Not all comic shop owners "love the hobby". Many of them only collect money. And unfortunately this attitude is the norm for many dealers in the hobby...
Tbf I doubt I'd "love the hobby" if I owned a shop. After a while you probably wouldn't care about them like you used to. Also most people that have a decent job probably make a lot more money and have health insurance.
its a business. Deal with it and stop crying and trying to gatekeep how other ppl deal with comics. Plus, getting ripped off is not getting what you expect you are going to get. If i was a shop owner, just like as a buyer, the less knowledgable the seller or buyer is, the better it is for me. Lets not act like if you found, say a spiderman #300 at a yardsale for 10 bucks, you're not gonna go up to the guy and tell him youd rather pay 400. gtfoh. Everyone is lookin for deals and getting deals thru less knowledgable ppl or ppl that just dont care about comics is a big part of it. Without this aspect, hunting wouldnt be near as awesome or rewarding. Sure, there are tons of shady practices within comics and shops are some of the worst ran businesses of any businesses in general ive seen, but its not because they offer you a 16th of what ur collection is worth. Its on you to do your due dilligence. Ive never seen more crying about how other ppl choose to do their comics than i have on this channel. A shop sucks, ok dont go there, its that simple. Also this the guy that goes into a shop or booth and touches and handles every comic they got, takes em out of the bag, and dont spend a dime. And wonders why he rubs ppl and shops the wrong way
I do have one serious question for anyone reading the comments. When was the last time you talked your way into paying more or not even being able to afford the deal because you educated the seller to what they actually had? If that hasn't happened to you or you feel you'd never do that, are you any different from the LCS that's low balling people?
Preach on brother. I know of several comic shops in Philadelphia that will rip you off to your face giving the excuse of, well this book isn't hot anymore, I'm not the owner so I can't really make you the deal you want, this book went down in price, I'm trying to make a profit too you know or this book isn't in good shape, knowing it's a high grade. Listen just avoid comic shops, pawn shops or other shady Flea Market dealers. Their are some great Flea Market dealers who'll give you a great deal on buying and selling but if it doesn't feel right don't do it and take a shit offer. Find someone who knows what the books are worth and take them with you when you go to buy or sell. Great informative video brother. Thank you.👍👍
I understand the shops need to make money, but I was shocked to hear that my lcs paid $2,200 (they started lower!) for a huge Silver Age Collection a few months back. It had Hulk 1-6, a big run of Hulk Tales to Astonish, including 93 & (2 copies) of 59, Hulk Annual 1 in great shape, Fantastic Four 2, 48, 49, 50, and many more early issues. I don't know what the seller was thinking, but they had a GREAT lifetime collection and got pennies on the dollar for it.
But $2,200 is a lot of money for a comic book store to offer. If you want a fair price for individual books then you HAVE to sell them at auction. Most Comic book stores just don’t have 50-60k to give people for their X-Men #1’s or Amazing Fantasy #15’s. I mean if you’d want them to be as good and “honest” as possible. They’d have to end up telling you they can’t take certain books because they can’t reasonably give you the amount of money a fair price would dictate. But like you said they ARE running a business and if someone offers them a Hulk #1 of course they’re gonna take it. I think you’d be a fool if you walked into a comic store with a book worth tens of thousand of dollars and actually expected to get that amount outside of auction. There’s very little return involved for a storefront buying books of that price, you could be stuck holding onto that book for YEARS.
I see this everytime I go in to Bedrock City herein Houston. Their wall books are priced as if it was still 2021. I'll tell them as I'm looking at GPAnalysis,, "I'll give you X dollars for this book right at FMV." They always smile or laugh and put it back on the wall. It's common knowledge that your LCS will give you 50% tops for your good stuff and for everything else will go for pennies.
Wait, you're telling me you don't want to buy Spider-Man #7 (first apperance of Spider-Boy) for $30-$50 bucks?! Joking aside, this isn't just an LCS problem, this is a problem with a majority of resellers. They want to get your stuff for cheap, but their stuff has to be sold for top dollar. It's so annoying and at this point, I would recommend everybody focus on building collecting relationships with people who actually care about the hobby and not just the money. That way you both can give each other deals and get what you want. I always give my collecting friends deals when it comes to collecting games. Thank You for coming to my Ted Talk.
That’s why you see a trend I’ve the past couple of decades or so where comic shops rarely sell graded comics, raw high end comics. With the online market place being consumers’ best avenue for paying FMV, shops are turning to other items now like funko pops, figures, statues, etc. Back issues, and current weekly issues are fine, but the high value items LCS are just not competitive. They are overpriced, and intentionally keep items raw instead of slabbing them because they can charge more for their subjective grading of what they are selling. I still visit them and buy supplies and such, but for my high value purchases they are way off FMV.
I do agree with a lot that you said but while you acknowledged the LCS is a business, you didn't look at the risk associated - which i think is important as well. If the LSC buys a comic or a collection, they assume ALL the risk associated with that. I imagine a very small majority of the entire comic book community actually pays big bucks for comics. The LCS will have to deal with it sitting on their shelves, price fluctuations, demand, and any other holding costs while waiting for the right buyer to come in and buy it all the while dealing with their cash flow and operating costs. I don't think they should be deceptive, but remember, the seller is going to them to get the items off their hands, so the LSC can offer whatever they want, take it or leave it. May be collections and pricey comics are more meant to be sold between the consumers rather than between the consumers and LSCs, which might be a better approach.
All of this was true prior to 2020. Then the hobby re-ignited and prices & demand on nearly everything went up. LCS aren't buying collections at post-boom prices. They're still paying what they offered before 2020.
@@Stickygoose nah just a bit awkward, how did he expect us to buy anything with him hovering over us and treating us like thieves. My friend and I were pretty sure he does that with all the teenagers.
Excellent video and bunches of thanks for sharing. I would do research long before selling anything I have, then, it depends on how much you can live with to keep or let go. I still have tons of stuff from my many hobbies, most of which is in pristine condition. Best way to unload your items is to put in the work and do the research and educate yourself and just never trust some smuck just because they have a business. Dig deep, put in the work so you know what you have, then it's easier to unload it depending on what limit you set. In the end, it's so well worth it to store it and keep it in top notch condition as long as possible or even hand it down and keep it in the family. Let your children/family members, relatives know what this stuff is worth so they don't get taken advantage of. Same situation with any collectable; it's only worth what someone is willing to pay, but if you got the stuff, you have the high ground, so stay firm and be fair so you have no regrets when you let it go.
This has always been a thing with dealers. Whether it be in a LCS or dealers at Conventions. They buy low and sell high and yes overhead does factor in but a smart and savvy owner makes sure that they have alternatives to selling their wares. Being a deceitful person will come around and get these crappy type of LCS's. Whatnot is slowly weeding out the crappy stores and allowing smart owners thrive. However, there is another issue with owners and conventions, which is the charging of RAW books at graded prices. A 6.5 Raw is not the same as a 6.5 CGC graded book. Let's be real dealers your gouging the buyers. Also, buyers need to wake up and do some homework as well. Don't just buy a book at a silly price because they say so. You'd be surprised at deals that can be had if you are patient and shop around. You can change this rapacious pricing by not buying books at that silly price.
