As a dealer, I'm trying not to invest in any more posters for re-sale. Living in a NYC apartment, storage is a big problem and unless you can seeling a first class title, posters tend to hang around for a while. I also don't like photographing large posters and I surely don't like having to send multiple scans of every edge tear or retouch to potential buyers that almost never pan out. I think collectors who want to buy posters prefer seeing them in person rather than purchasing them over the internet which unfortunately has its share of frauds and heavily painted posters, even in some well-known internet auctions. FRANC
-----Original Message----- From: MoPo List [mailto:mop...@listserv.american.edu] On Behalf Of Walton, Jeffrey Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 9:07 AM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Subject: [MOPO] nobody seems to bid on posters anymore In eBay. I always like to peruse eBay for higher price posters, so I make my way to Entertainment Memorabilia >Movie Memorabilia >Posters I order by highest prices first, then hit the tab for auctions only.. In the first 150 posters there are only 3 posters with bids..as we get cheaper in price the next 100 posters, 10 percent have some sort of bid but it still does question the direction of ebay these days. I guess nobody really likes to do auctions anymore and everybody is trying to hedge their investments with buy-it-nows or very high starting bids..really is a shame.I can't remember the last time I bought a great piece to add to my collection on eBay. Everyone wants top dollar these days and b/c someone once sold Creature from the Black Lagoon for $20000 doesn't mean they are all worth that. It used to be in the days before ebay that a dealer would buy a poster and turn it around quickly and make a little profit. Sure they would be a little peeved when they heard someone else just sold one for almost double that but that was the name of the game. Today if word gets out about a good poster price it seems there is an instant wave that automatically raises the price of the posters across the land and instead of trying to make a tidy little profit they all sit and wait for the next big score. And it's not just the poster market..I see it all the time in the antique business. Two years ago I was at this antique market and my wife saw a dealer purchase this piece of pottery for $10, now in great condition it was worth about $200 at auction. She told me about it and it was in okay condition. I asked how much he wanted for it. "$350," he said.and this was about 30 minutes later after he bought it. I said "I'll give you a $100." "No deal." Just last week I went back to the same market and this piece is still there for his original asking price and he won't budge. In past times a $90 profit in 30 minutes made the world go round.so now it just sits there taking up space because in another stall just down the corner is the same exact piece for the same asking price.go figure.and I bet if I go back in two more years this piece will still be sitting there. It used to be fun collecting stuff.calling around and asking for the price trying to find your own bargain of the century....ooooo this dealer has this poster for hundreds less.I'll take it or finding the that bargain in the innocent eBay days. Now there is no more fun.it's basically the same asking price everywhere.it's like walking into Walmart or Target. Now this is just my opinion but it's my opinion as a collector not as a dealer and I have a right to my opinion.but it really does seem like all the bargains are gone and gone for good. _____________ The information contained in this message is proprietary and/or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please: (i) delete the message and all copies; (ii) do not disclose, distribute or use the message in any manner; and (iii) notify the sender immediately. In addition, please be aware that any message addressed to our domain is subject to archiving and review by persons other than the intended recipient. Thank you. _____________ Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
