Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

Card show promoter question

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

tonsofcommons

Active member
Aug 20, 2008
6,102
13
Iowa
Looking for opinions and thoughts…

Show promoter question.

I have a dealer that sets up at my show. Takes 3 tables and sells nothing but quarter cards.

I have been told (by multiple people) that because this guy is here, some dealers will not come to the show because people will come and spend all day at his tables.

This guy comes to every show and takes more tables than any other dealer. But he is possibly costing me dealers and I am afraid the show is hurting because of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

moxacaine

Active member
Administrator
Aug 7, 2008
17,349
2
Fredericksburg, VA
In my opinion as a buyer (never set up at a show). Seems like your one guy is bringing what a lot of your customers want and the other dealers should take note. You lose the one guy who people like to go to and it may stop a bunch of people from coming to your shows.
 
Jun 30, 2010
726
0
I take a different stance on this matter. I am a firm believer in promoting well being and value in the hobby and 25 cent boxes do not promote that.. When you are marketing a show by promoting 25 cent cards; yes you will attract a certain element or buyer who is attracted to this because, yes, we all want something for nothing. But, you are training your customers to be this way. However, my experience indicates that you will not attract a better base of dealers OR customers because you are promoting a CHEAP<CHEAP< CHEAP mentality. You have attracted a buying public that will not purchase anything good unless it fits the cheap mindset. I have seen too many customers who were paying 1.00 per card or 12/10.00 discounted that are now only buying 25 cent or 50 cent cards because that is now how they have been trained. As a show seller locally and also at the National I have heard many dealers and customers who have indicated that they do not want to be a part of a show like this. This is one of the problems in Atlanta, even though we do have a good variety of high end stuff here. Bottom line; promote well being and value.
 

moxacaine

Active member
Administrator
Aug 7, 2008
17,349
2
Fredericksburg, VA
I dont see why you cant have both? Even if those people shopping the bargain bins at .25 a card buy 100 cards thats still only $25 spent. That would leave plenty of money to spend at other tables.

You go to any show regardless of the size and a majority of people are going straight to the bargain bins first.

If most dealers that didn't deal in bargain bins would be reasonably priced to begin with it wouldnt be an issue. For this reason i never go to shows anymore except for the Natty and thats just to hang with friends. Not worthy my time trying to haggle when i can get most everything cheaper on ebay.
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
If the problem is that collectors are spending more time at other peoples tables the answer is to have better stuff or better deals at your table.
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
There is no way a dealer selling .25 cards should affect dealers selling and customers buying more expensive items. There's more going on in that scenario. Either the dealer(s) doesn't have what those looking to buy higher $ want or the dealers selling what they want aren't priced right. 3 tables shouldn't affect a shows outcome if marketed correctly , selection , pricing etc are there

Ryan
 

byronscott4ever

New member
Dec 3, 2009
667
0
Bargains appeal to collectors of all ages. Does anyone complain about dealers who only sell graded cards for big bucks? Or vintage only? Is it a jealousy issue?
 

gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,657
3,244
Near Philly
Dealers complaining about a guy with 3 tables keeping Customers tied up? Lame!

Sounds more like the other dealers need to step up their game...

IDK you ran a show E, pop up a Link or even its own thread here somewhere.
 
Jun 30, 2010
726
0
If the problem is that collectors are spending more time at other peoples tables the answer is to have better stuff or better deals at your table.


Not necessarily. I can speak in regards to the Atlanta shows however. And there is a reason why National dealers don't like to come to Atlanta. When you have a smaller show 20-40 tables and alot of people are dealing in dollar cards and less, then you are attracting a certain cheap mentality. That is what is going on here. And there are a few of us who do carry good stuff like Mantle/Maris/Dimaggio/Thorpe/Williams Autos, Greats of the Game Autos, 1 of 1 autos, Vintage etc. I can however agree with your point of having better deals at the tables though. That doesn't mean selling my cards so only you can make money on them.
 
Jun 30, 2010
726
0
There is no way a dealer selling .25 cards should affect dealers selling and customers buying more expensive items. There's more going on in that scenario. Either the dealer(s) doesn't have what those looking to buy higher $ want or the dealers selling what they want aren't priced right. 3 tables shouldn't affect a shows outcome if marketed correctly , selection , pricing etc are there

Ryan

Depends on the size of the show. Larger shows, it won't matter at all.
 
