Preference of Buying Venues

[parkplace33]

I would love private sales, but am seeing most of the really good stuff going to AHs.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

I would love private sales, but am seeing most of the really good stuff going to AHs.

Couldn't agree more. At the same time, just for fun, I went back through my collection to attempt to identify which items I purchased from private sales, and although it's in the minority, there are definitely some pieces that are impossible to find.

Here's a good selection, except that I've omitted most of the Bazooka Complete Boxes and Bazooka Panels that Howard was gracious enough to sell to me a few years ago, because I can't remember which specific ones I got from him.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by raulus

Couldn't agree more. At the same time, just for fun, I went back through my collection to attempt to identify which items I purchased from private sales, and although it's in the minority, there are definitely some pieces that are impossible to find. Here's a good selection, except that I've omitted most of the Bazooka Complete Boxes and Bazooka Panels that Howard was gracious enough to sell to me a few years ago, because I can't remember which specific ones I got from him.

Amazing collection of oddball rarities!

[Exhibitman]

Doesn't matter.

That said, a good word for trading. When you can pull it off, there is nothing as satisfying as making a trade that leaves both parties happy. One of my favorite aspects of the National (at least before the last two) was an annual trade meeting I had with another boxing collector. We'd sit for hours and dicker over some very complicated trades. I got some of my favorite cards and related items that way. One man's junk is another man's gold.

I am very pleased to see trade events as formal parts of shows now. Kids and newbs need to learn how to communicate and cooperate. I was too tired to attend the Burbank one, but it looked like a lot of fun.

[Luke]

Trading or doing some sort of group purchase with a friend is the best. You get to help someone with their project and improve your collection. Then I like private sales from friends, followed by ebay and buying privately from a random seller, then auctions.

Auctions are lowest for me just because of how long they take. The month of knowing the auction has a card you'd like but not knowing if you will win it is more frustrating to me than exciting. The final night of bidding definitely can be exciting though. And of course the trust you have with AHs and the ability to take a week or so to move money for bigger items is wonderful. I really like AHs and many of my best cards were purchased from one, it just isn't my preferred way to buy.

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by raulus

Couldn't agree more. At the same time, just for fun, I went back through my collection to attempt to identify which items I purchased from private sales, and although it's in the minority, there are definitely some pieces that are impossible to find.

Here's a good selection, except that I've omitted most of the Bazooka Complete Boxes and Bazooka Panels that Howard was gracious enough to sell to me a few years ago, because I can't remember which specific ones I got from him.

Nice group of tough to find Mays.

[G1911]

1. Pals. Trades, buys or mutual gifting with hobby friends is the smoothest and easiest by far. If something goes wrong, it’s because the card really did get lost in the mail. We aren’t going to lie, cheat or steal for a couple hundred bucks worth of stuff. It’s the safest and simplest. My favorites are the collectors I’ve been doing it with long enough that we don’t even work out specific trades, but simply pass along to the other whatever they need, knowing it will roughly work out even over the years and not caring much if it doesn’t. It is quite fun to get a surprise card in the mail I did not know was even coming; and I hope those I send cards to in the same manner get that same joy when a surprise turns up.

2. Private deals with other collectors. It’s usually cheaper, it’s easier, and it’s usually honest. People are unlikely to ruin their trading rep by lying or cheating on a single deal. I’ve never had a single one awry.

3. Buys from dealers I am friendly with and have established a mutual level of trust with. Their incentive to BS about condition is outweighed by the value of the long term buying relationship, plus most generally decent people won’t try to cheat someone they actually know a little when they might take advantage of a stranger. Very low risk.

4. Local card show dealers I don’t know/LCS - I get to at least examine the card myself in hand before buying, at the worst.

5. eBay. You pay your bid, plus the stated shipping you know in advance, plus tax that nobody but the state can control. It’s easy, buyer protection is strong, and I have faith that eBay itself is not shilling to my max bid. The downside is that many sellers are shilling, a downside of the auction format.

6. Online sites of dealers I do not know but have a solid track record of delivering the items as described (like Battersbox, for one example).

