Some thoughts about the National
First of all, I thought the bathrooms were clean and the food wasn't bad. $5 for a slice of pizza and a Pepsi isn't bad considering ... and there were lots of different food choices. Not haut cuisine, but not bad either. Logistics plays a role in that large venues tend to be close to airports - in Cleveland's case there's not a lot within walking distance but that's what you get - and you know that going in, so don't complain about it after the fact! Cleveland is a nice city and we enjoyed our trip - we drove in from Toronto and stayed downtown - my trusty GPS got me from the hotel to the show and back.
My biggest peeve about the show is the dealers that pack up early or don't even bother showing up on Sunday. That happened to be the only day I could go and this was my first taste of the National in about 20 years. I was there for the day, but in the afternoon almost every second table was deserted. Not a pleasant experience - more needs to be done to keep dealers there for the entirety of the show. No excuses. Sorry, you'll just have to book a later flight.
I also found most items to be very overpriced. I wasn't expecting fleabay prices, but 3-4x ebay prices is a little ridiculous. I left with $1000 burning a hole in my pocket (and I don't have deep pockets) - imagine how much more you could sell if your prices were more in tune with reality? Of course I'll pay more to see and hold something in person ... but only to a point.
And the comment about the 1969 Ted Williams card - you are missing the point. That is the collector you want to cultivate - we all started there at some point. If that person has a positive experience, maybe next time he will be collecting the Fleer Ted Williams set or an autographed bat - who knows where that will lead to (I never thought I'd get a Turkey Red but I picked up my first two a couple weeks ago). We all play in role in nurturing new and experienced collectors alike - snobbery about cities, venues, or collecting habits isn't necessary.
Two additional suggestions for sellers:
1) put prices on your stuff - chances are I'm not going to ask how much, instead I'll find another table with the same item with a price on it
2) make eye contact and turn away from your conversation with a buddy - you might lose a sale otherwise
Despite some minor negative thoughts, I found the experience overall to be a positive one and something I will come back to in the future ... just not every year.
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