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| Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
A Secret You Don't Know!
For argument's sake, let us say he has a collection worth $100,000. The family will call in the five or six big dealers thinking they'll get five or six separate estimates and bids on the books. Wrong! The dealers know each other and conspire to get the books at the lowest price. They call and consult with each other on these big items and agree that instead of offering $60-80,000 for a $100,000 collection, they'll all offer a ridiculous $10,000 or thereabouts. So after getting five or six "fixed" bids the family feels that's what the comics are worth and sells them for that price. Now the dealers split the collection and for $2,000 each they get $20,000 worth of comics.
I'm sure that this goes on I many major cities, so it's better to get some bids from major stores that are outside of your area.
Consignment: Consignment means leaving comics in a store with a stranger and with no advance payment. This is great for the store because they lay out no money and have no risk whatsoever. You'd receive a percentage of what the store sells them for, but would have to trust them that they're telling you the truth about the amount they sold for.
In 2004 I walked into a neighbourhood "nostalgia" store which had a ton of comics and also toys, games and memorabilia. I didn't mention my collection, but my friend's 10 year old son, Sean, did. He told the owner that I had all the old Marvels.
The owner wanted them on consignment, which is how he sold his merchandise. I said I wasn't interested, and the 'back and forth' went on for quite a while until we left. I was back in a couple of weeks later because Sean wanted a specific toy. Again the owner spoke as if I'd promised him something and said he was expecting delivery from me the following week.
The store closed down at the end of the month. His landlord told me that he was looking for him for back rent and the people who'd given him toys, games and magazines on consignment were looking for him also. He'd left without paying them. Had I done something stupid I would've been out a fortune. So be careful when you go to sell your comics.
Joe's store:
So I started buying comics at Joe's store and I saw how sleazy some of these guys get. I hate seeing people ripped off at any time, but I really hate it when I see kids ripped off.
It was 1975 and I'd come in to pick up my weekly comics. A young man came in with an early copy of Daredevil and wanted to sell it for about $40 or so. Joe told him that it was in bad shape and that Daredevils don't sell. He offered him $10, take it or leave it, which the guy took. By mere coincidence, the next Wednesday I was back in the store when someone wanted to buy it. Joe told him the copy was in great condition and that Daredevils sell fast so he better take it before it was sold.
He did - for $60. And the moral of the story? I'm sure you don't need me to spell it out. See you next time.
Just goes to show what a bunch of crooks they are, BP. Are there any honest ones you know of who treat people fairly? I once considered clearing some space in my loft and asked a comics dealer how much he'd give me for two or three long boxes full of mags. I think they hold around 250-300 comics, but mine weren't in bags and had no backing boards (but were all in near mint condition), so there were probably more. The dealer said around a tenner (£10) a box, which would barely have covered the cost of the box. If he gave me 50p per comic, that would've been around £150 per box, and he could've sold them for at least £2 or £3 for each mag, meaning a good profit. And there were bound to be ones that, individually, were worth around £5 or £10 each. So total crooks who make their living from exploiting (sorry, robbing) people.
ReplyDeleteYou are right and my next post will be about that. Same sort of story.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to it, BP, as, I'm sure, are other Crivvies. (So type faster.)
ReplyDeleteThursday night. Already written, need scans
ReplyDeleteThat’s outrageous behaviour from those stores, it seems to me that the comic industry needs looked into. I remember talking to a guy that had a comic store in Glasgow’s West end (Arthur’s) at the time he was thinking of closing the shop (which sadly he eventually did) as he was making more money selling comics and memorabilia online (Ebay etc). However, he said that recently certain “comic people” (comic store owners) were trying to put him out of business by putting in ridiculous bids for comics he had for sale (at reasonable prices) then they refused to pay leaving him with unsold items and in some cases still having to pay Ebay their cut.
ReplyDeleteScan away, BP, your adoring public awaits.
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Surely ebay would insist on the buyers stumping up, McS, or take some kind of action against them? And if Arthur didn't get paid, there'd be no cut for ebay to take, which they'd know if he complained about the buyers. And surely he's too small-time for store owners to worry about? Maybe he's jumping to conclusions after signing up for his 'How to be a Master Detective' correspondence course? Perhaps he should ask for his money back.
You're repeating yourself Kid- Well Arthur said this happened to him a few times (this was during the early days of Ebay) and he just let it go and put the comic etc back for sale as he said he made more money selling on Ebay than from his shop so could take the hit. I had issues with Ebay (and I have not used them since) when I bought a batch of around 20 Archie 1960s comics (I love Dan DeCarol’s art) very cheaply, I think it was only £7 (around 1996 ish?) paid by cheque. The seller said he didn’t receive the payment or had heard anything from me since I made the bid. But I had sent him 4 emails including one saying the cheque was in the post and giving him my then home address etc. I sent Ebay the email exchanges and the cheque number etc but they didn’t do anything and still gave me a “poor “ rating etc. The cheque was cashed about 2 weeks later and the comics were back on Ebay for sale (at much higher cost) . I didn’t bother going back to Ebay as I had more to worry me at that time than chasing up £7, and I was working in Africa at the time (and no I asked him to send the comics to Scotland not Kenya lol).
ReplyDeleteAh, I see what you mean about repeating myself - I thought you were referring to something else. Now fixed, though I had to cut and paste your comment to keep things in sequence.
ReplyDeleteI'd say ebay were totally wrong to ignore the evidence you showed them, McS, and at times their behaviour is incomprehensible. (Sometimes they do get it right though.) I'd have cancelled the cheque right away, but you weren't expecting to be robbed so it's easy for me to say that, I suppose. However, I'd traverse galaxies to recover a shilling, so I wouldn't have let the bugger get away with it. What were you doing in Africa if I may be so bold (or nosey) as to ask?
That experience put me off Ebay although I do have a wee look now and then at their stuff. I was working with the UN (for the UK government) on aid projects in Africa Kid.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good lad you are, McS. At least you weren't over there on behalf of Madonna's adoption policy. (Which seems to be pick a few she like the look of and leave the rest to starve.)
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