Atlanta Sportscard Shows.......Really Really bad!!!!!

[Kennesawsportscards]

No reflection whatsoever on the promotors in any way, just an observation on the Atlanta market.

After setting up periodically over the lat 6 months but taking a dew weeks off due to slower than normal sales I decided to return this recent Sunday show in Marietta. After talking to many of the people who set up, it seems like another terrible Atlanta show. Most barely made table fees and some only had a couple of sales all day...WOW!!! Some prefer to go to other shows in North and South Carolina. Charlotte and Hickory NC( Yes, Hickory, can't believe I said that!!!!)

There is alot of terrific vintage( lots of tobacco cards included), memorabilia, hall of fame autographs, 1 of 1's, most of the current wax, oddball items, so it is not due to not having good stuff to choose from.

Seems like a weekly thing that the customers spend their time going thru 25 cent, 50 cent and dollar boxes. BTW, these dealers aren't exactly making a killing either....

Would love to see a turn around in this city which has never been known as a great card collectors haven anyway.

Bryan
Kennesaw Sportscards

 

[moxacaine]

No reflection whatsoever on the promotors in any way, just an observation on the Atlanta market.

After setting up periodically over the lat 6 months but taking a dew weeks off due to slower than normal sales I decided to return this recent Sunday show in Marietta. After talking to many of the people who set up, it seems like another terrible Atlanta show. Most barely made table fees and some only had a couple of sales all day...WOW!!! Some prefer to go to other shows in North and South Carolina. Charlotte and Hickory NC( Yes, Hickory, can't believe I said that!!!!)

There is alot of terrific vintage( lots of tobacco cards included), memorabilia, hall of fame autographs, 1 of 1's, most of the current wax, oddball items, so it is not due to not having good stuff to choose from.

Seems like a weekly thing that the customers spend their time going thru 25 cent, 50 cent and dollar boxes. BTW, these dealers aren't exactly making a killing either....

Would love to see a turn around in this city which has never been known as a great card collectors haven anyway.

Bryan
Kennesaw Sportscards

Im not from your area but I've stopped going to smaller shows or most any shows for that matter up here in VA. My reason are the dealers. They almost always mark their stuff up too much and as a potential buyer if I see a $50 card with a $75 or more price tag on it I don't even waste my time trying to haggle as i I've almost always received the same response "well that's my price".

And this is just me but if I walk up to your table and look down and see most of your cards are marked up I just walk away.

I'm not saying this is your issue but this is why I've made a conscious effort to not go to any shows outside of the natty. And even then I mostly go to hang out with friends.

I want to go and look for cards I want at reasonable market prices. I don't want to have to waste hours going through discount boxes to find a steal to justify overpaying on something else.

 

[craftysouthpaw]

Im not from your area but I've stopped going to smaller shows or most any shows for that matter up here in VA. My reason are the dealers. They almost always mark their stuff up too much and as a potential buyer if I see a $50 card with a $75 or more price tag on it I don't even waste my time trying to haggle as i I've almost always received the same response "well that's my price".

And this is just me but if I walk up to your table and look down and see most of your cards are marked up I just walk away.

I'm not saying this is your issue but this is why I've made a conscious effort to not go to any shows outside of the natty. And even then I mostly go to hang out with friends.

I want to go and look for cards I want at reasonable market prices. I don't want to have to waste hours going through discount boxes to find a steal to justify overpaying on something else.

This is definitely an issue here in Atlanta as well. Too many dealers that rely almost solely on Beckett Hi values to price their cards. Not sure if they wonder why they have had the same inventory for the past several years because of this, but they should. So the combination of bad pricing and no inventory turnover makes it pointless to go to the shows for anything other than wax or supplies.

Atlanta also has the concurrent issue that the collectibles market is thin to begin with and a good chunk of it just doesn't spend like a lot of other markets.

 

[jcmint]

Some cities does do not have the interest to run shows. I have noticed that in many different cities that I have been to shows in.

