Thoughts on Stocks and Coronavirus and Comics 4 4

[sfcityduck]

Nike stores, Apple stores, other retailers voluntarily shutting down.

A number of states now shutting down bars, cafes, etc. non-voluntarily.  

[lou_fine]

1 hour ago, sfcityduck said:

Nike stores, Apple stores, other retailers voluntarily shutting down.

I believe Apple announced that all of their stores inside China are now opened for business again, but that they will be closing ALL of their stores outside China until March 27th:  

https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/14/21179542/apple-closing-retail-stores-march-27-coronavirus

[lou_fine]

5 hours ago, lou_fine said:

6 hours ago, gotpong said:

I think its fair for me to say these are big books at good deals even with sales tax.

Yes, I think it's also fair to say that all of the books which you have listed are Marvel SA books which is just only one segment of the overall comic book market. 

What are the stats like for other segments of the market so that we can have a much more comprehensive picture of the overall vintage collectible comic book market?  

 

5 hours ago, William-James88 said:

Yes exactly. The ones I was looking at (rare golden age books) did not sell at any prices I would call deals.

 

I was just over on the GA boards on the thread alking about the 2020 financial crisis and here is their answer to this matter here:  

8 hours ago, lpsunburst said:

Based on the 15 books I am watching on HA tonight, the comic market is broadly doing fine, every book on my watch list is at or above GPA. 

 

5 hours ago, jimbo_7071 said:

I was following the auction on HA tonight, hoping for some deals. No bargain-basement discounts yet. An apparent VG- raw copy of Mystery Men four went for close to three grand. I actually laughed out loud when I saw that. 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by lou_fine

[DavidTheDavid]

4 minutes ago, BIGJIMMY said:

Tried to score some tp at Walmart today and Dollar General and no luck. I am down to just 2 rolls and looks like I will be taking your advice about the tub soon. 

Amazon.com?

Edited March 16, 2020 by DavidTheDavid

[pemart1966]

11 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Yes, I think it's also fair to say that all of the books which you have listed are Marvel SA books which is just only one segment of the overall comic book market. 

What are the stats like for other segments of the market so that we can have a much more comprehensive picture of the overall vintage collectible comic book market?  

...and condition wasn't super high either...

[William-James88]

6 hours ago, lou_fine said:

I was just over on the GA boards on the thread talking about the 2020 financial crisis and here is their answer to this matter here:  

Yup, that's what I was referring to. And here's another that really surprised me: https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/the-marvel-family-22-fawcett-publications-1948-cgc-vf-85-off-white-to-white-pages/a/122009-11366.s?ic2=mybidspage-lotlinks-12202013&tab=MyBids-101116
The guide price has not changed much in 20 years and yet this totally non key got the highest price ever on the site:

[jimbo_7071]

7 hours ago, lou_fine said:

 

 

I was just over on the GA boards on the thread alking about the 2020 financial crisis and here is their answer to this matter here:  

 

 

To be fair, Lou, I do think that we're at the beginning of a buyers' market where prices will tend to be on the soft side for a couple of years. That trend was beginning before the coronavirus came along and is part of the usual cycle in the hobby. Most collectors will hang on to their best stuff until the next sellers' market, so although there will be some bargains to be had, the selection of high-grade GA material won't be great. Bottom feeders will be in heaven.

[PopKulture]

9 minutes ago, jimbo_7071 said:

Bottom feeders will be in heaven.

[sfcityduck]

Is anyone seeing any impacts on local comic stores?  

I just got an email from Midtown Comics that sure looks like they are trying to increase liquidity by selling inventory at near wholesale prices.  I can see how this would a necessity if walk in business is drying up.  I could also see how this might be very smart if the money is going straight into the stock market.  

Powell's Books in Portland has shut down to walk-ins, online only, that's not a choice for most book and comic stores.  

[greggy]

12 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Is this on leave without pay or is this going to be on the taxpayer's dime in terms of Paid Covid-19 leave?  

Duh, it's leave with paid. 

[DavidTheDavid]

57 minutes ago, jimbo_7071 said:

To be fair, Lou, I do think that we're at the beginning of a buyers' market where prices will tend to be on the soft side for a couple of years. That trend was beginning before the coronavirus came along and is part of the usual cycle in the hobby. Most collectors will hang on to their best stuff until the next sellers' market, so although there will be some bargains to be had, the selection of high-grade GA material won't be great. Bottom feeders will be in heaven.

Did someone say bottom feeders? 

12 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

Is anyone seeing any impacts on local comic stores?  

