Are Card Shows the place to find "Cheap" Autos, GU's, etc?

[Bambam612]

Do people usually underprice or over price cards at your local card shows?

[cbuskstwar]

Most overprice but there seems to always be the one guy dumping everything you just need to find him and flash the cash.

[rednecksims]

Usually $1-2 auto/GU boxes. Besides that it's usually about ebay prices and you can talk them down little if your lucky.

[messier2]

The big thing for me about card shows is that you can really inspect the card, haggle a bit (not a lot) and most guys (dealers) are always happy to talk about the hobby (good, bad and ugly). That's the big 3 for me.

Yes, each show has some "dumpster" bin with cheap jersey/autos that you can dig in and spend hours going through.

Good luck!

[phasesout]

I have a big box of $1-$2 autos/game used cards I display at shows. Not many of the other sellers seem to do this. And I do shows in Missouri no less; stop by some time!

I figure the alternative to selling at shows for $1-2 would be selling to Blowout for essentially the same amount of store credit (but they don't take USA cards unfortunately), or selling to some other dealer to make grab bags.

[whitesoxfan3579]

Originally Posted by cbuskstwar

Most overprice but there seems to always be the one guy dumping everything you just need to find him and flash the cash.

Yes, very very true. It's amazing how fast people gravitate towards that dealer's table after a buyer discovers that the dealer is motivated to sell. I have noticed that the same phenomenon occurs when a "new" dealer sets up for the first time at a show..

Originally Posted by rednecksims

Usually $1-2 auto/GU boxes. Besides that it's usually about ebay prices and you can talk them down little if your lucky.

Agreed. Typically a show will have dealers with mostly low-end cards or mostly high-end cards. I think the $1, $2, and even $5 auto/GU boxes are very popular because you have several factors involved that add to the overall show experience: 1) the thrill of the hunt and not knowing what you may find and 2) as a general rule it appears to be easier to move low-end cards at shows rather than on ebay. Plus I am surprised at how often a buyer will swoop in and work out a deal to purchase everything right away.

Originally Posted by messier2

The big thing for me about card shows is that you can really inspect the card, haggle a bit (not a lot) and most guys (dealers) are always happy to talk about the hobby (good, bad and ugly). That's the big 3 for me.

Yes, each show has some "dumpster" bin with cheap jersey/autos that you can dig in and spend hours going through.

Good luck!

I typically attend at least two shows a month in NJ, PA, DE (and sometimes VA and NY as well). I have built relationships with lots of dealers during the past two years that I got back into the hobby.

Yesterday one of the dealers I typically buy from asked me "How much do you want to pay for this card?" Others will give me a fair market price right off the bat, so negotiation is not necessary. In my opinion when you need to negotiate I strongly believe you should not lead with, "this card just sold for xx on ebay" while quoting the lowest sale price. I have also found that many dealers set-up at the same shows and they likely have other contacts at the same show that you are attending and/or other shows as well. If you attempt to low-ball too many of them then they may not want to deal with you.

There are more effective ways to negotiate without throwing ebay sales in the dealer's face. For instance, I have had success with quoting a range of ebay prices (low to high) and working to find common ground. Bear in mind,there are other factors involved that you may not be privy to (i.e. how much money the dealer has in the card and in that case he is not going to care how low a particular card recently sold for at auction. He wants to recoup his cost or at the very least recover some of his loss and he may not want to sell the card anyway at the current market price).

[Bambam612]

Lol someone messaged me and said:

You buy all the $1 and $2 boxes you can find then go to the next show and sell it all for a dollar more. I guess its a good way to make some quick cash LOL

[RandysHobby]

Originally Posted by Bambam612

Lol someone messaged me and said:

You buy all the $1 and $2 boxes you can find then go to the next show and sell it all for a dollar more. I guess its a good way to make some quick cash LOL

Lol, you might make 300 bucks over a few years doing that!

[cbuskstwar]

Originally Posted by whitesoxfan3579

Yes, very very true. It's amazing how fast people gravitate towards that dealer's table after a buyer discovers that the dealer is motivated to sell. I have noticed that the same phenomenon occurs when a "new" dealer sets up for the first time at a show..

Usually its the old dealers try to buy up all the new guys stuff so they can continue to try and sell high on everything. I would suggest installing the ebay app on your phone before you go to any show, just to insure your paying a fair price.

[whitesoxfan3579]

Originally Posted by cbuskstwar

Usually its the old dealers try to buy up all the new guys stuff so they can continue to try and sell high on everything. I would suggest installing the ebay app on your phone before you go to any show, just to insure your paying a fair price.

Ah. I didn't think about that (the old dealers buying the new guys stuff). Makes sense.

The eBay app is installed on my iPad that I ALWAYS bring I typically step away from the dealers table and go somewhere else at the show to check eBay prices.

[Matesamo]

My favorite dealer at the Mansfield card show is a 10-20% of book value seller. His table is always mobbed.

[notoriousrmb]

Recent shows around here, you'll be lucky to see prices START at ebay value. Most are 50% higher.

What's the "right" way to handle discussions for dealers like this? Say I see a card I want that sell for $20 on eBay and the guy at the table says he wants $50? Do you just say "no thank you" and move on?

It feels rude to whip out eBay on your phone and say no it only sells for this amount...as if eBay is the only allowable sale value.

[rednecksims]

Originally Posted by notoriousrmb

Recent shows around here, you'll be lucky to see prices START at ebay value. Most are 50% higher.

What's the "right" way to handle discussions for dealers like this? Say I see a card I want that sell for $20 on eBay and the guy at the table says he wants $50? Do you just say "no thank you" and move on?

It feels rude to whip out eBay on your phone and say no it only sells for this amount...as if eBay is the only allowable sale value.

Some do it to see if they can get an uneducated person to buy or a impulse buy. Some do it because they are uneducated themselves. Some do it because they are just there to show off their collection. Sometimes you have to ask questions to figure out which one they are and go from there.

[phasesout]

Originally Posted by notoriousrmb

Recent shows around here, you'll be lucky to see prices START at ebay value. Most are 50% higher.

What's the "right" way to handle discussions for dealers like this? Say I see a card I want that sell for $20 on eBay and the guy at the table says he wants $50? Do you just say "no thank you" and move on?

It feels rude to whip out eBay on your phone and say no it only sells for this amount...as if eBay is the only allowable sale value.

As an occasional show seller a lot of my stock comes from buying on eBay. If I buy a card for $20 on eBay it would likely be priced $30 when I'm selling it. A 50% markup might seem high but after the buyer haggles (and 90% do) it'll sell for $25. I could price it at $20 and it may sell right away, but where's my incentive to just break even? (Or really, lose money when you're paying table fees).

As a buyer I'm usually turned off by 150% markups and don't even bother wasting either of our time trying to haggle that far. If it's a 50% markup, give it a shot!