  snapping pictures of books while grading,  etc etc all slows me down. 

You definitely need to be posting more "in action" selfies.

[TupennyConan]

Any Bob selfie is a good selfie.  

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Honestly, everyone should be using Instagram. Its a whole other world of collecting. The stuff there is so different than content here, it's enjoyable to share and dig through posts. The more I use the site, the more I enjoy it, I am probably on there an hour a day as compared to an hour every two weeks here. And quite a few folks from here are there as well. @dreamtoreal @shortbox are very active there and share some fun content. I am still a noob on that platform, but I enjoy sharing some old pickups there.

[blazingbob]

Instagram is great,  how many times do I have to take a picture of the same book to post it?  Do I really need to take pictures of the book to showcase it?  Scan to the website isn't enough?  I have to guide you through the grading process,  put out the same BS "I love my job grading another Silver Surfer #4?"  The more efficient the platform the better.  The guy who can figure out how to get one picture on multiple social media platforms will make a lot of money.   HashtagBS,  Hashtagnotveryefficient, hashtagIhaveenoughworktodo  

Edited December 17, 2018 by blazingbob

[Old Fashion PB and J]

2 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

Instagram is great,  how many times do I have to take a picture of the same book to post it?  Do I really need to take pictures of the book to showcase it?  Scan to the website isn't enough?  I have to guide you through the grading process,  put out the same BS "I love my job grading another Silver Surfer #4?"  The more efficient the platform the better.  The guy who can figure out how to get one picture on multiple social media platforms will make a lot of money.   HashtagBS,  Hashtagnotveryefficient, hashtagIhaveenoughworktodo  

 Greg Reece is doing a good job with the platform, he posts books regularly with links back to his site. So effectively it is free advertising to a group who may not already know who you are.

[blazingbob]

3 minutes ago, The Resurrection said:

 Greg Reece is doing a good job with the platform, he posts books regularly with links back to his site. So effectively it is free advertising to a group who may not already know who you are.

You mean Austin is doing a good job.   Not "free",  that Social media guy draws a salary.  Time is money,  the more efficient use of it helps make the business profitable.  

Edited December 17, 2018 by blazingbob

[GACollectibles]

30 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

  The more efficient the platform the better.  The guy who can figure out how to get one picture on multiple social media platforms will make a lot of money.   HashtagBS,  Hashtagnotveryefficient, hashtagIhaveenoughworktodo  

There are ways you can post on one(Facebook) and have the same post also uploaded to Twitter & Instagram

#trygooglemrgrumpypants

[Old Fashion PB and J]

43 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

You mean Austin is doing a good job.   Not "free",  that Social media guy draws a salary.  Time is money,  the more efficient use of it helps make the business profitable.  

 I don't know who Austin is, but it still can't be any real cost to him.

[Dick Pontoon]

1 hour ago, Old Fashion PB and J said:

 I don't know who Austin is, but it still can't be any real cost to him.

Greg's offspring.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Just now, Pontoon said:

Greg's offspring.

Great band

[alexgreece]

This took a weird turn

[Buzzetta]

Not comfortable with it.  I guess I got to warm up to it.

As of now I am just dipping my toes into facebook groups for buying GI Joe figures.   My friend just bought an Action 17 through IG. Again I dunno.  I keep my facebook account private but keep my instagram account even more private. 

[Callaway29]

Coming back to report my impression after additional exposure to IG. I’m finding myself a little annoyed with it. Books for sale almost never have grades, never have back cover pics, and about 1/2 the time have prices. And call me old, but all the fire emojis (is that what you’d call a fire, not really an emotion) are oddly getting on my nerves. This is fire, that is fire, everything is fire. 90% of the posts I see are the same guys posting how awesome one another are...excessively. One big circlejerk...

Maybe I’m just following the wrong groups/people, or perhaps I’m having a “hey kids get off my lawn” moment...

I have done a few successful deals though, so it’s not all gloom & doom.

Edited April 9, 2019 by Callaway29

[RockMyAmadeus]

Now what is this instant gram thing...? Is that like oatmeal or graham crackers or something...?

[RockMyAmadeus]

9 minutes ago, Callaway29 said:

 all the fire emojis (is that what you’d call a fire, not really an emotion) are oddly getting on my nerves. This is fire, that is fire, everything is fire. 90% of the posts I see are the same guys posting how awesome one another are...excessively. One big circlejerk...

 

 

[Robot Man]

12 minutes ago, Callaway29 said:

Coming back to report my impression after additional exposure to IG. I’m finding myself a little annoyed with it. Books for sale almost never have grades, never have back cover pics, and about 1/2 the time have prices. And call me old, but all the fire emojis (is that what you’d call a fire, not really an emotion) are oddly getting on my nerves. This is fire, that is fire, everything is fire. 90% of the posts I see are the same guys posting how awesome one another are...excessively. One big circlejerk...

Maybe I’m just following the wrong groups/people, or perhaps I’m having a “hey kids get off my lawn” moment...

I have done a few successful deals though, so it’s not all gloom & doom.

Call me old if you want, but that just wraps up my sentiments to it too. No way am I gonna pay some flipper kid any kind of money with that lazy attitude to selling books. I love the "make an offer" thing. That scam has been going on since the dawn of time. You make an offer that is promptly rejected and presented to the next sucker. If you don't know what you want don't offer it up for sale until you do.

A lot of these kids laughed at me when I tried to tell them how great vinyl was. And now...

I just go on there to snoop at my compettitors...

[Callaway29]

Oh and one more thing...people constantly “tag” #comics4sale, #comicsforsale, #cgccomicsforsale, etc...and guess what? A LOT of the time they’re just bragging about a book they bought, NOT selling a book....and nobody calls them on it. It appears to be the social norm. This triggers my ocd because it makes no sense to clutter #’s created for the sole purpose of selling. It’s...just...not...logical.

Maybe an IG vet can illuminate me...

[RockMyAmadeus]

3 minutes ago, Callaway29 said:

Oh and one more thing...people constantly “tag” #comics4sale, #comicsforsale, #cgccomicsforsale, etc...and guess what? A LOT of the time they’re just bragging about a book they bought, NOT selling a book....and nobody calls them on it. It appears to be the social norm. This triggers my ocd because it makes no sense to clutter #’s created for the sole purpose of selling. It’s...just...not...logical.

Maybe an IG vet can illuminate me...

We need a ground war, thin out the ranks a little bit....

 

[dupont2005]

I follow all the local shops and a handful of my favorite out of town shops and my favorite small press creators that I buy from direct through IG occasionally. I’d only buy off a seller with a good reputation on there.