A conversation with a couple veteran dealers at a card show

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

Its a hobby to him, not a business. Some people will pay for something right there on the spot as an impulse for a higher price then wait for the mail and risk not liking the card and having to return it.

Ive seen sellers in this hobby get a first offer and argue with the potential buyer that the offer price was waaay to low and then when they decide to sell the card and cant find anyone to offer as much as the first offer guy just sell the card for less to the second guy because of pride.

Yep. Card right now on eBay was $1800 BIN or make an offer. I offered $1500 and dude came back with $1750. I rejected it is seconds as a stupid move and was done with him. It's now discounted to $1350 and I refused to buy it.

[packs]

In my experience pretty much every dealer at a show is this guy. I honestly don't think they really want to sell their cards. The concept of a show price has always baffled me. Gone are the days of only being able to buy what's in front of you. I see these types of sellers as the same people with museum collections on eBay. I think there is a big dealer population who just like displaying cards.

[SAllen2556]

One thing for sure: selling cards is a lot trickier than buying cards. Maybe that's why there's so many auction houses these days. The guys who couldn't make it as actual dealers figured out that it makes more sense to take a cut of an auction rather than try to directly buy and sell stuff.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yep. Card right now on eBay was $1800 BIN or make an offer. I offered $1500 and dude came back with $1750. I rejected it is seconds as a stupid move and was done with him. It's now discounted to $1350 and I refused to buy it.

Right thats only in this hobby. If there was an item for sale at Walmart for $1800 (in theory) and i was offended by that price and was willing to offer $1500 which was reasonable to me and 2 weeks later the item was $1350 and i still wanted the item and had the same financial means as i did 2 weeks before, i happily buy the item at that cheaper that i would of paid earlier price, but in the card buying and selling hobby, its a hobby not a business for most.

[packs]

I think there's a major difference though: Walmart isn't an individual.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by packs

I think there's a major difference though: Walmart isn't an individual.

Well if i was looking to buy a used card from an individual who wanted $5000 and i thought $4000 was fair and i needed this car to go to work and i saw it listed for $3500 a month later, i would want it. (even if there was a lot of disputing about whether $5000 or $4000 was closer to a fair price earlier and i was accused of lowballing at $4000) I would be happy to pay the $3500

[packs]

I agree with that but to me that's not an apt comparison since baseball cards aren't necessary.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

I agree with that but to me that's not an apt comparison since baseball cards aren't necessary.

Opinions vary greatly on if they are necessary or not.

[packs]

Haha fair point.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yep. Card right now on eBay was $1800 BIN or make an offer. I offered $1500 and dude came back with $1750. I rejected it is seconds as a stupid move and was done with him. It's now discounted to $1350 and I refused to buy it.

Sounds like someone I have dealt with or rather, tried to deal with, before.

[rajah424]

I would be willing to bet for every dealer that has never sold on eBay there are a hundred collectors that have never bought on eBay. They don't have a computer, they don't like/understand technology or they just want to hold the card in person before they buy.

Go to any decent size show and look at how many guys are there with notebooks or sheets of paper with their checklist. Why don't they have their checklist on their phone or iPad? Because they are old school and not into technology.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by rajah424

I would be willing to bet for every dealer that has never sold on eBay there are a hundred collectors that have never bought on eBay. They don't have a computer, they don't like/understand technology or they just want to hold the card in person before they buy.

Go to any decent size show and look at how many guys are there with notebooks or sheets of paper with their checklist. Why don't they have their checklist on their phone or iPad? Because they are old school and not into technology.

Right. Exactly the point that I was trying to make.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Right. Exactly the point that I was trying to make.

My fave folks to chat with, when I set up locally, are the guys with the paper sheets of checklists. The ones with the iphones and ipads, not so much. Call me old school....

[Snapolit1]

Can't tell you how many times I am at a show and I find a card I'm am interested in and I can't even find the guy whose table it is because he's gabbing across the room. Happens all the time.

[smallpaul2002]

Well, I'm old school and i do not have a cell phone. Never had a cell phone, and never will. I do have a laptop, and often purchase on Ebay and through auction houses. The interesting thing I find when chatting with dealers at card shows is it appears there are people who want to actually sell their items and others who just want to display what they own. Most collectors just enjoy the hunt for items they covet, so if you can't get what you want today, it will likely appear later...patience is the key. Regardless, you meet all types in this hobby, that's why it works for me, and my friends and family could care less.

[VoodooChild]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Can't tell you how many times I am at a show and I find a card I'm am interested in and I can't even find the guy whose table it is because he's gabbing across the room. Happens all the time.

+1 I went to a Chantilly show a few months ago (my first show since the late 80's) and noticed the same thing. I had a few hundred earmarked to spend and did end up spending it. There were some dealers who had stuff I was interested in, but wouldn't even acknowledge me for some reason because they were bs'ing with other dealers. I ended up having some nice conversations with more attentive dealers and spent my money on their cards. I probably would've ended up buying some "over priced" cards with the dealer the OP is referring to if I had a similar conversation with him. For me, the personal attention/collecting conversations is the reason to go to and spend money at shows.