Ep.266 w/ Dr.James Beckett "Selling in the modern hobby"

SPEAKER 1: What is up everybody? Episode 266 of Sports Card Nation. I'm John Newman. Happy to be back as always. If you listen to this on Show Day, Release Day, it's Friday, Happy Friday. But whatever day you're listening to it, we hope you are doing well. I got one of my favorite guests on the program today. Not his first time here. It's been on numerous times, but it's been a little bit.

SPEAKER 1: So I thought it was time to have him back and that's Doctor James Beckett, a co-host of mine on Hobby Hotline. But more importantly, gotten to know him over the years, a friend and bringing him on today, we're gonna talk about selling cards. You know, whenever I have them on, you know, I try to talk about something we haven't kind of covered and we both are card sellers so we might do it in different fashions.

SPEAKER 1: So wanted to pick his brain when it comes to how he goes about moving some of his inventory, some tips tricks and, and you know, I don't wanna say theories but ways he goes about it and we kind of compare notes. So fun episode, fun conversation. Hope you enjoy it. With that being said, let's start the show.

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SPEAKER 1: Always excited when I have the next gentleman on the podcast. It's been a little bit since his last appearance. So I figured we were a little bit o overdue. I always introduce him, the same way as the man who needs no introduction but hobby icon, as I always say, Doctor James Beckett. Welcome to Sports Car Nation.

SPEAKER 3: I would say the pleasure is all mine, but you said the pleasure is all yours. So, I, I'm gonna enjoy it.

SPEAKER 1: Well, I, I appreciate that.

SPEAKER 1: You know, so you've been on obviously multiple times. We do have a hotline together.

SPEAKER 1: One thing I've never really conversated with you about, at least extensively is the selling aspect. I sell cards obviously online. I set up a show.

SPEAKER 1: You're a Com C power seller. You can correct me if I'm wrong. So I wanted shorter to pick your brain when it comes to selling. I'm sure other people are, are curious like, like I am as well. I mean, let's be honest, Doctor Jim, like you don't have to sell cards. You, you'd be more than fine if you didn't. Same here. So what is it about the aspect of, of selling some cards that, that you enjoy?

SPEAKER 3: Well, the original 1% rule that I had because I really need to have less cards.

SPEAKER 3: I have too many.

SPEAKER 3: The original 1% rule is I noticed that on Com C I was selling 1% of my inventory a month and I thought if I just put more stuff on Com C I'Ll sell 1% a month.

SPEAKER 3: The problem is I'm, I'm putting more than 1% a month on Com C so it just, it, it doesn't shrink but it is a way to get cards that people want that are in many cases true collectors can get cards of their player specific card and, and and have an easy way to get it for their collection. So, that's been the fun of it for me.

SPEAKER 3: But my 1% rule that really has to, that's why I introduced Ebay because I wasn't selling fast enough on Com C, no, no fault of Com C's, but selling individual cards, I need to sell groups of cards so that I, I've added Ebay into the mix, a couple of years ago.

SPEAKER 1: So you're sort of new to, to, to Ebay, at least in, like you said, in the last year.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, I bought some stuff, I probably sold some stuff a long time ago but not, not, really faithfully putting lots up. I learned from Mike so that Ebay likes it. If you put it up, regular postings of, of, of lots for sale or items for sale. If you put something up and then three months later put some more stuff up, you, you just don't get found in the searches.

SPEAKER 1: How much of the inventory that you left, how much of its stuff you've had for a while versus stuff, maybe through the singles club or going to the Dallas Card show.

SPEAKER 1: You know, what percentage, you know, can you clarify it to that level?

SPEAKER 3: Well, nowadays it's probably 5050 because I'm going through stuff that I have that I'm trying to thin out because like I said, I'm trying to get rid of 1% a month.

SPEAKER 3: But then if I buy something at a show which I mainly just buy at the National a little bit and the, Dallas Card shows here and, you know, Dollar Box stuff, which is perfect for, for, for Com C you just have to be patient.

SPEAKER 3: It's not like it's gonna immediately sell on Com C, that you bought it for a dollar and then it sells immediately for five bucks on Com C but over the course of the next five years, yes, it probably will sell for five bucks when the person that sees it wants it.

SPEAKER 3: But it's, it's, it's not a, I don't do quick flips too much on, on Com ci I don't, that's not what I use it for. In fact, most of the flippers if you're gonna sell, they're, they're flipping it, they're gonna sell to somebody else.

SPEAKER 3: So I want to price it pretty much retail. And so then somebody that's a collector says I want this card. I'm not it, I'm putting it in my collection. So that's kind of, you know, every car needs to find a home John.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. Well, you won't, you won't get an argument from me there. And sometimes, like you said, I'm trying take a page out of your book and kind of knock my show and inventory down and really be selective, you know, when it comes to my, my PC stuff, which is Hall Of Fame. Rookies usually graded on the graded side, o of the house.

SPEAKER 1: But, you know, with, with, to see like everyone, you might have a different deal, but you know, you have to be strategic too because it could cost, you know, 50 cents a card to list. I tend, I, I use CC as well. Not probably as much as, as you do. But I always usually, like, bring the cards when they're at, at a show in person.

SPEAKER 1: So, you know, the show, the National being in Cleveland, that's drivable for me. So I'Ll probably have, you know, a 6, 800 cal do that. I'Ll bring where I can hand hand deliver it. But you got, you know, with that cost, you'd have to make sure you're listing stuff that makes sense, to list, is, is that something? Well, there's two.

SPEAKER 3: Things, I mean, if you're just criminally posting to Com, see, then you're not really gonna have a great experience. The, the optimal experience is either number one.

SPEAKER 3: Well, actually the optimal experience is to be on there enough that, you know, what sells and what, there's a, a lot of there, there's some stuff that sells on there, but it, it's under 50 cents. And so you can't pay 50 you can't buy it for a dollar, pay 50 cents, ship it there or bring it to them and then find out that they're available for 50 cents.

