Dealing at shows...

[barrysloate]

Buyers may need more time to reflect on big purchases. When an expensive card appears in an auction, a buyer usually has a couple of weeks to consider all aspects of the purchase, including how he is going to raise the funds to pay for it. At a show it may be difficult to spend thousands of dollars on the spur of the moment.

As far as the mid grade Topps cards the OP was trying to sell, they are too common and can be bought anytime. It is a tougher market, and despite what some people may feel, shows are not the future of this hobby. People feel more comfortable today buying online. The oversized clear scans most auctions provide are exactly what buyers need, and the often poor lighting at shows is not the ideal environment to make a big deal.

And I should add I haven't been to a show in well over ten years.

[TheHobbyWGR]

Was just discussing this Saturday on my radio show, The Hobby. I agree with the overall point - that walking into a show, setting up and listing low is not enough. My friend Bob and I were expecting a bit of action merely from having nice graded stuff available at eBay prices or lower. Didn't happen.

Doesn't appear that Saturday's episode is up for some reason but here is a link to others, if you're inclined.

http://audio.wgr550.com/the-hobby.htm

Mike

[edhans]

And I should add I haven't been to a show in well over ten years.

Barry,
What's it going to take to get you to put in an appearance in Baltimore this year? Bribery? Kidnapping? Or just dinner & drinks?

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by edhans

Barry,
What's it going to take to get you to put in an appearance in Baltimore this year? Bribery? Kidnapping? Or just dinner & drinks?

Chloroform.

[David W]

I went to a local show in a motel conference room in Fort Wayne Indiana last month (first show I'd been to that wasn't the National in several years). There were probably 12-15 people set up.

My observations:

1 - 2-3 guys still had boxes and boxes of 87 to 95 crap. It was priced at 10 cents or 25 cents, but I had no desier to sift through thousands of 89 Donruss or 91 Topps hoping to find something I might want.

2 - One guy had several thousand 50's to 60's cards but nothing priced. It was annoying to pull a card out, and wait while he dug through a Beckett guide to tell me it was $1 or $3. If he had priced it before hand, I've have probably bought $50 worth of cards. As it was I spent $5 on 2 cards.

3 - I did spend close to $100 at a tabel sorting through well organized boxes of 50's to 70's cards that were all priced, and bought about 20 cards for $60 or so. He also had decent pre war and graded cards in his display case, all priced.

4 - I like to buy some modern cards of Cardinals or Bears, but no one had it at this show.

5 - One guys display case was full of beat up 70's baseball and football at NM prices. I never saw him sell one thing the 2 hours I was there.

In summary, I'd say organize it, price it low, and don't bring thousands of worthless cards and you can be successful.

[sycks22]

Going to shows is fun when you find the right dealer than will give you fair market value for your cards and will work in some trades. When you show someone a Ty Cobb that sells for around $2k and the dealer knows he doesn't have $40 in his pocket it's always funny when they respond with "I'm looking for higher graded cards" and when you look at they're selling a '66 Topps Snider with 2 corners missing for $25, but list the high book price on the plastic. For every good dealer out there you find 10 that think their cards are amazing and tell you how much they make every show, but still have 99% of the same cards every time you see them. Those are the best dealers.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by sycks22

For every good dealer out there you find 10 that think their cards are amazing and tell you how much they make every show, but still have 99% of the same cards every time you see them.

Really? How do they stay in Business? Bit of an exaggeration, I'd say.

[Leon]

A few of my own thoughts. As Hankphenom said, the shows, to me, aren't about just selling and buying, it's the whole experience. I absolutely have as much or more fun after the show, just hanging out with hobby friends, having a few cocktails and dinner. If I buy or sell something at the show then that is the icing on the cake. But for me, the cake is the total experience of the show and all that surrounds it.

Also, there used to be more single, private sales of larger ticket cards. Nowadays barely anyone wants to buy something as a straight private sale. They want it to go to auction where they can either -

1. Hope to steal it (so to speak) for a very low price
2. Feel comfortable they aren't the only idiot willing to pay almost that much (as the underbidder is right there too) for an item.

