Is Retail the Answer?
 

In light of recent discussions on the board about the positives of eBay BINs, is a return to the old days of retail transactions imminent?

Is retail the answer to the shilling epidemic?

Nope. Retail has extremely limited market reach (brick and mortar covers part of your town, ebay covers the world) and, ultimately, much higher costs.

Who said anything about "brick and mortar"?

I like shows,

the energy
the comradery
the searching
the sounds of negotiations

the smell..well not of the customers or dealers, but the cards

I don't think we would be able to get back to a true retail environment. To me the question ultimately boils down to where would the retailer get their inventory. I don't think retailers would be able to exist for long if they were only buying at retail/fixed prices.

DJ

Depends on the card/item. Some are like commodities and will do well as a 'retail' type transaction. Others are 'more unique' and will work well with auctions (or auction houses). (yes, I know something is either unique or it isn't)

I have wondered for a while whether we will start seeing more of a direct bartering system. Someone could provide a conduit for that, assuming they can come up with a way to get a slice of the transaction.

Even with a convention or show, it's essentially still a temporary brick and mortar. Sure, the National and other large regional shows will draw; but there is simply no way it will ever have the market reach of the internet. People cant or wont travel at nearly the rate they can simply pick up their phone or laptop. Its easier to search on-line than it is in a convention too.

Rich, Internet retail is still retail. By retail, I mean fixed-price purchases instead of auctions.

I have wanted to do an auction a little different. Post in bst something like this:

I have x dollars to spend. Into my Yankees items non card related from the 50's. I will choose the best offer in 48 hours.

Not a real offer there, but may cut down on some shenanigans. Just a thought

Mark Medlin

Aha! Never mind. :o

I don't think we have a choice. Ebay is now down to less than 10% auctions. It's basically the world's biggest over-priced flea market with a tiny auction section.

I find that when something is listed retail that I let it sit there and keep saying to myself "when I have the money saved up I will buy it."

Then when I have the money I find something in an auction I put the money towards saying to myself "well the retail item hasn't sold yet, it may still be there when I have the money again. Whereas this auction item has a bid on it so it won't be available if I wait around for it."

I think that is the issue. Auction items have a feeling of "Now or Never". And retail has a feeling of "It will still be sitting there when I am ready".
Neither of these are always true. Flippers buy auction items and put them back up for auction and Retail items can sell at any minute, even quicker than an auction item can since there isn't a forced date of sale. But the feeling that it is true is still always there.

From my perspective there is still a great deal of retail out there.

great point!

duplicate post.

There are still auctions on eBay; you just have to sift through a lot more fixed-price dross to find them. I have searches saved for things I'm interested in, including some that eliminate BIN items and/or those priced above a certain dollar amount, and I have them set up to send me alerts when new things are listed. Sometimes I'll go days or weeks without seeing anything decent, but I've still gotten some good stuff at decent prices on eBay.

Wait, I have a name for it: trading.

With probably 2000+ trades comprising about 600 unique collectors over the past 15+ years, I know this well. ;) I was thinking more along the lines of 6 chickens for some PVC plumbing supplies type of 'trading'. I know there has been a rise in this kind of thing locally, but talking more of a wider scope.

In case anyone's interested, I've got 2 nipples, one reamer, and a ballcock up for trade...

I would like to see more auctions and deals like those conducted on the Live Auctions thread on this website. That is as pure and honest as it gets in this hobby. Seller sets an opening price and a closing time, everyone has equal access and awareness of what is being offered and who is bidding, and there is less opportunity for fraud. I guess shilling could still go on but it would be harder to pull off. The BST on this site is always my first place to search. I say more of that and less of eBay would be a good thing.

from my perspective the last two days: yes.

I don't think there is anything 'positive' about BINs insofar as buyers are concerned. I agree with the comment that eBay is 90% BINs (or at least seems that way) and would add that the vast majority of the few auctions require opening bids that exceed VCP values. In my view, eBay was much more enjoyable and fruitful for collectors in the days where auctions predominated listings.