SPEAKER 3: And you just lost money. You, you, and so you, but, but you, you also, it's not very practical to look up each card. And so that's why people throw things in the Dollar Box. It is a little bit better card but it's not, you know, you know, it's not, not a guarantee, it's not a high demand player. It's not a, a high demand insert or something like that.

SPEAKER 3: So, so, but if so my edge now is that I'm familiar with, you know, the Almond Act and what's, what's, what out there. But I also know what sells on Comp C. So I have a big advantage. Rich is like that too. He knows that he knows the cards, but he's also familiar with Com C but he's, he's not real big on Comp C obviously because he works there. But he sells it shows I don't sell it shows. So I'm just, those are my two outlets.

SPEAKER 1: So once you list the card on Com, we'll, we'll, we'll use Comp C, for example, I know you, you mentioned Ebay, but once you list the card on, on Comp C and then you set your selling price. Do you ever go back and adjust it? Let's say it's a Christian mccaffrey.

SPEAKER 1: And so you listed it before the season starts and then he's playing lights out. W do you actually, do you go back and make adjustments or once it's listed, it's listed and if it's a deal for somebody, kudos to them for, for finding it.

SPEAKER 3: Well, there's, there's a catch to that. I mean, number 1 90% of my reviewing the prices that I have is to lower, you know, to see that, hey, they, they're not selling, I'm gonna lower the price. Maybe somebody is lower than me. And I, I really can afford to, to lower my price and it's just been sitting there for a long time.

SPEAKER 3: So that's, that's more than 90% of it. In fact, it's probably 99% of it. I don't go through my inventory and see what can I increase. So what happens with? This is a little bit controversial and it makes people mad, but I a lot of times accept offers but not always.

SPEAKER 3: And sometimes if they offer on a Christian mccaffrey card that, that I priced many years ago, as many years ago as it could be because he's not that old of a player, but say four years ago, II I I posted it and the price is doubled. Well, the person should just buy it. But when they make me an offer, I say, do I wanna cons I'm considering the offer and I'm my consideration is that they should have bought it.

SPEAKER 3: Not made me a low ball offer on something that's, that's now easily worth double. And so I'Ll change the price, I'Ll reject their offer and you know, if I had a chance to send them a message, I'd say sorry, dude. But you know, you, this was low hanging fruit. You should have picked it and, and eaten it.

SPEAKER 3: And so I'Ll, I'Ll put the price where it should be, but that's one that's not even 1% that's not even 1%. In fact, most offers I just accept and if it's gone up a little bit, I just accept it. But if it's doubled, iii I just think there who's being greedy?

SPEAKER 3: Am I being greedy by doubling the price? Are they being greedy? By thinking I'm gonna get an even bigger steal of offering half off or whatever of something that was already a great deal. So it's just you know, Com C does not provide this opportunity to D MS and things like that.

SPEAKER 3: So it's just, it's sort of anonymous and people can get frustrated but if it's there and it's for sale, they can just buy it and if they make an offer, I can either accept or reject. But when I reject, it's almost always to raise the price.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. And outside with you like I agree with you, Doctor Jim. I mean, if it, it's kind of a steal because you haven't adjusted the prices to, to begin with and then they're haggling some more, I think for, for some people, I don't wanna get paint with a broad brush, I think for some people it's sort of in their DNA to sort of you know, haggle or, or just try to get it even lower.

SPEAKER 1: I think sometimes as a buyer. I know even myself, when I buy cards, on a selling platform, if the deal is good, why, you know, I'm just, hey, buy it now, you know, quickly get it in my car and pay for it rather than try to get a quarter, 50 cents a dollar more off.

SPEAKER 1: I mean, if, if it's not a situation like that where I'm trying to get it for where, you know, it, it, it's beneficial to me. Maybe if I'm planning to resell it, that's, that's one thing. But if it's already a deal, like you said, just go ahead and pull the trigger and, and make the purchase. So I, I don't blame you and I, I'm probably done, the same thing and, you just gotta know when to use it.

SPEAKER 3: It's, it's, I, I don't think necessarily I'm teaching them a lesson, but it's, there should be a lesson learned instead of getting mad at me for raising the price. I think, you know, I had my chance. I blew it. The same thing could happen at a card show if you've got your, your, your, your showcase there.

SPEAKER 3: And they, they say, hey, they don't say how much for this card they say that card you've got for 10 bucks there and you didn't, you haven't priced it for six months, you know, you priced it from six months ago, 10 bucks. Would you take five?

SPEAKER 3: You pull it out you look at it and say, oh my goodness, this is a parallel, you know, I miss price. This, what are you gonna do? You're not gonna give it to me five bucks. And if they, if they said, if he says I'Ll give you 10 for it, you know, then, you know, that's an awkward conversation.

SPEAKER 1: Well, I would honor the price, let's say, well, under the price. But if he walks away, if that person walks away and then, then I might get my price gun out and you should adjust it, but they're gonna get that first crack. I might even say that I might even tell that to him.

SPEAKER 1: Like I'm not trying to be a salesman here. It's well underpriced. I, you know, you caught it. If you want it for that, you're, you can buy it. Good deal for you. If you pass on it, I'm about to pull it out there and put a different price on it. So, but, you know, if.

SPEAKER 3: You saw somebody at a show, they'd think that's salesmanship. He's just trying to talk me into buying this because he says if you don't buy it, I'm gonna double the price. I mean, it, they just, people are sometimes suspicious even though I think your intentions would be, would be true. You know, I'm gonna put on this card after you walk away. They think sure you are buddy.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. No, I've, I, I've had that situation occur, you know, and I've even talked about it on this show as, as a show dealer, like when I price my cards, there's many times I sort of build in a haggle price. In other word.

