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#1
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Shows vs E-bay
I live on the West Coast and there are very few nonsport card shows out here.
Mostly sports card shows. That's one reason why I get my cards mostly on E-bay. Another reason is that hardly anyone wants to trade anymore. Before E-bay, trading was the main way of getting cards. If you look at this board you very rarely see trade offers anymore, mostly just selling. The problems I have with going to shows are the prices. I know dealers are trying to recoup costs of the shows, but frankly, that's not my problem. The prices for cards there are usually more than what they charge in their store and often 4 to 5 times higher than what it would cost on E-Bay. Speaking of E-bay and dealers, I have noticed that the New York dealers always charge at least twice what other dealers do for cards on E-bay. NY must be an expensive place for card dealers. With the advent of so many varied and hard to find inserts now in each new series, the collector has to be very careful with his budget. I would guess that the vast majority of collectors can no longer afford to complete all the new sets coming out. The last point is timing. Cards from new series are on E-bay immediately, while it takes much longer for them to appear at shows. As we all know cards depreciate very rapidly over time. I think if we all took a realistic view of our collections we would see that at least 90% of our cards are worth less than what we bought them for when they came out. |
#3
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Hey ...Mike , Kerry , , Whats with all the knocks against New York ???
ya better quit or i'll raise my prices... LOL... Kevin C. LePore 12 Sebastion Drive Rochester , New York U.S.A. 14625 http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepo...insComicsCards http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepore/KevinscardList |
#4
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Subject: Shows vs E-bay
From: (kevin le pore) Date: 11/16/04 4:29 PM Eastern Standard Time Message-id: Hey ...Mike , Kerry , , Whats with all the knocks against New York ??? ya better quit or i'll raise my prices... LOL... Kevin C. LePore 12 Sebastion Drive Rochester , New York U.S.A. 14625 http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepo...insComicsCards http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepore/KevinscardList I didn't knock NEW YORK ::smile:: Aren't things a bit more expensive there??? Hard to tell anymore -- I remember $0.90 a gallon gas! Mike Surratt www.mikzcardz.com |
#5
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Hey Mike ,
Yeah , New Yorks land of the Taxes , Gas is expensive , over $2.20 a gallon NYC is even Worse , I've been there twice this month and everythings high priced , Especially the collectables market.. the Shows cost alomost 3 times as much to get in to ( admission $15.oo a head ) and buying Tables @ shows is around $300.oo a 6 foot table , If you set up & don't make table space $ you've basicly given your stuff away by the time you get done , the crowds are usually good @ the shows, but everyones looking for deals and alot of the $$ changing hands is between dealers buying off each other..very little trading going on.. I like the smaller 1 day shows in upstate New York alot better , less travel , better prices on tables and provided the promoters advertise the show theres usually a decent crowd attending So Far theres been a couple shows that cancelled here in Upstate ,( 1 Star Trek Convention & 1-2 smaller shows ) either due to poor management by promoters or not enuff dealers buying tables to make it worth setting up@ I went to 1 show last weekend , 80% Crafts & baked goods , 20% collectables , Almost no advrtiseing for this show except word of mouth , and it was in a new locatioon which alot of people had trouble finding , I love going to the shows , (as a collector ) and i always bring some boxes of stuff to try and trade with other dealers , but it's getting harder to travel for the shows with gas prices high , cost of rooms , tolls , plus traveling 400 + miles to & from a show gets old quick... the only good "card related" shows I've been to in the last couple years have been the NSU Shows , Theres Always alot of Great Card Dealers to shop from and trade with there.. Theres another big convention this coming weekend in NYC , the Big Apple National Comic Convention, i'll be there hunting around for cards & comics and checking out the artists tables , And theres also the NYC Movie Memobilia con Sunday Nov 21st @ the Hotel Pennsylvnia 401 Seventh Ave @ 33rd st , So if your in the NYC Area , theres 2 shows to check out this weekend , Hope to see you all @ the Next NSU show and it's nice to see some interesting discussions on this site... Best Regards , Kevin P.S. Anyone interested in TRADES , Check out my 2 webpages , Thanks , Kevin Kevin C. LePore 12 Sebastion Drive Rochester , New York U.S.A. 14625 http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepo...insComicsCards http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepore/KevinscardList |
#6
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So why cant NSU put on a show out here in Southern Cal once or twice a yer?
