Observations on the current state of the hobby from a show this weekend

[majestik101]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

It’s funny, dealers are only lazy to change prices when card prices are going down. But when card prices are going up, they are on top of it, instantly.

Sadly, this sort of thing seems to be happening more and more...

[Alwayslefty]

Just curious because I don’t get to shows at all. Is it like the 90s where every booth has the same 10 hot cards waaaaaay overpriced and then pushes you to buy wax. I just remember in the early 90s everyone selling Griffey rookies for way too much and trying to get you to pay 3/4x per pack to try and get one “cheaper”. Everytime I read that you guys see a case with cards way overpriced I figure the guy must be selling prizm packs at 30 bucks/per.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by Alwayslefty

Just curious because I don’t get to shows at all. Is it like the 90s where every booth has the same 10 hot cards waaaaaay overpriced and then pushes you to buy wax. I just remember in the early 90s everyone selling Griffey rookies for way too much and trying to get you to pay 3/4x per pack to try and get one “cheaper”. Everytime I read that you guys see a case with cards way overpriced I figure the guy must be selling prizm packs at 30 bucks/per.

It's like carnival selling tactics -- people have to pay to try to win the prize instead of buying it at retail price.

[FT35]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

What if sales data aren't reliable? What if flippers change prices by regularly generating fake sales? Some food for thought.

All true! When I used to go to shows (90’s) it was pretty difficult to find a dealer who didn’t do the same thing—just with a Beckett price guide rather than a phone. Now that I think about it, the buying experience was better when the cards had stickers. But even then, there could be negotiation where a guy would turn to the Beckett to see if he could swing a deal. I just didn’t realize many see the no sticker/price checks model as a walk-away type deal breaker now.

Maybe that’s contributing to the lack of larger sales at shows that people have been posting about in this thread? Style of sale and customer experience? Whether they buy has less to do with cards/market and is more about how a seller chooses to do business? That would be a noteworthy shift in the hobby.

[KhalDrogo]

If sellers don’t want to sticker new prices every show, just creat an IG showcase with the prices. Much easier, and allows people not at the show to buy your inventory as well.

Most of these guys still want this to be a business, but are too lazy to make it such.

[Zauron]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

If sellers don’t want to sticker new prices every show, just creat an IG showcase with the prices. Much easier, and allows people not at the show to buy your inventory as well.

Most of these guys still want this to be a business, but are too lazy to make it such.

Too many times I see people have wrong sticker prices or flat out way above comps.

There was one guy at these local shows that I sometimes go to who is always on the ball though, and he's great to work with. Another guy is very reasonable, but he takes too much time looking up comps, but at least he will offer stuff at a reasonable price. Like sometimes 80% comps even.

But it's amazing going to a show, not seeing any prices on a table, you see a card you're interested in and ask a price and it's double what the most recent comp is.

[SupermanBrandon]

Imagine walking up to a table. All of the cards already have 80% comp prices on them. Haggle free zone. The price is the price.

[hermanotarjeta]

As a customer, if you need to ask the dealer the price of a card, you are already at a disadvantage because he knows you are interested in it.

Give your business to someone who gives the customer the advantage and is better prepared with clear prices. They are more motivated to sell.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

As a customer, if you need to ask the dealer the price of a card, you are already at a disadvantage because he knows you are interested in it.

Give your business to someone who gives the customer the advantage and is better prepared with clear prices. They are more motivated to sell.

Only an amateur asks for a price on a card he is interested in when starting a conversation with a dealer. Might as well wear the jersey of your favorite player too.

[hermanotarjeta]

The worst dealers are the ones who complain they can’t sell anything, yet refuse to lower prices.

[f2tornado]

Went to the Bloomington, MN show Saturday morning and the place was a madhouse. Safe to say hobby interest is very high, perhaps even far stronger than the 90s glory days. It was a real challenge getting to some of the tables because of the crowd but I did finally get to them all and came home with a pile of bargain box finds.

My only mild gripe, as others have mentioned for shows in general, are the dealers who don't price anything or have such a wide spread to make searching ambiguous. Me: "Any specific price on these boxes?" Dealer: "$1-$5". That's a decent spread. My thought: Maybe separate those into $1, $3 and $5 boxes? I like to know what my price point is before digging as I don't have time to tap every stack or box in a busy show, even when there all day.

[dwr11]

Went to the TCSCC show in Bloomington, MN on Saturday and another smaller show on Sunday. The shows were packed. It was actually difficult to move. I'm friends with many of the dealers and they were all doing extremely well.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by hermanotarjeta

As a customer, if you need to ask the dealer the price of a card, you are already at a disadvantage because he knows you are interested in it.

Give your business to someone who gives the customer the advantage and is better prepared with clear prices. They are more motivated to sell.

When a seller isn't transparent and upfront with pricing, it tells potential buyers they are working some kind of angle. A seller who actually wants to sell in good faith tries to be accommodating to potential buyers. Maybe their pricing is not attractive, but it at least shows they want people's business.