SPEAKER 1: I know I'm probably someone's gonna offer less. So I sort of, that's in the back of my mind as I price the cards, you know, and I always tell somebody, you know, if you're, if you're buying 34 or, or more cards, I'm more likely to give you, you know, sometimes, actually in many cases, Doctor Jim, some, some people will, you know, hand me four or five cards, not ask for a deal.

SPEAKER 1: And I'Ll say, hey, there, you know, I got $20 all total, they come up to 2015 bucks. Like I'Ll, I'Ll, without them even haggling four or five bucks off. So I'm more apt to, to give a deal.

SPEAKER 3: If someone's buying multiple cards rather than YouTube than one card I do or Ebay, either one, if they, if they're doing a multiple offer on something, it's much more likely to be accepted.

SPEAKER 1: And that, and that's not to say again, like the example you brought, if I have a $10 card and some, you know, it's in the case or $20 card and it's in the case and someone says, would you take 15 for that? Ii, I may very well do that, but I'm more apt to deal when they're taking, you know, other cards.

SPEAKER 1: And, and, and, and again, a lot of times I just kind of give a deal without the, you know, I, sometimes I get that shocked look like thank you. You know, they weren't even necessarily, expecting and just, you know, and maybe it comes from, you know what I did my first show at 15 of 36 years, of, of doing shows.

SPEAKER 1: You just learn a few things. A along the way when it comes to, to copying like to less stuff. Do you spend a lot of time on that or you just know, hey, I know what I for this and you just sort of wing it.

SPEAKER 1: Or in other words, how much, how do you copy? You just, you know what you got into with that and.

SPEAKER 3: You're just playing right into my wheelhouse here.

SPEAKER 3: I know what I've got in it. Let's see. Wait a minute, I paid a dollar.

SPEAKER 3: So when I'm putting stuff on Ebay, most of the lots are just cards. I got out of the Dollar Box and I ship them off to, to Com C and I don't think, what do I have in it? Oh, let's see. I have a dollar in it or less cause I may have gotten a discount if I had a quantity.

SPEAKER 3: So yeah, that makes it really simple if I were sending some really expensive cards in with some really cheap cards. And, but I don't, you know, frankly though the sunk cost fallacy, I don't even think what I have in it.

SPEAKER 3: I just think what, what's the appropriate price to try to sell this on, on this, on this venue? Now, I, I was gonna say one more thing about being at a show is that you're a show dealer sometimes and if you were to and, and I have some good friends that there's, this is controversial that, that think that you should not Mark your cards explicitly at the show.

SPEAKER 3: It's too, it's too much work. People want to haggle anyway. And so they're just gonna, when they want to get a dialogue with the person again, some people won't even stop and ask.

SPEAKER 3: But the people that ask, they're gonna engage them in conversation and they're gonna say, well, I was thinking about 30 bucks for that or 300 bucks, whatever it is. And the guy says, well, I was thinking more like 20 years or 200 or something like that.

SPEAKER 3: And then they get into a dialogue and this guy is, is very personable, has a great presentation and generally he, he creates a customer. You know, that the person likes dealing with him.

SPEAKER 3: Here's the problem with that, that I haven't heard very many talk people talk about is that when you're not pricing your cards and somebody are asking if somebody's asking you when you're really busy, how much for this card and you miss, you, you know, see it accurately or you, you misquote it, you know, it's $100 card and you think you, you just forgot or you, you, you mistakenly misspoke, it said 20 bucks.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, I'm a deal then. Then the problem is the guy ought to just say I'Ll take it.

SPEAKER 3: Rich Klein is the only guy that says that's too low. Most guys say, ok, but Rich Klein would say, hey, that's really $100 card.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah, I'm a pricer. I, I price cards from my, yeah. Here's one of the reasons why I think it's easy. If you do it from the start, it's not as hard as if you haven't done it and then decide all of a sudden. Now I'm gonna price everything. Now. You're playing, catch up. I've done it from Jump Street in, in day one of, of doing show.

SPEAKER 1: So, you know, you try to be re, if you're reasonable which, where you get in trouble when you price cards is if you're not reasonable and they're over comps or kind of priced ridiculously and then people will not, you know, they'll just say, oh, man, this, this guy's overpriced and they'll walk away. Right.

SPEAKER 1: I believe it or not. I'm actually kind of a shy guy. So when I'm a consumer at a show, Doctor Jim and I'm at a table and nothing's priced. I'm more, I, I won't say 100% but I'm more likely not to ask if a, a price, unless it's something I really, really want or really, really need.

SPEAKER 1: I, I'm, I'm, I would be probably 75% more likely to buy it from someone who priced it than from someone who didn't. And, and that's not even saying that the unpriced dealer might even have a better price than the, the price dealer on the same card. I'm just more likely to not ask. And I think, I don't know if you agree with this. I'Ll get your, your take on it.

SPEAKER 1: I think people are less likely to ask, when something's not priced than if something's priced. In other words, someone's looking for the same card dealer. A has the card but not priced. Dealer B has the card price. I think they're more likely to go to Dealer B, even if Dealer B is a little higher than they want to pay for it and say, hey, you've got it for $50.

SPEAKER 1: Could you either they'll either ask you, could you do better on that or, or I'd be willing to pay 35 or 40 bucks. If you're, if you take that, you have a sale kind of deal then for someone to ask someone who doesn't, a dealer doesn't have a price, like, what's your price on that?

SPEAKER 3: Well, when the person walks up to the table and either stops or doesn't stop, you don't really know what their personality type is. But you're right. There's, there's introverts, there's extroverts and some people are very analytical and some people are very gregarious.

SPEAKER 3: So I just, I think the cop, not cop out but the, the back, the, the, the full story is that when you're pricing your cards, just like the cards, I'm pricing, when I post them to Com C or at a, if I was preparing for a show, I priced them accurately at the time. But after the passage of time and the hobby moves fast these days, things could go up, things could go down.

