National prices?

[calvindog]

I'm bringing MAJOR Taddy cash. MAJOR.

[bijoem]

Originally Posted by calvindog

I'm bringing MAJOR Taddy cash. MAJOR.

sounds like you are going for some behind the table taddy's!

have a good time. Let me know how it goes.

[Rich Klein]

At a National -- the show is now basically a 5-6 day event. I do not know the exact costs of the tables/booths so please do not quote that as gospel.

General Expenses at show

2 Booths cost $2500 (May be high; may be low -- but this is a reasonable guesstimate)

Travel to the show -- you either fly (Chicago is a reasonably priced city to go to by air) or you are close enoiugh or crazy enough to drive. With all costs for transsportation the average is probably $400 (Again some higher, some lower)

Hotels -- yes some people stay at the Motel 6's of the world -- but assuming you stay at a mid range National hotel it is probably $125 per night when all is said and done Figure 4-5 nights and that is another $500-600

FOOD -- no matter what you do -- food is going to cost you. Even if you are reasonable (There is or was a Mickey D's not far from the show and last year in Baltimore I found a Subway,,,,now Cleveland is a different subject for that
$20 per day night -- $100 person

Misc Expenses -- and there are always those -- figure $400 for that for the week period

Thus -- you have spent $4K before selling a card.

And no that does not include the prices of any cards you sell.

So, if you hit Sunday Mrning and have taken in; let's say $2K and you realize what your expenses are; you may be the dealer that stays open to try to make Sunday sales. And then if someone has cash, you are more amenable to making sales.

Now everyone is different; but just explaining for the National about the Sunday reasons for getting or giving discounts

Rich

[HexsHeroes]

.

Hey eds10 . . .

For me, the National Show is as much for the museum quality stuff to see and talk about, as it is for finding items to purchase. I've been to seven National shows, of which I only make purchases at four shows. But even though I was shut out at three of them, I still had a fantastic time. The variety and quality of items on display, for sale, or hidden behind the counters is unbelievable. And if you happen to be an attentive listener (or even better, blessed with the gift of engaging others in conversation), the stories told by both dealers and other collectors alike, will add significantly to "the National" experience. I once had the opportunity to meet an eBay archnemesis at a National show because I overheard him telling of his conquest of an item we both were bidding on. Imagine the look on his face (and the sound of his jaw hitting the floor) when I approached him, called him by his eBay member ID, and identified myself by my eBay member ID. Priceless. Turns out he wasn't such a bad fellow, and now I have a face to go with the eBay member ID during our next eBay go-around.

If funds are short for shopping (but still can afford the $15 one-day entry fee), and if a day trip to/from Cleveland is tolerable, make plans now to attend the 2014 National show just for the opportunity to see some of the neatest collectibles in the hobby.

[Big Ben]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

At a National -- the show is now basically a 5-6 day event. I do not know the exact costs of the tables/booths so please do not quote that as gospel.

General Expenses at show

2 Booths cost $2500 (May be high; may be low -- but this is a reasonable guesstimate)

Travel to the show -- you either fly (Chicago is a reasonably priced city to go to by air) or you are close enoiugh or crazy enough to drive. With all costs for transsportation the average is probably $400 (Again some higher, some lower)

Hotels -- yes some people stay at the Motel 6's of the world -- but assuming you stay at a mid range National hotel it is probably $125 per night when all is said and done Figure 4-5 nights and that is another $500-600

FOOD -- no matter what you do -- food is going to cost you. Even if you are reasonable (There is or was a Mickey D's not far from the show and last year in Baltimore I found a Subway,,,,now Cleveland is a different subject for that
$20 per day night -- $100 person

Misc Expenses -- and there are always those -- figure $400 for that for the week period

Thus -- you have spent $4K before selling a card.

And no that does not include the prices of any cards you sell.

So, if you hit Sunday Mrning and have taken in; let's say $2K and you realize what your expenses are; you may be the dealer that stays open to try to make Sunday sales. And then if someone has cash, you are more amenable to making sales.

Now everyone is different; but just explaining for the National about the Sunday reasons for getting or giving discounts

Rich

Personally, I hope there are a lot of Sunday discounts as that is the only day that I can attend the National. On the other side of this discussion, if a dealer has not had that many sales in the previous days, I could see the dealer thinking that time is money and decide to go home early.

[danc]

I'm expecting the majority of dealers to have their cards ridiculously overpriced...with a small % of sellers within reason...or just slightly overpriced! .

..yeah, I just stole what Peter U. said because that's what I would have written. :-)

My biggest pet peeve is the price tag on the back. People ask him, he has to get the key, open the case, mention the price and ask if you want to see it (I say 'I'm good and slink on through to the next table) and this happens so often to this dealer that by the third day, he is defeated and is rather rude and is like "you're just going to hand it back like all the rest" and he will never understand that all this could be eliminated by a) being fair or b) put the prices on the front!

DanC

[mintacular]

I've been to the National in Cleveland a few years ago, and some other major shows since then including a few at RMU in PGH...Here are my observations about $...

1. Most of the dealers that have survived have done so because they "buy low, sell high"--it is a very tough market w/baseball cards and so only those types have survived. I think the dealers that are "reasonable" etc about prices in general could not survive and make profit selling at eBay competitive prices.

2. The best deals are at the margins, low dollar stuff and possibly very high dollar stuff. If you go in and are building sets and cherry picking from binders, etc. you can actually get nice looking vintage singles at ok $'s. Also, if you have wads of 20's and hundreds and know the market for what you are buying you can get a quality card for a good price, although sometimes you have to walk away....Keep in mind, most good dealers know what the cards go for on eBay so they will cut you a 10%+ deal knowing what the feels are.The WORST deals though are on the mid-grade vintage stars that are priced at 80% of book.

3. Be very careful buying raw....I made the mistake recently doing so from a prominent dealer and should've know that if it was really gradeable he would've sent it in. He lied to me (I don't send everything in 'cause I have raw vintage buyers only) but I should've known better.

4. If you are willing to take a loss, you can go in with something in your collection and part with it albeit not at full market $...i.e. "I have these 10 T206 beaters, take them from me but knock of $75 from "X" card that you really want...

[calvindog]

Example of the prices: I saw a Centennial Stamp Cobb in PSA 7; it had sold on eBay for $95 last December. I offered $150. The dealer insisted upon $200. I walked.