I feel like this conversation is more about the idea of consumerism and the way ads feed it. Are what the YouTubers doing really any different than conventional advertisements?
I think part of it is outside people or people who aren’t really into comics but looking to invest or see how hot books are look towards these channels of what to buy or sell, when people who are more into comics were probably speccin on books or know ones not to bother with. Like Ultimate Fallout 4 had a bump and then youtubers and people were talking it up for months making it seem like it was the hottest book on the planet
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Just FYI guys all books I sell are hot keys, just saying….
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All I know is that someone bought my Seasons Beatings #1 for $86 on eBay so I bought two more for $2 each. Thanks Pro Spec List! Keep mentioning dumb comics that aren’t keys so dumb people who don’t know anything keep buying my worthless junk.
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In some cases they’re doing it for their own gain (cause they’re sitting on copies and want to quick flip to weak minded consumers). Buy this book cause it’s got the first cover with these 3 characters on it at the same time for the first time… They’re making it seem like a “key” book when it’s not really that key… at least in my opinion. Traditional advertising is advertising the product that’s usually selling at wholesale or retail prices whilest these tactics are trying to create demand to increase the overall value to sell at higher inflated prices and value, normally at short term value gains as the prices tend to drop after the FOMO wears off…
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You can’t fix stupid… or FOMO… 
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I guess what I was trying to bring forth with my original statement about smaller print run indie titles is when the “advertising” tactics mix the words “rare” and in our case “low print run” as a way to increase demand amongst the masses as the primary selling point to increase or create demand is just bad for this industry and hobby.
There’s demand that’s organic in a sense based on more than just the “print run number” drives the want or need up (this can be good story, great cover art, got a media deal, first appearance of character that people dig, character first that’s now in a movie or show, etc), thus causing the value to go up based on availability and supplies. Then there’s those who pump “low print run” and or “first cover of X, Y and Z together”, a single or small list of reasons that creates a false sense of demand on a product that nobody cared or wanted originally or over X amount of time even.
But yes, if people are dumb enough to overpay on FOMO tactics, by all means, sell if you got them. That’s their due diligence to be smart with their money and purchases, either if they’re investing or just collecting.
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I’m also sure there are people who just see a comic make at random “top ten list” and just immediately go out and spend any amount of cash on the books, just because it’s listed in some top ten list… We as sellers all know people don’t read the fine print, hell, half the time we can’t even get them to read the freaking descriptions…
So yes, some spec sites know exactly what they’re doing and I’d say a lot of the time, like Key Collector, they’re going it for their own gains not because anyone really wanted it or it would have already made the hot lists based on more organic growth reasons…
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Pretty much any top ten lists are books to SELL lists and not really buy buy because any books usually on those lists are a bad time to buy. I also thought this was interesting. Book was on the spec ten list awhile ago and sold for $80-$100.
Prime example why you probably shouldn’t make buying decisions based off lists
Yup but some people think the opposite. It’s called FOMO. Oh, this book made a top ten list and I don’t have it in my collection, I must own it NOW! Raarrrrrwwwgrrghhhh… they turn into consumer monsters buying up things they shouldn’t be buying!
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It’s because your looking at everyone in a negative light and that they are out to con everyone. You have no idea that whoever makes a list is sitting on copies trying to con people. That’s your assumption and it’s what’s guiding your opinion on it.
Key Coll has a buy button where they get a commission on sales. Yes. But how is that different then CHU?
You and Anthony list links every day for TFAW ratios and later printings, etc. Those are affiliate links. The same as Key Coll uses. CHU and key Coll both have a benefit from that. Neither side tried to hide that and both are very open about it.
It’s really the same thing. The only difference is your perspective on it. To you, other people are conning everyone to make money, but when doing the same you are helping people.
It’s just perspective. To them they are helping people get info out there, just like you are helping people buy ratios.
Love you all but just hate seeing people in the community shitting on others. Let’s all enjoy the hobby we love. Cheers!
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One could argue the TFAW ratio thread is just one big source of FOMO. People buy random ratios listed there with no spec at all on the books.
If someone makes a poor decision based on FOMO, that’s on them.
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Well except there have now been 3 people who used to write for/work with CBSI who have said they buy up books to put on a list to pump and dump.
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I spend too much time buying comics every week to watch you tube videos and check spec sites to see what to buy lol
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Yeah, I pretty much just buy based on my own research.
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Then those people are the ones to blame. Not just blaming and accusing everyone else of doing the same.
Exactly. If you are buying off lists that thousands of others are also seeing. You are too late.
But on the converse it doesn’t mean that said person who makes said list is doing it to try to con people.
Wooky is a good example of this. He puts a list here, he’s trying to help the community and build his website. Even saw KeyColl give him credit the other day. But if writer X from another site/YouTube posts a similar type of list they are labeled as pump and dumpers. It’s all perspective and built in bias.
Never did I say all lists are out to con others, now you’re making assumptions… I just said in a vague and general sense that some do in fact do it to pump and dump. I at least when I point out or link a book tell you why and I try not to base my reasoning on some of the nonsense out there already like we see on Key Collector (to name a source who seems to be out to do it for their own gain). To me, they’ve literally destroyed the term “key” cause any book that heats up is now “key” to them…
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People go FOMO over it, all we’re doing is linking to products. None of our links are usually claiming “hot book or variant of the week”… Big difference there I think.
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