SPEAKER 3: And so it's not really an apology. It's more of an explanation that, you know, I priced these last month. So, th those last month's prices are on there, there may be some things that have gone up or going, but people don't like hearing that because then they think whatever they pick out you could say. Oh, yeah, that one went up.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. And, and I have a sign usually on my table that says any questions, please ask me, I'm here to help you. Not all the inventory is out. So if you're looking for something specific, please let me know. There's a chance it may not be, you know, on the table but, in, in the backstop. So I've, I've, I've sort of just didn't my communication letting someone know that I'm, you know, a friendly guy and willing to, to talk.

SPEAKER 1: I, I tend to, when I was younger, I've told this story, I had terrible bedside manner. I was a shy kid at 15. To the point. People thought like, my dad was away from the table. They're like, oh, wait till your dad, because I had no sort of social, you know, now someone comes to the table. I'm like, how are you? You know, how's, you know, anything you're looking for? I kinda will greet them.

SPEAKER 1: And, you know, some people know me through the podcast and so I've doing a local show for, you know, 1520 years, you get to know people on a first name basis too. That always, that always helps. But I, I have better social skills now than I did when I first started, doing shows which was terrible, to tell you the truth. I don't know how I did as well. I just think, I guess I priced my stuff, right.

SPEAKER 1: And just had a, a decent amount of inventory to overcome. Sort of my lack of, of whether it's social awareness or, or bedside manner. But I've vast improved on that always, you know, root for more improvement. Sometimes, you know, you get to know so some people don't want to have a conversation. Right. I, it's like when I drive Uber, some people will get in the car and wanna talk for 20 minutes.

SPEAKER 1: Others will be on their phone and just get me where I, I gotta go. So you kind of feel that out, you know, I kinda can tell right away. Even going back onto the card show side, you know, I'Ll say, hey, how are you today? And, you know, depending on that answer, you kind of know like this person really not into small talk just wants to you, you know, look and, and decide if they want not anything or, or, or not.

SPEAKER 1: So I've gotten better at it, as an older dealer than I was as a 15 year old kid in, in my early teens. It's just a quill. I've just kind of honed, you know, as I, I've, I've went along but, you know, but I've, I always let it be known, you know, whether it be signage on my table, please feel free to ask me anything or any questions.

SPEAKER 1: You know, like I said, I'm a, I've always been a pricer. I won't say that 100%. There may be a card or two in a showcase that just because it's kind of a ta ta car that sort of just seems to be moving up and down almost consistently. I might leave that unpriced where someone would have to say, hey, what are you asking for that, you know, have a price on it.

SPEAKER 1: So, I wouldn't say I'm a hunter. I'm probably 99% of my stuff, is priced but there's, there, there's a rare exception, if it's a, a car that sort of, known for fluctuation. So I'Ll kind of leave that one for the, you know, at the moment.

SPEAKER 3: Well, you would apply to this rule that I have and that, that is, that I like to do business with people that I like.

SPEAKER 3: And I probably even will pay a little bit more.

SPEAKER 4: Time for a quick break. But we'll be right back.

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SPEAKER 4: We are back.

SPEAKER 3: Have you ever watched the masked singer?

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. I mean, not, not, I wouldn't say I'm, you know, I watch every episode but I've seen it.

SPEAKER 3: But you understand the concept. If you were the masked card dealer, everybody would guess you, they would immediately know as soon as you opened your mouth that you're John Newman is Sports Card Nation.

SPEAKER 1: And so, well, some, some people, not, not everyone, not everyone would, you know, after all these years.

SPEAKER 3: So they would know when you opened your mouth regardless of what they would say. Ok, this is John Newman. He's a straight shooter. I'm gonna buy from him. He's gonna give me a good deal.

SPEAKER 1: Well, full disclosure, I have one of those retractable, like 7 ft stand up, that says Sports Car Nation. So I kind of give it away without even.

SPEAKER 3: Opening the, that ought to be a positive.

SPEAKER 1: I hope so. I, I like to think so, but I've had people come up to the table, Doctor Jim, local people, like, hey, I, I've, I've listened to your show a couple of times. I didn't know you were in Syracuse. Like, that's crazy. You're right here.

SPEAKER 1: My, so it's funny, like sometimes people don't necessarily know. So I never really make the assumption, that, you know, o obviously I know a lot of people just from doing the shows for 1520 25 years.

SPEAKER 1: But there's other people that will, you know, in the shows now on its, you know, past its fifth year, there's people still to this day that come up and said, you know, I've, I've listened to some of your shows. I had no idea you were local, you know. So, you know, I never assume because you, you know what happens, you.

SPEAKER 3: Can't assume that more people know you than, you know them. That's the same thing with me. There's more people that know me that I don't know, as opposed to, I know them and they don't know me.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah, that's, that's a good.

SPEAKER 1: So, yeah, I, I agree with that.

SPEAKER 3: Your reach is, is more than you think. That's all I'm saying.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. No, I, I agree with that and, you know, sometimes in, in my older age, Doctor Jim is, sometimes I'Ll forget a name, like I'Ll know the person and I'm like, oh, what's their name again? And you don't want to say the wrong name. So, you, you know, you just say, hey, I was, you know, you can avoid saying, any name.

SPEAKER 1: That's my biggest, thing when, when, sometimes, when, you know, so many people, after so many years, sometimes the name will escape you in, in the moment. Sometimes, actually during the conversation it'll, it'll, it'll pop back in your head and then he can say it.

SPEAKER 1: But, you know, but that's, I guess that's a good problem to have but I, I've learned not to, you know, never to, assume anything and just kind of, you know, play it by ear, so to speak, you know, when it comes to, like, listing your cards and selling, how much, how much time would you say?

