All I want to do is talk about COMC

[thebrett]

James - Prior to the new fee structure there was a conference call with many large sellers where COMC promised the funds generated would lead to enhanced site features and functionality. It is now 5+ months with the new fee, any chance you could provide an overview of what progress has been made?

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by whodatbeastly16

Is there any reason to send in commons that will sell for like 10c to a dollar a piece?

Depends what your goal is. If you've got 93 cards towards a minimum of 100 for a submission level, then toss in 7 from your $1.00 cards.
Otherwise, I'd rather buy cards for 5 cents to flip on eBay by repricing at 39 cents (show up there as 99 cents) before spending a 30 cent submission fee to make a nickel.

[scotthenrichs]

So how's the fee changes affecting everyone? I figure you can figure out how much the fee changes have cost you by downloading your sales history for this year, add up all Transaction Fees except eBay and Amazon Transactions, and then subtract all the eBay and Amazon Transaction Fees * 3 (due to the 20% fee becoming a 5% fee, I think my math is right?)

I've actually *saved* 2% of my sales with the new fee structure so far thanks to strong eBay sales.

[Bowman1951]

Originally Posted by scotthenrichs

So how's the fee changes affecting everyone? I figure you can figure out how much the fee changes have cost you by downloading your sales history for this year, add up all Transaction Fees except eBay and Amazon Transactions, and then subtract all the eBay and Amazon Transaction Fees * 3 (due to the 20% fee becoming a 5% fee, I think my math is right?)

I've actually *saved* 2% of my sales with the new fee structure so far thanks to strong eBay sales.

My ROI is surprisingly up on my flips vs. last year. I was a bit surprised by that given that I was worried at the end of 2018 how it would impact everything.

But I think part of it was some port dumps that I was able to snag at a really good deal and get 300-400% returns on bigger cards within them. If a bunch of sellers got out because of the new fees and put up their wares at a significant discount, some of us have been the winners from that.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by scotthenrichs

So how's the fee changes affecting everyone? I figure you can figure out how much the fee changes have cost you by downloading your sales history for this year, add up all Transaction Fees except eBay and Amazon Transactions, and then subtract all the eBay and Amazon Transaction Fees * 3 (due to the 20% fee becoming a 5% fee, I think my math is right?)

I've actually *saved* 2% of my sales with the new fee structure so far thanks to strong eBay sales.

I haven't dug into the numbers, but the transaction fees hurt me since I don't do any cash outs. I am losing that 5% of COMC sales as buying power on the site for other cards.

[checkoutmydeals]

I find the new fees to be very liberating. The old 20% cashout had a strong psychological effect, where you never wanted to cash out. Once you cashed out, you never wanted to add new money to the system. If you did accrue a large balance, it was preferable to "cash out" in the form of taking physical delivery of a higher-dollar item.

Now, I have no problem adding new money to the system. I'm sending in new cards for the first time since forever. I've also been running 11-day sales from time to time, and have made frequent use of the bulk repricing tool.

It's true that there's a 5% transaction fee where there used to be a 0% transaction fee, but I don't think the combination of a 0% transaction fee and 20% cashout was healthy for the site. Anyway, it manifests itself as 2 cents here and 5 cents there. Previously, with the 20% cashout fee, you were looking at a minimum of $50 in fees at a time.

I'm also enjoying the fact that I no longer have to do any kind of Kabuki dance where I price an item at $1 but in my mind it's really 80 cents because it might sell on eBay and then it's really 64 cents because if I cash out after selling on eBay, that's what I will wind up with.

I do think that "free" shipping embedded into eBay listings is an abomination which should end immediately, and I don't think that COMC_Guest should be forced to pay the 15% eBay surcharge which is intended to pay eBay fees, nor should they be forced to upgrade to expedited shipping.

At the very least, I think that COMC_Guest should be shown the price they would pay if they were logged in. "Item cost $1.62 - Pay just $1.25 by logging in - (link to some sort of explanation)"

I also think that the Promotion page should default to 11-day promotions, and make it very clear that sellers can launch an 11-day promotion for the same price as a 1-day promotion. Judging from the number of 24 hour promos I see, I get the impression that this information is not widely known by many users.

But for my own part, I'm fine with the new fee structure and have adjusted my COMC activity accordingly.

[mintacular]

Can anyone explain why the 4/5th baseball checklist on COMC is listed at $306 during sale (30%) off but is $516 on eBay? I know eBay doesn't factor in sale so non-sale price would be $398. That said, the price on eBay is 30% higher cause $398 x .30 = $517

[scotthenrichs]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

I haven't dug into the numbers, but the transaction fees hurt me since I don't do any cash outs. I am losing that 5% of COMC sales as buying power on the site for other cards.

Right, but how many eBay/Amazon sales have you had? In the past, if you opted in to eBay/Amazon, you'd lose 20% instead of 5% that it is now. If you do more than 1/3 of your sales that way, you'd be saving money under the new fee structure.

