Card Shows: Tech as a servant or master?

[skelly]

I’m not looking up cards that I am inquiring to buy & I don’t expect a dealer to spend 2-3 minutes looking up comps. You look it up, I’m no longer interested. Quote me an immediate price, I might buy it even if you’re on the high side.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

If I even hear the word "comp", there is no transaction happening. Glad I'm in a part of the hobby where its usage is not yet as prevalent as it is with cards.

[Hankphenom]

Old baseball cards are not auto parts. Comps are a useful piece of information, sure, but more relevant are how long a potential buyer has been looking and how much they're willing to pay. On the other end, the dealer has to think about how long it will take to replace that card and for how much. When the buyer and seller have the same idea as to the card's value at that moment, you'll have a deal, which might have little to do with previous "comps" in one direction or the other.

[Keith H. Thompson]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Old baseball cards are not auto parts. Comps are a useful piece of information, sure, but more relevant are how long a potential buyer has been looking and how much they're willing to pay. On the other end, the dealer has to think about how long it will take to replace that card and for how much. When the buyer and seller have the same idea as to the card's value at that moment, you'll have a deal, which might have little to do with previous "comps" in one direction or the other.

When I go to a show, I don't care what the dealer says or looks up or claims, only what the price is. I don't counter claim, or make a lower offer, just buy the card or not depending on how I feel at the moment or judge my ability to find a better copy sometime soon.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Keith H. Thompson

When I go to a show, I don't care what the dealer says or looks up or claims, only what the price is. I don't counter claim, or make a lower offer, just buy the card or not depending on how I feel at the moment or judge my ability to find a better copy sometime soon.

Sure, except that you know there's somewhere between 10-20% off built into the sticker price of just about everything, but you have to ask for it, as in a simple, "what's the best you can do?" etc. On the flip side, dealers can respond to the refrain, "I can get this for so much at such and such," with "Why haven't you?" It's a bit of a dance, but like I said, we're not talking auto parts here, that's part of the fun.

[Topnotchsy]

I think some people are conflating looking up recent sales (knowing what copies have sold for in the past) with trying to leverage that information in a dishonest (or unreasonably fashion.

Some people might not be ok with the former for a range of reasons (such as the fact the person did not do the work in advance, the fact that you have to wait around while they look it up etc) while others have an issue with the latter (using only the lowest sales examples when buying and the highest when selling etc).

I generally don't mind waiting if something needs to be looked up (although if it is not a real priority I'm telling them not to bother and moving on).

The latter is my issue and that is the case whether they look up the info on the spot, or do so before the show.

In general as my collecting focus has gotten more niche (WWII baseball, Integration and lineup cards primarily), I find less and less relevant items at shows and that has driven down excitement for them.

[Keith H. Thompson]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Sure, except that you know there's somewhere between 10-20% off built into the sticker price of just about everything, but you have to ask for it, as in a simple, "what's the best you can do?" etc. On the flip side, dealers can respond to the refrain, "I can get this for so much at such and such," with "Why haven't you?" It's a bit of a dance, but like I said, we're not talking auto parts here, that's part of the fun.

and I should confess that I have used the expression: "how much would it cost me to own this card?"

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Keith H. Thompson

and I should confess that I have used the expression: "how much would it cost me to own this card?"

Same thing, really, and no confession necessary. It's another way of letting the dealer know you're serious and ready to buy if the price is right.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Keith H. Thompson

and I should confess that I have used the expression: "how much would it cost me to own this card?"

It wouldn't bother me to hear this as a seller if I was someone who had no pricetags on my merchandise!

If the material was visibly priced, I might sing a different tune. Then, it may be more bothersome depending on which word was emphasized!

"How much would it cost me to own this card?"

Hmm. This guy sounds like he really wants the card. I'm listening...

How much would it cost me to own this card

Well, everything's already priced, as he can see...

How much would it cost me to own this card

Well, you.......$50 extra!

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Keith H. Thompson

and I should confess that I have used the expression: "how much would it cost me to own this card?"

Oh man, a kid at a show where I had a booth was trying to sell me a card and asked me "what can I do to put you into this card today?" I nearly spit up my drink. No sale though; didn't need the card.

[notfast]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

If I even hear the word "comp", there is no transaction happening. Glad I'm in a part of the hobby where its usage is not yet as prevalent as it is with cards.

How should someone price their cards?

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by notfast

How should someone price their cards?

As noted, I'm not into cards. Card guys are unfortunately stuck with being badgered by an endless chorus of "comps".

It's not the usage of comparable sales that bothers me as much as it is the term "comps". That's just me being crotchety!

Then again, it must be very difficult to accurately use comparables because most cards are fairly unique. As we discuss so often, one 3 is completely different from another 3. Sometimes, both grades are accurate, but for completely different reasons. Other times, the number grades make no sense when the two cards are placed side by side.

As Hank noted, and I've often thought to myself, we're not talking about auto parts or something where every comparable sale is of exactly the same product in a uniform condition. Therefore, this practice I'm reading about where people are searching for the lowest "comp" and trying to obtain the card for said price can't be much fun for those on the selling end. It's just a new way of, "How far can we make this seller bend over?". How much hair-splitting is involved beyond finding the lowest "comp"? "Well, I'd say this card is 16% nicer than that 3, and 6% less attractive than this other 3...These other ones sold at the height of the Pandemic Boom, so..."