Polite Dissent

E-Bay has certainly changed the way I buy my back-issue comics. I used to prowl around the dimly lit back rooms of dusty, forsaken comic shops looking for my back issues. That works fine, assuming you live in a big enough city to support multiple comic shops. It also works well when looking for a broad range of issues, but is pretty much luck-of-the-draw when looking for elusive individual issues. On the plus side, the condition of the comic is easy to determine for yourself.

Now, I buy most of my back-issues on e-Bay. I can sit at home and search e-Bay for what I want. If it’s not there, I can always search again in a few days, or few weeks. I’ve never not found what I’m looking for; it may take awhile, but it’ll show up (admittedly, I’m not looking for super-rare Silver or Golden Age comics — that’s what auctions or dealers are for).

There are certainly some downsides to using e-Bay. First, money is sent before you get the merchandise, so there’s always the risk of not getting what you paid for. The best bet here is to buy from established sellers with good feedback — don’t just check the number, read the actual feedback to get a feel of how business is done. Always look back to last few negatives to see if the complaints seemed valid. I’m not worried about 1 or 2 negatives; sell to enough people, and somebody will be unhappy. I get concerned when I see a lot of negatives or neutrals, or a few with a low overall score. Along the same lines, I think twice before buying from someone using private feedback.

On e-Bay, condition cannot be verified before you buy. I find that almost everyone overgrades their comics, so I always assume a slightly lower grade than advertised. Again, buying from an established dealer or someone with a good feedback profile will help here. If grade is a big concern, you can always buy CGC graded comics; they’re easy to find on e-Bay. I don’t do this because the high grades always end up overpriced (I don’t care if it is a 10.0 book, U.S. 1 is still a worthless comic, and not worth 50 cents, let alone $100), and I actually like to read the comics I own, and that invalidates the CGC grade.

My biggest personal problem on e-Bay is doubles. Most e-Bay comics are sold in sets or lots. So I often end up buying 2 or 3 more comics more than the specific issue I want, and up with 2, 3, 0r even more copies of certain issues. Not a big deal, because I can sell the doubles myself on e-Bay, but just a hassle.

As I’ve both bought and sold comics regularly on e-Bay, here are some annoyances I’ve encountered, and pointers to both buyers and sellers:

• A lot implies many comics (alot of comics, duh), not just 2 or 3. “Witchblade lot” suggests you are offering more than just a handful of comics
• If you advertise a run of comics (i.e. Amazing Spider-Man #310-330), this should mean that you are offering all of that run. In the body of item, it should not say: issues 310, 312, 324-325, 330. If it’s not a complete run, indicate that in the title.
• Along the same line, if you are offering a run of comics in Trade Paperback format instead of individual comics, be specific about it. Don’t lead off with “100 Bullets, issues #1-15” and then hide the fact that the run consists of trade paperbacks at the bottom of the listing.
• Reserve prices are annoying. I hate winning a bid for an item, only to discover that it’s still below the reserve price. Be up front with the pricing. If you don’t want to sell it for under a certain amount, then make that the starting price.
• If it’s not CGC graded, don’t give it a number grade as if it were. Don’t call it “apparent 9.8″, or “certain 9.6″ or such nonsense. Call it “near mint” or “good” or whatever.
• Be up front about shipping & handling charges; don’t try to make up money on a cheap auction by charging for exorbitant S&H fees.
• However, remember that it is shipping and handling. I charge slightly more than shipping alone (usually by 25-50 cents, depending on the size of the item) because I package securely, and that costs money. If I ship at just postage alone, I lose money.
• Media mail is fine, but ship promptly. I pay quickly and expect the same courtesy. I expect to see the item on my doorstep within 2-3 weeks. Even Media Mail is faster than this (but according to Comic Buyer’s Guide, there are some questions as to whether or not comics are eligible for Media Mail as they contain advertisements).
• Leave feedback promptly. Sellers should leave feedback when the payment has been received (or cleared the bank, if a check). Don’t play “feedback extortion” by waiting until I give you feedback before you give me my feedback. As buyer, my job is to pay for items, and as soon as I’ve done this I deserve my feedback. That is my policy when I’m selling.
• Finally, remember that annoying smart-alecs like myself will be reading your listing, so make sure of your facts. For example, the infamous DC Implosion occurred in 1978, long after the demise of The Hawk and the Dove.