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

This is definitely an issue here in Atlanta as well. Too many dealers that rely almost solely on Beckett Hi values to price their cards. Not sure if they wonder why they have had the same inventory for the past several years because of this, but they should. So the combination of bad pricing and no inventory turnover makes it pointless to go to the shows for anything other than wax or supplies.

Atlanta also has the concurrent issue that the collectibles market is thin to begin with and a good chunk of it just doesn't spend like a lot of other markets.

Of course, this( higher book value prices) is an issue any show you go to, not just here in Atlanta. I am not exactly the cheapest one on the block either, however, any show you go to there will always be people complaining about the high prices.. Even the people here in ATL who are known to be very inexpensive are complaining about lack of sales..

Just a point for the record also....I buy alot of stuff and my inventory is always changing, in comparison to alot of folks....People are not only not buying as much from me, they are not doing much purchasing at all. Buying for Christmas has been very minimal...

 

[Erich]

I live in Atlanta and stopped going to the shows because the prices were out of control as previously mentioned.

Example

I wanted an 50s Topps Monte Irvin card to send to him for TTM, I did not care what year it was just a 50s card. I found plenty of worn cards that would have graded no more than 2-3s. Out of the 4 dealers there that had the cards I wanted, none of them would budge off off what Becket had listed which was 4-6 bucks. I ended up leaving and buying one from ebay for a couple of bucks shipped. I never went back after that day a few years ago.

Here it is signed.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e273/estedman/*****%20League/ebay_NEW_0001.jpg

 

[jimmyjam1973]

Brian - Frank does do a great job promoting, but the lack of sales made me stop setting up. I was barely making table money and the sales I was making were mainly to dealers (and I can do that w/o paying a table fee). When I moved here 6 years ago, I thought the ATL would be a great town for cards.....boy was I wrong. This city is just a terrible town for sportscards.

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

Brian - Frank does do a great job promoting, but the lack of sales made me stop setting up. I was barely making table money and the sales I was making were mainly to dealers (and I can do that w/o paying a table fee). When I moved here 6 years ago, I thought the ATL would be a great town for cards.....boy was I wrong. This city is just a terrible town for sportscards.

As I mentioned Jimmy, No reflection on Frank at all. I feel he does the best he can do with what this city has to offer. Yes, primarily alot of dealer to dealer sales. We make each other's days sometimes. LOL

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

I live in Atlanta and stopped going to the shows because the prices were out of control as previously mentioned.

Example

I wanted an 50s Topps Monte Irvin card to send to him for TTM, I did not care what year it was just a 50s card. I found plenty of worn cards that would have graded no more than 2-3s. Out of the 4 dealers there that had the cards I wanted, none of them would budge off off what Becket had listed which was 4-6 bucks. I ended up leaving and buying one from ebay for a couple of bucks shipped. I never went back after that day a few years ago.

Here it is signed.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e273/estedman/***** League/ebay_NEW_0001.jpg

You just made my point Erich.....Sold out to Ebay for a couple of bucks!!!!!!

 

[craftysouthpaw]

You just made my point Erich.....Sold out to Ebay for a couple of bucks!!!!!!

And you made Erich's point. Too many people pricing items without proper education on fair value. It is hardly selling out to pay the going rate for an item as opposed to 2-3x what the market is. eBay is the best indicator of value out there but too many folks who set up ignore it completely or refuse to adhere to it.

And this is not a comment on you or your pricing - just a general statement on what I see in this city as a whole. If your inventory turns like you says it does, you are an exception at these shows, not the rule.

 

[BenG76]

You just made my point Erich.....Sold out to Ebay for a couple of bucks!!!!!!

Are you saying he should pay more at a show? It should be less with no shipping involved. I typically know which dealers to check with when I go to shows down in NC. I like the Charlotte, Hickory and Greensboro shows. I mainly buy junk wax boxes and supplies when I go honestly. The guy that sells supplies usually has good prices on pages and boxes and I save some since I don't have to pay shipping. I do pick up some singles here and there if they are reasonably priced.

 

[gmsieb]

You just made my point Erich.....Sold out to Ebay for a couple of bucks!!!!!!

This is the sellers problem. Not a buyer selling out.

