Card Show Buyer Preference

Swipe79 · 05-09-2022, 09:18 PM

We actually have what sounds like a real card show coming at the end of the month and I was going to set up a couple tables. I have some bulk .10/.25/.50/$1 stuff I'm sorting out.

To keep track, I'm planning on putting a specific color of dot on each card for pricing. Does that seem weird or ?

I don't know how else to differentiate if people are pulling from different bulk boxes.

LVDan · 05-09-2022, 09:22 PM

I used to use different plastics for each price level, something like:
.25 cards in penny sleeves only
1.00 cards in sm card savers
3$ cards(4/$10) in top loaders

Then individual prices on just about everything else. Or a box that says- Unpriced singles-ask me for quick quote(no phone lookups)
The color dots work too I think.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SearchPatrol · 05-09-2022, 10:56 PM

I wouldn't have the 10 cent cards in penny selves. Just leave them in a box on the other side of the table. Have the 25, 50 and $1 cards on the other side of the table with the color coded prices. Make sure to have a EASY to spot price instructions. Don't want people spending time and then putting the cards back.

solt0131 · 05-10-2022, 05:47 AM

Just make everything .50 cents each and let people stack them up. They'll pull such a mix that your $1 cards will balance out with your .25 cent ones.

griffan15 · 05-10-2022, 05:54 AM

Just use 3 tiers, you choose.

Unsleeved can be .25 or .50.
Sleeved can be $1.
$3-5+ can be toploaded, but put actual prices on these.

Luisrobertholi · 05-10-2022, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swipe79

We actually have what sounds like a real card show coming at the end of the month and I was going to set up a couple tables. I have some bulk .10/.25/.50/$1 stuff I'm sorting out.

To keep track, I'm planning on putting a specific color of dot on each card for pricing. Does that seem weird or ?

I don't know how else to differentiate if people are pulling from different bulk boxes.

This sounds perfect to me, as a buyer.

Raleigh504 · 05-10-2022, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solt0131

Just make everything .50 cents each and let people stack them up. They'll pull such a mix that your $1 cards will balance out with your .25 cent ones.

This! I wouldn't go overboard in having so many different types of pricing. Have a few at either .25, .50 and then $1+. Just when people come up say that you give deals on bulk items.

Towards the end of the show, if you are just wanting to move product then, say the .25 are now .10 and the .5 are .25 each.

gmarutiak · 05-10-2022, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swipe79

We actually have what sounds like a real card show coming at the end of the month and I was going to set up a couple tables. I have some bulk .10/.25/.50/$1 stuff I'm sorting out.

To keep track, I'm planning on putting a specific color of dot on each card for pricing. Does that seem weird or ?

I don't know how else to differentiate if people are pulling from different bulk boxes.

As long as you have a few signs clearly posted letting buyers know the prices of each dot sticker, this seems like a great system to me.

davidsb · 05-10-2022, 09:09 AM

After you decide how to price them, maybe consider sorting them out by team. I spend a lot more time in these boxes and tend to lightly search a random box.

dlin23 · 05-10-2022, 10:15 AM

I think nothing below .50 cents as it just gets to be too much going on. I do have a question for buyers with higher end slabs in showcases. Do buyers like to see a price on the slab or no price on the slab? Does prices being too high or at comps on a slab turn away buyers from haggling?

OhioLawyerF5 · 05-10-2022, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlin23

I think nothing below .50 cents as it just gets to be too much going on. I do have a question for buyers with higher end slabs in showcases. Do buyers like to see a price on the slab or no price on the slab? Does prices being too high or at comps on a slab turn away buyers from haggling?

I walk right by a showcase that isn't priced. I'm not about to ask the price of each card I'm interested in at a busy card show. One of my pet peeves.

RAV2773 · 05-10-2022, 10:28 AM

If someone is looking to buy cards under a $1, I dont think it will matter if they are .10, .25 or .50 because more than likely they will pick out a bunch to bundle together and ask you for a deal on the stack. So as someone earlier said, I would just make them all .50 and then just give bundle deals. It will all even out in the end and that way you don't have to deal with so many price points which gets confusing for you and the buyer and is also very time consuming.

smanzari · 05-10-2022, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solt0131

Just make everything .50 cents each and let people stack them up. They'll pull such a mix that your $1 cards will balance out with your .25 cent ones.

