For novice and advanced comic book collectors alike, one of the best parts of the comic book collecting journey is finding and purchasing comics you’re really excited about, especially when you find hidden gems that others miss.
Everyone is browsing eBay for the latest comics for sale, and everyone is rummaging through the shelves of your local comic book retailer. But for that individual comic book collector down the road from you who wants to sell their comics – how many people are actually looking at what they’re selling?
Being able to go directly to the source and buying comics from other individual collectors can be a fun and rewarding experience. Here are some tips:
In this article
First And Foremost, Be Careful
Unfortunately there are people out there with less-than-stellar intentions. Keep your guard up the entire time to prevent yourself from being scammed as well as being hurt. Always use common sense like meeting in a public place if you have to meet at all, keep money in an escrow account or mediator until the transaction has been completed and approved, and so on. This is the one downside of transactions off of a trusted marketplace – limited protections for both the buyer and seller.
Make Yourself Known As A Potential Buyer
Being the first buyer to show up can have its advantages, especially when dealing with an individual seller. One of the best strategies to find these opportunities is to announce yourself as in the market for purchasing comic books. If you can reach a wide enough audience, whether through your own social media channels or a collectors group you belong to, you may catch someone who is about to list their items for sale but hasn’t done so yet. It’s those opportunities where you can make a quick and easy sale happen, which both parties would be thrilled about.
Find The Unannounced And Unmarketed Lot Sales
Sometimes comic books are being sold as part of a larger estate sale and may not even be listed. Keep an eye out for estate sales, lot sales, overstock sales and storage unit sales. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack, but when you find something that no one else knows about, the thrill is indescribable and the financial gains can be huge.
Prioritize Being An Easy Buyer To Sell To
Of course you want the best price, but remember that you’re dealing with a fellow human on the other side of the transaction here. And in many cases, what they’re selling could have sentimental value as well. So be kind, be pleasant to work with, and make sure you value the other person’s time and needs just as much as your own. The collecting world is small, you don’t want to build a bad reputation for yourself.
Understand Valuations And Get Good At Doing Quick Pricing Research
In many of these scenarios you may have to make a quick decision on a comic you weren’t expecting to find. Even if you are an expert, it can be tough to know what a fair value is off the top of your head. Make sure you know how to determine a rough valuation for a comic book on the fly so you won’t get sidetracked in this process.
Check Out What Sparkle City Comics Has For Sale!
Take a look at what comic books we have for sale on our eBay auctions page. We’re constantly adding exciting comics, so be sure to check back early and often!
