Does allowing card trading at card shows (or retail stores) promote or hinder sales?

[tschock]

While it might appear counter-intuitive at first glance, I believe promoting card TRADING at card shows (and to a lesser extent, B&M stores) by providing a trading area is actually a healthy proposition for the card dealers and store owners, providing it doesn't mean the real estate required for trading would otherwise reduce the real estate available for sellers.

I've literally done 1000s of trades online (though almost all NON pre-war cards) and my personal experience in going to shows is that I don't end up spending any LESS money, but rather spend my money on different items. In fact I might argue that allowing this type of activity could even end up generating MORE revenue for dealers in increased sales of items that I (and others) may not have otherwise purchased.

For example, I would never have even considered starting (let alone finishing) a 1955 Bowman set if not for the ability to obtain a starter in a trade with another on-line trader. Being able to make that trade directly promoted my purchase of the '55 Mantle from a dealer at a subsequent show. Something I would not have done without the starter trade. Would I have spent my money anyway on something else? Perhaps, but trading created new "holes" that "needed to be filled" and expanded the dealers' opportunity to make a sale.

Even though my experience isn't pre-war specific, would the ability to engage in on-site trading apply to pre-war collectors at all? Or would this experience be confined to set collectors of later issues? I'm sure with those that have a narrow list of specific wants, this ability would have no impact to either the buyer or seller. But I'm curious to get others' feedback on this.

[AMBST95]

I think it would hurt some sales if someone has a trade instead of buying from a dealer, however dealer sales could increase based on 2 premises...more interest/higher attendance and the use of dealer merchandise in a trade, ie you have what I want so let's find something dealer A has that can get this deal done.

[Wite3]

I floated this idea about 20 years ago when I worked part time at a local card shop. We did it like this...

Once a month we would have a trading day. We would bring out two large round tables in the front of the store and extra chairs. Admission was a $1, free if you were 16 and under (and the admission covered a slice of pizza from the place next door). Traders would come and trade cards. The store would also trade.

It created several great things for the store...good will being number one. We often traded and rotated some inventory and nearly every trading day was double our average sales day. Getting people into the store was concern number one for those days....they often spent money on things like supplies, wax, and grab bags which would trade at the tables. We did this for nearly a year and a half...the store lost the lease and did not want to pay nearly double to stay.

I miss trading. Loved going to the old Beverly Garland shows in Toluca Lake and sitting at the trading tables or the early Air-Tel shows where people could walk across the hall and have a room to trade.

Joshua

[abothebear]

The store by me has a bid board where patrons can consign their items with the store getting a commission. It means that most of their older cards sit unsold at their becket price tag. But most of their business is fresh packs and suplies anyway and this weekly project brings in people on a very regular basis - to see what is on the bid board, and to see what they may have won, to drop off stuff to auction, and pick up the little bit of money they may have got.

I am convinced it is what keeps the store in business. And it is the main reason I got back into collecting - I checked out the store just to see what was up with the hobby these days and saw I could bid and win the cards I always wanted as a kid for a few bucks (I won a handful of '68 Topps HOFers for nothing and was hooked back into the game). And it provided a way for me to get cards for my son very cheap. I could get a box of newer cards sans patch cards for $10 and put together grab bags of 100 cards for less than a buck (with patch cards I pick up off the board of players I choose), whereas a pack of 7 cards with costs $3. And any cards I don't want clogging up my kid's room I put in another box and auction it off and get some of my money back.

I'm pretty sure they have done a trading night before, but I have not been to it. I think trading would have a similar benefit to the stores and to shows.

[travrosty]

it's harder to trade now with card grading mucking it all up. in the old days you could trade a 1954 topps of joe blow for a 1955 topps john q public straight up if they were worth approximately the same in excellent/near mint condition and both parties would be happy.


now if one is an 8 and the other an 8.5 even though they look the same condition wise, the guy with the higher card will demand more in trade for his card even though the guy with the 8 card thinks an even up trade is fair because they both look the same, so they won't come to an agreement because just the half grade difference means hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars!

[hangman62]

I recall back in 80s...a few shows would set aside a large table or area for trading....havent seen that in a long long time now.

Id love the idea..as Ive always been a big card swapping guy..but somehow I dont think it would sit well with dealers who often pay big money for tables at these shows.. only to see collectors happily having fun swapping cards and not spending money at their tables

[deadballfreaK]

I'm hardly a businessman. but I think more people through the door = more sales.