There was a shop owner in my area prior to the Pandemic who'd agree with you. He had plenty of chances to buy keys super cheap but refused to take advantage of uninformed sellers. He didn't have the resources to make fair offers, so he'd sell books on consignment. Not many comic dealers would do this (almost practically ZERO). But he felt it was a fair way to deal with customers while also making a profit.
Years ago I needed money and went into a shop. Before even looking at anything, they had the decency to tell me up front that store policy was to buy at 40% of FMV. I was so desperate for cash I had to go through with it, anyway.
Not all comic shops are evil; we pride ourselves on fair purchasing. I think it is a bit unfair to generalize; though I do agree there are plenty of shops that fit your description.
Estimating the value of items can be quite challenging. What one person considers valuable may not hold the same value for others. When I used to buy comic books, my main goal was to read them. I didn't focus much on their quality; I just wanted them to be readable and not have a bad smell. Running a business based on distinguishing between trash and treasure is tough. It requires not only understanding the value of items but also knowing how long it will take to find a buyer. Additionally, there's a significant amount of time and labor involved in sorting through a collection and processing it, which can eat into the business's profits. Auctions often provide the best indication of an item's worth. To reduce inventory and stay profitable, many local comic shops (LCS) sell their comics through auctions. This is when they truly discover the value of the items they acquire. Those who learn from these experiences tend to be successful, while those who don't, like many LCS, end up closing their doors forever.
I work in my LCS and the owner is nothing like this. He always tries to give a fare price. He will tell people that he has to pay me to sort them,board and bag them and price them. People who ask for a deal always get one. Not all stores are the same.
Sadly this is the reality with a lot of local comic shops - not all though. If I visit an LCS and no one greets me upon entering or asks if they can be of assistance in helping me find an item, then it’s a red flag that I won’t be returning to patronize the business or recommend the business to any of my fellow comic collectors.
I agree with you NOW. I would have said different back before the internet tho. At that time there was a limited way to sell the books. And most collections 90 percent of them would just set on the shelf until maybe that one person came along. Comic shops could not have all their money tied up in stuff setting on shelves. It was no different than a pawn shop. But now with the internet and all the other ways to sell there is no reason to not give a good price other than to rip people off. :)
SG. I appreciate the message. Basically you are talking about the Golden Rule. Do unto others….. I would like to think we all try to follow this rule. At the very least I want to think that the majority of us do that. Well sometimes I question that. I think we should all do the best we can. Keep fighting the good fight man. Jess
My LCS has high prices on back issues and shows no shame. They aren't really down to negotiate either. I buy some, but I unfortunately have to skip over some too just because I know I'm paying too much when I could get them cheaper elsewhere. I mainly go for NCBD and that's about it and I'll occasionally pick up a back issue.
"Don't take the first offer" and "Know what you have to sell" are the keys to selling to a reseller. Not a justification for low-ball offers, but you also need to take into account the value of the labor in prepping the books for sale. Yes, you can make good money in buying collections. But my experience has been that the hassle of bagging, boarding, grading, labeling, sorting, etc makes me hesitant to buy any more collections. If you want top dollar have your books sorted, have a list, have an asking price in mind.
If I sell books I try to give the person a good deal and make a little money. I’m not out to pillage someone of their last dollar. I’ll also offer a layaway for pretty much everything.
I agree, they should give them a fair offer for their books to where they can still make a bit of profit and not rip the person off at the same time. I can’t stand that either.
While I agree when you go to a local comic store you'd expect some type of professionalism and trustworthiness but I mean we like to pick and choose what's right and wrong in this hobby. We can find a good key at a flea market in a dollar bin and be happy - no one is gonna come up and say "hey I know you have this is marked for $1 but it's actually $200 so here's $200"
If I find a seriously underpriced book at my LCS or any other comic shop, I will take it to the clerk at the counter and tell them. This happens primarily with reprint comics because I'm really, REALLY into reprints and a lot of store personnel aren't up to speed with the few valuable ones that were published in the 1970s and later. For example, I've told people at three different stores, "hey, this EC Annual _Tales from the Crypt_ Volume 1 goes for about $50, you might want to reprice it." I consider it good karma. And of course I enjoy a certain amount of smugness as well.
I learned this lesson the hard way many years ago. My dad gave me his silver and bronze age collection from his childhood. The comics were not bagged and boarded, and weren't high grade. However, there were some good books in there-ASM #129, Avengers #57, Avengers #2-just to name a few. This was right after the first Avengers movie came out, before anyone knew how much comic book prices would skyrocket thanks to the MCU. I took them to a LCS-the owner, who was an asshole to begin with, offered me 250 dollars. I stupidly took the deal because at the time, I was much more into collecting vintage toys than comics. To this day, it was one of the dumbest things I've ever done-I'm still kicking myself in the ass for it.
Part of the problem is that the margins on new products are so bad that a shop needs to subsidize them with back issues. You will always be able to get a better deal if you sell to a collector, someone who is looking for a longer term investment or even someone flipping books to those kinds of buyers online or at cons. Unfortunately they are not the ones who carry the new books that keep the production side of the industry going. The issue is as much caused by the business practices of the distributors and publishers who are forcing the hand of what I would call the regular retailer.
Comic shops, have always been there to rip you off... It's better now days as you can sell your stuff online yourself... Dealers know that, and have trouble getting the good stuff .
I hate it when collectors (shop owner or not) boasts about how they got an amazing collection from a family or person who didn't know JACK about comics. I'm not a career seller but like everyone do it when necessary, I got hit up with shop owners and dealers and they don't want a great deal, they USUALLY want a KILLLER KILLLER discount to the point it's insulting. I'm like F them, they wanna have me feel sympathy for their situation, F Them.... I tell beginners and non comic fans DO NOT sell to shops unless you are literally DESPERATE and HARD UP for cash that minute.
about 20 years ago, I was offered 35.00 by a LCS for my collection which included raw Xmen 12 and 13 in fair shape. I did sell, but only because I needed the money.
I totally believe they rip people off that don’t know what they have. My little brother way back in the mid-80s. I had a nice collection of silver age some golden age and went away for basic training. He basically went to Shinders comics and sold my collection for $120 and it was worth probably 20 times that… he has since paid me back. There are a lot of awesome key issues he sold that will probably worth thousands now.
I don't know if you collect retro video games but the retro video games stores are notorious for this practice! Even resellers on TH-cam are about has bad.
What's the consensus of finding steals of books in retail stores? I went into my local half price books the other day and found a stack of $50+ Spawn newsstands for $5 a piece. Is it your opinion that I should have told these shop employees that their books were massively underpriced? For the record I bought every one they had for my pc.
I do understand a business is in business to make money. I also understand many businesses are very greedy ripping off not only the person they are buying from buy they are also stealing the potential buys hard earned money. Shame on those who practice this method. Cutos to those business offers to buy and sell at a fair value
I remember back when valiant comics were the big thing. I knew a shop owner who would sell them at cover the first week and the second week he would mark all of them up to $4 a piece. Look how that worked out for him.
One way to do a study on this would be to have 2 of the same book and go into the store and offer to sell 1 and act unknowingly about its value. Then have someone else come back later the same day and act very knowledgeable about that same book and see what the dealer does in both cases to see if they are out for $ or actually fair.
