eBay looks MUCH better after attending a show
storm888
Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
I helped some friends with their boothes at a collectibles show
in one of America's 10th largest cities this weekend. Hundreds of
exhibitors, many thousands of ticket-buying visitors.
My friends got two adjoining spots. Total floor space about 200
square feet; six tables, six back wall shelves, eight Allstate cases,
electricity. (Four of the tables, all of the shelves and cases, are
the property of my friends and they had to bring them in and haul
them out - along with about 100 cubic of merchandise, small fridge,
light fixyures, and some additional furniture.
It took three folks about six hours to get the store setup. It
will take less time to dismatle the store. The show ran Sat.
and Sun., for a combined total of 16-hours.
The total cost of the setup was just under $1300.00. That includes
pro movers, but counts my friends' time at ZERO.
To avoid the teardown process. I exited with 2-hours left to go.
It took until almost noon on the 2nd day to gross $1300.00.
Depending on what they count-up later, they will likely break-even
or make a little. ("Cost-of-Goods-Sold" is more than ZERO, so they
might not break even.)
I would say my friends were doing better than average at this well-
attended show. As usual, most people (90%) wanted to buy things
that cost "a dollar."
When I got back to my office, the screen on one of my monitors was
almost filled with "item sold" squares from the eBay toolbars. I do
not know what kind of profit that means, but I do know that I did
not do any "real work" to speak of to "earn it."
The show-game is brutal. The promoters are the only ones guaranteed
a profit; Typically, they charge the exhibitors more than enough to pay
for what the venue costs, and the ticket sales are ALL GRAVY.
Shows are certainly fun --- more so when your cash is not on the line.
But, eBay is the answer to the dreams of lazy-folks everywhere.
Before anybody finally decides to abandon eBay, I respectfully suggest
they try doing a two-day show.
storm
in one of America's 10th largest cities this weekend. Hundreds of
exhibitors, many thousands of ticket-buying visitors.
My friends got two adjoining spots. Total floor space about 200
square feet; six tables, six back wall shelves, eight Allstate cases,
electricity. (Four of the tables, all of the shelves and cases, are
the property of my friends and they had to bring them in and haul
them out - along with about 100 cubic of merchandise, small fridge,
light fixyures, and some additional furniture.
It took three folks about six hours to get the store setup. It
will take less time to dismatle the store. The show ran Sat.
and Sun., for a combined total of 16-hours.
The total cost of the setup was just under $1300.00. That includes
pro movers, but counts my friends' time at ZERO.
To avoid the teardown process. I exited with 2-hours left to go.
It took until almost noon on the 2nd day to gross $1300.00.
Depending on what they count-up later, they will likely break-even
or make a little. ("Cost-of-Goods-Sold" is more than ZERO, so they
might not break even.)
I would say my friends were doing better than average at this well-
attended show. As usual, most people (90%) wanted to buy things
that cost "a dollar."
When I got back to my office, the screen on one of my monitors was
almost filled with "item sold" squares from the eBay toolbars. I do
not know what kind of profit that means, but I do know that I did
not do any "real work" to speak of to "earn it."
The show-game is brutal. The promoters are the only ones guaranteed
a profit; Typically, they charge the exhibitors more than enough to pay
for what the venue costs, and the ticket sales are ALL GRAVY.
Shows are certainly fun --- more so when your cash is not on the line.
But, eBay is the answer to the dreams of lazy-folks everywhere.
Before anybody finally decides to abandon eBay, I respectfully suggest
they try doing a two-day show.
storm
Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
0
Comments
Timing. About two weeks ago I spent a hair under $200 on 6 graded rookies for a young pitcher who's been seeing some success recently. After doing some research I found out that the rookie card in question graded extraordinarily high across the board in general (many more 10s/9.5s than 9s. I noticed that the pitcher was going up against KC and set up the cards I had bought for auctions to end shortly after the completion of the KC game. Needless to say, it paid off and the pitcher went 8 innings of one-hit ball. All the auctions ended for a grand total of around $430. That's a $230 profit in about two weeks all because I could set the auctions up to end when there would probably be a spike or small frenzy in purchasing of this particular player's rookie card. Not bad.
And once the supply catches up with the demand (which will be happening shortly) I should be able to buy back the cards at a discounted rate.
On a side note, I actually had the original seller of a few of the cards I had purchased bidding up the same card they sold me for a higher price than they sold it to me ... just two weeks prior.
What kind of stuff were you selling?
Anything interesting? Anyone come up with good stuff to sell?
Have any interesting/good conversations with collectors?
I agree, sounds like a lot of time and work.
mike
you mentioned they broke even at the $1,300 point. did that cover the cost of product or just the show fees?
that cover the cost of product or just the show fees?"
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
That number does NOT include "cost of goods sold."
ONLY the cost of "being there."
////////////////////////////////////
stone>
None of the dealers seemed to be buying anything.
Mostly just "customers" wanting to talk about krap
their neighbor/grandmother used to have. Some of
the coin boys were selling bullion items pretty briskly;
my friends were doing mostly glass and furniture. None
of the trading-card people ever had any buyers that I saw;
real high prices on modern krap. The biggest postcard
dealer in the world - allegedly - was there; their prices
are REAL high for the good stuff.
Mostly just a big den of thieves being visited by peasants
looking for an air-conditioned building to walk around in
for a few hours. Also, lots of potential shoplifter-types
cruising around. Essentially a boring nightmare; just like all
shows, if you are standing behind the counter.
storm
It ain't that way anymore, unless you're selling stuff that isn't found everyday on ebay.
There are other reasons to set up at a show - networking, buying walk-material, etc., but the cost really has to justify the means.
That being said - the Nat'l is just days away. There will be a plethora of material at top flight prices, but I think a lot of deals will be made. If you are setting up a show expecting to sell material at your price and nothing less, it's going to be a total disappointment.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Loth