I love shows and will definitely keep doing them, if nothing else, for the camaraderie alone. I always go to them with the expectation that my money spent doing the show is entertainment. I don't expect to buy or sell anything so I am never disappointed. I guess I am fortunate, every single show I have ever done has been great (from my point of view). best regards

[mintacular]

If you selling/dealing at a small show or flea market here are my observations mostly as a buyer, but occasionally as a seller:

1) Mid-grade or better star cards are difficult to sell for a fair $ unless they are local i.e. pittsburgh/clemente

2) Dollar boxes singles $5 under do fine of mainstream sets if $'d right, same with high #'s like '72s

3) Lower your expectations, have "fun" and think of it as weeding out some extra cards so if you only make a few bucks it doesn't feel so bad

4) The most successful dealers at these venues have been doing it many years and have repeat/loyal customers

5) Pre-war cards in low grade really only way to go, not going to get someone to pay $100 for an ex common

As for flea markets, expect a bunch of fleabags trying to "flip" your cards, these people root around looking for great deals, don't take it personally it's just the type of buyer you see there

[Hankphenom]

As far as making money at shows, that's tough. Most dealers have been around a while and have developed a niche, an expertise in buying and selling a certain segment of the hobby. Very few make a real living at it, most are weekend warriors. But as far as enjoyment of the hobby, there's nothing like them. And if it wasn't so much fun, you wouldn't have nearly as many of the part-time dealers as there are. And shows will never go away for that very reason. There's nothing like the excitement and anticipation of walking into a show, or setting up at one, looking forward to two or three days of action of one kind or another, going out to dinner with other hobbyists, being on the road, all of it. I can't understand why anyone who's into this stuff would forgo those pleasures to sit at home and buy and sell on eBay or in auctions, get your money or objects in the mail, and that's it. Where's the thrill of that? Shows will be around until the day that human beings have more fun being with their personal digital devices than with other human beings. I hope I won't be around to see that day.
Hank Thomas

[Tony Gordon]

A couple of comments on trading and buying from customers at shows. As a dealer, there is no benefit for me to trade. Trading does not help me cover table fee. I am also constantly purchasing cards and always have deals in the works and need funds. I regularly buy and sell a large amount of cards and don't need trades to turn my inventory. The only time I will trade is when a regular customer wants to trade and there is some cash in the deal.

As for buying, I will never pay you fair market value for your cards because I strictly buy for resale. You shouldn't get offended either because I can't cover my table fee if I'm paying retail prices for cards. If you want more than 25 percent of book, don't bother trying to sell your cards to dealers, it's just not cost effective for dealers to buy your cards.

And for those who say shows are in decline, you a terribly mistaken. There are terrific one day shows all over the Midwest every single weekend.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Tony Gordon

A couple of comments on trading and buying from customers at shows. As a dealer, there is no benefit for me to trade. Trading does not help me cover table fee. I am also constantly purchasing cards and always have deals in the works and need funds. I regularly buy and sell a large amount of cards and don't need trades to turn my inventory. The only time I will trade is when a regular customer wants to trade and there is some cash in the deal.

As for buying, I will never pay you fair market value for your cards because I strictly buy for resale. You shouldn't get offended either because I can't cover my table fee if I'm paying retail prices for cards. If you want more than 25 percent of book, don't bother trying to sell your cards to dealers, it's just not cost effective for dealers to buy your cards.

And for those who say shows are in decline, you a terribly mistaken. There are terrific one day shows all over the Midwest every single weekend.

Show me a "book" price on half the cards I collect and I will show you an incorrect price. I absolutely understand the rest of the statement and agree. When someone says "book" to me, I chuckle. I do understand that is the way modern stuff is done though. I went to a very small local show on Saturday as one of the promoters said a guy was bringing in some T206's and they wanted some help with them. I went over....looked at the nice vg to vg+ cards and gave him very close to market prices on each one. No book .

[barrysloate]

What seems clear is some people love shows, and some people prefer selling via auctions or on the internet. Seems reasonable to me. I'm not a show guy, never was, but I do understand many collectors and dealers really like them.

[sycks22]

I love going to shows as much as the next guy, I'm just saying that there were a ton more in the '90's. It's always fun going there and talking cards. Unless you have a great relationship with a dealer at a show why pay $200 for something that you could find on ebay for $100? The most laughable price ever was a guy who had a '54 Topps Banks in probably g-vg condition, but put it in a gigantic case and marked it $1,500. I asked him sarcasticly if that was his price and he said "I'll do half book, it's a rare card". I laughed. He even had a zip up bag for the card, classic.

[mintacular]

I still value looking at a card in person and will "overpay" for cards like '57s, 71s, etc if I can hold the card in person. I can't tell you how many times I've bought cards (even ones w/very large scans) on eBay or online but when I received it in hand it did not meet my approval. For this reason alone, I think shows/on site card buying will always have some customers (assuming collecting cards survives the test of time)

[brett 75]

Feel lucky that you have shows that you are able to go to at all . The closest shows around for me are at least 2 hours or more away and usually only come once every couple of months if that often. I personally would love to hunt through boxes of vintage cards at a show and be able to have them in hand than to see them on the net. Shows can continue to help the hobby as by the post from the member who gave all the cards to the child , a small thing like that can leave a lasting impression . Don' t give up on doing a show because of one bad weekend , you never know the next one might just surprise you, Brett