I was gonna dip my toe and try to buy comic collections (to flip some and to keep some) and actually had a couple of potential easy "big" scores and didn't have the heart to do that so long story short I didn't buy them and told them both they had a goldmine and to wait for a buyer who could pay them more. (which they both did) When I go to cons I give the side eye to a lot of dealers. (I'm sure there are honorable ones tho) As far as LCS I've had widely varying experiences with em, good and bad. Part of the hobby I guess. My worst LCS of all time was Dave's comics here in Richmond. He passed now so I'll limit it even tho he doesn't deserve it.
No need to limit it. Dave was the ultimate crook. Once saw him offer $75 to an old lady for two full shoe boxes of 1950 and 1960's football cards. I know I saw at least 3 different Namath rookies, and a bunch of '66 Philadelphia cards. Every time I went in there to look at comics he would follow you around like you were going to rip him off. What a jerk. Can't imagine how he ever got that PEP 22 (7.0). Must have stole it from his grandmother.
He was awful to me when I was younger. I just stopped going altogether. Oddly enough he has his followers even today. I think maybe you had to be in his clique. @@vorazi08
It's honestly extremely rare that I buy a key comic at a comic book store anymore. At least in Las Vegas just about every LCS is ridiculously expensive. I know we make good money here but damn they are crazy with the prices. Even eBay prices are soo much cheaper. I wouldn't even dream about selling my comics to a shop.
There’s an LCS owner who has a you tube channel who I’ve visited their store. Great store but their books are way overpriced. You know, the I don’t want to sell it price. How badly do you want it priced. They boast they offer top dollar but I really question that. To a novice non-comic book reader who maybe found these books in their grandparent’s attic, any offer over what their low expectations were set at must seem like a bargain. I don’t trust LCS owners. I’m sure there are good ones out there, but I can’t be certain of that.
I've known good guys that run a comic shop and I've known crooks doing the same. Once I know you're a crook, I never do business with you again. It's really that simple and easy.
This is a great video! Every new collector in the hobby should watch this video. Sad thing is that it's always flipped back unto the consumer or victim that they should of known better. While predatory buisness get a pat on the back.
I have yet to buy a comic from one shop in this area under high book value 🤣 I traded once just to see how slimy they could actually be while they kept a straight face.
If someone offers you an AF#15 for 20 bucks because they have no idea what it’s really worth, do you buy it? Most of us would. Now imagine running a comic book store.
If they were low income folks especially I wouldn't and id tell 'em what they were worth. That coukd be some kids college tuition or the difference between someone eating or losing thier residence. We can't take slabs with us when we're gone.
“Processing” yeah that’s a flag I appreciate your honest commentary it’s hard to hear but it is more of the norm than the exception. It’s bad for the hobby and your commentary is worth the sub
remember.nobody forces somebody to accept the offer.if someone thinks the offer is too low then go somewhere else.this applies to comics,cars,furniture or anything.
What if you’ve exhausted your LCS options state wide then what now your telling me to go to another state just so a reputable shop can give me a honorable price than a offensive lowball offer.. I’ve literally had shop owners damn near breath down my neck and attack me damn near becuase they really want the books I’m selling but I refused to taking 25 bucks for 25 expensive and some signed books f that
Great topic that deserves more discussion. I already see the 'but a comic shop has overhead' as justification for price gouging and poor practices which is unfortunate. First, most collectors and even novices have made it common-knowledge that comic book shops seriously underpay for your books. When the only way a business can survive is by extortion, what tends to happen to that business in the long-term? What motivation do folks have to go to an LCS when they can sell their books online, auction house, etc? It feels like comic book shop owners burned a lot of bridges and instead of thinking 'outside the box' to make money, most would rather justify their practices as being 'necessary'. The world changes fast and if comic book shops do not figure how to reach a happy medium between profit and not ripping their customer base off, they will fade into the cold, dark oblivion of our memories.
Been collecting since January after almost thirty years away from hobby. Found out quickly the comic book game is a dirty one. More often than not someone trying to get one over on you. eBay is the worst culprit but local shops not much better
I just got into slabs last year. You definitely learn as you go and make a few mistakes. I've gotten a little bit screwed but not for huge amounts. Lessons learned over the last year.
I paid $2 for an ASM 129 ten years ago that I got $800 for. . .I guy came up to me with a handful of unbagged comics in a park I was vending at for a live music event. . .guess I should have sold it for $20 and been happy with that huge profit margin? Was flat broke at the time & couldn't have offered anywhere near what it was worth even if I did have the cash. . .never saw the guy again though he told me he was a local from the neighborhood where I lived. . .I considered it an angelic intervention when I was in a time of pronounced financial distress lol :)
They got in loving the hobby… but they were soon swallowed by debt, lease, insurance, utilities, inventory taxes, etc. the “dream” of making a living by monetizing your hobby became an endless money pit and possible bankruptcy nightmare.
Yea I got 2 books taken off the shelf just to raise the prices even if your there for just a copy of that one book the new high republic and that spider boy book the employees said the owner pulled the books from the shelf for the new prices the store is coliseum of comics looks like I need a new lcs if that’s there business model.
thanks ive been collecting on and off for fifty years and have only returned to the hobby after ten years and ive got to say t5this is often the experience of selling at shops im sad to have to say this but this prededetory attitude seems rife in our interest so i can only agree with your sentiments
I don't brag about how cheaply I get something but I sure do buy comics on the low side and sell them on the high side. That's how I fund my hobby, making money in order to purchase issues I want for my collection. Everyone does it. And it's not unethical.
@@Stickygoose Not really, if I could buy a collection with valuable Silver or Bronze issues for sub-$100 I would. It all comes down to the agreement between buyer and seller.
I've only been to maybe two shops that don't do this. Sadly after working in one. You'd be surprised what they do to make money. That being stealing ideas or undervaluing people
It’s sad to say one day online comic shopping gonna close the majority of LCS’s down for good maybe a few will survive for online customers and local like Mile High Comics
If you buy and sell with your LCS, it's a losing proposition 99% of the time. I have no love for most LCS's out there. Much better places to buy and sell.
Hey, I am Bob in Connecticut. The last thing you would ever do is go to a comic book shop to sell some thing that is insane.. anyway, they get away with lots of shit because most people don’t know anything about comic books. Of course they will give you hardly anything for your comic books, so you just tell them to F off. On the other hand, I have amazing fantasy 15. 6.0 I only paid $4000 last year or comic bookstore offered me $100,000. I don’t want to sell the book. If the seller is that ignorant what can you really do because the general public doesn’t know the value of comic books when I was a bartender when I was working people laughed at me when I told them when I have extra money, I buy Spider-Man X-Men Iron Man, and I kept some of my books I don’t work anymore. I don’t have money, but some of my comic books are worth a small fortune right now. Nobody is going to take advantage of me.
To be fair to the shop owner in that video, we have no idea the state of that business' finances or cash flow. $55 may have literally been the best offer that he could have made at the time. That being said, I don't believe that was the case, but it's also not impossible.