Barry kevin le pore wrote: Hey Mike , Yeah , New Yorks land of the Taxes , Gas is expensive , over $2.20 a gallon NYC is even Worse , I've been there twice this month and everythings high priced , Especially the collectables market.. the Shows cost alomost 3 times as much to get in to ( admission $15.oo a head ) and buying Tables @ shows is around $300.oo a 6 foot table , If you set up & don't make table space $ you've basicly given your stuff away by the time you get done , the crowds are usually good @ the shows, but everyones looking for deals and alot of the $$ changing hands is between dealers buying off each other..very little trading going on.. I like the smaller 1 day shows in upstate New York alot better , less travel , better prices on tables and provided the promoters advertise the show theres usually a decent crowd attending So Far theres been a couple shows that cancelled here in Upstate ,( 1 Star Trek Convention & 1-2 smaller shows ) either due to poor management by promoters or not enuff dealers buying tables to make it worth setting up@ I went to 1 show last weekend , 80% Crafts & baked goods , 20% collectables , Almost no advrtiseing for this show except word of mouth , and it was in a new locatioon which alot of people had trouble finding , I love going to the shows , (as a collector ) and i always bring some boxes of stuff to try and trade with other dealers , but it's getting harder to travel for the shows with gas prices high , cost of rooms , tolls , plus traveling 400 + miles to & from a show gets old quick... the only good "card related" shows I've been to in the last couple years have been the NSU Shows , Theres Always alot of Great Card Dealers to shop from and trade with there.. Theres another big convention this coming weekend in NYC , the Big Apple National Comic Convention, i'll be there hunting around for cards & comics and checking out the artists tables , And theres also the NYC Movie Memobilia con Sunday Nov 21st @ the Hotel Pennsylvnia 401 Seventh Ave @ 33rd st , So if your in the NYC Area , theres 2 shows to check out this weekend , Hope to see you all @ the Next NSU show and it's nice to see some interesting discussions on this site... Best Regards , Kevin P.S. Anyone interested in TRADES , Check out my 2 webpages , Thanks , Kevin Kevin C. LePore 12 Sebastion Drive Rochester , New York U.S.A. 14625 http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepo...insComicsCards http://community.webtv.net/kevinlepore/KevinscardList |
#7
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Interesting. . .
I find 2 things going on, really. First off you can't blame the drop off in shows to the internet. . . the drop off in shows occurred due to the crash of the industry, mass closing of retailers and massive exodus of promoters from putting on shows. That said I think we are in a 'rebuilding' period of shows. . . more shows are popping up and growing (at least in my (Chicago) area). The other side of the coin is the internet vs. the show dealer. Yes you do have to be competitive with eBay, but you also have to have product available . . . many dealers put their best stuff on eBay immediately -- it never makes it to a show table. I can't tell you how few sketch cards I see at shows because dealers put them on eBay right away. I can't buy your good stuff from you if you've already sold it on eBay. Also carry some different product. . . every flipping dealer at any given show is selling basically the same stuff. . . This is what I am going to miss a lot about seeing Mike from Barrington Square at shows -- you never knew what was going to end up on his table. Just me $.02. Happy Collecting. . . Jon |
#8
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Subject: Shows vs E-bay
From: Jon Doyle Date: 11/16/04 7:20 PM Eastern Standard Time Message-id: Interesting. . . I find 2 things going on, really. First off you can't blame the drop off in shows to the internet. . . the drop off in shows occurred due to the crash of the industry, mass closing of retailers and massive exodus of promoters from putting on shows. That said I think we are in a 'rebuilding' period of shows. . . more shows are popping up and growing (at least in my (Chicago) area). The other side of the coin is the internet vs. the show dealer. Yes you do have to be competitive with eBay, but you also have to have product available . . . many dealers put their best stuff on eBay immediately -- it never makes it to a show table. I can't tell you how few sketch cards I see at shows because dealers put them on eBay right away. I can't buy your good stuff from you if you've already sold it on eBay. Also carry some different product. . . every flipping dealer at any given show is selling basically the same stuff. . . This is what I am going to miss a lot about seeing Mike from Barrington Square at shows -- you never knew what was going to end up on his table. Just me $.02. Happy Collecting. . . Jon Hi Jon -- I can tell you that it is VERY true that I sell higher dollar inserts on eBay and leftovers (unsold) do make it to the shows. Recouping your wholesale cost is a priority! Waiting for the right customer to buy that particular sketch card could take many months. Have you ever seen a near-empty Auto Card binder (or glass case) at any given show? Stuff sits around. As far as different product...that's why I bring older product whenever possible. But, It's really hard to determine what people might buy at any given show. Glad someone else joined this discussion! Mike www.mikzcardz.com |
#9