[dustin42]

Originally Posted by thebrett

James - Prior to the new fee structure there was a conference call with many large sellers where COMC promised the funds generated would lead to enhanced site features and functionality. It is now 5+ months with the new fee, any chance you could provide an overview of what progress has been made?

None.

[dustin42]

Originally Posted by checkoutmydeals

I will say this, the "what if" scenario of buying in bulk from COMC on ebay is obviously a little far fetched which you alluded to. If a buyer is going to buy a ton on ebay off COMC listings you'd hope they'd be smart enough to visit COMC and realize you can buy the cards directly much cheaper. And I think it's kinda understood that listing a card with free shipping creates more views and sales. So I'd say yes I understand the angle about bulk purchases but I believe this ebay thing is more about free advertising for COMC and trying to up sales a tad.

It isn't far fetched at all. I've sold over 112,000 cards on COMC. There have been days when I've sold more than 500. I will very clearly see clumps of cards sell on eBay, of the same player or the same set or the same team, which are obviously coming from the same buyer.

You can see it in the feedback they leave. Sometimes, page after page of feedback will be left to the same buyer. I've examined the feedback they've received several times, and have found that the average price for an item which received feedback is typically in the $6 to $8 range.

Some people only buy on eBay or they only buy on Amazon. They trust the site. They like the convenience. They like the buyer protections and the return policies. I know people who tell their friends and relatives that the only gift they ever want to receive for a birthday or Christmas or whatnot is a gift card to eBay and/or Amazon.

Evidence which may support your point is that COMC had 199,000-ish buyers (listed under "biggest buyers") when I checked this number in December or January, and they have 221,000 buyers listed now.

Nevertheless, I personally would like to call their bluff. Let me opt in or opt out of having my items cross-posted with "free" shipping. Let me choose the price at which "free" shipping kicks in. Some people on this board were fine with "free" shipping when it only affected items over $50 (which was the case at one time). They were fine when it only affected items over $25 (which was also the case at one time). When "free" shipping was added to items over $5, that's when people started pulling out the pitchforks. I mean rational people who are usually generally supportive of the site.

When the "error" took place which caused some items to be listed with "free" shipping as low as $3, it was cause for alarm. We were told it was a glitch, but the glitch doesn't seem to have been corrected.

One problem with detecting and troubleshooting these "glitches" is that COMC's eBay listings run for 30 days, and it might not be possible to edit the shipping options once it's started. So, even if they fixed the "glitch" 29 days ago, there will still be some affected listings.

Anyway, this is the reason the previous poster posted what they did. Sometimes when there's a change, it's a glitch, and sometimes, it's the new normal. And the way we find out is to ask COMC James, specifically, on this particular thread of this particular board. Good luck!

They increased the number of cards with free shipping to get benefits from eBay and a neat banner on their listings.

Fast 'N Free Listings Protection
If your listings qualify as Fast 'N Free, we'll protect you if your delivery is late. Your customers will know a listing is Fast 'N Free because of the truck featured on it.

fast n free
Fast 'N Free listings must meet the following requirements:

Delivery in four days or less.
Free shipping.
Ships within the 48 contiguous US states.
Ships with FedEx, USPS, or UPS.
Isn't in classified ad format.
We cover the liability for Fast 'N Free listings because we're confident in our ability to calculate your delivery time. If your delivery is late even though you met your handling time, we'll make it right for your customers.

[allstarcollect]

Originally Posted by checkoutmydeals

I don't think that COMC_Guest should be forced to pay the 15% eBay surcharge which is intended to pay eBay fees, nor should they be forced to upgrade to expedited shipping.

At the very least, I think that COMC_Guest should be shown the price they would pay if they were logged in. "Item cost $1.62 - Pay just $1.25 by logging in - (link to some sort of explanation)"

I'm pretty sure this is a restriction put on by eBay. They don't want seller's having one higher price on eBay and significantly lower price on their own site, as then eBay just becomes an ad to direct people to the lower priced option.

The same can be found in the hotel industry. Hotels pay 25% to Expedia, but they can't offer a lower price on their site as again Expedia would become an ad to direct people to the lower priced option.

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by mintacular

Can anyone explain why the 4/5th baseball checklist on COMC is listed at $306 during sale (30%) off but is $516 on eBay? I know eBay doesn't factor in sale so non-sale price would be $398. That said, the price on eBay is 30% higher cause $398 x .30 = $517

$437.25 is the raw COMC price. That's the basis to determine eBay price. Add $10 for shipping, and multiply by 1.15 and it gets you pretty close to the number you're seeing on eBay.

[hofs4u]

Originally Posted by dustin42

They increased the number of cards with free shipping to get benefits from eBay and a neat banner on their listings.