Another video I agree with you. I love the Comicbook community MOST people are awesome!! But even a small Comicbook store habe those crazy prices on books. I understand it’s a business is just sometimes they make you feel like quitting this awesome hobbie because of the prices they sell and offer.
I hear what you’re saying, but I think we expect people to be fair and honest because that’s how we would be, but that’s not always the case. The seller has an obligation to do their homework and be informed. You can’t go in and be ignorant, that’s how you get taken advantage of and exploited. Always do your research and know what you have, don’t expect people to do the right thing because that’s what we would do. Do I agree with what the comic shop owner did? No, but I also I see why they did what they did from a business perspective.
Great subject to bring up and put a spotlight on. A year to two years ago I want a new GPU for my computer. So I picked out a few slabs to sell. I brought them to a few dealers and they were very honest to tell me that they could not afford them or even put them up for consignment for fear of having them stolen, They suggested putting them on Ebay or Mercari . I was happy with their reply and waited. I was gifted a GPU by the girlfriend.
My experience was similar..I took a short box having no clue..offered 68.00..I almost took it..but I told him I'd think about it..I've since sold 5 of them for 300.00 on Ebay..lesson learned..60 yrs young..Sad
I will say, I have the good fortune of living in New England and there are MANY shops; I think it has created a great incentive for them to be a little better (cannot say perfect, of course) to their customers. Even in my neck of southern NH, I am within 30 mins of 4 stores to my north, and then to my south I have the city of Boston and surrounding metro-areas. There are a couple of very well known ones in the region to my west as well. We still have some that aren't always the best, but I consider myself sitting in a spoil of riches up here. Those are just some good old capitalist incentives working for the consumer, haha. That said, trying to sell it off to a shop is always going to give you less than the FMV while they mark it up to create a profit margin. I am not opposed to that inherently, as long as they aren't really doing the seller and then the next customer dirty. At that point, to dodge that, you've gotta just figure out how to sell it yourself directly to another interested buyer.
Well said. Things are more frequently bought and sold, but less and less to make someone happy at a fair price. I think technology has made the marketplace the proverbial apple in the garden of Eden… reminds me of a logo I saw somewhere 🤔
The comic world is nothing compared to the mtg world... I've seen grown men brag about "trading" $3 junk for $100 Reserve list cards with 8 year old kids... just the worst of the worst
Interesting topic. I’m just here for the dialogue. I don’t care either way but I question the veteran collector Alex that gave the old couple about 30% of the value of their collection. Yeah it’s not the ridiculous offer from the store owner. But what’s the “ethical” percentage. Since you were talking about business practices. Anyone please correct me if I wrote something wrong. Friendly chat here.
Agree 100% with these comic book stores.. I went to few comic shops and and them guys who work there make up prices when u ask how much for a raw copy .. But what crazy is that he over priced the raw comic books I ask … 😂 The store have no price on any raw books that in that comic bins.. As soon as u pick one up and ask how much ..he started to look up prices what sold on eBay or others platforms..!!! 😂😂😂 rip off big big time there .. great video
You mean you can get more than 50% of the Overstreet Guide with what they grade it at... Also the Comic shop does not trust the CGC grade.... and does not deal with cased books
I usually enjoy your posts but that’s not all comic shops. I can sell my slabs to a comic store and sometimes they will sell them for 50 bucks more. I’ve had comic shops tell me it’s better to sell myself because they wouldn’t offer anything near fair market value. There are good and bad ppl donno if this type of video was needed because it sort of paints the whole of lcs with the same broad brush. It’s easy for you to say you won’t try and make the maximum possible profit when you don’t own a comic shop. With any business there is over head costs that need to be included in the price you are willing to spend to purchase someone’s comics. You just don’t go yes I made a 100 and put it in your pocket it gets cut in half and then quarters and the actual profit might be 10 dollars. Video just seems like it was made to tell one very specific side of the business
@@Stickygoose I hear you but the title of the video insinuates it’s more than your personal experience, that it’s a fact of comic book industry. But I appreciate your view either way
If you find a great comic book at a yard sale worth $1,000 and the seller is asking for $1.00 that's their mistake and you shouldn't feel bad about getting a great deal. If you find the same book at a yard sale and you offer them $1.00 then that's scummy. My LCS rips people off so to speak but is at least honest about it. They will tell you upfront they only pay between 30% and 50% of what the item is worth.
Not all comic shop owners "love the hobby". Many of them only collect money. And unfortunately this attitude is the norm for many dealers in the hobby...
I would say few do
There definitely in it for the money most of them…
Tbf I doubt I'd "love the hobby" if I owned a shop. After a while you probably wouldn't care about them like you used to. Also most people that have a decent job probably make a lot more money and have health insurance.
its a business. Deal with it and stop crying and trying to gatekeep how other ppl deal with comics. Plus, getting ripped off is not getting what you expect you are going to get. If i was a shop owner, just like as a buyer, the less knowledgable the seller or buyer is, the better it is for me. Lets not act like if you found, say a spiderman #300 at a yardsale for 10 bucks, you're not gonna go up to the guy and tell him youd rather pay 400. gtfoh. Everyone is lookin for deals and getting deals thru less knowledgable ppl or ppl that just dont care about comics is a big part of it. Without this aspect, hunting wouldnt be near as awesome or rewarding. Sure, there are tons of shady practices within comics and shops are some of the worst ran businesses of any businesses in general ive seen, but its not because they offer you a 16th of what ur collection is worth. Its on you to do your due dilligence. Ive never seen more crying about how other ppl choose to do their comics than i have on this channel. A shop sucks, ok dont go there, its that simple. Also this the guy that goes into a shop or booth and touches and handles every comic they got, takes em out of the bag, and dont spend a dime. And wonders why he rubs ppl and shops the wrong way
@@nunyabizwacks6711 “every comic they got”
I do have one serious question for anyone reading the comments. When was the last time you talked your way into paying more or not even being able to afford the deal because you educated the seller to what they actually had? If that hasn't happened to you or you feel you'd never do that, are you any different from the LCS that's low balling people?
I understand that, I just hold these shops to a higher standard because they are so important to the hobby
Preach on brother. I know of several comic shops in Philadelphia that will rip you off to your face giving the excuse of, well this book isn't hot anymore, I'm not the owner so I can't really make you the deal you want, this book went down in price, I'm trying to make a profit too you know or this book isn't in good shape, knowing it's a high grade. Listen just avoid comic shops, pawn shops or other shady Flea Market dealers. Their are some great Flea Market dealers who'll give you a great deal on buying and selling but if it doesn't feel right don't do it and take a shit offer. Find someone who knows what the books are worth and take them with you when you go to buy or sell. Great informative video brother. Thank you.👍👍
Really appreciate that
I understand the shops need to make money, but I was shocked to hear that my lcs paid $2,200 (they started lower!) for a huge Silver Age Collection a few months back. It had Hulk 1-6, a big run of Hulk Tales to Astonish, including 93 & (2 copies) of 59, Hulk Annual 1 in great shape, Fantastic Four 2, 48, 49, 50, and many more early issues. I don't know what the seller was thinking, but they had a GREAT lifetime collection and got pennies on the dollar for it.
