how to approach a dealer about books I think might be overpriced. 6 6

[jjfversion1]

27 minutes ago, Krishosein said:

damn I must be getting older as I don't know what HRU? stands for guessing how are you? and tho? and HMU? 

Hit me up

[blazingbob]

50 minutes ago, VintageComics said:

Communication is so simple, it's a wonder that it's being forgotten as an art form.

hru?

tho

hmu

btw

brb

Those sorts of things make me cringe

The art of communication is being lost to laziness and impatience.

How to approach a dealer about books if you think they are overpriced?

It's a simple answer: politely and honestly.

I can't tell you how many times I get a message making me an offer quoting a GPA all time low, as if that's the only data point.

Or how often I get an offer at 30% off my asking price (and I generally price at fair market value, not an inflated price).

Sometimes they throw in the 'I have Paypal to spend right away' as if that's some sort of incentive. I'm going to assume that if you have an offer to bring you plan on paying for it so telling me you're going to pay for it doesn't exactly reinforce me confidence.

Anyhow, asking questions respectfully is a pretty easy thing to do but it seems to be something that is becoming more difficult as time passes.

It isn't so much that asking questions is becoming more difficult.

It is the following that I am left to guess and deal with when that conversation is taking place

1).  Your definition and source of Fair market value.  Are you open to sales data that isn't GPA and maybe on how I came up to the asking price?

2).  Do you TRUST any dealers and would you prefer me to be truthful or lie to you?  

3).  Your ego versus mine.  Are you a guy who has to "WIN" every transaction and get what YOU want?  Or do we both get to walk away feeling good about the deal?

4).  Your "budget" and what you can afford to spend.

5).  Do you assume I'm overpriced before you even start negotiating?  

6).  Do you think I'm desperate to sell or that what you think is a lot of money is a lot of money to me?

7).  Do you think I'm happy when you negotiate using terms like cash,  I agree and then you whip out a credit card with a big smile on your face?

8).  Can I get to your number and how will you react to "No".

  

[VintageComics]

13 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

It isn't so much that asking questions is becoming more difficult.

It is the following that I am left to guess and deal with when that conversation is taking place

1).  Your definition and source of Fair market value.  Are you open to sales data that isn't GPA and maybe on how I came up to the asking price?

2).  Do you TRUST any dealers and would you prefer me to be truthful or lie to you?  

3).  Your ego versus mine.  Are you a guy who has to "WIN" every transaction and get what YOU want?  Or do we both get to walk away feeling good about the deal?

4).  Your "budget" and what you can afford to spend.

5).  Do you assume I'm overpriced before you even start negotiating?  

6).  Do you think I'm desperate to sell or that what you think is a lot of money is a lot of money to me?

7).  Do you think I'm happy when you negotiate using terms like cash,  I agree and then you whip out a credit card with a big smile on your face?

8).  Can I get to your number and how will you react to "No".

  

My favorite: negotiate a price and then don't take the book. It happens.

[kav]

4 minutes ago, VintageComics said:

My favorite: negotiate a price and then don't take the book. It happens.

This happened to me on ebay-guy made offer, I accepted.  Then he said no I dont want the book I just wanted to see what you would take for it-

[The Lions Den]

3 hours ago, Raze said:

Hey So a little more info.

With his prices being pretty high and him admitting as much the books were a lot less than his asking prices of over $1000 for all the books. Now i spent less than that but still a fair amount. It was still the most id spent. I don’t have a lot of extra discretionary spending towards Comics.

Id like to say that in all honesty and transparency that a few books in the deal I had marked “to flip” (yes the dreaded term that everyone uses and is trying to do) in the deal and hope no one judges or thinks differently of me or my post. So when i sell something im chasing my passion books which are ECs. Everything else is read and release.

 

@Bird here are some of the books. Not all of them as id like to recoup some of the cost to keep the ones itd like to keep. I hope thats fair as a few will be offered here on the boards after I read them.

 

Love those LB Cole covers...and Kirby's OK too... 

[NoMan]

1 hour ago, blazingbob said:

It isn't so much that asking questions is becoming more difficult.

It is the following that I am left to guess and deal with when that conversation is taking place

1).  Your definition and source of Fair market value.  Are you open to sales data that isn't GPA and maybe on how I came up to the asking price?

2).  Do you TRUST any dealers and would you prefer me to be truthful or lie to you?  

3).  Your ego versus mine.  Are you a guy who has to "WIN" every transaction and get what YOU want?  Or do we both get to walk away feeling good about the deal?

4).  Your "budget" and what you can afford to spend.

5).  Do you assume I'm overpriced before you even start negotiating?  

6).  Do you think I'm desperate to sell or that what you think is a lot of money is a lot of money to me?

7).  Do you think I'm happy when you negotiate using terms like cash,  I agree and then you whip out a credit card with a big smile on your face?

8).  Can I get to your number and how will you react to "No".

  

Point 7 is a real D-bag move.

[THE_BEYONDER]

18 minutes ago, kav said:

This happened to me on ebay-guy made offer, I accepted.  Then he said no I dont want the book I just wanted to see what you would take for it-

I assume you neg’d that azzhat....

Edited June 25, 2019 by THE_BEYONDER

[Unstoppablejayd]

39 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

If I had the book at $110 and came down to $95 am I motivated to sell?  If it came from a show inventory box I generally will knock up to 15% off a book which is noted on signs on my boxes.  Was $90 a fair price for the book in "decent/whatever that translates to grade wise" condition?  Or did you feel that because he was "motivated" you went for the lower number?  Does him showing his cards as you say prevent you from negotiating a price that was fair to both?  I'd love to hear the other side of this transaction from his perspective.  