Last - auction houses. A large number of people running respected auctions are the same people who have been involved in hobby frauds, horrible business practices, thefts, and staggering dishonesty. Honesty is rare, full disclosure rare, hyperbole everywhere. Fees are typically hidden (few state the shipping on an item at all), shilling is rampant and often done by the auction house and their cronies themselves, and I have 0 trust they are not bidding up to my max. They require references to even register which is offputting more than difficult (eBay, car dealerships, my bank, nobody I have ever done business with for amounts far more than I would be bidding in a card auction requires me to do this). It is likewise easy to calculate the buyers premium, but another annoying business practice that most hide it to try and make you forget to do the calculation (bid + premium + tax + the unknown shipping fee they don’t state). The format runs late into the night usually. It has the most cons, and items sell at the highest prices. It’s the clear loser for a buyer in my shoes. I usually do not register, about half of them I will decline to do business with even for my white whale items, and the other half I try and avoid unless it’s something unique I really want.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by G1911

1. Pals. Trades, buys or mutual gifting with hobby friends is the smoothest and easiest by far. If something goes wrong, it’s because the card really did get lost in the mail. We aren’t going to lie, cheat or steal for a couple hundred bucks worth of stuff. It’s the safest and simplest. My favorites are the collectors I’ve been doing it with long enough that we don’t even work out specific trades, but simply pass along to the other whatever they need, knowing it will roughly work out even over the years and not caring much if it doesn’t. It is quite fun to get a surprise card in the mail I did not know was even coming; and I hope those I send cards to in the same manner get that same joy when a surprise turns up.

2. Private deals with other collectors. It’s usually cheaper, it’s easier, and it’s usually honest. People are unlikely to ruin their trading rep by lying or cheating on a single deal. I’ve never had a single one awry.

3. Buys from dealers I am friendly with and have established a mutual level of trust with. Their incentive to BS about condition is outweighed by the value of the long term buying relationship, plus most generally decent people won’t try to cheat someone they actually know a little when they might take advantage of a stranger. Very low risk.

4. Local card show dealers I don’t know/LCS - I get to at least examine the card myself in hand before buying, at the worst.

5. eBay. You pay your bid, plus the stated shipping you know in advance, plus tax that nobody but the state can control. It’s easy, buyer protection is strong, and I have faith that eBay itself is not shilling to my max bid. The downside is that many sellers are shilling, a downside of the auction format.

6. Online sites of dealers I do not know but have a solid track record of delivering the items as described (like Battersbox, for one example).

Last - auction houses. A large number of people running respected auctions are the same people who have been involved in hobby frauds, horrible business practices, thefts, and staggering dishonesty. Honesty is rare, full disclosure rare, hyperbole everywhere. Fees are typically hidden (few state the shipping on an item at all), shilling is rampant and often done by the auction house and their cronies themselves, and I have 0 trust they are not bidding up to my max. They require references to even register which is offputting more than difficult (eBay, car dealerships, my bank, nobody I have ever done business with for amounts far more than I would be bidding in a card auction requires me to do this). It is likewise easy to calculate the buyers premium, but another annoying business practice that most hide it to try and make you forget to do the calculation (bid + premium + tax + the unknown shipping fee they don’t state). The format runs late into the night usually. It has the most cons, and items sell at the highest prices. It’s the clear loser for a buyer in my shoes. I usually do not register, about half of them I will decline to do business with even for my white whale items, and the other half I try and avoid unless it’s something unique I really want.

Which Auction Houses Are You Referring ?

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

Which Auction Houses Are You Referring ?

They Are Grouped Together As A Single Category.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by G1911

They Are Grouped Together As A Single Category.

That's a cop out. I would posit that Al, Brian, and Scott have the utmost of integrity in this business. If you're going to throw dirt throw it at the right AH so other members can choose who to do business with.

[Peter_Spaeth]

High percentage ebay, high percentage direct deals, low percentage auction houses. Even the ones I trust, the prices usually go higher than I want to pay, and cross the line from strong to crazy.