This makes sick reading this
Man I wish I could find someone selling a collection like that. They would be very happy and I'd be ecstatic
But $2,200 is a lot of money for a comic book store to offer. If you want a fair price for individual books then you HAVE to sell them at auction. Most Comic book stores just don’t have 50-60k to give people for their X-Men #1’s or Amazing Fantasy #15’s. I mean if you’d want them to be as good and “honest” as possible. They’d have to end up telling you they can’t take certain books because they can’t reasonably give you the amount of money a fair price would dictate. But like you said they ARE running a business and if someone offers them a Hulk #1 of course they’re gonna take it. I think you’d be a fool if you walked into a comic store with a book worth tens of thousand of dollars and actually expected to get that amount outside of auction. There’s very little return involved for a storefront buying books of that price, you could be stuck holding onto that book for YEARS.
Totally agree man. I went in one a couple weeks ago and they had an ASM 129 CGC 5.5 listed for $3200! I couldn’t believe it man
You could get a 8.5 for that
@@Stickygoose lol that’s exactly what I told the guy too 😂
I see this everytime I go in to Bedrock City herein Houston. Their wall books are priced as if it was still 2021. I'll tell them as I'm looking at GPAnalysis,, "I'll give you X dollars for this book right at FMV." They always smile or laugh and put it back on the wall. It's common knowledge that your LCS will give you 50% tops for your good stuff and for everything else will go for pennies.
Wait, you're telling me you don't want to buy Spider-Man #7 (first apperance of Spider-Boy) for $30-$50 bucks?! Joking aside, this isn't just an LCS problem, this is a problem with a majority of resellers. They want to get your stuff for cheap, but their stuff has to be sold for top dollar. It's so annoying and at this point, I would recommend everybody focus on building collecting relationships with people who actually care about the hobby and not just the money. That way you both can give each other deals and get what you want. I always give my collecting friends deals when it comes to collecting games. Thank You for coming to my Ted Talk.
good talk sam
Love this video. Thank you for bringing attention to it, because it’s hard to bring others into the hobby when this is the LCS’ attitude.
Your absolutely right a lot of them make it impossible
Hey, I once went to mile high comics long ago and walked right back out with nothing. They're pricing was appalling and the owner is a weirdo.
I would just like to go there to see the spectacle of it all
he is a trans gr**mer!
That’s why you see a trend I’ve the past couple of decades or so where comic shops rarely sell graded comics, raw high end comics. With the online market place being consumers’ best avenue for paying FMV, shops are turning to other items now like funko pops, figures, statues, etc. Back issues, and current weekly issues are fine, but the high value items LCS are just not competitive. They are overpriced, and intentionally keep items raw instead of slabbing them because they can charge more for their subjective grading of what they are selling. I still visit them and buy supplies and such, but for my high value purchases they are way off FMV.
Yea they aren’t even close
I do agree with a lot that you said but while you acknowledged the LCS is a business, you didn't look at the risk associated - which i think is important as well.
If the LSC buys a comic or a collection, they assume ALL the risk associated with that. I imagine a very small majority of the entire comic book community actually pays big bucks for comics. The LCS will have to deal with it sitting on their shelves, price fluctuations, demand, and any other holding costs while waiting for the right buyer to come in and buy it all the while dealing with their cash flow and operating costs.
I don't think they should be deceptive, but remember, the seller is going to them to get the items off their hands, so the LSC can offer whatever they want, take it or leave it.
May be collections and pricey comics are more meant to be sold between the consumers rather than between the consumers and LSCs, which might be a better approach.
All of this was true prior to 2020. Then the hobby re-ignited and prices & demand on nearly everything went up. LCS aren't buying collections at post-boom prices. They're still paying what they offered before 2020.
I just don’t see how shops get collections and stock without ripping people off
Well said. Too many snakes out there.
Whole lot of them
I went in a shop, and the owner followed me around making sure i don't steal anything.
did you feel discriminated against?
@@Stickygoose nah just a bit awkward, how did he expect us to buy anything with him hovering over us and treating us like thieves. My friend and I were pretty sure he does that with all the teenagers.
It’s not just comic books shops. It’s any place that resells. If you aren’t selling something to the final consumer you are always getting screwed.
Pawn shops are possibly the worst
@@Stickygoose oh for sure, and they are the ones that tend to prey on the most vulnerable.
Excellent video and bunches of thanks for sharing. I would do research long before selling anything I have, then, it depends on how much you can live with to keep or let go. I still have tons of stuff from my many hobbies, most of which is in pristine condition. Best way to unload your items is to put in the work and do the research and educate yourself and just never trust some smuck just because they have a business. Dig deep, put in the work so you know what you have, then it's easier to unload it depending on what limit you set. In the end, it's so well worth it to store it and keep it in top notch condition as long as possible or even hand it down and keep it in the family. Let your children/family members, relatives know what this stuff is worth so they don't get taken advantage of. Same situation with any collectable; it's only worth what someone is willing to pay, but if you got the stuff, you have the high ground, so stay firm and be fair so you have no regrets when you let it go.
Educating yourself is key prevents getting ripped off
There was a store about 30 minutes away from me back in 98 and that owner was a scumbag who used to lie about prices all the time.
A lot of them still do
This has always been a thing with dealers. Whether it be in a LCS or dealers at Conventions. They buy low and sell high and yes overhead does factor in but a smart and savvy owner makes sure that they have alternatives to selling their wares. Being a deceitful person will come around and get these crappy type of LCS's. Whatnot is slowly weeding out the crappy stores and allowing smart owners thrive. However, there is another issue with owners and conventions, which is the charging of RAW books at graded prices. A 6.5 Raw is not the same as a 6.5 CGC graded book. Let's be real dealers your gouging the buyers. Also, buyers need to wake up and do some homework as well. Don't just buy a book at a silly price because they say so. You'd be surprised at deals that can be had if you are patient and shop around. You can change this rapacious pricing by not buying books at that silly price.
Raw books at graded prices is robbery
I took my Something is killing the Children collection and wanted to sell them and dude offered me 25$ I cussed his ass out and walked out. Lmmfao
Hahaha good for you
There was a shop owner in my area prior to the Pandemic who'd agree with you. He had plenty of chances to buy keys super cheap but refused to take advantage of uninformed sellers. He didn't have the resources to make fair offers, so he'd sell books on consignment. Not many comic dealers would do this (almost practically ZERO). But he felt it was a fair way to deal with customers while also making a profit.
I’ve seen that in other stores
Years ago I needed money and went into a shop. Before even looking at anything, they had the decency to tell me up front that store policy was to buy at 40% of FMV. I was so desperate for cash I had to go through with it, anyway.
Brutal! That’s interesting they had a store policy like that
40% is a lot closer to fair than what most LCS offer.
Not all comic shops are evil; we pride ourselves on fair purchasing. I think it is a bit unfair to generalize; though I do agree there are plenty of shops that fit your description.
They are the exception not the rule
Estimating the value of items can be quite challenging. What one person considers valuable may not hold the same value for others. When I used to buy comic books, my main goal was to read them. I didn't focus much on their quality; I just wanted them to be readable and not have a bad smell. Running a business based on distinguishing between trash and treasure is tough. It requires not only understanding the value of items but also knowing how long it will take to find a buyer. Additionally, there's a significant amount of time and labor involved in sorting through a collection and processing it, which can eat into the business's profits. Auctions often provide the best indication of an item's worth. To reduce inventory and stay profitable, many local comic shops (LCS) sell their comics through auctions. This is when they truly discover the value of the items they acquire. Those who learn from these experiences tend to be successful, while those who don't, like many LCS, end up closing their doors forever.
