I learned it’s easier to just buy comics as a fan 😊

Lugging boxes can sometimes lead to 'back issues.' I LoL'd at that unintended pun!

You kinda touched on it in #20, but you really have to be a people person to get into dealing. You have to take people at their best and at their worst and I've met so many comic dealers/shop owners that are just the most miserable/grumpy people ever. Thats never fun for anyone and certainly doesn't create an environment where I want to spend my money.

#14. Smaller/cheaper keys usually sell faster than grails/higher priced keys.

Thanks for the insight into dealing. I've got 0% interest in becoming a dealer, but you can tell these lessons were hard learned and hard earned.

I remember watching the day you decided to do this full time. You deserve to be very successful because of all the hard work you put in. Good luck.

I think slabbed comics have ruined comic book collecting, and the hobby as a whole. I refuse to slab my books, or even buy slabs. Also, I've seen too many times where the slabs ruin the books.

“It’s hard to move crap…”
Will be etched in some poor comic dealer’s headstone.

No desire to become a dealer but this is good info to know from a collector perspective.

Relationships you build in the community is definitely the biggest thing when it comes to this

#7 was spot on. Recently had a guy who was selling a collection and was wanting  around $50k for it. Was like 18,000 books and zero keys in it. The books themselves while great silverage vintage books. We’re all so ragged up and beat to hell, selling them would have been impossible in themselves.

My co-partner and 2 other dealers were going to split of the cost of buying this collection after seeing the condition and all told him they weren’t interested. Dude flipped out and was telling them they were just trying to get him to come down on his price and we were all scammers. One of the dealers flat out told him they don’t want his shit books cause they would never be able to sell them. Much less make any kind of profit.

Guy still went off on them telling them they were going to buy his collection and such. They just laughed and walked away cause it was just so crazy how the guy acted.

Told them, I bet they weren’t the first to see that collection and he had been told it wasn’t worth close to what he was asking. Cause they heard his own wife asking why my partner and friends weren’t buying these books he had told her was worth a bunch of money cause she wanted those books out of her house. 😂😂

Non-paying bidders have been a problem for 26 years.
And, eBay refuses to do anything about it.

I agree you don’t want to rip people off buying collections but you also need to be careful not to pay the “sucker” price. Most people are willing to be fair if you’re open and honest about what they have.

That really made me appreciate the people who do decide to become comic owners more. I didn’t know quite how difficult it was to stay afloat, never mind turn a profit. Unfortunately I don’t think that LCSs will survive the next couple of decades, which is truly sad.

Gotta love comic book people. We are fun to talk to and I’m so glad it’s easier to do that today then it was when I started in the 70’s.

You continuously produce quality content. The thought and vulnerability in this video is why you have one of the best followings in the comic book industry.

One thing that always gets me is the speed with which someone will turn on your for a profit.  You get to the point you trust a person and then they just screw you on something out of the blue.

Incredible insight, as usual! It's one thing to be knowledgeable, but another entirely to be able to impart that knowledge on others. You are very good at that, sir.

Fellow retailer (a bit more broadly based). Been following your videos for a few years now. This is by far the best video that you have posted. Really smart, really practical advice, well stated, well delivered. The difference between this and the videos before you opened your store is night and day. Proud of you man!

A lot of these also apply to comic creators. If you don't have a following, your sales and numbers are going to be less than desirable. Be honest, be personable, and don't be lazy! I've learned the hard way how hard it is to sell and create comics, so be prepared to put the work in