Card Shows: Tech as a servant or master?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Adam,

As someone whose thought process I have usually found myself in agreement with, I do wonder if you will ultimately make the decision to not do shows. It feels as if the cons outweigh the pros. They certainly do for me, hence why I've been out of the show game forever.

What would be missed if you stopped? Obviously, the chance to buy/trade is the big thing. Making good, old fashioned face-to-face contacts would be #2. Doing bulkier deals which are easy in person but sometimes rendered moot when factoring in shipping cost have to be in there as well. Other than these positive factors, is there enough reason to sustain setting up? Do these good things happen with the needed amount of frequency? Your outlay and tension time are both tremendous in my mind. The dollar amount of product that has to be moved to pay for your trip is too much for me to fathom in this era where everything can be done from home if that's more preferable.

I've actually come to that conclusion and stopped setting up at shows I have to travel and stay in hotels to attend, partially because of increasing security concerns but also because eBay selling is so much more profitable. The time suckage for a show is huge. A weekend show takes me 4 days minimum to prep, attend and break down. Four days and I am looking at nearly a week of my time. I can list hundreds of cards on eBay in that same period.

I will still do local shows where my only cost is the table fee and maybe parking. There is some added benefit to setting up at a show, like making buys and trades, but making it up on buys has become increasingly difficult because of the ease of online selling and the trade nights. The quality Saturday walk-ins at shows go to the trade night instead, where they set up as dealers with no overhead costs. I've noticed that all of my walk-in buys in the last several shows have been on Sunday, after the trade night. I am tempted to put my thesis to the test. Next show I can make in Pasadena, I will not set up, I will take my stuff to the trade night and sell there. For free. My hunch is that I will make more money doing that, net net net, than inside the show.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I've actually decided to put that to the test. Next show I can make in Pasadena, I will not set up, I will take my stuff to the trade night and sell there. For free.

Good call. I'm amazed every show promoter hasn't wised up and put the k-k-k-kibosh on this type of event.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Good call. I'm amazed every show promoter hasn't wised up and put the k-k-k-kibosh on this type of event.

Promoters believe that trade nights and similar sideshow events drive traffic. I am not sure that is true, but as long as tables sell out, the promoter can focus on increasing traffic (admissions) without worrying about the dealers. Every dealer setting up at trade night or in the hallways or even in the food court at the National (as was the case in Cleveland) represents a paid admission. I don't know how many of them would have stayed home but for the trade night (maybe none), but if the dealers buy all the tables despite the parasitic card show/trade night, there is no downside for the promoters to allow it. Dealers, believe it or not, have no leverage to negotiate with a promoter if the shows sell out or if there is a waitlist. I am curious to see whether that changes when there is an actual recession and the hobby as a whole contracts and dealers drop out of shows. I recall in prior periods being offered discounted tables and even free autograph tickets for the guests to get me to take a table.

[Leon]

If the hobby spending slows (unlikely), less dealers set up and there are fewer paid attendance, my guess, is some prices would go down for a while. I never blame a promoter for maximizing their profits. The market takes care of greediness, most times.

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Promoters believe that trade nights and similar sideshow events drive traffic. I am not sure that is true, but as long as tables sell out, the promoter can focus on increasing traffic (admissions) without worrying about the dealers. Every dealer setting up at trade night or in the hallways or even in the food court at the National (as was the case in Cleveland) represents a paid admission. I don't know how many of them would have stayed home but for the trade night (maybe none), but if the dealers buy all the tables despite the parasitic card show/trade night, there is no downside for the promoters to allow it. Dealers, believe it or not, have no leverage to negotiate with a promoter if the shows sell out or if there is a waitlist. I am curious to see whether that changes when there is an actual recession and the hobby as a whole contracts and dealers drop out of shows. I recall in prior periods being offered discounted tables and even free autograph tickets for the guests to get me to take a table.

[BioCRN]

I rarely go to shows these days, but it takes so little effort to take notes (mental or physical) or even pictures then step away to do your research if that's what you're into.

If you want to negotiate it's generally a better starting point to come seemingly prepared rather than on-the-fly searching sold prices on the internet then starting an argument about it.

I've done this a good amount for my Mark Grace singles collection, specifically. I want to know why one of the gazillion 90s weird insert sets has a card priced at more than just the "50c-$1 value pick box" price and if I should be interested at all.