Pet Peeve: Dealers who pull out Beckett at a card show? Opinions wanted!

[Rich Klein]

"Here is an experience that I posted on another forum 5 years ago . . .

I took my son to a card show last weekend, and got a dealer mad at me.

I asked about a 1997 Pinnacle Artist Proof Derek Jeter card that he had in his case. Now this guy has had this in his case for at least the last two years. I've seen it many times before, but never asked him about it because he was protecting so much in the case that I figured he thought it was worth more than it was.

So the guy takes it out and starts going on about how much the card used to book for, and turns it over and he has a sticker on the back of it that says $125, and that is crossed out and below it is $60. He says "See that 's what it used to book for and it came down and probably books for less yet now. Let me look it up."

So I stand there waiting while this guy finds his book, then starts looking, and turning through pages of Beckett, and finally finds it and says "It says 15 times the base card, so it books for $60. I'll take $35 for it."

So I just stood there waiting on him to have him tell me I can have it for 60% of book value. Now the cards in this set can be had for about 25% of book value, but it is Jeter, so he would command a premium and should be able to be had for 1/3 of book. So I tell him, "I'm not interested at $35, but I would be interested at $20."

This lazy ass whose just been sitting behind his table for the last half hour selling absolutely nothing, doesn't say a word. He just puts the card back in the case, closes it, and turns away. I'm thinking to myself WTF? He can't even have the decency to tell me that he won't sell it for that?

So I proceed to another set of tables with a guy that I often buy wax from, and I hear this guy behind telling someone, "I'm really biting my tongue right now" and complaining about me wasting HIS time."

Well that won't happen again, because I will NEVER do business with him. "


Honestly, as a dealer, I have done the same thing to customers who frustrate me.

I had a pretty new card recently at a show, marked it at $50, customer comes up and asks where I got my prices from. I explained hi book was $60, so I marked it at $50.

Next words out of his mouth was, I'll give you $25 for that.

Card went back to where it was from (and was later sold the same day for $45)

Sometimes, it is how you deliver the counter-offer. Frankly as a dealer, if I had a Jeter card such as that -- even if I had it for a while. I'd probably take $30 if I said I'd take $35 but the $20 offer would be a non-starter for me.

MOO

Rich

[Donscards]

I have all my cards marked in my showcases when selling---and they are fair prices---what gets to me, are the low price offers of nice cards and also customers who dont go to beckett price guide but in todays market, they all go to their ipod etc. And as for dealers, some price their cards very high and deal from there and it hurts guys who price their cards right and then collectors want to low ball them. I love shows but usually once or twice a show, I have to hold my tongue.

[Leon]

Two nationals ago I had a guy come up to my table and ask about a T213-2 common I had, in a 5 holder. We spoke a little...haggled a little.....then he looks up that card on VCP, finds where I exactly bought it....and pays my small mark up. I almost raised the price on him. ....My markup was around 8%-10% and I had told him that...but he had to verify it I guess. He bought the card so what the heck. Btw, ALL of my cards in my cases are always marked with prices on the FRONT of them. I understand pricing them on the back to get folks to ask and all, but to me, just put the darned price on the FRONT of the card and go from there. I have enough people to talk to already.

[Republicaninmass]

A Bigger pet peeve is dealers who dont price anything.

It only holds up the process having to stop and look up/make up prices when it is busy. Time is money and dealers not pricing just waste both of ours

[packs]

I appreciate fully prices on the front and no salesmanship. If I'm interested in the card, I already know what it is. Just let me think it over. My favorite dealers are the guys who want to talk about my interests, not try to upsell me on a card.

[timzcardz]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Honestly, as a dealer, I have done the same thing to customers who frustrate me.

I had a pretty new card recently at a show, marked it at $50, customer comes up and asks where I got my prices from. I explained hi book was $60, so I marked it at $50.

Next words out of his mouth was, I'll give you $25 for that.

Card went back to where it was from (and was later sold the same day for $45)

Sometimes, it is how you deliver the counter-offer. Frankly as a dealer, if I had a Jeter card such as that -- even if I had it for a while. I'd probably take $30 if I said I'd take $35 but the $20 offer would be a non-starter for me.

MOO

Rich

Rich, So are you saying that you sometimes just completely ignore a potential customer rather than politely explain that you can't sell at the counteroffer?

I ask, simply because I have had long relationships buying from dealers that have started out with an initial respectful non-deal.


WRT to the Jeter card in my story, I did end up later buying it elsewhere for less than the $20 I had offered in the story, so my counter couldn't have been completely out of line.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by timzcardz

Rich, So are you saying that you sometimes just completely ignore a potential customer rather than politely explain that you can't sell at the counteroffer?

I ask, simply because I have had long relationships buying from dealers that have started out with an initial respectful non-deal.


WRT to the Jeter card in my story, I did end up later buying it elsewhere for less than the $20 I had offered in the story, so my counter couldn't have been completely out of line.

In that case, I was not interested in discussing an half off offer to start, and based on the later conversation about Bo Jackson card I heard, that instinct was correct. Sometimes, you just know. Hard to explain, but after 30+ years in this hobby/business, I had him instinctively figured out and correctly so. I hope he gets plenty of deals his way, just not with me.

Funny thing about him, he attends any show with free admission but I have never seen him at a show which costs even a $1 to enter. I don't know for sure but I wonder if he is the same person who looked through my cards once, asked if I had wiggle room on a $30 and promptly offered $10. In that case, I could not even hold back and said, Wiggle room sure but not "bend over" room.

Same show as that previous, I carry a box of vintage FB mainly (a few BK and Hockey mixed in) and a dealer asked for a price on the box. I went through my listed price on just the cards I'm asking $10 and up -- came up with like $1800, offered him the box for $725 *and would have even tossed in the modern box of FB/BK/Hk I carry* tried to explain one of the key cards -- and the dealer actually said he was expecting something an offer to him like $50 for the box. I just put him as another dealer not to do business with in the future

Sometimes it's the delivery of the offer or more to it. If you have a good relationship with a dealer, they might give you better deals based on long-term relationships.

[danmckee]

I price my stuff on back because I like to see exactly which cards people are looking at. It helps me determine what to keep in my inventory and what to maybe send to an auction house to get rid of.

[CurtisFlood]

I've been selling baseball cards for over 25 years at shows all over the country. The only time I pull out a Beckett is when I am buying and am not sure of the value of certain cards. I also use it to mark back stock to fill gaps in inventory. I never knew there were any serious dealers who actually sold VG-EX cards at half near mint prices. They surely don't know what they are doing. Their buyers must not know either.

Without going all the way back to another dealer, one poster said he keeps in mind what he pays for his cards and then adds 10-20 to the price. That is a very slim margin for expenses, and might work for strictly local shows, but that won't pay for tables, travel, lodging, and food at big shows.

I take a similar approach to what he does, but I have to be very selective in what I buy and be careful not to exceed a certain margin in order to make a small profit. I'd say up his numbers to 20-35% and it describes my margin.

A lot of the knack to being able to have repeat customers is to keep the prices low enough and the condition high enough to satisfy the average customer. It isn't easy. That requires passing on collections that are overvalued by the seller.

[tschock]

Sometimes people (buyers and sellers) need a refresher when you deal (buy or sell) in a wide variety of card sets, so grabbing a guide doesn't bother me in and of itself.

What bothers me more is those (buyers and sellers) who don't treat a price guide (paper or online) as a 'guide' but rather as a price Koran.