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Hi Jon -- I can tell you that it is VERY true that I sell higher dollar inserts on eBay and leftovers (unsold) do make it to the shows. But saying that aren't you just admitting that the stuff you have at shows isn't as desireable as what you've sold on eBay? Perhaps that's why you're not making as many sales at shows. Recouping your wholesale cost is a priority! Waiting for the right customer to buy that particular sketch card could take many months. Have you ever seen a near-empty Auto Card binder (or glass case) at any given show? Stuff sits around. Back to the previous point -- the stuff that doesn't sell on eBay sits around. I've been to plenty of shows where all the dealers have autograph cases packed with the same cards. Few dealers stock anything out of the ordinary, and few have harder to find cards on their tables (unless it just happens to be a set that just came out). That said when I do find a table with stuff on it that I haven't been looking at all day I stop and look a little harder -- I know there is potential for me to find something cool on their table. As far as different product...that's why I bring older product whenever possible. But, It's really hard to determine what people might buy at any given show. It may be difficult to figure out what people want to buy, but as a dealer it's your job to know what you can sell. As a collector I do my part-- when I find a dealer selling stuff I like I make sure to email them what I'm looking for before I go to a show they are selling at. As far as selling at a show is concerned, I think dealers need to differenciate themselves . . . make yourself stand out in a crowd of people all hawking the same goods. Jon |
#10
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Subject: Shows vs E-bay
From: Jon Doyle Date: 11/17/04 5:47 PM Eastern Standard Time Message-id: Hi Jon -- I can tell you that it is VERY true that I sell higher dollar inserts on eBay and leftovers (unsold) do make it to the shows. But saying that aren't you just admitting that the stuff you have at shows isn't as desireable as what you've sold on eBay? Perhaps that's why you're not making as many sales at shows. I guess you really have to determine what is desireable??? I do not carry autos or other higher dollar inserts very often at shows mainly because they sell almost immediately on ebay. As a seller/dealer, my first goal is to recoup my expenses and to make a profit. Both of these things I accomplish, period. I do not understand your comment about my sales at shows? I could bring gold and sell it for 1/2 off the market price and if there are no customers, who am I to sell it to? I rarely lose money doing a show, but any dealer will tell you -- it sometimes happens. I keep really good books on what I sell at shows...and newer product is *not* what I mainly sell. Promotional Cards/sheets account for a large percentage of my sales. Followed by what I consider "blow-out" set sales...to unopened boxes (new and old) and then vintage cards when I have them. Recouping your wholesale cost is a priority! Waiting for the right customer to buy that particular sketch card could take many months. Have you ever seen a near-empty Auto Card binder (or glass case) at any given show? Stuff sits around. Back to the previous point -- the stuff that doesn't sell on eBay sits around. I've been to plenty of shows where all the dealers have autograph cases packed with the same cards. Few dealers stock anything out of the ordinary, and few have harder to find cards on their tables (unless it just happens to be a set that just came out). That said when I do find a table with stuff on it that I haven't been looking at all day I stop and look a little harder -- I know there is potential for me to find something cool on their table. You would be amazed at the number of people that flip through the first couple of pages of my insert books and then move on. My insert books are filled with inserts from many many sets (new and old)...and I constantly ask people what they might be looking for since I actually know what is in those binders. You can't find treasures unless you look..or ask. You say that you walk by a table that you feel will have the same ol' thing...I wonder if you miss opportunities...maybe not...maybe so...many dealers keep product off the table top to save on space/fees. I might be preaching to the choir here... As far as different product...that's why I bring older product whenever possible. But, It's really hard to determine what people might buy at any given show. It may be difficult to figure out what people want to buy, but as a dealer it's your job to know what you can sell. One thing I can say is that there is safety in numbers -- the more you bring - the more chance you have to sell something - If the people are there...and they are there 24/7 on eBay (not at every show I've set up at). I have NO idea what might sell, I'm not a mind reader. As a collector I do my part-- when I find a dealer selling stuff I like I make sure to email them what I'm looking for before I go to a show they are selling at. How would you know what they would bring? Your sentence does not make much sense, unless you are talking about buying something from a certain dealer in the past and contacting them for a future show, correct? I love pre-orders...nothing like knowing that you will have guaranteed sales As far as selling at a show is concerned, I think dealers need to differenciate themselves . . . make yourself stand out in a crowd of people all hawking the same goods. Jon Actually -- I notice many differences between dealers that maybe you do not see. There is no chance that every dealer would have the exact inventory. HERE's an Idea everyone -- CONTACT ME or any sellers coming to Philly in the spring and send a list of what you are looking for. I'll be happy to bring it and will not list the items on eBay since I have a RL sale in the works...I usually price my card inventory at 1/2 off NSU price listings. I only blow out sets that I have 20,30,40 of the same title. I think all collectors would find that dealers are more than willing to work with any customer in the real world (shows) -- we save on eBay transaction fees. Mike Surratt www.mikzcardz.com |
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