Do some card dealers actually want to sell their cards?

[ChasHawk]

Honestly? Let me explain.

This is something I thought about for a while after the last Sun-Times show, and it's come up again
now that I am prepping for the show in March. I have gotten the feeling several times that there are
sellers who absolutely WILL NOT move their cards unless they get full bv or their full asking price.

Just for reference, I'm not talking about people who bust a few boxes here and there. I'm talking
guys who sell cards either full time or part time for a living. Also not talking Ruth, Cobb, etc. Just
retired stars, fan favorites, mid-high level stuff.

There are cards that have been on my eBay watchlist since mid 2008 that are still unsold, and cards
in dealer cases that have been in there for the last 3-4 Sun-Times shows I've been to.

If you have a card marked at $100, it usually sells on eBay for $30, and I offer you $40, why not sell the card?!?

Is there something I just don't understand here? Am I the only one who cares about crap like this?

 

[Jaypers]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

 

[ChasHawk]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I can almost exclude eBay from this too, because it's basically a "virtual" inventory. The show dealers though are lugging those cards all over the country.

 

[RL24]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

They should join FCB. You don't have to rent a table, AND the audience you can show off to is much larger.

 

[Jaypers]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I can almost exclude eBay from this too, because it's basically a "virtual" inventory. The show dealers though are lugging those cards all over the country.

I'm talking both, actually. Clothes don't always make the man. I know of at least a few who are very well off that don't dress the part.

 

[allstarauction]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I know a lot of wealthy people with poor personal hygiene, or that just don't dress/fit the look of someone wealthy.

 

[tunahead]

Just the other day I offered a dealer $70 for a Ripken he's had listed at $125 for at least 2 years now. He wouldn't budge at all, not even $5.

 

[ChasHawk]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I know a lot of wealthy people with poor personal hygiene, or that just don't dress/fit the look of someone wealthy.

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

 

[Jaypers]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I know a lot of wealthy people with poor personal hygiene, or that just don't dress/fit the look of someone wealthy.

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

Perhaps to build up a reputation as someone with expensive cards.

 

[ChasHawk]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I know a lot of wealthy people with poor personal hygiene, or that just don't dress/fit the look of someone wealthy.

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

Perhaps to build up a reputation as someone with expensive cards.

I could maybe see that, but I'm talking cards with a marked price of less than $100 with a realistic CV of $30-50.

 

[EricInCT]

8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I know a lot of wealthy people with poor personal hygiene, or that just don't dress/fit the look of someone wealthy.

Why do you think they are so wealthy? Deodorant isn't cheap ya know nor are designer jeans.

 

[lisu]

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

Maybe because they hope to find that one sucker who will pay that price for the card, since they don't want to take a loss on the card? Also, they are probably able to buy other cards for cheaper and flip for higher at the shows, so they are making money still.

 

[allstarauction]

[quote="Jaypers":1cx5a5x4]8 times out of 10, they're already financially well off and merely want to display them to the world to gloat.

You're talking eBay right?

Because I can't see the ripped shirt wearing, BO smelling show sellers in the "financially well off" category. :lol:

I know a lot of wealthy people with poor personal hygiene, or that just don't dress/fit the look of someone wealthy.

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

Perhaps to build up a reputation as someone with expensive cards.

I could maybe see that, but I'm talking cards with a marked price of less than $100 with a realistic CV of $30-50.[/quote:1cx5a5x4]

Pure boredom and shows get them out of the house... To show off their cards to people who actually care about cards... To hope the casual collector comes by and they can say "See, here is what it is worth, thats what I want for it... and I am sure there are a bunch of other reasons.

Plus there are still some older dealers that don't use computers and ebay, I am sure the number is less and less but they are out there. I know of a local dealer who has a shop and doesn't use ebay at all, it stupid on their part but they just don't.

There are a lot of reasons, nothing can be done about it, just like nothing can be done about Burbank. If someone wants something bad enough they will pay for it. If someone wants to sell something bad enough they will lower the price. It's pretty simple.

 

[brouthercard]

I know dealers who absolutely refuse to lose money on a card. I think it's just the principal of it for them.

If they paid $1000 for a Matt Leinart exqusite rookie in 2006, they won't let it go for less than that.

If they paid $150 for some Cal Ripken auto jersey insert back in 2006, they won't let it go for less than that, even if the market value is $80 on ebay.