I work in my LCS and the owner is nothing like this. He always tries to give a fare price. He will tell people that he has to pay me to sort them,board and bag them and price them. People who ask for a deal always get one. Not all stores are the same.
I’m glad to hear he is the exception
Sadly this is the reality with a lot of local comic shops - not all though. If I visit an LCS and no one greets me upon entering or asks if they can be of assistance in helping me find an item, then it’s a red flag that I won’t be returning to patronize the business or recommend the business to any of my fellow comic collectors.
thats more of them than not
I agree with you NOW. I would have said different back before the internet tho. At that time there was a limited way to sell the books. And most collections 90 percent of them would just set on the shelf until maybe that one person came along. Comic shops could not have all their money tied up in stuff setting on shelves. It was no different than a pawn shop. But now with the internet and all the other ways to sell there is no reason to not give a good price other than to rip people off. :)
Exactly
SG. I appreciate the message. Basically you are talking about the Golden Rule. Do unto others….. I would like to think we all try to follow this rule. At the very least I want to think that the majority of us do that. Well sometimes I question that. I think we should all do the best we can. Keep fighting the good fight man. Jess
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
I've seen vendors rip off kids telling them their books arent worth anything. Then they turn around and upcharge for "HOT, FIRE, BANGER COMICS!"
Hahaha hot fire banger
My LCS has high prices on back issues and shows no shame. They aren't really down to negotiate either. I buy some, but I unfortunately have to skip over some too just because I know I'm paying too much when I could get them cheaper elsewhere. I mainly go for NCBD and that's about it and I'll occasionally pick up a back issue.
I don’t know what they are thinking with how they price books
"Don't take the first offer" and "Know what you have to sell" are the keys to selling to a reseller. Not a justification for low-ball offers, but you also need to take into account the value of the labor in prepping the books for sale. Yes, you can make good money in buying collections. But my experience has been that the hassle of bagging, boarding, grading, labeling, sorting, etc makes me hesitant to buy any more collections. If you want top dollar have your books sorted, have a list, have an asking price in mind.
This is excellent advice
If I sell books I try to give the person a good deal and make a little money. I’m not out to pillage someone of their last dollar. I’ll also offer a layaway for pretty much everything.
That’s the right way
I agree, they should give them a fair offer for their books to where they can still make a bit of profit and not rip the person off at the same time. I can’t stand that either.
It’s getting out of hand
While I agree when you go to a local comic store you'd expect some type of professionalism and trustworthiness but I mean we like to pick and choose what's right and wrong in this hobby. We can find a good key at a flea market in a dollar bin and be happy - no one is gonna come up and say "hey I know you have this is marked for $1 but it's actually $200 so here's $200"
This is a very good point
If I find a seriously underpriced book at my LCS or any other comic shop, I will take it to the clerk at the counter and tell them.
This happens primarily with reprint comics because I'm really, REALLY into reprints and a lot of store personnel aren't up to speed with the few valuable ones that were published in the 1970s and later. For example, I've told people at three different stores, "hey, this EC Annual _Tales from the Crypt_ Volume 1 goes for about $50, you might want to reprice it."
I consider it good karma. And of course I enjoy a certain amount of smugness as well.
I learned this lesson the hard way many years ago. My dad gave me his silver and bronze age collection from his childhood. The comics were not bagged and boarded, and weren't high grade. However, there were some good books in there-ASM #129, Avengers #57, Avengers #2-just to name a few. This was right after the first Avengers movie came out, before anyone knew how much comic book prices would skyrocket thanks to the MCU. I took them to a LCS-the owner, who was an asshole to begin with, offered me 250 dollars. I stupidly took the deal because at the time, I was much more into collecting vintage toys than comics. To this day, it was one of the dumbest things I've ever done-I'm still kicking myself in the ass for it.
ive heard so many stories like that
Part of the problem is that the margins on new products are so bad that a shop needs to subsidize them with back issues. You will always be able to get a better deal if you sell to a collector, someone who is looking for a longer term investment or even someone flipping books to those kinds of buyers online or at cons. Unfortunately they are not the ones who carry the new books that keep the production side of the industry going. The issue is as much caused by the business practices of the distributors and publishers who are forcing the hand of what I would call the regular retailer.
It’s happened to me at a convention few years ago where was over charged on book worth $50.00 was charged $200.00.
Brutal hate to hear stuff like that
But it may be a lesson that helps you for the rest of your life. Almost everyone goes through it with comic book collecting.
Comic shops, have always been there to rip you off... It's better now days as you can sell your stuff online yourself... Dealers know that, and have trouble getting the good stuff .
I haven’t been to a shop with good stuff in a long time
I hate it when collectors (shop owner or not) boasts about how they got an amazing collection from a family or person who didn't know JACK about comics. I'm not a career seller but like everyone do it when necessary, I got hit up with shop owners and dealers and they don't want a great deal, they USUALLY want a KILLLER KILLLER discount to the point it's insulting. I'm like F them, they wanna have me feel sympathy for their situation, F Them.... I tell beginners and non comic fans DO NOT sell to shops unless you are literally DESPERATE and HARD UP for cash that minute.
Yes lead new people away from these shops they try to scam them for all they can
about 20 years ago, I was offered 35.00 by a LCS for my collection which included raw Xmen 12 and 13 in fair shape. I did sell, but only because I needed the money.
I totally believe they rip people off that don’t know what they have. My little brother way back in the mid-80s. I had a nice collection of silver age some golden age and went away for basic training. He basically went to Shinders comics and sold my collection for $120 and it was worth probably 20 times that… he has since paid me back. There are a lot of awesome key issues he sold that will probably worth thousands now.
So many people have stories like this it’s sad
I don't know if you collect retro video games but the retro video games stores are notorious for this practice! Even resellers on TH-cam are about has bad.
Seems like most hobby shops are like this
Appreciate your channel you educate the community with every video. Thanks man!
What's the consensus of finding steals of books in retail stores? I went into my local half price books the other day and found a stack of $50+ Spawn newsstands for $5 a piece. Is it your opinion that I should have told these shop employees that their books were massively underpriced?
For the record I bought every one they had for my pc.
No I’m talking about when a shop is buying collections from people that don’t know comics
I think you answered your own question. You took advantage of a great deal, and the shop owners were probably happy to get rid of their stock.
I do understand a business is in business to make money. I also understand many businesses are very greedy ripping off not only the person they are buying from buy they are also stealing the potential buys hard earned money. Shame on those who practice this method. Cutos to those business offers to buy and sell at a fair value
Bingo
I remember back when valiant comics were the big thing. I knew a shop owner who would sell them at cover the first week and the second week he would mark all of them up to $4 a piece. Look how that worked out for him.
Hahaha wow
One way to do a study on this would be to have 2 of the same book and go into the store and offer to sell 1 and act unknowingly about its value. Then have someone else come back later the same day and act very knowledgeable about that same book and see what the dealer does in both cases to see if they are out for $ or actually fair.
