Same dealers, same 'ole pieces of s..t!

[fordman]

Hi all,

Local mall had its monthly show this weekend, 8 dealers (the norm), same guys I used to deal with prior to my exiting the hobby as a dealer in 1997. I usually dont go to this show as these are the same guys that had the same stuff in the 90's with next to nothing new. I did stop in Friday. One dealer did have 2014 Heritage commons, which is what I needed. He wanted $0.60 each for a common. $0.60 each??? I asked why so much. He said he needed to get back out of the Heritage release with what he had in it. I then said "If I buy at least 100 commons from you, can you do $0.10 each"? He quickly replied "No, $0.60". I then asked if I buy at least 125 commons at $0.10 each, again a quick 'No'. Then I asked if I could get at least 153 (the amount I need to complete set) commons at $0.10 each plus give him all my doubles, around 150 or so. He said 'No' but he'll trade me 1 common I needed for 10 of my commons. I looked at him and said, "What do you think I am, nuts?". He then said that since he's the only dealer there with anything 2014 Heritage, he can charge whatever he wants. I looked back at him and said "Well, you wheeled them in, you'll wheel them out"!

Stopped back at the mall today to go to Sears, curiosity got me to wondering if he moved any commons. Walked to show area, no commons looked like they moved. He reduced the price to $0.25 per common. I asked if he was ready to deal the commons, he said "No". I walked away, he yelled back "Hope you never finish your set!". I turned back at him said, "You know, I didnt like you 20 years ago, I still dont like you now". He never recognized me from years ago. Once I told him who I was, walked over to one of his tables, flipped over an old wax box of 1987 Topps where I put my initials on it 20 years or so ago, he put 2 & 2 together, his face turned white (way longer story here). He backed down, said he'd make the deal at $0.10 each. I told him I wouldnt buy crap from him now if he gave it to me. Doesnt matter, I left my list at home anyway!

Fordman

 

[Crewfan82]

Glad those types of dealers aren't at the small mall show I go to every few months. I normally take my five year old son, and I almost have to force my son to pay for the low end stuff he likes. Always great deals and great dealers giving away tons of freebies and deals to the young collectors.

Anytime I go it renews my faith in humanity and reminds me of why I enjoyed the hobby so much as a kid.

 

[gt2590]

Glad those types of dealers aren't at the small mall show I go to every few months. I normally take my five year old son, and I almost have to force my son to pay for the low end stuff he likes. Always great deals and great dealers giving away tons of freebies and deals to the young collectors.

Anytime I go it renews my faith in humanity and reminds me of why I enjoyed the hobby so much as a kid.

Definitely the exception!

And [MENTION=9350]fordman[/MENTION], are you saying he still had the same box of '87 Topps from back then?

 

[jeff_bichel]

Just my opinion, and it'll undoubtedly tick you off, but, his table, his prices. You were not obligated to buy at that price. So you came back, he met your price and you walked away with your set unfinished. Wow. Kinda shot your own toe off. Righteous indignation never pays off....

 

[Hendersonfan]

I want to hear (read) the longer story.

 

[AmishDave]

Just my opinion, and it'll undoubtedly tick you off, but, his table, his prices. You were not obligated to buy at that price. So you came back, he met your price and you walked away with your set unfinished. Wow. Kinda shot your own toe off. Righteous indignation never pays off....

While this is 100% true, if a dealer isn't one of the ******* know-it-all types, engages in some conversation and is willing to cut even a minor deal, I'd more than willing (and have) bought stuff that I don't necessarily want or need because said dealer was showing (even if it was a front) interest in moving stuff and being personable.

 

[Hendersonfan]

I understand your stance on not liking the guy and him not budging on price to begin with, but I personally would have bought the ones you needed when he met your price. Do you think you'll be able to get them somewhere else at the same price? If so, then F him for being *******.

 

[brewerfan99]

Reminds me of the guy at my mall who charged double BV for all the Brauns he had. I understand he had overhead (costs of doing business) but c'mon man double BV. And yes I still bought a couple cards off him because I wanted them. But he's since gone out of business. Now I shop at Ebay. The player collectors paradise

 

[ChasHawk]

Much of the same at the big show I went to today in Chicago.