This is the easiest way to do it, then cut deals (or don't) based on what they grab

RAV2773 · 05-10-2022, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlin23

I think nothing below .50 cents as it just gets to be too much going on. I do have a question for buyers with higher end slabs in showcases. Do buyers like to see a price on the slab or no price on the slab? Does prices being too high or at comps on a slab turn away buyers from haggling?

Definitely better to have a realistic price on the slabs (something with some wiggle room to haggle of course) as a buyer I hate not seeing prices on anything because then it feels like a bother to ask for prices on the many cards that I might be interested in. Seeing a price let's me know if its even worth asking about. Another thing that might be helpful to you as a seller, is to maybe have a small post it sticker behind each slab with a couple of the most recent comps on it.

BigL7370 · 05-10-2022, 01:24 PM

I think pricing cards out by penny sleeve / no penny sleeve feels a little lazy.

Buying the lowest end cards, I’d rather have those cards be one price than having to sort out where I have to worry about sorting 100 cards whether they are in penny sleeves.

Marking penny sleeves do work.

It’s best to have clear signage as much as possible - don’t print something out that is hard to read in smaller fonts and have a complicated pricing structure.

ryanvas · 05-10-2022, 02:16 PM

Sort by price level and sport. Have one table be all .10 boxes, then .25 boxes. Next table .50 and $1. I just sort boxes by sport and haven't had an issue. Show I setup at I'm allowed to bring a small card table and put behind and let people put their stacks here (or on side of boxes). I wouldn't spend the time to sleeve or dot. I have had no issues using this method. I will also bring a bunch of 300/400 count boxes and either myself or some one helping me out will count up the stacks and box while customer still looks. This way just mark on box 50x1, 75 x.50, etc. Then I will take a little off at end for bulk buys.

tdbaseballcards · 05-10-2022, 02:21 PM

I do 10 cents in a box marked with no penny sleeves - this is mostly base. Then I have 25 cents in a box marked and these are in penny sleeves. Next I have $1 cards and they are in penny sleeves with price tags that say $1. Then I have $5 cards toploaded and priced.

frenchquarter · 05-11-2022, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swipe79

We actually have what sounds like a real card show coming at the end of the month and I was going to set up a couple tables. I have some bulk .10/.25/.50/$1 stuff I'm sorting out.

To keep track, I'm planning on putting a specific color of dot on each card for pricing. Does that seem weird or ?

I don't know how else to differentiate if people are pulling from different bulk boxes.

A lot of sellers use the colored dots. Then they display some charts that explain what each color means. I wouldn't bother with doing it for the 10 cent cards. Just put them in a box with a sign that says 10 cents each.

frenchquarter · 05-11-2022, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdbaseballcards

I do 10 cents in a box marked with no penny sleeves - this is mostly base. Then I have 25 cents in a box marked and these are in penny sleeves. Next I have $1 cards and they are in penny sleeves with price tags that say $1. Then I have $5 cards toploaded and priced.

That is my system and it works well.

Swipe79 · 05-12-2022, 10:32 AM

Thanks for all the feedback - I think I'm going to go with the following - I penny sleeve everything, so it'd be more work to do a .10 bin without sleeves.

.10 - no dot
.25/.50 - different colored dot
$1 - toploaded with a colored dot.

Everything else is priced and sorted. I'm a pretty organized collector, so hopefully people are able to find what they need (I can always help as well). I used to set up as a kid at shows in the 90s and it's been a long time since I've even been to a show. My kids are collecting with me now, so it will be awesome for them to have the experience.

I'm giving away free packs and grab bags to kids - the nine-year old has been putting them together. Our focus has been - let's have a good time with this and I want them to enjoy what we do.

05-09-2022, 09:18 PM	#1
Swipe79 Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 13,162 Swipe79 XFactor	Card Show Buyer Preference We actually have what sounds like a real card show coming at the end of the month and I was going to set up a couple tables. I have some bulk .10/.25/.50/$1 stuff I'm sorting out. To keep track, I'm planning on putting a specific color of dot on each card for pricing. Does that seem weird or ? I don't know how else to differentiate if people are pulling from different bulk boxes. __________________ Have a nice day!

05-09-2022, 09:22 PM	#2
LVDan Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 17,612	Card Show Buyer Preference I used to use different plastics for each price level, something like: .25 cards in penny sleeves only 1.00 cards in sm card savers 3$ cards(4/$10) in top loaders Then individual prices on just about everything else. Or a box that says- Unpriced singles-ask me for quick quote(no phone lookups) The color dots work too I think. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ So we cheated and we lied and we tested. And we never failed to fail; it was the easiest thing to do.