That’s a great idea I think we all know what would happen
I was gonna dip my toe and try to buy comic collections (to flip some and to keep some) and actually had a couple of potential easy "big" scores and didn't have the heart to do that so long story short I didn't buy them and told them both they had a goldmine and to wait for a buyer who could pay them more. (which they both did) When I go to cons I give the side eye to a lot of dealers. (I'm sure there are honorable ones tho) As far as LCS I've had widely varying experiences with em, good and bad. Part of the hobby I guess. My worst LCS of all time was Dave's comics here in Richmond. He passed now so I'll limit it even tho he doesn't deserve it.
No need to limit it. Dave was the ultimate crook. Once saw him offer $75 to an old lady for two full shoe boxes of 1950 and 1960's football cards. I know I saw at least 3 different Namath rookies, and a bunch of '66 Philadelphia cards. Every time I went in there to look at comics he would follow you around like you were going to rip him off. What a jerk. Can't imagine how he ever got that PEP 22 (7.0). Must have stole it from his grandmother.
He was awful to me when I was younger. I just stopped going altogether. Oddly enough he has his followers even today. I think maybe you had to be in his clique. @@vorazi08
That's life in the fast lane! The best way to beat them, do research, use the internet. 🤗
Love that song
It's honestly extremely rare that I buy a key comic at a comic book store anymore. At least in Las Vegas just about every LCS is ridiculously expensive. I know we make good money here but damn they are crazy with the prices. Even eBay prices are soo much cheaper.
I wouldn't even dream about selling my comics to a shop.
cant imagine living in vegas
@@Stickygoose it's got a certain charm to it, but definitely not for everyone.
I agree with you. Good video.
You’re the man! Love watching your content brother. I really appreciate you and so glad you shine like on stuff like this.
You’re the man for making the right offer
There’s an LCS owner who has a you tube channel who I’ve visited their store. Great store but their books are way overpriced. You know, the I don’t want to sell it price. How badly do you want it priced. They boast they offer top dollar but I really question that. To a novice non-comic book reader who maybe found these books in their grandparent’s attic, any offer over what their low expectations were set at must seem like a bargain. I don’t trust LCS owners. I’m sure there are good ones out there, but I can’t be certain of that.
I don’t trust any of them
I've known good guys that run a comic shop and I've known crooks doing the same. Once I know you're a crook, I never do business with you again. It's really that simple and easy.
Hard to tell after it’s too late
This is a great video! Every new collector in the hobby should watch this video.
Sad thing is that it's always flipped back unto the consumer or victim that they should of known better.
While predatory buisness get a pat on the back.
A lot of my videos are just my mistakes laid out so hopefully others wont make them
I have yet to buy a comic from one shop in this area under high book value 🤣
I traded once just to see how slimy they could actually be while they kept a straight face.
If someone offers you an AF#15 for 20 bucks because they have no idea what it’s really worth, do you buy it? Most of us would. Now imagine running a comic book store.
Haha I hear what you’re saying
If they were low income folks especially I wouldn't and id tell 'em what they were worth. That coukd be some kids college tuition or the difference between someone eating or losing thier residence. We can't take slabs with us when we're gone.
“Processing” yeah that’s a flag I appreciate your honest commentary it’s hard to hear but it is more of the norm than the exception. It’s bad for the hobby and your commentary is worth the sub
welcome aboard
remember.nobody forces somebody to accept the offer.if someone thinks the offer is too low then go somewhere else.this applies to comics,cars,furniture or anything.
Totally agree
What if you’ve exhausted your LCS options state wide then what now your telling me to go to another state just so a reputable shop can give me a honorable price than a offensive lowball offer.. I’ve literally had shop owners damn near breath down my neck and attack me damn near becuase they really want the books I’m selling but I refused to taking 25 bucks for 25 expensive and some signed books f that
Great topic that deserves more discussion. I already see the 'but a comic shop has overhead' as justification for price gouging and poor practices which is unfortunate. First, most collectors and even novices have made it common-knowledge that comic book shops seriously underpay for your books. When the only way a business can survive is by extortion, what tends to happen to that business in the long-term? What motivation do folks have to go to an LCS when they can sell their books online, auction house, etc? It feels like comic book shop owners burned a lot of bridges and instead of thinking 'outside the box' to make money, most would rather justify their practices as being 'necessary'. The world changes fast and if comic book shops do not figure how to reach a happy medium between profit and not ripping their customer base off, they will fade into the cold, dark oblivion of our memories.
I think it will happen sooner than we think
Great informative video Stick.
Appreciate that
Been collecting since January after almost thirty years away from hobby. Found out quickly the comic book game is a dirty one. More often than not someone trying to get one over on you. eBay is the worst culprit but local shops not much better
eBay is a dirty game as well
I just got into slabs last year. You definitely learn as you go and make a few mistakes. I've gotten a little bit screwed but not for huge amounts. Lessons learned over the last year.
I paid $2 for an ASM 129 ten years ago that I got $800 for. . .I guy came up to me with a handful of unbagged comics in a park I was vending at for a live music event. . .guess I should have sold it for $20 and been happy with that huge profit margin? Was flat broke at the time & couldn't have offered anywhere near what it was worth even if I did have the cash. . .never saw the guy again though he told me he was a local from the neighborhood where I lived. . .I considered it an angelic intervention when I was in a time of pronounced financial distress lol :)
Yeah this why I don’t fuck with comic shops. They also over price like crazy!!!!
They got in loving the hobby… but they were soon swallowed by debt, lease, insurance, utilities, inventory taxes, etc. the “dream” of making a living by monetizing your hobby became an endless money pit and possible bankruptcy nightmare.
Bingo
Remember in life you have sheep , Shepards and wolves 😉
As usual, you say what is on the minds of some of us .. how refreshing!!!!
I try!
I'm with you LCS can be toxic. I no longer visit my LCS
I haven’t for nearly 2 years
Some famous Comicbook shop here in Texas even sells SEPARATELY their COA when buying a sign book. I mean cmon
Bahahaha
My LCS killed the hobby for me. Feels like I was walking into a used car lot every time I walked in.
Yea I got 2 books taken off the shelf just to raise the prices even if your there for just a copy of that one book the new high republic and that spider boy book the employees said the owner pulled the books from the shelf for the new prices the store is coliseum of comics looks like I need a new lcs if that’s there business model.
That’s what my Lcs would do lol
Don’t ever sell your books at a local comic shop. Lots of online selling options out there.
thanks ive been collecting on and off for fifty years and have only returned to the hobby after ten years and ive got to say t5this is often the experience of selling at shops im sad to have to say this but this prededetory attitude seems rife in our interest so i can only agree with your sentiments
I don't brag about how cheaply I get something but I sure do buy comics on the low side and sell them on the high side. That's how I fund my hobby, making money in order to purchase issues I want for my collection. Everyone does it. And it's not unethical.
kind of different than what Im talking about
@@Stickygoose Not really, if I could buy a collection with valuable Silver or Bronze issues for sub-$100 I would. It all comes down to the agreement between buyer and seller.
Nice job calling this out dude. keep it up. It is VERY widespread, and CERTAINLY predatory.
