Quote:
Originally Posted by JustinD
I feel like comps and VCP are complete waste of time with negotiating and pulling them up to be a Karen will ultimately sour your negotiations and ruin your purchase as well as your next possible one in the future. It's a terrible idea.
On the opposite side of the coin they are undoubtedly important to look up for yourself to educate prior to a negotiation. You should step away or quietly look before deciding to offer.
Anything and everything known to man has a value that is truly what you or another is willing to pay, what happened another time is negatable. For myself, I will look at prices and decide a ceiling and start talking. If we can't meet, I am comfortable walking away. I may also thank someone in a failed discussion for the effort, and kindly leave my number with a mention that the offer stands unless I find another that meets my needs. Because I was reasonable and treated someone with respect, I have received many a phone call later and settled over the phone. Those people will remember how you didn't whine or beat them up.
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Agree with Justin D. I think it's not unreasonable to do some homework before going to the show to purchase a couple of big ticket items. It's not much work, really. And as others have mentioned, it's also all about wiggle room for the cards that are really in demand----asking for and getting more $$ is what causes the prices to go up, and many of us that own at least one 1933 Goudey Ruth that they bought 10+ years ago are probably happy that some transactions in the past few couple of years ended up being on the high side of the original negotiation.
The idea of leaving a dealer's table on a positive note is good advice for folks, especially newbies. I've gotten to know several dealers, some of whom I have never bought from for one reason or another (usually because they just don't have what I'm looking for at that particular time). But you may come back to that dealer next year, and the good rapport you created in the past may lead to a successful and mutually rewarding negotiation then.
I'm glad that my white whales these days are going to be confined to mid-grade cards that are in demand yet not scarce. That allows comparison-shopping. Not looking for a 1933 Goudey Ruth anymore. Would buy a Goudey Gehrig PSA 3 if I found one with great eye appeal at a fair price, but am mostly looking for cards like 1960 Fleer Ruth and Gehrigs in the PSA 6 range. And some 1955 Topps baseball star cards. These are fairly plentiful---they are popular, but not in as much demand as some of the other cards and in better conditions that would bankrupt me. So I'll do my homework and be ready to engage in the chase!!