SPEAKER 1: Iii, I know it's hard to get, you don't have necessarily like a chess clock where you're hitting the button and, but, on average, what do you, what do you think you spend on the selling aspect of the hobby? Like, per week, very little time.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, basically Ebay, I have my lots already prepared. And so when somebody makes an offer or, or buys it full price, you know, I'Ll either accept the offer or a counter or whatever. And so then at the end of the day or, or during the day, if I've gotten some, some purchases, I, all I gotta do is put them in the bag, put a label on it and, take it to the post office.

SPEAKER 3: And so that's in with Com C it's even simpler. I'm just saying yes or no to offers the ones that are, that they pay full price, they just, they just, it just, you know, they get cards that sell overnight. And so I don't have to do anything as far as pricing my cards.

SPEAKER 3: I'm super fast at that and it's partly because you have to have done a bunch of price guide books. So I already have a pretty ballpark idea anyway. And, you know, so it doesn't take me very long and that's why I can go to the Dollar Box because for the average person who's not as up on what's gonna sell on comps and what things worth even, they, it's, it's a better deal for them to sell it in the, in the Dollar Box.

SPEAKER 3: They get their dollar, they're done. They could have gotten five bucks on some of them in five years. But, and I don't know that I'm a flipper in a sense I am, but I'm not like a quick flipper. I'm, I'm not pulling out the one card. That's the great card. I'm pulling out 100 cards.

SPEAKER 3: If it was just one card, I'd feel bad about that. I'm cherry picking their whole Dollar Box and I've on the one card, but that, that wouldn't be fun for me. Ok. Are you a dog lover?

SPEAKER 1: I am, I am, I have an Australian cattle dog.

SPEAKER 3: Let's say you had a dog and for whatever reason, your wife or family, somebody was allergic or something and you had to, you had to transact your dog and it'd be really painful and so somebody might.

SPEAKER 1: Transact my wife.

SPEAKER 3: I'm just saying, but if, if somebody came up to you and said, I've seen your dog, he looks great. I've seen how you act with him. My son is looking for a dog. Could I, could I, could I buy the, buy your dog and give him a good home and, you know, you, you might even say, well, you don't even give me any money. We're just really trying to find a good home for the dog.

SPEAKER 3: Ok. Ok. Now contrast that with somebody comes up and says, you know, I don't like dogs, but, I'Ll give you 100 bucks for your dog and you said, what are you gonna do with it? Well, I'm II, I, I want to find him a good home somewhere. That's a flipper. A dog flipper. It's no good. I wouldn't want a dog flipper. I don't want a card flipper.

SPEAKER 3: You know, I want to know, I, I want to find a home for my cards for, it's not like my cards are my children or a pet or anything, but I wanted to find a good home and not, you know, you know, cards that somebody just did, you know, like I say, flips, you know, that they're gonna auction your dog off to the highest bidder. That, that just, this doesn't sound right to me. Yeah.

SPEAKER 1: No, I agree with you. Listen, no one. I, I think I could speak for both of us here. I don't think any, anybody will, will confuse us for someone that's here today. Gone tomorrow when it comes to the hobby. We're in this, for the long haul. You've been in it a long time. Continue to be. I started as a seven year old kid in 1979 and 44 years later. Still here doing shows, doing content.

SPEAKER 1: You know, so, you know, for us it's easy to say but I agree with you. I mean, I, I tend to, you know, like someone that's loves the hobby, passionate and, and, you know, you know, is in it for, for, for the right reasons if you, I, you know, I don't know if the right reasons is the right phrase but loves the hobby.

SPEAKER 1: Would do it even if it wasn't a money aspect. Well, I could stop doing shows today. Doctor Jim and, and it wouldn't, I'd still be in the hobby. I'd still be buying cards. So, the shows is, is, like you said, you know, with Mike summer it's a way to, to make some money, to buy more, to buy more cars too.

SPEAKER 1: The, the, the whole Selfs model now, I've, I've went off of that where I've spent more money than I made at least in the moment. And then, you know, you catch up and, and then come out, hopefully come out ahead. When kind of the dust, the dust settles. Would you say you spend? So it sounds like you, more of your time is spent shipping than, than like listing or? Right.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, more, more time on Ebay has been prepping the lots, you know, but they, they already were in good order and I just, there are pre boxed and I just take my photos and then I'm ready to go and when I answer the questions and I, I ship it and so that's, but I'm shipping hundreds of cards at a time. So that's worth it. I'm not, I would not have the patience to ship one card at a time, but that's what I have conceive for.

SPEAKER 1: So, yeah, 11 of the best things I did a couple of years ago, which has been for me personally and I'm sure for others that use them, that have saved me a lot of time when it comes to shipping is I bought, a, a thermal printer that you just kind of hit.

SPEAKER 1: You print out the label. It's a sticker, you put it on the bubble mailer, the box, depending on, on the item you're shipping. I used to write that stuff out by hand or print it out on a regular printer then cut it out, then tape it.

SPEAKER 1: So that for me, the thermal printer, which is a roll out to, you know, not a sponsor, but I have no problem. I've posted pictures of it.

SPEAKER 1: That rollo thermal printer for me has been like a godsend as far as time wise, especially on a busier day or a busier week. Where I can just hit print, print, print, stick these on whatever vessel I'm shipping it in. Do you use any tools like that? I mean, how do you, you know.

SPEAKER 3: I expressly do not, you know, I've done that. I haven't exhaustively done the math, but I do not want another printer of any kind. And so I have a reliable printer and I have a pair of scissors and I have plenty of tape and it's just one less thing. I don't want to have two different printers.

SPEAKER 3: We have, we have all kinds of printers back at the office. But, but, so I'm trying to keep it simple. So a little bit more work. But, you know, I don't have to, I'm never gonna run out of copy paper and I'm never gonna run out of tape and it's just, just more, you know, hey, I've got a question for you. Ok. Another hypothetical about Comp C cause this, you know, I wanna say stuff I haven't said before.