Some people can accept losses, and some simply just can't.

 

[ChasHawk]

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

Maybe because they hope to find that one sucker who will pay that price for the card, since they don't want to take a loss on the card? Also, they are probably able to buy other cards for cheaper and flip for higher at the shows, so they are making money still.

I can completely understand that to a point, but after the card not selling for a year or more, why not just move it at a reasonable price?
I'm not talking about low-balling here. I mean offering either at or slightly above what the card generally actually sells for.


Here's an example:

Saw a card at November's Sun-Times show. Dealer who has it outsniped me for it on eBay.

Card usually sells for $20-30, but this one had a little nicer patch in it.

Card sold for $43 and change. He has it marked at $100. I offer him $50 for it. He says that's too low.

I offer him $60. He says he paid $75 for it on eBay and he can't let it go for less than $90.

I catch him in his lie, and he says "OK...well, I can do $80".

What are the odds I see that same card for the same price next month?


edit: Btw, I'm not necessarily talking about accepting losses either. I'm talking about accepting a little less profit.

 

[Huffamaniac]

With the dealer buying it at $43 I can see him not taking $50 for it, but at $60, that is a pretty nice return on his investment. That would have been a quick flip for him

Alright, this seems to have gone on a tangent. Wealthy or not, why would you lug all those cards, cases,
boxes, displays, tables, etc, etc. from show to show across the country and NOT sell the same cards for years?

Maybe because they hope to find that one sucker who will pay that price for the card, since they don't want to take a loss on the card? Also, they are probably able to buy other cards for cheaper and flip for higher at the shows, so they are making money still.

I can completely understand that to a point, but after the card not selling for a year or more, why not just move it at a reasonable price?
I'm not talking about low-balling here. I mean offering either at or slightly above what the card generally actually sells for.


Here's an example:

Saw a card at November's Sun-Times show. Dealer who has it outsniped me for it on eBay.

Card usually sells for $20-30, but this one had a little nicer patch in it.

Card sold for $43 and change. He has it marked at $100. I offer him $50 for it. He says that's too low.

I offer him $60. He says he paid $75 for it on eBay and he can't let it go for less than $90.

I catch him in his lie, and he says "OK...well, I can do $80".

What are the odds I see that same card for the same price next month?


edit: Btw, I'm not necessarily talking about accepting losses either. I'm talking about accepting a little less profit.

 

[F-Topps]

I went to a show here In Los Angeles in 2007 right after the release of Bowman Chrome. I noticed a dealer with a ton of Aroid 94 SP RC's and other AROID cards. He had the BV marked on the card and a note showing his asking price which was higher than the BV. I have no idea what his game plan was, but Im sure he still has them.

 

[lisu]

I'm not saying that you guys don't make sense btw - I'm just saying these dealers are set in their ways.

 

[rainmanesq]

Some people just don’t want to sell their cards for anything less than they’re asking. Think Burbank. Some people have either the space, $, time, sugarmomma/sugardaddy, etc. to NOT have to sell their cards as fast as some others. Some dealers overpaid for the card and so DON’T want to take a $ loss even though they’ve had the card for 2-3 years + the player sucks/you’d need hay-zeus to perform a miracle for the card to go back up.

While most cards ARE going to be a $ loss if you’ve held onto them for 2 years, I think dealers “feel better” knowing that technically they are NOT taking a loss until they sell the card…even if they could likely sell the card at the going rate + reinvest the $ to make up for the loss. Who knows, maybe they think the card will go back to its former highs. Maybe they just like lugging their cards around + showing them off while hanging out w/guys in tshirts who hoover hotdogs + nachos like it’s going out of style?

Maybe they want to make $X/% on every card they sell…why pay $43 (+ probably 2-3 s/h) just to sell a card for $50? Yeah, you’re “profiting,” but a happy meal type of profit isn’t really worth it imo. Maybe they’re looking for that 1 sucker buyer to whom price doesn’t matter. Maybe they still think price guides are relevant. Maybe they’re tired of having buyers haggle them over small $ b/c it’s “cheaper on ebay.” Maybe they want to make up their food, hotel, time off work, table fees, etc. costs associated w/setting up @ shows + aren’t desperate enough to sell the card for less than $X?

 

[brouthercard]

Some dealers actually quote you a higher price if you ask them about the card, cause you're interested in it.

Kind of like "used card dealers."