 

[BluesBroSJ]

Funny, I had a conversation with Gilmore about this a couple days ago. I should be setting up Jan 5th at Frank's show as long as I get an email back from him.


One thing I have always hated is that nothing is priced 90% of the time. I know what something I want sells for on eBay and so does the seller. I have pre-priced my entire inventory at or around eBay, so we will see how January goes for me.


To those in Atlanta I put the question. If this has been so bad for so long regarding shows why hasn't anyone stepped up and tried to put something better out?

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

And you made Erich's point. Too many people pricing items without proper education on fair value. It is hardly selling out to pay the going rate for an item as opposed to 2-3x what the market is. eBay is the best indicator of value out there but too many folks who set up ignore it completely or refuse to adhere to it.

And this is not a comment on you or your pricing - just a general statement on what I see in this city as a whole. If your inventory turns like you says it does, you are an exception at these shows, not the rule.

Fair Value is all relative to what an individuals market is, in addition to proper education. To use an example of Erichs point that 4-6.00 is too much for him to pay. Someone else would be more than happy to pay that for a card of Irvin. Especially when they are seeking to get free autographs....That is his right however if he feels like 4-6.00 is way too much and will never go to an Atlanta show...Cannot tell you how many times I have come up to my table and complained about the pricing because it is WAY TOO HIGH FOR THEM and someone else is more than happy to purchase. We all have certain items that we value that someone else wouldn't give a dime for and visa versa...

BTW I didn't say my inventory was turning, I indicated that it was always changing. That is due to me constantly buying. I am not the exception, more like the rule....Hope that point wasn't lost.

Bryan

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

Are you saying he should pay more at a show? It should be less with no shipping involved. I typically know which dealers to check with when I go to shows down in NC. I like the Charlotte, Hickory and Greensboro shows. I mainly buy junk wax boxes and supplies when I go honestly. The guy that sells supplies usually has good prices on pages and boxes and I save some since I don't have to pay shipping. I do pick up some singles here and there if they are reasonably priced.

My point is that fact that he indicated that he wouldn't go back to an Atlanta show because one card was a couple of bucks higher than he wanted to pay. That's what I refer to as selling out to ebay...

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

To those in Atlanta I put the question. If this has been so bad for so long regarding shows why hasn't anyone stepped up and tried to put something better out?[/QUOTE]

It has been tried many times over the last 15+ years.. Mostly futile, including the shows with many good autograph guests..

 

[jcmint]

too much work and success isnt guaranteed at all. Big gamble on someones part.

 

[BenG76]

My point is that fact that he indicated that he wouldn't go back to an Atlanta show because one card was a couple of bucks higher than he wanted to pay. That's what I refer to as selling out to ebay...

I see your point as well if its a small amount. BTW he probably had to pay a fee for Irvin to sign as well by TTM. I know I did last year so that adds to the cost as well at least for him. I saw older guys set up together at the last show I went to. They were fairly nice but they wanted way to much for the stuff they had and relied too much on the Beckett they had. I asked them how the show had been for them and they reported it wasn't very good. Most other dealers were doing good business.

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

too much work and success isnt guaranteed at all. Big gamble on someones part.

Absolutely spot on. Just ask BP Sports, Radtkesports, Tristar or Peachstate.

 

[matfanofold]

I stopped going to shows a few years back because of a few growing trends.

1. Lack of pricing, almost no one had pricing in place.
2. Lack of modern/prospect stuff. Sure there was some here and there but mostly all outdated stuff. Not that this is bad, as long as you mix in the new stuff too.
3. Lack of attention. It was almost impossible to get someone to talk toy you, spend a few minutes with you.
4. Lack of personality. Almost all dealers, when you can get ahold of them, are stale and void of personality. Almost like you are bothering them.


Now I am not some big time buyer or anything but it was nothing for me to drop a few hundred here and there. It would just be nice to have decent selections, decent customer service, and decent (visible) pricing. Its actually one of the reasons I have become stale with collecting. I use ebay when needed but MUCH prefer the shows and stores, no issues spending a bit more this way also to support the local crew, but it just became....... Bothersome.