SPEAKER 3: So let's say that I've got a card that I bought in the Dollar Box or maybe I bought it a quarter box but it, I put it on Comp C for 250. So I've got maybe 75 cents in it at that point or maybe a buck 50. So anyway, I've got 250 in it because that's what I think it's worth. But I did that a number of years ago. So it's sitting there at 250 all of a sudden a guy comes along and puts a card up there for 10 bucks.

SPEAKER 3: Same card. Ok. So I'm sitting there at 250. He's at $10 puts it at 10 and, and I think, golly, it's, gosh, I really might be worth 10 bucks. I priced it five years ago. But I don't notice that until that guy makes me an offer on my card. And I can see that he's the same guy that has the $10 card making me a buck and a quarter offer on the 250 card. So, what would you do? It's, now it's worth 10 bucks.

SPEAKER 1: No, I think he should have bought it for 250 had two of them and, and lowered, he should have bought yours for 250 lowered the two cards to seven bucks. Well, that's, this is similar to the scenario.

SPEAKER 3: We don't do that, but they could, but they don't, they don't yet. This is similar to the story before where like, yeah, just buy it rather than, but it's the same guy buying it at it trying to get an even better deal, even though he stands to gain doubly from protect, price protecting it's not shield bidding but it's, it's protecting your own price.

SPEAKER 1: Well, if it's me and I'm the $10 guy and I feel that strong about the card and, and the, and the $10 position, I'm buying yours for 250 without haggling and that I have a choice. I can, I can add that to it and keep it at 10 or I can say, listen, I just got this one for 250.

SPEAKER 1: I'm gonna lower both to, to $7 each and be more a, to sell it quicker and still be, come out, ahead. That's, that's my take on it. And I, I don't know if I've done that online. I've probably done that on per, in person. I mean, dealers, you know, the deal. Doctor Jim, even sometimes before the show opens to the general public, we're there, you know, a few hours before the door is open and setting up.

SPEAKER 1: And, you know, I've had dealers walk around, and I've done it myself, especially if I'm with somebody. But I've had a dealer buy a car from me and said, John, you know, that's a great price. I got one in my case for 100 bucks.

SPEAKER 1: You, you're, you're asking 50 do you we, you know, do you mind if I buy like they've even asked almost like permission. Do you? I'm and being very transparent, I'm gonna buy this and put it in my case with my other one maybe lower it a little bit. I'm like, hey, you, you, you, that's what I priced it at what you do with it after that your business, you know.

SPEAKER 3: So it's courtesy to ask you, but they don't have to, they could just say, oh and, and the plot thickens because in some cases you could or I could or any dealer could have more than one copy of this $10.

SPEAKER 3: You could have 10, 3 C copies of the $10 card and you've got your 1250 whether it's at the show or a concierge anywhere. And in that point you really, you think I better buy the 250 card because it's making my $10 cards look and.

SPEAKER 1: It's fun. It's funny. You mentioned that, Doctor Jim because I've had that. So I've had one card out like that, that dealer said, hey, man, that's a great deal. I've, I've marked, mine's marked twice as much as that. I'm, you know, do you mind me buying that? And I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm gonna put it in my showcase today and I'm like, hey, I got two more in my box.

SPEAKER 1: Do you want all three? Like you? And a lot of times they're like, you know, depending on the financial, how much the card is like, oh man, you know, and I'Ll, I'Ll do all three for the, for the same price as the one that's actually out and, you know, some, it's hit or miss, sometimes I'Ll take all of them.

SPEAKER 1: If you're gonna price them like that, I'Ll take them all or I, I had a guy, you know, he'll say I'Ll take the one or what do you, you know, you know it, or I've even had someone ask me, are you gonna price the others the same? And I'm like, probably, I don't know, like just buy them all. Take the guesswork, out of it for me.

SPEAKER 1: So, it, it, it, you know, that's more of a scenario I run into as a show dealer from fellow dealers even before, the doors, even open and I've done the same thing. I don't want to make it to be a, a one way street, I've walked around and found a deal at another dealer's table of a car that I think is, is well under price and, and in return, I'Ll say, and, you know, they know who, you know, they know I'm a dealer.

SPEAKER 1: I'm like, hey, I think that's a great price. I'm gonna buy it as long as you don't object, I'm gonna buy it probably. But in my case and I've never had, I've never told no one, you know, you can't do that and I've never had anyone say you can't do that either.

SPEAKER 1: So the sale just occurs and, you know, once you buy a card, it's yours to do with as you, as you please. So, that's, that's where I've run into that scenario. The most, one last question I have for you. When it comes to the selling aspect, I buy a car from, from Doctor James Beckett. You ship it when I get it. Will I know who it came from? Is there a any indicator? I hope not?

SPEAKER 3: No, I just, I'd like to be kind of anonymous. I think otherwise I get too much. I already get enough mail and emails and other kind of stuff. So I just, I just, I want my inventory to stand on its own merit and not people because some people might pay extra. I don't want to pay extra. I just want them to, if they want it, it's it's a good deal.

SPEAKER 3: And, you know, if it's overpriced, I, you know, every once in a while I go back through and I, and I will, like I said, 99% of the time it's lowering the price if I hadn't sold for a few years. And I think, well, you know what? I thought it was worth that and nobody else thinks that. And even though I've got a lot of price guys, I've written, they're not, they're mostly last century John.

SPEAKER 3: So, so I know what's scarce but you know, demand is fickle. So I'm gonna lower the prices and I'm gonna gradually do it. And it's, that's pretty, that's not exhausting, but it's frustrating if, if you were a show dealer and every month, if prices went down or every time you price your inventory, you're mainly marking things down further.

