Do dealers even want to sell cards anymore?

[1954 topps]

I make what I believe is an over the top offer, obviously overpaying for a nice example on a 1954 Topps non HOF card that in PSA 8 typically sells for an average of $265. The highest sales prices ever were in the $335 ballpark. Knowing this guy has a really nice example, I offer $400 while ebay has the 10% ebucks promotion going.

Seller comes back and says $450 or 25% higher than the most ever paid for this card or 41% higher than the average sold price.

I guess the card will continue to sit there...

[Peter_Spaeth]

Typical. Been there done that more times than I can count. The game seems to be to wait forever if necessary for that one crazy to come along.

[OlderTheBetter]

If it's a single card and not something in plentiful supply then they're often in no real hurry.

I don't even bother to go to card shops any more.

[ICollectT206]

Since you offered so much in your initial offer, he must have thought that you would have accepted his counter or at least offered even more than your high initial offer. A lot of people do not send their top dollar amount that they are willing to pay as their original offer.

I also agree that there are some items on Ebay that are just there to garner attention to them instead of actually trying to sell the item.

[Empty77]

The biggest travesty to me (and I think the hobby), is once a relatively difficult issue has been acquired and then that new owner immediately flips it to eBay with the insanely high non-negotiable BIN, it effective takes it out of circulation, and the enjoyment of someone who would actually treasure it.

[Exhibitman]

An 8 of a mainstream postwar card? Move on to the next one.

[Bagwell-1994]

I wonder this same thing from time to time. I don't know if it's due to Ebay fees that they're charging substantially higher than the average auction value of the card or what.

I decided to shop for a 1988 Topps Tiffany Traded Robert Alomar PSA 10 last night. It's an average of $227 per VCP. It has sold below $200 in multiple auctions recently but did sell over $500 once in 2017. IMO it's still a $250 at best card.

One seller has it for $350 OBO and another for $385 buy it now. That's flirting with double the value of the card! I see this kind of thing quite often on Ebay and scratch my head. I guess they assume someone will come along with $$$ and no knowledge of average auction values and just buy it up. Heck, I've done the same thing in the past before I knew VCP or advanced Ebay search existed, I was using Beckett as a guide to buy cards at first! LOL. Saying I "over paid" on numerous cards is an understatement.

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[Peter_Spaeth]

Speaking for myself on a second tier HOFer like that I'm good going the cheap route with a well centered 9. Otherwise just wait an auction will come along it always does.

[mrmopar]

I am the opposite of that. I almost always send my best and final offer first. However ebay is a funny case, because most of the items I end up offering on are way overpriced in my opinion, so my best offers might often look like low balls.

Originally Posted by ICollectT206

Since you offered so much in your initial offer, he must have thought that you would have accepted his counter or at least offered even more than your high initial offer. A lot of people do not send their top dollar amount that they are willing to pay as their original offer.

I also agree that there are some items on Ebay that are just there to garner attention to them instead of actually trying to sell the item.

[jchcollins]

My example for this type of thing is the 1980 TCMA Ryne Sandberg Reading Phillies card. I grew up a Cubs and Sandberg fan, and so am after this card just for my PC. Graded examples north of 7 routinely sit for months on ebay with 4-figure BIN prices. Really? How often do they actually sell for that much? In big auction-house catalogs, you will sometimes see the entire set sell for like $250. There have been times I've emailed the seller to plead my case, like "Hey if you are tired of that card just sitting there for months on end, I would be interested in the $200-300 range..." But of course nobody is ever interested.

[Hxcmilkshake]

I think sellers forget what they have listed sometimes.

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