Using Trade At Card Shows

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Tony Gordon

No, I don't have a grim outlook. I look forward to setting up at shows each weekend. I usually have a lot of fun, but I am a realist. Most every time someone offers a trade it is not fair. Like I said, I am at shows just about every weekend and this is what occurs week after week. I am often very busy. Many times during each show there is a line of people waiting to speak to me. You can come out and see for yourself this Sunday where I will be set up at the Buenavista Banquet Hall in Milwaukee.

Guys that want to trade are almost always bad customers. It is not just me. Dealers let out a collective groan when they see certain customers walk into the room, these are the customers that want something for nothing. Maybe you have never approached a dealer with moldy cards but I guarantee you somebody this Sunday is going to offer me either moldy cards, creased up cards, junk era cards and the like in exchange for something like a Bob Gibson rookie. It happens at each and every show.

I'm not trying to insult any one. I am just explaining my regular experience as a dealer. You are free to ignore my perspective.

Some people think that every post needs a card. I’m of the belief that every post needs the truth. Reality is always something that goes astray when feelings are involved.

Tony thanks for explaining the reality of situation so well. It’s a business decision for you, it’s your prerogative and you have exercised that option by not trading. Good Luck with the show this weekend !!!

[notfast]

I feel like the majority of the people who are on the “pro trading” side of this argument have never set up at a major show and dealt with the people who are trying to trade.

For every 1 person that understands the dealer needs to make money, doesn’t want to waste anyone’s time, understands values AND has desirable inventory…there are 100 that do not.

If you spend a lot of time trying to make trades instead of selling cards, you aren’t going to last long as a dealer. If you’re just there to hang out and add items to your collection, more power to you but that’s not the majority of dealers.

At the National, 99% of the people who wanted to trade had undesirable and hard to move stuff. This is the norm.