Fast 'N Free Listings Protection
If your listings qualify as Fast 'N Free, we'll protect you if your delivery is late. Your customers will know a listing is Fast 'N Free because of the truck featured on it.

fast n free
Fast 'N Free listings must meet the following requirements:

Delivery in four days or less.
Free shipping.
Ships within the 48 contiguous US states.
Ships with FedEx, USPS, or UPS.
Isn't in classified ad format.
We cover the liability for Fast 'N Free listings because we're confident in our ability to calculate your delivery time. If your delivery is late even though you met your handling time, we'll make it right for your customers.

Damn. Good catch. Looks like we are stuck with this. Given the fees and the double dip on shipping (ebay expedited), any card listed on COMC over 3.87 will get the free shipping anchor added on. This is not a glitch. Tim went into the eBay calculation on the blog page back during the announcement.

[pfb11]

Originally Posted by scotthenrichs

So how's the fee changes affecting everyone?

Making more on the stuff that sells, but really struggling to reach the same volume numbers

Most recent month on top; oldest on bottom

[Magickyak]

Sorry if this has been asked already, but can someone clarify the Spring Cleaning free shipping sale for me? Specifically, if I go on COMC right now and spend $100 on cards, can I do a free shipment that includes other cards I currently have in my account from previous purchases?

Lets say I currently have 100 cards in my COMC account. I purchase 1 cards for $100 from a seller. Do I get free shipping on all 101 cards if I wanted to clean my account out entirely?

[mjohnatgt]

Magicyak, are you in Advanced Resellers Mode? If so, then no. If not, then maybe.

[sfgiants4life]

Originally Posted by Magickyak

Sorry if this has been asked already, but can someone clarify the Spring Cleaning free shipping sale for me? Specifically, if I go on COMC right now and spend $100 on cards, can I do a free shipment that includes other cards I currently have in my account from previous purchases?

Lets say I currently have 100 cards in my COMC account. I purchase 1 cards for $100 from a seller. Do I get free shipping on all 101 cards if I wanted to clean my account out entirely?

I think the free shipping on this one is only the $3.95 or whatever it is shipping fee. If you wanted to mail back cards you originally submitted then you would need to pay the applicable individual shipping charge for each of those cards. If you were returning 100 base normal cards it would be an additional $25.00. If it is for other cards you purchased then it depends if you are in simplified or reseller mode. Whether the .25 or whatever has already been paid...I think.

Someone else may be better suited to answer this one.

[Magickyak]

That sounds like a good explanation to me- I suspect that's it. Thanks!

[JustMoe]

Originally Posted by sfgiants4life

Thanks for the reply James. I understand that this is not your area but isn't it funny...it never works out that COMC is getting less fees but when COMC is taking a larger cut then what they are supposed to the bugs can last for months.

It's only a "bug" when it gets pointed out by a COMC user...before that happens, I think the proper term is "Easter Egg". And, if/when it gets fixed, how quick would COMC be to retroactively correct the fees that were collected in error?...

[COMC James]

Originally Posted by thebrett

James - Prior to the new fee structure there was a conference call with many large sellers where COMC promised the funds generated would lead to enhanced site features and functionality. It is now 5+ months with the new fee, any chance you could provide an overview of what progress has been made?

I don't have any updates to provide on this just yet.

Originally Posted by Magickyak

Sorry if this has been asked already, but can someone clarify the Spring Cleaning free shipping sale for me? Specifically, if I go on COMC right now and spend $100 on cards, can I do a free shipment that includes other cards I currently have in my account from previous purchases?

Lets say I currently have 100 cards in my COMC account. I purchase 1 cards for $100 from a seller. Do I get free shipping on all 101 cards if I wanted to clean my account out entirely?

If you purchase $99 worth of items during the Spring Cleaning Sale with COMC Credit, you can include any previously purchased items in that free shipment request as well. The per-item shipping fees will still need to be paid if you're purchasing in advanced reseller mode.

[jdub1617]

Anyone else have their history points disappear? Yesterday I noticed mine dipped to around 190 range when I shouldve been in the 500's then today I log on and all my history points are gone and at 0.

[Bowman1951]

I did something for the first time and rushed some cards back to myself for a PSA order I'd like to get out next week. I couldn't believe that for only $3 more, I could get it in hand in just 3 business days.

I've had some orders take over three weeks to reach me with the standard shipping options.

[mjohnatgt]

Originally Posted by jdub1617

Anyone else have their history points disappear? Yesterday I noticed mine dipped to around 190 range when I shouldve been in the 500's then today I log on and all my history points are gone and at 0.

If you won them in challenges, they expire after a month.

[jdub1617]

Originally Posted by mjohnatgt

If you won them in challenges, they expire after a month.

Thats what it is, thanks!

[ih8ca]

I just want to say I appreciate all my customers. I hit the 1 million dollar mark in sales since 2016. Now it looks like I need to start spending more money and get some cards for you guys.