 

[fordman]

Here's the back story:

In the 90's I got a decent real job on top of being considered a full time dealer. When something new would come out, I would just buy it, sell it, make $$$. Most dealers at shows in the 90's didn't have as deep of pockets that I had (they bought so much of junk wax era stuff, they couldnt sell any of it, in turn, they couldnt buy 90's products). I would loan some dealers $$$, some I would buy cases of product for them, they'd pay me over time. I held a lot of paper for other so called dealers. All paid me after they sold stuff or got their $$$ from somewhere to pay me back. no big deal. In the 90's when card companies started wrapping their wax boxes, I started wrapping my older stock as well (a lot of dealers started to do this). I bought a shrink wrap machine and heat shrink tunnel. Prior to shrink wrap, I'd put my initials on the box somewhere, usually in a non conspicuous place. In June of 1996, I had 6 cases of product come up missing at a card show in Lexington, KY. They were boxes of older stock, '78 topps to '93 topps. During the show, I had to step out for a bit, had a trusted friend watch the tables and he knew what kind of deals he could make for me when I wasnt there. When I got back, some of the tables where not a full as when Id left, thought major sales day. Come to find out, the trusted friend packed up 6 cases worth of stuff, loaded in a uhaul type trailer, took off.

I asked if anyone seen him pack the stuff up, and all the other dealers (yes, the guy at the mall show this weekend was one of the dealers) said they didnt notice anything unusual. I talked to several of the guys I held paper on, they all looked at me like I was the bad guy. Called police, all they did was take a report. Couldnt find the guy , he didnt answer the phone at his mom's house (he lived in her basement). She said she hadnt seen him in a while. He didnt have a full time job either. He didnt show up at shows. This really bugged me for a while. I didnt go back to shows. I wouldnt loan any others $$$ to buy new stuff. I was done. Sold everything in 1997 for pennies on the dollar.

In 2010, I was asked to go to a show in Cincinnati, not as a dealer but just to go with a co-worker. I walked in, no one noticed me, I'd gained weight, grown go-tee, very short hair and almost bald on top. Saw framiliar faces but didnt say hi. Walked up to a table, saw older wax. Picked up a wrapped box of 1984 topps, turned it over and there were my initials. He had 10 of them. I asked the dealer about the wrapping of the wax boxes, said I didnt know they did that in the 80's. He said he they didnt, he'd bought them that way. Said he's been carrying them around to shows since 1996. He said he bought them in Kentucky. He asked me if I wanted to buy some, I said no.

So today, when he figured out that I knew he had my stolen product, he was quick to come down on price. He knew that I knew he had knowledge of what happened in Lexington in 1996.

So, basically, pieces of S@%T then, still pieces of S&#T now!

Fordman

 

[Lancemountain]

edit: never mind you told the story


How does that guy know you're the guy with the initials tho?

 

[fordman]

edit: never mind you told the story


How does that guy know you're the guy with the initials tho?

Today, when I turned the box of wrapped 1987 Topps over, showed him my initials, he figured it out. Who else wouldve known they were there but me?

I figured a bunch of them were in on it. They waited a while, hid the product. Not sure how long it's been since they started selling it, but at their prices, it still isnt going anywhere. He wanted $45 for the '87 Topps wax box.

Fordman

 

[Lancemountain]

and this stuff is so junky that it's been 20 years and he's still carrying around unsold? And you happened to just happen upon that box of junk wax afer all these years?

 

[fordman]

and this stuff is so junky that it's been 20 years and he's still carrying around unsold? And you happened to just happen upon that box of junk wax afer all these years?

I should have taken pics of the show today. So much stuff that these guys carry from one show to another, year after year, its unbelievable. 1 dealer with newer stuff.

After the 2010 show, I let it go. I wasnt going to live in the past. I let it go.

And yes, he happened to have several of those boxes with him. He probably had more at home or in his storage unit.

Fordman

 

[Lancemountain]

what a scumbag. Wonder how these guys can even bother setting up with this old junk anyway

 

[ChasHawk]

what a scumbag. Wonder how these guys can even bother setting up with this old junk anyway

Should have taken pictures of some of the junk I saw today at the Sun Times show.

I'm sure it's not cheap to set up there.

 

[Lancemountain]

so weird!

 

[cgilmo]

Should have taken pictures of some of the junk I saw today at the Sun Times show.

I'm sure it's not cheap to set up there.

$750

 

[Lancemountain]

reminds me of a story......I had a high priced card for sale and a buyer on eBay was sketching me out so I blocked him...turns out he really wanted to buy it but I just didn't trust the situation. He sent an email through ebay that he would be setting up at a show so I thought a cash in hand deal would be ok.

His whole case was all "PC" stuff...wasn't selling most of it, just buying and hanging out. SO weird.

 

[ChasHawk]

$750

There are guys there that had less merch than this with them.

And there are other guys who probably barely sold enough to cover this.