I just got an email from Midtown Comics that sure looks like they are trying to increase liquidity by selling inventory at near wholesale prices.  I can see how this would a necessity if walk in business is drying up.  I could also see how this might be very smart if the money is going straight into the stock market.  

Powell's Books in Portland has shut down to walk-ins, online only, that's not a choice for most book and comic stores.  

My LCS is still open. I messaged them this morning to tell them I'd be happy to pay via PayPal and let them hold my books if they have to close. 

[Robot Man]

I only go to mine for supplies mainly. They have no back issues. They just opened a second store late Feb. I was in a week ago and the owner said he was doing OK but a lot has changed in a week. He might be sorry about that lease on a second store in the next few months.

As far as comic sales go, I mostly follow GA books. I have noticed some price resistance on the better stuff or common slabbed books here on the boards. Less expensive and lower grade stuff seems to be selling pretty well. eBay seems to still be bringing fairly high prices on better or scarce stuff. I don’t know about the average stuff because I don’t follow it. 

I don’t see giveaway prices on quality material and don’t expect to. Like 2008, people are just going to sit on their stuff. Actually, the good stuff might go up a bit due to limited availability. 

[lou_fine]

14 minutes ago, greggy said:

12 hours ago, lou_fine said:

Is this on leave without pay or is this going to be on the taxpayer's dime in terms of Paid Covid-19 leave?  

Duh, it's leave with paid. 

  Well, since I am now clearly paying for you to sit at home doing absolutely nothing, you can at least have the courtesy of packing up a few of your CGC 9.8 graded books and sending them my way as compensation.   

[sfcityduck]

25 minutes ago, DavidTheDavid said:

 

My LCS is still open. I messaged them this morning to tell them I'd be happy to pay via PayPal and let them hold my books if they have to close. 

[nriccijr]

Anyone else thinking twice about buying stuff online? Who knows who is touching stuff!?

[sfcityduck]

20 minutes ago, nriccijr said:

Anyone else thinking twice about buying stuff online? Who knows who is touching stuff!?

I think it is safe.  You have a couple of options:

(1) Clean any product you buy that comes in plastic (shrink wrap and encapsulated) when you get it.

(2) Don't open a package for a couple of days after you get it.  Covid-19 only remains viable on a surface (paper or plastic) for a few days.  A recent study says one day for carboard and three days for plastic or metal.  My advice, wait five days f you are concerned before opening a package.

Check this article out:  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/811609026/the-new-coronavirus-can-live-on-surfaces-for-2-3-days-heres-how-to-clean-them

And wash your hands after you do so.  

Edited March 16, 2020 by sfcityduck

[Jaylam]

42 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

I think it is safe.  You have a couple of options:

(1) Clean any product you buy that comes in plastic (shrink wrap and encapsulated) when you get it.

(2) Don't open a package for a couple of days after you get it.  Covid-19 only remains viable on a surface (paper or plastic) for a few days.  A recent study says one day for carboard and three days for plastic or metal.  My advice, wait five days f you are concerned before opening a package.

Check this article out:  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/14/811609026/the-new-coronavirus-can-live-on-surfaces-for-2-3-days-heres-how-to-clean-them

And wash your hands after you do so.  

Probably safer to buy online and follow above instructions. Maybe your only option to buy much of anything soon. 

[Buzzetta]

3 hours ago, sfcityduck said:

Is anyone seeing any impacts on local comic stores?  

I just got an email from Midtown Comics that sure looks like they are trying to increase liquidity by selling inventory at near wholesale prices.  I can see how this would a necessity if walk in business is drying up.  I could also see how this might be very smart if the money is going straight into the stock market.  

Powell's Books in Portland has shut down to walk-ins, online only, that's not a choice for most book and comic stores.  

Think of all the new comics sitting on the shelves.  That is a lot of inventory that usually sells itself every Wednesday. If no one is shopping then they have to get rid of it before it becomes nothing more than $1 bin material.  In that case they need to compensate somehow.  While no one is shopping that does not mean that building owners are going to stop collecting rent.

[musicmeta]

18 hours ago, Black_Adam said:

Had to go to two different Save On Foods (Canadian supermarket) before finding any three-ply toilet paper. Now to convince the wife to unravel each roll and re-roll the TP into 3 separate one-ply rolls I can sell online! 

 

Yeah, to conserve toilet paper..we are using both sides. 

[Black_Adam]

6 minutes ago, musicmeta said:

Yeah, to conserve toilet paper..we are using both sides. 

Smart. And this may have already been mentioned, but a bum gun is also a wise investment. Buy one now before they're all gone!