[Alwayslefty]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

It's like carnival selling tactics -- people have to pay to try to win the prize instead of buying it at retail price.

Lol. Figures.


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[marl1220]

Originally Posted by Philthy

Of course not, I even put that in my comment! The other show I setup, I was able to trade for or buy several cards so I was just making note how it was a different experience.

I also want to be clear that this was not a situation of me going to delears and shooting lowball offers. These were people who came to my table and said "Are you buying?"

I made an offer and they declined it. I would be buying strictly to re-sale so I can't offer 100% comps. No harm, no foul!

That makes much more sense.

[ironfireman]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Only an amateur asks for a price on a card he is interested in when starting a conversation with a dealer. Might as well wear the jersey of your favorite player too.

So, how do you go about it? Ask if they got any deals? Ask if they got anything low grade and cheap they are tired of looking at? Any cards they hate? I'll take em away if you give me $5!

[LVDan]

Hoping to carve out an hour or two Sat to go check out the 2nd show in town this month at a locals casino way out east on Boulder Hwy(Sam’s Town). The one 3 weeks ago at Tuscany just off the strip was very strong both in attendance and bargain baseball content.


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[thenightman]

Originally Posted by ironfireman

So, how do you go about it? Ask if they got any deals? Ask if they got anything low grade and cheap they are tired of looking at? Any cards they hate? I'll take em away if you give me $5!

So, how does he go about it? I'm going to assume that he doesn't. If the dealer doesn't put a price sticker on the card, Khal isn't interested in buying it. TBH, I'm the same way, at this point. 100% of the time I ask they tell me a price that's above comps, so nowadays when I see a case with no pricing I just keep walking. I just don't need their card that badly.

[ironfireman]

Originally Posted by thenightman

So, how does he go about it? I'm going to assume that he doesn't. If the dealer doesn't put a price sticker on the card, Khal isn't interested in buying it. TBH, I'm the same way, at this point. 100% of the time I ask they tell me a price that's above comps, so nowadays when I see a case with no pricing I just keep walking. I just don't need their card that badly.

Yeah, When they have the cards all laid out with no prices I find that 95% are laughably expensive.
Most good deals are guys that price and when you buy 3 or more. If you can afford it (I can't) buy it all or by the box. That's how real money is made.

[BlockShotStop]

Originally Posted by thenightman

So, how does he go about it? I'm going to assume that he doesn't. If the dealer doesn't put a price sticker on the card, Khal isn't interested in buying it. TBH, I'm the same way, at this point. 100% of the time I ask they tell me a price that's above comps, so nowadays when I see a case with no pricing I just keep walking. I just don't need their card that badly.

Or maybe he does what I do, which is make an offer that I think is reasonable but gives me a little room to wiggle. I dictate the terms of the negotiation that way. Dealer doesn't like where I'm at, no worries. I just walk away. No use haggling with someone who doesn't have a realistic idea of the current market. If the card is difficult to price out because it's rare, you might have to talk a bit more and pay strong to get it.

Know what you want and what you want it for. This isn't that hard, guys.

[imbluestreak23]

What would people think of a print out price per card that customers could just skip through?

Setting up soon and wondering if that might be a good strategy. It woudl be super easy if you have everything in excel. Sort by serial number of slab and have people just look up the serial number and see your price, so you don't have to put any stickers on it and manually change them out.

[imbluestreak23]

I notice that most buyers coming through are wanting 20% below market value at most. Why a seller needs to move at a 20% discount and give all margin to the buyer is confusing, especially when 95% of buyers are paying around 105%-110% of comps when factoring in tax and shipping cost. It is literally a 25-30% spread of negotiating room and card show buyers want all of that on their end.

[Slvnumber2]

Have my monthly show this weekend and last one was pretty good. With MLB getting ready to start and baseball the main driver of sales let’s hope it keeps up. I price all my stuff since it saves time and back and forth with buyers, and when you don’t it gets too many “how much for x and how much for y?” Plus with the price on it if a guy asks about the card I know he is interested, and if you have a Luka or Mahomes in your case with no price people come by asking about it mainly to try and see if they can get a lowball offer.

[theshowandme]

Originally Posted by imbluestreak23

What would people think of a print out price per card that customers could just skip through?

Setting up soon and wondering if that might be a good strategy. It woudl be super easy if you have everything in excel. Sort by serial number of slab and have people just look up the serial number and see your price, so you don't have to put any stickers on it and manually change them out.

One thing that I have seen is QR codes printed on pages that take you to a page/spreadsheet of the inventory on hand.

This includes cards maybe under the table.

You just need to update the link and it is a reusable resource show to show

[imbluestreak23]

Originally Posted by theshowandme

One thing that I have seen is QR codes printed on pages that take you to a page/spreadsheet of the inventory on hand.

This includes cards maybe under the table.

You just need to update the link and it is a reusable resource show to show

Oh that's a good idea.