My point was that he had already built in a discount as his answer was immediate. Why not just price things as they should be instead of forcing people to haggle? I know a fair amount of the local dealers and know each and everyone of them are going to come down on the price (with a few exceptions on uber hot/key etc) from what is on the book. Was the price fair on the book I described? $110 was overpriced. $90 was probably about market for the book, why did I go to $75? Because why not get the best deal I can? I am sure if someone else picked the book up did not ask about room on it he would have gladly taken the $110 with no complaints. If he did not think my offer was fair there was space to counter.

[kav]

4 minutes ago, THE_BEYONDER said:

I assume you neg’d that azzhat....

I actually didn't.  I use my negs very sparingly.  He didnt really harm me he was just clueless.  Amusing side story-I cancelled the transaction, and 2 weeks later I got a paypal payment from him.  I contacted him to clarify he did want the item.  He ignored me so a few days later I messaged again-unless I hear back from you I will ship item.  He then responded no I dont want the item pls refund!  What happened was this was when ebay and paypal split, and even tho I canceled in ebay, paypal still showed it in his account-he had a habit of paying all his paypal purchases in one lump without examining them.

Edit-wait seller cant leave negs!

Edited June 25, 2019 by kav

[blazingbob]

"Why not just price things as they should be instead of forcing people to haggle?"

Please define this statement so that it covers everyone's buying style.

Because if I did this there are a majority of buyers that would still ask for a discount.  

Question for most out there?  Is there a GPA store you can buy from when I don't agree to sell the book for GPA?

Edited June 25, 2019 by blazingbob

[NoMan]

58 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

"Why not just price things as they should be instead of forcing people to haggle?"

Please define this statement so that it covers everyone's buying style.

Because if I did this there are a majority of buyers that would still ask for a discount.  

when I buy at a con, should a question I ask a seller 100% of the time is "Is this your best price?" or some variation of that question?

[blazingbob]

2 minutes ago, NoMan said:

when I buy at a con, should a question I ask a seller 100% of the time is "Is this your best price?" or some variation of that question?

My discount for inventory in the boxes is listed,  no need to ask on those unless you feel that the stack you are building is worth a bigger one.  

Almost every buyer buying asks for a deal,  very few ever pay full price.  

[Unstoppablejayd]

9 minutes ago, blazingbob said:

"Why not just price things as they should be instead of forcing people to haggle?"

Please define this statement so that it covers everyone's buying style.

Because if I did this there are a majority of buyers that would still ask for a discount.  

Question for most out there?  Is there a GPA store you can buy from when I don't agree to sell the book for GPA?

I assume you took this from my response, so as you said.. there is an implied/expected discount. you said you even post what discount is on the box. well if that discount is happening why not just price the books at that number? Is the higher number there to make it look attractive? Or to take advantage of a newbie or someone shy about asking for a discount (not necessarily you who posts them but the avg dealer)

[october]

6 minutes ago, NoMan said:

when I buy at a con, should a question I ask a seller 100% of the time is "Is this your best price?" or some variation of that question?

That question always vaguely irritates me as a seller. I don't want to haggle against myself. I've already stickered or posted my price, it should be up to the buyer to counter with a number if they want it for less. 

[NoMan]

57 minutes ago, october said:

That question always vaguely irritates me as a seller. I don't want to haggle against myself. I've already stickered or posted my price, it should be up to the buyer to counter with a number if they want it for less. 

ok. thanks for the response. That is a better variation of "is that your best price?

[blazingbob]

4 minutes ago, Unstoppablejayd said:

I assume you took this from my response, so as you said.. there is an implied/expected discount. you said you even post what discount is on the box. well if that discount is happening why not just price the books at that number? Is the higher number there to make it look attractive? Or to take advantage of a newbie or someone shy about asking for a discount (not necessarily you who posts them but the avg dealer)

The higher number is not there to make it attractive.  It is because most buyers want to negotiate a deal.  Should you "earn" the best price or just have it handed to you on a silver platter?  That's the art of negotiation.  I can't help if you are shy or are uncomfortable negotiating.  

[Unstoppablejayd]

4 minutes ago, october said:

That question always vaguely irritates me as a seller. I don't want to haggle against myself. I've already stickered or posted my price, it should be up to the buyer to counter with a number if they want it for less. 

October- that is fair. And if you price like you do here very understandable. But so many dealers price to build in a "discount" at shows that it has become the norm to have to ask for the best price. That is the point I was trying to make to Bob.

[Unstoppablejayd]

1 minute ago, blazingbob said:

The higher number is not there to make it attractive.  It is because most buyers want to negotiate a deal.  Should you "earn" the best price or just have it handed to you on a silver platter?  That's the art of negotiation.  I can't help if you are shy or are uncomfortable negotiating.  

I do not think anyone wants to negotiate... I think that is what we have created in the marketplace for collectibles. You do not go into macy's and negotiate on shoes. You are correct that you can not help if negotiating is not someones wheelhouse, but then dealers should also not get offended by low ball offers from people who are not adept at it or on books that are priced without that built in discount.

[blazingbob]

The retail market is built on "Sales" and discounts off.  It is not exclusive to collectibles.  Shoppers across the globe all are looking for bargains.  

 

[blazingbob]

10 minutes ago, Unstoppablejayd said:

October- that is fair. And if you price like you do here very understandable. But so many dealers price to build in a "discount" at shows that it has become the norm to have to ask for the best price. That is the point I was trying to make to Bob.

Of course Andy can be reasonable when pricing on the boards,  there is 0 cost to selling on the boards except if paypal is involved.