SPEAKER 3: That's depressing. And so that's what I'm doing with Com C. On the other hand, if it isn't selling you, you, you gotta do something otherwise you're gonna, you, you're just gonna sit there with a museum that you're not charging admission, you're paying to have those cards there. So, so yeah, so I I I'm gonna lower my prices and that's a little bit bittersweet.

SPEAKER 3: And yet, like you said, I'm gonna know that if almost everything I paid a dollar or less for. And so, you know, if I lower it to $2 I'm probably still making money. If I lower it to a buck 50. Well, maybe I'm, but again, it's, it's just sitting there, you know, my goal is to get it in the hands of somebody that wants it.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. Yeah. No, I agree. It, and one of my rules, like my, my DB A as far as selling cards is, is JN enterprises, there's no sports cards attached to it. I don't like shipping. Whether it's some, it's, it's whether it's someone, someone paid for or even if I'm give, sending something like a giveaway from the show.

SPEAKER 1: I don't like having sports cards anywhere on the outside of that pack. Kind of didn't noting what might be in that. So what I, what I do do is inside the, the pa I have business cards. I have a, a show business card. I have one for Hobby News Daily, one for Hobby Hotline.

SPEAKER 1: So I have like three business cards so that they, you know, they may realize it after a purchase or after they receive or like, oh, this is from John Newman. I've had, it's funny cause I've had Ebay feedback where people, you know, given a positive feedback and said, hey, I love awesome shipping, great packaging and I love your show too, that sort of thing.

SPEAKER 1: Or someone post on Social Media. Hey, I, I bought this card, had no idea that it was from John Numerous Sports Car Nation. Pretty, pretty cool moment. And they, they'll post the card in my, like, business card, that sort of thing. But I don't advertise it like pres salee or, or anything like that.

SPEAKER 1: But it's always funny after the fact that someone's sort of, denotes it. But, but anything I ship, if it's cards, you, it's, you would not know by any kind of packaging or wording or, or anything. I don't even like putting, you know, photo do not bend or, or, or, or anything like that. I just well protected with cardboard and, and, you know, I'm more apt to send it in a bubble mailer with padding.

SPEAKER 1: Anyway, so, but, all right enough enough with selling, not that there's anything wrong with that. We, you know, we're in 2024. Here, Doctor Jim, we're, we're headed towards the next National, which this year will be in Cleveland, Ohio. I've never been to Cleveland period, let alone to a National. There, it's a five hour for me.

SPEAKER 1: It's a five hour and 10 minute drive. So, unlike Chicago, I will be driving to Cleveland. I had to fly to Chicago. So I will have my vehicle. I'm gonna go in a day earlier and check out the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. That's something on my bucket list I can, check off, you've been to every National, so you've been to the, the previous ones in Cleveland.

SPEAKER 1: You know, the convention Center had some issues and then had to close. It's now operational for those like me, Doctor Jim, who've never been to a Cleveland National. You know, you know, what would you say? How is it different, or is it not necessarily that much different?

SPEAKER 1: And then as you very well know, and I, you know, and, and a lot of other people know it's, it's under new leadership as well. So I guess what should people expect, you know, maybe comparatively since it's in Chicago so much with the Cleveland National factor and also with the new leadership group.

SPEAKER 3: Well, Cleveland's an old kind of old school town, you know, original baseball town, lots of great collectors there. So there was always a great knowledgeable collecting base. I hit, I did a lot of the shows in Ohio and Cleveland and specific back in the seventies when I was at Bowling Green. And so the Cleveland guys were great and so there were always good shows there.

SPEAKER 3: The I Center is, is like a bunker, you know, it's not, it's not a hotel ballroom, it's, it's just like a, like a airport, hangar or something. It's just huge ceilings but lots of light. It's not near anything. So you've got a lot, you've got dozens, I don't know, a couple of dozen, probably medium size hotels and motels that are, that are, that are decent, within a couple of miles.

SPEAKER 3: So it's all there near the airport and, so you won't have any trouble getting lodging. I don't think it's just that none of them are closer than a mile. And maybe that's because it's like a bomb shelter. You're not gonna be close to that, but there's shuttles that run, there, you know, you can rent a car. Although I don't know that you, if you driving, you're gonna be in good shape. There's ample parking there.

SPEAKER 3: It's, it's well done, John, you're gonna have a great time that it's, it's like I say, the drive is an important part of why Cleveland was, was chosen for the east coast people to, to be able to drive.

SPEAKER 3: But that the room is laid out very rectangular and so that's, that's a positive. So you'll be able to find where you wanna go.

SPEAKER 3: Again, it's not, plus, the restaurants are terrific in Cleveland. A lot of ethnic, great restaurants, but they're gonna be a little bit of a drive.

SPEAKER 3: And so I don't know, there's no huge s main hotel and so the, the trade nights are probably gonna need to be in the room and not, there may be some little things going on at some of these hotels, but it's, you know, most of the hotels are, are medium size, they're, they're not gigantic, host hotels for, for a huge show.

SPEAKER 1: I've, I've heard people say, and, and I'Ll let you answer that. But, I'm driving so this may not be come into play for, for me as much. I, I've heard people say if you're not driving, in other words, if you're flying in, you wanna book your lodging as early as you can to be as close. And I think you kind of said.

SPEAKER 3: That with your, as close to two miles. I mean, it's, it's been basically, some of the, some of them there's, there may be some hotel shuttles as well as, the National may have some shuttles that have a route for some of the smaller, farther out hotels. But I don't think you'd want to get a cab or an Uber.

SPEAKER 3: It's, you're really only talking about a few miles but you really wouldn't walk. And there are, and there are, you know, dealers or, you know, people that have, vans that give rides. I mean, they, they leave on the hour on the half hour at these things. And so if you're down at breakfast at one of the hotels, there's a who?

SPEAKER 3: It's cool. There's a lot of hobby people and, and you could get a ride or you'd give somebody a ride. So it's, it works out. It's not as big a problem as you would think because each hotel has it. It's like each hotel is taken over by collectors. How cool is that?