I've only been to maybe two shops that don't do this. Sadly after working in one. You'd be surprised what they do to make money. That being stealing ideas or undervaluing people
I would like to hear more about what they do
It’s sad to say one day online comic shopping gonna close the majority of LCS’s down for good maybe a few will survive for online customers and local like Mile High Comics
Maybe they should go if they can’t provide fair pricing
If you buy and sell with your LCS, it's a losing proposition 99% of the time. I have no love for most LCS's out there. Much better places to buy and sell.
well said ed
Hey, I am Bob in Connecticut. The last thing you would ever do is go to a comic book shop to sell some thing that is insane.. anyway, they get away with lots of shit because most people don’t know anything about comic books. Of course they will give you hardly anything for your comic books, so you just tell them to F off. On the other hand, I have amazing fantasy 15. 6.0 I only paid $4000 last year or comic bookstore offered me $100,000. I don’t want to sell the book. If the seller is that ignorant what can you really do because the general public doesn’t know the value of comic books when I was a bartender when I was working people laughed at me when I told them when I have extra money, I buy Spider-Man X-Men Iron Man, and I kept some of my books I don’t work anymore. I don’t have money, but some of my comic books are worth a small fortune right now. Nobody is going to take advantage of me.
Keep fighting the good fight
To be fair to the shop owner in that video, we have no idea the state of that business' finances or cash flow. $55 may have literally been the best offer that he could have made at the time. That being said, I don't believe that was the case, but it's also not impossible.
Oh man you are too kind! Giving them a whole lotta slack
Another video I agree with you. I love the Comicbook community MOST people are awesome!! But even a small Comicbook store habe those crazy prices on books. I understand it’s a business is just sometimes they make you feel like quitting this awesome hobbie because of the prices they sell and offer.
The prices in these places are a slap in the face
I hear what you’re saying, but I think we expect people to be fair and honest because that’s how we would be, but that’s not always the case. The seller has an obligation to do their homework and be informed. You can’t go in and be ignorant, that’s how you get taken advantage of and exploited. Always do your research and know what you have, don’t expect people to do the right thing because that’s what we would do. Do I agree with what the comic shop owner did? No, but I also I see why they did what they did from a business perspective.
Great subject to bring up and put a spotlight on. A year to two years ago I want a new GPU for my computer. So I picked out a few slabs to sell. I brought them to a few dealers and they were very honest to tell me that they could not afford them or even put them up for consignment for fear of having them stolen, They suggested putting them on Ebay or Mercari . I was happy with their reply and waited. I was gifted a GPU by the girlfriend.
Some shops literally can’t make an offer because they have no income
I am selling off a good number of my books and TCG cards. Because, I have found my calling and need to get rid of most of it.
Thanks for speaking up on this issue. Truth.
Appreciate that
Jokes on them, grandma sold them reprints.
lol haha she had the last laugh
Most shops offer 40 cents on the dollar or less 😂
No comic shops are not all the same
Most of them are lol
My experience was similar..I took a short box having no clue..offered 68.00..I almost took it..but I told him I'd think about it..I've since sold 5 of them for 300.00 on Ebay..lesson learned..60 yrs young..Sad
I’m glad you didn’t get ripped off
I will say, I have the good fortune of living in New England and there are MANY shops; I think it has created a great incentive for them to be a little better (cannot say perfect, of course) to their customers. Even in my neck of southern NH, I am within 30 mins of 4 stores to my north, and then to my south I have the city of Boston and surrounding metro-areas. There are a couple of very well known ones in the region to my west as well. We still have some that aren't always the best, but I consider myself sitting in a spoil of riches up here. Those are just some good old capitalist incentives working for the consumer, haha.
That said, trying to sell it off to a shop is always going to give you less than the FMV while they mark it up to create a profit margin. I am not opposed to that inherently, as long as they aren't really doing the seller and then the next customer dirty. At that point, to dodge that, you've gotta just figure out how to sell it yourself directly to another interested buyer.
Selling amongst ourselves is the only way to go
Well said. Things are more frequently bought and sold, but less and less to make someone happy at a fair price. I think technology has made the marketplace the proverbial apple in the garden of Eden… reminds me of a logo I saw somewhere 🤔
I see what you did there
The comic world is nothing compared to the mtg world... I've seen grown men brag about "trading" $3 junk for $100 Reserve list cards with 8 year old kids... just the worst of the worst
Yea that’s despicable
Omg I just realized we must be related 🤭😆😆😂
Interesting topic. I’m just here for the dialogue. I don’t care either way but I question the veteran collector Alex that gave the old couple about 30% of the value of their collection. Yeah it’s not the ridiculous offer from the store owner. But what’s the “ethical” percentage. Since you were talking about business practices. Anyone please correct me if I wrote something wrong. Friendly chat here.
All I can say is it’s better than $55
@@Stickygoose $60 is better than 55. Guess we will never know the right answer 👍
Agree 100% with these comic book stores.. I went to few comic shops and and them guys who work there make up prices when u ask how much for a raw copy .. But what crazy is that he over priced the raw comic books I ask … 😂 The store have no price on any raw books that in that comic bins.. As soon as u pick one up and ask how much ..he started to look up prices what sold on eBay or others platforms..!!! 😂😂😂 rip off big big time there .. great video
I forgot to mention pricing at the counter but I’ve talked about it before
Totally unrelated here, but imma go out on a limb here and guess stickygoose is a metal fan. Am I right?
Lamb of god is my favorite
You mean you can get more than 50% of the Overstreet Guide with what they grade it at... Also the Comic shop does not trust the CGC grade.... and does not deal with cased books
does not deal with cased book lol
My brother your correct there all scammers it’s not a hobby anymore it’s a business.. to scam only
It’s a scam business
I usually enjoy your posts but that’s not all comic shops. I can sell my slabs to a comic store and sometimes they will sell them for 50 bucks more. I’ve had comic shops tell me it’s better to sell myself because they wouldn’t offer anything near fair market value. There are good and bad ppl donno if this type of video was needed because it sort of paints the whole of lcs with the same broad brush. It’s easy for you to say you won’t try and make the maximum possible profit when you don’t own a comic shop. With any business there is over head costs that need to be included in the price you are willing to spend to purchase someone’s comics. You just don’t go yes I made a 100 and put it in your pocket it gets cut in half and then quarters and the actual profit might be 10 dollars. Video just seems like it was made to tell one very specific side of the business
I’m just telling my experience that’s all I can do
@@Stickygoose I hear you but the title of the video insinuates it’s more than your personal experience, that it’s a fact of comic book industry. But I appreciate your view either way
Man bun comes back!!!
I support your views 100%.
appreciate that kenny
Be truthful and ethical and you definitely will come out ahead.
its what momma always said
If you find a great comic book at a yard sale worth $1,000 and the seller is asking for $1.00 that's their mistake and you shouldn't feel bad about getting a great deal. If you find the same book at a yard sale and you offer them $1.00 then that's scummy. My LCS rips people off so to speak but is at least honest about it. They will tell you upfront they only pay between 30% and 50% of what the item is worth.
It’s a tight rope for sure
Hope you an man bun squash the beef one day. 😅
In the wrastlin ring