hi!! i signed up to attend a card show at a local university next weekend. i’m v excited, but also pretty nervous as i’m an anxious person in general and this will be my first time attending anything like this. the closest i’ve come to this kind of experience was in high school when i got a part-time job assisting a rare book seller at a convention (long story lol). being around a ton of people with way more knowledge than me is intimidating, and i don’t wanna piss anyone off, so i’m hoping i can pick up some tips and tricks from the fine people of E4.
my goal is to not spend any money, but instead trade for a few new pieces of cardboard using my own pieces of cardboard i’ve put everything i think is worth trading into a binder, including some shadowless and 1st Ed wotc, some ex era stamped reverses, and a pinch of SV151 from some packs i opened last week.
whether i can find anyone who’s interested in trading for those is obviously impossible to answer, but what i’m worried about is assessing the value of what i have and the value of what they have to trade. should i make a list of what i want to trade and their values using tcgplayer so i can reference it? would it be weird to be at someone’s booth and negotiating and ask to look up what they’re trying to trade? is that a faux pas? am i wildly overthinking this? from scanning the fourum i’ve gleaned that vendors at shows generally do an 80% valuation on trades so i’m prepared for that, but i am a total pushover and not good at negotiating so i’m trying to do some legwork in advance.
any advice/wisdom/tips/tricks are welcome, general or specific thanks in advance!!
As a former seller at local shows, you’d be the kind of person I’d be most interested in trading with.
I used eBay last sold listings to negotiate, but everyone has their preferred app.
I’d make a list if you have a habit of impulsive dealings, just so you can keep your “eyes on the prize” so to speak. I’ve been a buyer too, of course, and I’ve walked past cards I more so “needed” as I had hit my budget or traded on things I decided I wanted on the spot. Again, valuation tools and platforms are subjective so maybe be prepped to talk a bit more.
I would like to iterate the importance of knowing what you value your trade offers at, though. That is 100% worth compiling and recording the day before at latest, for the most accurate valuations. I apologize if that was unclear pre-edit.
It’s expected that patrons will look things up, that’s likely what the sellers are doing anyways. They should be, IMHO, at least.
You’ll do fine, everyone is different so be prepared to have different experiences at different tables but you’re coming into this with more forethought and insight than I’d say most would be.
Most importantly, have fun!!
You sound like you know what you want, which is why I say your attitude is preferred. The worst spot to be in as a seller is dealing with someone who knows neither what they want or what they’re doing, especially if they walk away without a deal done. That wasted time opened the seller up to a world of potential consequences.
this is helpful, thank you!! i love talking to people so that’s not a fear, but yes your edit RE: wasting vendor’s time is what i’m worried about. it sounds like my best solution for that is to come in prepared which i’m happy to do.
i’m glad to hear people are regularly checking prices during negotiations!! i’m sure i won’t be making the most advantageous deals even with that, but it still feels better to do some actual trading as opposed to just buying singles off of the internet.
Even if you weren’t super prepared, you would still be making life easier for the sellers as you know what you want. I just say to know the values of your own cards so as to ensure maximum trade value for all parties. It’s not as much “sink or swim”, but people sometimes treat card shows like the Trading Room at the NYSE on Wall Street and it’s not that serious. Those types usually have a GoPro Hero 6 on a chest rig that isn’t intended for anti-theft at all.
I also fully agree with trading, the word is quite literally included in the abbreviation we all use for International release cards, haha. Best of luck!!
Ive been to 2 collect a cons, and the advice I have is
Bring cash just in case you see something you might not be able to trade for. You never know what you might see and want!
You already probably know, but dont be afraid to price check, and haggle. Surprisingly vendors sometimes like being wrong about their ever changing prices, but alot of them are honest when trading/buying with prices.
Bring Food/Water because youll obviously want a break, and some people do catering and the prices arent worth it if you didnt plan a meal ahead. Trail mix and beef jerky are your friend.
This is a personal note, but dont get discouraged by some prices you may see. I went in with a budget, and had more fun browsing the smaller binders over the high priced main modern stuff. Times always change though, so maybe its gotten better.
Good luck though, and Id be down to learn of your experience when you get back.
i thought this was a thread about someone bringing their baby to a card show like it’s disneyland, and was very curious. that being said, just seconding previous responses and hoping you have a fun time!
thank you!! snacks and water is a great idea!! haggling is not my strong suit but i’ll give it my best shot. i’ll try to bring some cash but as far as i’m concerned my budget is “what can i get for the cards i walk in with”. luckily my standards, especially for card condition, are pretty low. i just wanna fill out my binders so hopefully i don’t get too discouraged!!
What kind of cards you have that you want to move will determine what kind of percentage you will get for them. With lower end giving lower percentages while higher end yielding higher percentages.
I know this part is intimidating but don’t be afraid to sell your cards instead of only trading. At shows I am often able to find people who are willing to buy my cards at 80%. I then use that cash to buy the cards I would want for less than their sticker (typically in the 5-10% off range). By doing this extra step I not only in essence increase the of the cards I brought and sold but also did not hinder myself at a seller not wanting what I brought to trade. I do this maximize value more than anything else.
I’ve found that cash is king for the local shows around me, and most sellers would round down if paying that way.
Also, if you’re not completely on board with a trade and it feels like you’re being in any way pressured, walk away. Don’t want to look back on a trade/transaction with regret.
thank you for emphasizing this!! it’s going to be the most difficult part for me i think, i hate disappointing people. but you’re right, i’ll have more regret over a bad trade than i would over letting down a vendor
i’ve put everything i think is worth trading into a binder, including some shadowless and 1st Ed wotc, some ex era stamped reverses, and a pinch of SV151 from some packs i opened last week.