Unread is not a comic grade 3 3

[Lightning55]

Looks like we another poll - to see how many people selling comics qualify as professionals. 

Selling your own collection, NOT a professional. 

Selling comics you bought at a yard sale, NOT a professional. 

Selling your inherited collection, NOT a professional. 

Buying comics and selling them, under $10k annually, part-time professional. 

Selling comics over $10 annually, but not your primary source of income, semi-professional. 

Selling comics as your primary source of income, professional (finally!).

On eBay, probably 1 out of 10 comic sellers are professional (if that).

Selling a car once in a while does not make you a professional auto dealer, either.

Writing a post on CGC boards, however, seems to make everyone MORE professional.  At least in the eyes of that poster.

[James J Johnson]

21 hours ago, catman76 said:

What does it matter what they call it? Grading is BS anyway, made up and way too subjective. Everyone posts photos, look and decide for yourself. Besides all they are saying is that its in great condition when they say "unread". It's like saying a record looks "unplayed", it just means it's in really great condition.

+1.  Whether using the standardized hobby grading language like VG, FN, VF, or 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, etc. or using superlatives like "Oh My God, is this Mint!", the often used "high grade" or "low-grade" and every gradient in between, The picture, if clear enough and large enough, with front and back showing tells the true story. 

[James J Johnson]

2 hours ago, Lightning55 said:

Looks like we another poll - to see how many people selling comics qualify as professionals. 

Selling your own collection, NOT a professional. 

Selling comics you bought at a yard sale, NOT a professional. 

Selling your inherited collection, NOT a professional. 

Buying comics and selling them, under $10k annually, part-time professional. 

Selling comics over $10 annually, but not your primary source of income, semi-professional. 

Selling comics as your primary source of income, professional (finally!).

On eBay, probably 1 out of 10 comic sellers are professional (if that).

Selling a car once in a while does not make you a professional auto dealer, either.

Writing a post on CGC boards, however, seems to make everyone MORE professional.  At least in the eyes of that poster.

I think you can reduce this otherwise valiant effort to distinguish between pro and am down to two simple equations:

Professional = paid ; Amateur = not paid

Professional = occupation (a job, whether full or part-time); Amateur = hobby (a living substantiated by income other than the sale of comics). 

[Lightning55]

5 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

I think you can reduce this otherwise valiant effort to distinguish between pro and am down to two simple equations:

Professional = paid ; Amateur = not paid

Professional = occupation (a job, whether full or part-time); Amateur = hobby (a living substantiated by income other than the sale of comics). 

That is not even close to accurate.  if I sell my car to my neighbor, I am not a professional car salesperson, auto dealer, etc.  I just sold a car.  It happens.  Same for comics.

If I give someone a ride to the airport, and they toss me a $20 bill for the lift, I am not a professional limo driver.  The comparisons are endless. 

Just because you sell something does not make you a "professional" in any way.  Probably the most ridiculous statement made on the boards this year.  (Except for Dylan).

Edited August 10, 2020 by Lightning55

[Jeffro.]

31 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

The picture, if clear enough and large enough, with front and back showing tells the true story. 

Not always

[Poekaymon]

1 hour ago, James J Johnson said:

Professional = occupation (a job, whether full or part-time); Amateur = hobby (a living substantiated by income other than the sale of comics). 

This is close enough.  I played poker in college and consistently made a profit, but would not call myself a professional.  Similarly, since coming back into this hobby I have bought and sold a number of things at a pretty good profit, mostly by dumb luck (thanks Miles, Momoko, and Knull), but it's certainly not my main source of income.

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, Lightning55 said:

That is not even close to accurate.  if I sell my car to my neighbor, I am not a professional car salesperson, auto dealer, etc.  I just sold a car.  It happens.  Same for comics.

If I give someone a ride to the airport, and they toss me a $20 bill for the lift, I am not a professional limo driver.  The comparisons are endless. 

Just because you sell something does not make you a "professional" in any way.  Probably the most ridiculous statement made on the boards this year.  (Except for Dylan).

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the entire premise of the thread. 

Does this thread refer to someone who has never sold a comic, and is doing so for the first time? Maybe 1 comic, 1 listing? and the show's over, either never to sell again, or possibly once again within the next 10 years? One comic, one sale? 

Or does this thread have more to do with ebay sellers who regularly sell comics over the long haul? Maybe a dozen or so listings this week, or every week? Maybe 100 listings this month and every month? 

What exactly type of seller are you referring to? The once in a blue moon seller, like your one car sale? Or the frequent seller? 

[Lightning55]

1 hour ago, James J Johnson said:

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the entire premise of the thread. 

Does this thread refer to someone who has never sold a comic, and is doing so for the first time? Maybe 1 comic, 1 listing? and the show's over, either never to sell again, or possibly once again within the next 10 years? One comic, one sale? 

Or does this thread have more to do with ebay sellers who regularly sell comics over the long haul? Maybe a dozen or so listings this week, or every week? Maybe 100 listings this month and every month? 

What exactly type of seller are you referring to? The once in a blue moon seller, like your one car sale? Or the frequent seller? 

I believe the thread was started from someone's frustration that Unread was being used to infer the condition of the item, instead of some actual specifics about the item.  No info beyond that regarding how many sightings, or who is doing it (beyond "ebay sellers").

You brought up the "professional" aspect: "Anyone who sells a comic is a professional, whether selling once, or regularly"

Another poster indicated with a graphic that the statement "was crazy".

I agreed, and offered some examples of why doing a "bit" of something, or selling something, does not make you a "professional".  But you wanted to stick with the literal definition of professional, as this is your opinion, rightly earned.  So maybe it's an "agree to disagree" thing.

 

[Dr Zen]

On 8/9/2020 at 2:32 PM, wombat said:

Guys, you don't seem to understand. The words and pictures inside have NEVER been seen by human eyes. 

Do we really know it's never been seen? What if someone read it and then put it back on the shelf?

[James J Johnson]

4 hours ago, Lightning55 said:

I believe the thread was started from someone's frustration that Unread was being used to infer the condition of the item, instead of some actual specifics about the item.  No info beyond that regarding how many sightings, or who is doing it (beyond "ebay sellers").

You brought up the "professional" aspect: "Anyone who sells a comic is a professional, whether selling once, or regularly"

Another poster indicated with a graphic that the statement "was crazy".

I agreed, and offered some examples of why doing a "bit" of something, or selling something, does not make you a "professional".  But you wanted to stick with the literal definition of professional, as this is your opinion, rightly earned.  So maybe it's an "agree to disagree" thing.

 

I wasn't the first one who mentioned the word professional, as I recall, but I do think that the term can be ambiguous depending upon a certain circumstance. For instance, you cited an example where your selling one car earns you money, but as this is not your livelyhood and your sale of a car is not something that will be repeated regularly or any time soon, you are not a professional car salesman. And in that respect, you are 100% correct. But there may also be a chance that you handled the sale of the car like a real professional! The car was perfectly described, you posted dozens of pictures from all conceivable angles, stressing the defects in the paint, or damage, and secured a full mechanical report for the listing of the car, leaving out no details whatsover of any importance to a buyer. Then, you delivered the car to your buyer exactly as described, freshly cleaned, all the fluid levels checked, even with a full tank of gas! You did all that a buyer expects of a professional and even exceeded their expectations! You handled the sale as well as any professional who does this every day and for the purpose of eking out a living, while technically, you are not a professional. 

In an instance like that, your handling of that one sale with consummate professionalism, blurs the line bewieen an amateur, once in a blue moon seller, and a responsible seasoned professional! 

Edited August 11, 2020 by James J Johnson