Jun 30, 2010
726
0
Dealers complaining about a guy with 3 tables keeping Customers tied up? Lame!

Sounds more like the other dealers need to step up their game...

IDK you ran a show E, pop up a Link or even its own thread here somewhere.


If a small show promoter is attracting a certain type of clientele then that is what will walk in the show and then that is what type of dealers( I say that loosely) he will attract...A larger show it will not matter at all(Larger regionals/ Tristar/National/Chantilly etc
 

sabrgeek

Member
Apr 10, 2010
578
13
As a promoter, my job is to sell tables. Frankly, the guy who is complaining about the quarter boxes probably sells different type of material then the quarter guy (or is more organized and has higher prices). Either way, that is a specious complaint unless you have 10 or fewer tables in your room. Our show has room for 25 tables and he'd be fine and so would the clients. We had a new dealer with a dime box at the last show and funny, I also had my best day at that location. The guys who buy from the dime box, don't buy my kind of cards as it were.

But a really good question to dwell upon. I know at the show I run, if a guy could make his 3 tables rate back at my show selling quarter cards, he'd be turning over a ton of cards to do so.
 
Jun 30, 2010
726
0
Bargains appeal to collectors of all ages. Does anyone complain about dealers who only sell graded cards for big bucks? Or vintage only? Is it a jealousy issue?


Not at all. I come from a purist point of view in placing value in what you are selling There are bargains to be found from all levels of pricing and I have been on both ends; selling and buying....No jealousy at all. There is a place for Saks Fifth Avenue and also Goodwill. Sometime they can co-mingle, not always, especially in a small show.
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
Not at all. I come from a purist point of view in placing value in what you are selling There are bargains to be found from all levels of pricing and I have been on both ends; selling and buying....No jealousy at all. There is a place for Saks Fifth Avenue and also Goodwill. Sometime they can co-mingle, not always, especially in a small show.

I get the comparison of stores , but the customers are different too. Meaning customer buying from Goodwill isn't really cutting into Saks sales. Unless the items are the same and their pricing Saks items at Goodwill pricing. Those customers at the .25 tables weren't going to the $100 tables anyway. So I think there is more to it then the guys are spending their whole day at the .25 tables and not making their way to me.

Ryan
 

subject to change

New member
Aug 7, 2008
1,417
0
Pittsburgh, PA
I think a lot of it comes down to understanding the collector base in that specific area, and setting up accordingly. I have found that some areas have large populations of set collectors, and I can put out commons for a dime and have people come and buy by the hundreds. Other area, those same boxes would sit for hours without getting even flipped through. I don't buy the idea that one dealer is enough of a reason for them to not do a show, unless there is something else going on. Losing that dealer may ultimate end up costing you buyers, especially if there are other competing shows in the area.

As for the idea that somebody selling quarter boxes is somehow devaluing the show, that seems incredibly presumptuous. There are simply people who enjoy collecting lower end cards. Asa buyer, I have walked into a show and spent $40 or $50 on one dealer's quarter or $.50 box. Were I to buy the cards online from somewhere like COMC or Justcommons, I'd pay about the same amount. If that dealer weren't there, and my only options were dealers selling higher end cards, I would likely have walked home empty handed and would be unlikely to go to that show again. That's great if you set up a showcase full of super high end stuff, but there are going to be a heck of a lot more buyers who can afford and are interested in lower end stuff. It seems incredibly pompous to accuse people of having a "cheap mentality" simply because they don't care for or can't afford super premium items.
 

tonsofcommons

Active member
Aug 20, 2008
6,102
13
Iowa
Lots of great discussion here. The "problem" is that this guy fills 24 feet of table with cards only sorted by sport. So a person can sit down at 9 am when the show starts and not leave his tables until 2:30 or 3 when the show ends.

I am guilty of this too and I typically spend $30-40 with him every time, which is 1/2 of his table fees ($60).

But I spend a similar amount with most dealers each month.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

tonsofcommons

Active member
Aug 20, 2008
6,102
13
Iowa
Sunday, February 15th 9AM to 3 PM.

Urbandale Legion Hall
6805 Douglas Ave
Urbandale, IA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Members online

Top