Having it Both Ways (Dealer Gripe)

[packs]

I don't think a lot of the guys at card shows even want to sell their cards. If they did, there's no logic behind the pricing. I don't believe in paying more for something because I bought it in person. We live in the age of the internet. I can buy anything any time I want. You should give me a decent price to buy your item here today while you're renting a table which costs you money whether you sell a card or not. Maybe that's a controversial opinion, but I think buying in person should get you a discount, particularly if you're paying cash.

[JeremyW]

I think that dealers are competing with us collectors on Ebay & major auction houses. They keep driving up the prices because they can't get the finds that they did in the good old days.

[Exhibitman]

Well having been on both sides of the table for 30+ years (damn I am getting old), there are a lot of cross-cutting issues at work at the same time for dealers.

I usually bring some 'eye candy' to shows, cards I really do not want to sell unless I get a really great offer. Call it the live equivalent of a crazy BIN on eBay. So they definitely fall under the my way or the highway banner. I've gotten those offers from time to time.

Many of the weekend warriors who take a space at a local show don't do this for a living. They do it to get the chance at wholesale buys, to make some cash for further collecting, to gradually downsize, or because the wife demands it. In other words, moving inventory is not the only priority. One of our members here (I won't say who since his wife may be reading) once had an entire showcase at one National full of cards that were priced so high that they were basically not for sale because he had promised his wife he would take them to the show and offer them for sale. As far as I know he's still married and got away with it!

eBay has both killed shows and made selling at them less desperate. While it is always nice to make lots of sales, I don't "have to" move merch at a show because I can list it in my eBay store and retail it there.

The issue of when to take a loss is a difficult one. I certainly have cards I am upside down on. I sell them from time to time when it makes sense. One observation on this: I am much more likely to sustain a loss on a sale if I have had a really strong sale day already. If I am asked to discount and lose money at the start of the day, I am less likely to do so, but with a wad of cash in hand, I might say WTF. eBay affects that too: I don't "have to" take a loss at a show because I can probably find a buyer online if I am going to lose money.

[polakoff]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The issue of when to take a loss is a difficult one. I certainly have cards I am upside down on. I sell them from time to time when it makes sense. One observation on this: I am much more likely to sustain a loss on a sale if I have had a really strong sale day already. If I am asked to discount and lose money at the start of the day, I am less likely to do so, but with a wad of cash in hand, I might say WTF. eBay affects that too: I don't "have to" take a loss at a show because I can probably find a buyer online if I am going to lose money.

This is funny because I'm the opposite. If I know I'm upside down on a card and I get an offer I think is fair and is somewhat close to the card, I'd rather start my day knowing it's off my plate and knowing that I can pay for my tables/transportation/hotel/food with the sale. If I've made a good deal of money at the show, I'd rather hang onto the card and hope I can get a stronger offer since I already made my money.

[JollyElm]

A bit off topic, but do you know what drives me absolutely bananas at card shows??? Reality.

When I'm looking through a dealer's box full of cards from, say, 1970, and I see a common I need to upgrade and he has about 15 of them. Then in his 'star' box, he has 10 or more Steve Carltons and other HOF'ers. Just so many multiples of cards. And when you go to the next dealer, they too have countless doubles of cards. And this is just in one tiny corner of a card show in a small California town. It makes me realize how many untold thousands/millions of the same card are out there across the country. Then take a look at one of those '3 cards for a dollar' box a lot of dealers have and all the various types of cards found in it. Hundreds and hundreds of 'forgotten' cards that are basically worthless. How many of those cards exist? Millions and millions and millions.

Even rookie cards like Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, etc. How many of those suckers were (mass) produced? There will never be any sort of shortage.

I don't know what the point of this post is, except to say that card shows are great, but they make it obvious how rare nothing truly is in the Topps era of baseball cards (I know, I know, some people will disagree with that, but it's a general point). Well, except for some variations. That's why I love collecting them.

Hope I didn't bum anybody out…because I definitely bummed myself out.

[bbcard1]

The two worst kind of dealers to negotiate with are those who've had a really good day and those who've had a really bad day.

[hangman62]

That comment about - the incredible amount of cards actually available for sale at a show,,it is quite staggering... any decent size show... dealers with pretty much any and every card from late 50s thru 70s..loaded in their cases
...mantle,mays,aaron..yes...... the book says $75, 100, 200....but not hard to find by any stretch of the imagination ...and if you search ebay... its even more of a wake up call.... 55B Mantle.... you see 25 of them in 10 seconds of scrolling .

I get a kick out of the dealer who shingles out two dozen 1962 T Aarons... have at it guys.. who needs one or six !

nothing from this " 25 yr period " is really not hard to find .

Ive often passed up a card I needed simply because I said.. " hell if this guy has 10 of them sitting here..I can find it elsewhere and cheaper

[steve B]

Originally Posted by bbcard1

The two worst kind of dealers to negotiate with are those who've had a really good day and those who've had a really bad day.

Maybe that's why I never did well as a dealer. Set up a couple times, and both were incredibly "bad" days. Didn't cover the cost of the table either time, second time total sales = ten cents But I'd still have negotiated fairly.

Steve B