Some may take offense here :) :( Local Card Store Input

BALROG

Well.... stopped in a local card store today that I had never been in. Just saw it on the way home from work after a rare required alternate stop. Went in without any inhibitions on buying anything.

Didn't see any vintage stuff, or even any modern stuff, just the standard display cases with various cards in top loaders and a bunch of 80's 90's crap boxes. Was going to just walk out but the dude was smiling and offered to assist. Grabbed a couple junk boxes (as pictured) for the sake of not being evil. Saw the $20 on the Score box but thought.. nah.. old sticker.

Got to the counter.. rang up.. 47 bucks. Paused.. paid... and will not ever go in to a local card shop again.

Rock n Roll !! The support your LCS thing ??? Nahhhh..

lawyer05

Why did u pay ?..

saraceno21

Makes sense. Judge all local card shops from one experience.

daltex

I've never been in any kind of store where I just bought something without checking what the price was beforehand, or complaining afterwards.

flcardtrader

@BALROG said:
Would really like to see Card Bars. Where a cover is charged and folks do box rip battles for supremacy. That would be cool 👍

Steel cage match style!

SumoMenkoMan

@lawyer05 said:
Why did u pay ?..

Exactly what I was thinking.....

jay0791

BTW I rarely take offense unless it is a personal attack on me. Think of my words as advice only.
Certainly nobody here is going to judge you based upon what you wrote.

Friendly conversation is the basis to start relationships between store/business owners and customers.
Absolutely nothing was accomplished here. You are pissed. He doesn't get a new customer or referrals
He did initiate something by offering to assist.
I have been in more than one shop where I mentioned I don't see any vintage. Owners response was, " I get mostly kids and they don't want vintage-only the new stuff." "If you come back I will try to have some."
I would have said, " I don't know how long you have had this box but I am an experienced collector. This is fairly common and can be found locally for $20."

From there ………………………..

CdnOsfan

We have an above average income, but even at the grocery store I want to know how much even a loaf of bread is before I go to buy it.....I have changed my mind on something at the checkout before and don't feel guilty....

slimies

I just stick with the shop ive been going to since started collecting in 1986 .. same owner and he usually gives me specials or low prices when i buy bulk. most of my collection is from his shop... he opened his shop around 1979 and it still going strong

mtcards

When I travel and hit up a store I have never been in, I usually go in, look and see what they have, ask if there is something I am specifically looking for and buy something if I want it. I dont tell them what things are "going for" or what they "should sell for" because it is their store. I own a business (not cards) and the last thing I want is someone who doesnt own a store come in a tell me what they think I should sell something for.....they dont know my rent, my tax rate, my utility bill, my insurance, employee costs, etc etc. Comparing costs of selling online is different from having a B&M store, regardless of the item.

Sdub

@BALROG said:
understood with what a few here are saying. It was just a situation where it would have been uncomfortable to, at the counter, decline the purchase or try and get cheaper. Just decided to roll with it and learn my lesson. There was a little of the 'this guy doesn't know so I'll get what I can outta him' aura. Just think of some little old lady going in to buy a birthday gift for little Tommy.

Too much history with scummy dealers at shows etc I think. Nope, not going back and nope, not going to 'discuss' things with the shop. Yes there are good ones out there but the bad ones ruin it for all in my book.

I agree with you on this. It's common at the National not to price items. That's fine with me, but when you quote 2-3X what it's worth, you lost my business and alienate customers. It's a tactic that comes with risk for the dealer. You might make a killing on one sale, but your losing dozens of others; just like this shop owner.

PROMETHIUS88

What am I missing here??? The OP notes "(as pictured)". I don't see any pictures. What year score are we talking about?? I think I look at it a different way. If someone is that far off on the price of something, then maybe they will be off the other direction and underprice something else. Probably not, but it is worth a shot. I will say that if I get to the counter and something is a couple bucks more than I would normally pay for a similar item, I will fork over the extra. If it is 2 to 3 times, I would have no problem putting it back down or at least question the sticker that is on it.

GreenSneakers

Maybe I'm nuts, but Ive never once - in a LCS or any other store - looked at a price tag and said "Nah thats wrong" and brought it to the counter expecting the price to change. Just me.