05-10-2022, 10:15 AM	#10
dlin23 Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 591	I think nothing below .50 cents as it just gets to be too much going on. I do have a question for buyers with higher end slabs in showcases. Do buyers like to see a price on the slab or no price on the slab? Does prices being too high or at comps on a slab turn away buyers from haggling? __________________ Basketball/ Collect: Lebron James, Michael Jordan Football/ Collect: Ladainian Tomlinson, Barry Sanders

05-12-2022, 10:32 AM	#20
Swipe79 Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 13,162 Swipe79 XFactor	Thanks for all the feedback - I think I'm going to go with the following - I penny sleeve everything, so it'd be more work to do a .10 bin without sleeves. .10 - no dot .25/.50 - different colored dot $1 - toploaded with a colored dot. Everything else is priced and sorted. I'm a pretty organized collector, so hopefully people are able to find what they need (I can always help as well). I used to set up as a kid at shows in the 90s and it's been a long time since I've even been to a show. My kids are collecting with me now, so it will be awesome for them to have the experience. I'm giving away free packs and grab bags to kids - the nine-year old has been putting them together. Our focus has been - let's have a good time with this and I want them to enjoy what we do. __________________ Have a nice day!

05-09-2022, 10:56 PM	#3
SearchPatrol Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 1,051 AndrewB	I wouldn't have the 10 cent cards in penny selves. Just leave them in a box on the other side of the table. Have the 25, 50 and $1 cards on the other side of the table with the color coded prices. Make sure to have a EASY to spot price instructions. Don't want people spending time and then putting the cards back.

05-10-2022, 05:47 AM	#4
solt0131 Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 9,131 PghSportsCards	Just make everything .50 cents each and let people stack them up. They'll pull such a mix that your $1 cards will balance out with your .25 cent ones.

05-10-2022, 05:54 AM	#5
griffan15 Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sterling, VA Posts: 7,539 griffan15	Just use 3 tiers, you choose. Unsleeved can be .25 or .50. Sleeved can be $1. $3-5+ can be toploaded, but put actual prices on these.

05-10-2022, 09:09 AM	#9
davidsb Member Join Date: Dec 2021 Posts: 10	After you decide how to price them, maybe consider sorting them out by team. I spend a lot more time in these boxes and tend to lightly search a random box.

05-10-2022, 10:28 AM	#12
RAV2773 Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: NJ Posts: 4,837 baseballking973	If someone is looking to buy cards under a $1, I dont think it will matter if they are .10, .25 or .50 because more than likely they will pick out a bunch to bundle together and ask you for a deal on the stack. So as someone earlier said, I would just make them all .50 and then just give bundle deals. It will all even out in the end and that way you don't have to deal with so many price points which gets confusing for you and the buyer and is also very time consuming.

05-10-2022, 01:24 PM	#15
BigL7370 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,062	I think pricing cards out by penny sleeve / no penny sleeve feels a little lazy. Buying the lowest end cards, I’d rather have those cards be one price than having to sort out where I have to worry about sorting 100 cards whether they are in penny sleeves. Marking penny sleeves do work. It’s best to have clear signage as much as possible - don’t print something out that is hard to read in smaller fonts and have a complicated pricing structure.

05-10-2022, 02:16 PM	#16
ryanvas Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 2,826 ryanvas Ryanvas	Sort by price level and sport. Have one table be all .10 boxes, then .25 boxes. Next table .50 and $1. I just sort boxes by sport and haven't had an issue. Show I setup at I'm allowed to bring a small card table and put behind and let people put their stacks here (or on side of boxes). I wouldn't spend the time to sleeve or dot. I have had no issues using this method. I will also bring a bunch of 300/400 count boxes and either myself or some one helping me out will count up the stacks and box while customer still looks. This way just mark on box 50x1, 75 x.50, etc. Then I will take a little off at end for bulk buys.

05-10-2022, 02:21 PM	#17
tdbaseballcards Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: MA Posts: 1,876 tdbaseballcards tdbaseballcards	I do 10 cents in a box marked with no penny sleeves - this is mostly base. Then I have 25 cents in a box marked and these are in penny sleeves. Next I have $1 cards and they are in penny sleeves with price tags that say $1. Then I have $5 cards toploaded and priced.