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. And we see that, you know, it really doesn't matter what city, it's gonna be and that's gonna be kind of, par for the course. Go, go into the new leadership group, you know. Do you expect, do you see, do you expect much difference or you think it's just gonna be a different city in the same great show?

SPEAKER 1: I mean, what, you know, on, on as far as with the leadership, do you think they'll come in and, and make some changes right away? You think they'll, they'll, I'm gonna take your time.

SPEAKER 3: I, I'm a big fan of the new guys, but I was a huge fan of, of John Brog and Mike Burke was a close friend.

SPEAKER 3: But you know that it's, it, it, that ran its course. I mean, the, the, the committee had the chance to make a change and they did and I, you know, it, what's done is done? So having said that, I think Joe D Dr and his team, let me say this completely.

SPEAKER 3: Number one is, I think the show will not be as, as last year because Cleveland is not as good as Chicago, but what Joe and his team will do it'll be better than the previous Cleveland because Cleveland needs to be compared to Cleveland. I think they're gonna do a great job. They're gonna add some wrinkles.

SPEAKER 3: I don't know all the things they would do, but I think it's gonna be bigger and better than the last Cleveland Show. But it would take a lot to surpass the Chicago show that John Brodie and his team really went out with a bang. They, they really hit a home run. So it's gonna be great.

SPEAKER 3: I hope everybody comes because it's that, that the, the, the building can hold it. You know, they, they could, there will be less dealers because there's less, less, square footage than they had in Chicago. It'll be configured better, but there'll be less, there'll be less dealers, there'll be less tables, less boots.

SPEAKER 1: That being said, you, do, you think it'll be tighter in there, be with less space and more people potentially or similar type crowd? You think it'll be II, I know last, I mean, last year was a record Saturday. They said I never felt cramped as much as I did with the previous Chicago show with the added square footage. How do you feel like this?

SPEAKER 3: You didn't go to the places I went, then it, it, it was very cramped at times in some of the areas of Chicago last year. Because if you, it was a popular table, some of the aisles were narrower than others in the newer spaces that they broke out. I think Cleveland is gonna be more rectangular and regular and, and it wasn't, it's never been a problem.

SPEAKER 3: It'd be a great problem to have if it's crowded, but I, I don't think it will. I think, I think they're gonna configure it in a way that, that it's, it's, it's gonna be busy and, like I said, there's just not as much population within 100 miles of Cleveland as there is Chicago. I think Chicago, you're really pulling from a big, again, even better collecting area with two teams.

SPEAKER 1: Not just one. Yeah. Yeah, no doubt. Well, you're right about one thing. If you need a ride, Doctor Jim, I will have my vehicle, with me, be sure to get a hold of me, we'll make sure, you gotta be, you get to where you gotta be and, and same with me and, and like you said, you know, me very well.

SPEAKER 1: You know, no friend left behind. So you are a mench, I appreciate it. So, and, and, as always, we, we look forward to, another National and, and keeping your streak, going as well.

SPEAKER 1: I'm, I've started my streak but, I, I don't think I'Ll ever catch up to you.

SPEAKER 3: So just enjoy each year. It's, like I said, if it's, I don't, I don't even know how Joe D Dr is gonna make it better, but that's a goal that they have to make it better. Not just do the same thing. So I think they're gonna innovate and if they innovate in three things and two of them work, let's, let's say thank you. For the two things that did work instead dwelling on the third thing that it was a nice try.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. No, I, I agree. Well, Doctor Jim, as always, I appreciate you coming on sharing your insights. Speaking of insights, check out Doctor Jim's, podcast, Sports Card insights. What's it, three times a week now? I think Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. And, awesome. It's got a, a great catalog.

SPEAKER 1: I'm sure you probably, most people have, have listened to it but for some strange reason if you haven't, check it out and, I.

SPEAKER 3: Hope it's just like you, there's too many, too many games too. People get intimidated. You've got hundreds of episodes.

SPEAKER 1: So do I, I know it's, it's crazy. It's crazy. But, well, Doctor Jim, be, well, we'll, we'll talk soon and, thanks again, John. Enjoyed it. Always great catching up with Doctor Jim and, and, you know, picking his brain learning. You always should be learning in the hobbit. I always say that I don't care how long you've been in it. Doctor Jim is learning.

SPEAKER 1: I'm learning. And hopefully, we all are so, glad I got to talk to him about, you know, we haven't really talked about selling cards before, not in depth anyway. So it was fun, sort of to go down that alley and, and, you know, see his thoughts, on selling and, and sharing some of mine, as well. So, thanks as always to, to doctor Jim.

SPEAKER 4: Time for our hobby is the people announcer of the week.

SPEAKER 6: How do y'all? This is Brad Bethune, your Texas car, dude. Thanks for listening to my friend and yours, Mr John Newman.

SPEAKER 6: Hello, Newman.

SPEAKER 6: And remember the hobby is the people?

SPEAKER 6: Thanks very much.

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SPEAKER 6: Have a great one.

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SPEAKER 7: That's a wrap for this week. Huge. Thanks to you, the listeners out there because without you, there is no ice.

SPEAKER 7: If you like the show, we truly appreciate positive reviews. Big ups to our great guests who drive the show and our awesome sponsors who make it all possible. Sports Card Nation will be back next week but don't forget to catch either hobby quick hits or card mentions. Coming up on Monday.

SPEAKER 7: I'Ll leave you with this.

SPEAKER 7: How do we change the world?

SPEAKER 7: One random act of kindness at a time.

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SPEAKER 8: Hobby News Daily is your home page of the hobby, providing original writing, exclusive gem rate data. A daily morning minute podcast and some of the best content creators in the hobby. Remember? Hobby News, daily.Com and at Hobby News Daily on social Happy collecting iron sports cards.

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