Store exclusives vs. incentive variants

[D-Rog]

@Comp82

I don’t think Marvel is paying Key Collector to promote a 2 year old back issue.

It’s not marvel pushing it. It’s the store that wants to dump it’s xtra copies taking up real estate.

[Comp82]

@D-Rog

I wouldn’t go that far. KCC Doesn’t have the best track record. I’m shocked they are referring to them

Love them or hate them, they have one of the biggest platforms and are one of the most influential companies in the market. I can completely understand why a company would refer to them.

Same reason why companies associate themselves with companies like Apple and Nike which have major flaws, but are very popular and influential in the market.

[Comp82]

@D-Rog

It’s not marvel pushing it. It’s the store that wants to dump it’s xtra copies taking up real estate

That I agree with completely. But it’s the complete opposite of what I was replying to with JcLu.

His comment was KeyColl is falsely promoting books because they are being paid to do so.

Your response is the opposite, Mutant Beaver is using a key alert to sell back stock. That is much more in line.

[agentpoyo]

All I can advise is…

1. Use all the tools in your tool belt.
2. Use your best judgement and apply common sense.
3. Don’t fall prey to the fear of missing out.
4. Remember, if it’s speculation, it’s based probably on half truths and partial information.
5. If you missed the boat on buying low to potentially sell high, just skip it, there will be others.

I question Key Collector. I question Covrprice. I even question myself when I’m fed info on books and news. We try our best to vet it out before posting. Sometimes we’re spot on, sometimes it’s a miss. That’s just how it goes when it comes to speculating.

Are some pushing and pumping for their own gain? Absolutely it’s happening. Do we condone that here at CHU, no way. We talk about any and all hot books. We’re not gonna skip over news just because we couldn’t get our own hands on copies to dump. That’s not our style.

[Comp82]

Very well said Poyo.

[Uncle_Willie]

A Store Variant is nothing more than the same comic with a different cover … the only appeal they would have would be Completists and those that buy to re-sell … the primary benefit is to the Store producing the Variant …

Any and all subsequent printings of any book add to the total number of copies out there thus reducing and diluting the scarcity … while this may or may not effect the short term, it will effect the long term … most folks want the main book / first printing / … out of the 300 or so Pull & Holds I’ve got left after the Covid fallout, maybe 15 of those chase the heat or are Completists … the rest collect their favorite Characters and actually read the material …

The basis for this Hobby has always been those that love the genre, love the Characters, and are in it for the long haul because it’s their thing …

[Venomismypassion]

@jcLu

If it doesn’t sell at $15 in a decent amount of time, then it is not worth $15. The price goes down because there is no demand at $15. You being a financial whatever is irrelevant, but, I shouldn’t have to explain supply and demand to an expert in finance. You can believe that it takes longer to sell open order books, but that is not true by any stretch of the imagination.

Your emotion is clouding your ability to understand what I’m saying. You should correct your condescending tone. It’s unnecessary and unprovoked.

On eBay, if you have 200 different sellers selling the exact same thing versus 10 sellers selling the exact same thing, the sellers who are competing against 10 versus 200 will churn their inventory at a faster rate.

And if you’re going to reply that supply and demand should even things out, which in theory it should, your reply would imply that the market for store variants is bigger than you think.

[Venomismypassion]

@D-Rog

Understood, but What data points do you have to compare that are not biased in some way. That’s the only one I have personal experience.

At least I’m providing stats instead of opinions.

How do the Venom #3s open orders compare to the shop variants?

Let’s compare Thanos 15 4th print to the shop variant same cover. Which Was the better ROI?

This argument is solely superficial and for entertainment without real data. It goes nowhere.

My suspicion is that if you compare all the shop variants out there the past 3 years to all the open orders and look at the trends in return on investment they’re about the same. A comic is a comic. It’s hit or miss. Shop variants just cost more to get into the game. But I’d like to see data. Not a bunch of knull and peach covers.

Here’s some stats for you:

Out of the last 200 completed items on eBay for Venom 27 -

102 Store Variants
98 Normal Covers or Incentives

Check it out: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=venom+27&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=10&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1

[Venomismypassion]

@Uncle_Willie

A Store Variant is nothing more than the same comic with a different cover … the only appeal they would have would be Completists and those that buy to re-sell … the primary benefit is to the Store producing the Variant …

Any and all subsequent printings of any book add to the total number of copies out there thus reducing and diluting the scarcity … while this may or may not effect the short term, it will effect the long term … most folks want the main book / first printing / … out of the 300 or so Pull & Holds I’ve got left after the Covid fallout, maybe 15 of those chase the heat or are Completists … the rest collect their favorite Characters and actually read the material …

The basis for this Hobby has always been those that love the genre, love the Characters, and are in it for the long haul because it’s their thing …

With all due respect, you’re in a bubble. Your shop isn’t representative of the entire market.

I agree that Completists were the target audience when store variants first came out, and they still are.

But, I think that audience has now expanded beyond them to include collectors who seek value.

And to be clear, if the store variant isn’t for a key book, from a value perspective, it’s a non-starter. It’s almost always going to diminish in value.

All of my statements and opinions about store variants hinge on Keys.

[Venomismypassion]

@jcLu

Good luck finding anybody who is going to take someone to court and prove how many copies of any given comic book exist.

It would be the easiest slam-dunk lawsuit in the history of the US Court System.

All one would have to do is subpoena Marvel for their printing records and cross reference that against the advertised print runs.

You keep bringing up some comic shops have done some shady things with store variants, who and what did they do?

[agentpoyo]

@Venomismypassion

All one would have to do is subpoena Marvel for their printing records and cross reference that against the advertised print runs

I think what jclu was pointing out, who’s going to spend thousands of dollars over pennies on the dollar trying to just bring out the discovery phase of a lawsuit? And that’s just the discovery aspect of it.

And Marvel makes stores sign NDA’s over their store variants. Marvel doesn’t have to be dragged into this. You’d be better off just going after the store and their “order” records… going after Marvel means you’re going after Disney and they got very very deep pockets. They got the type of money that makes you vanish from planet Earth and wipe all records of your very existence.

[Venomismypassion]

@agentpoyo

They got the type of money that makes you vanish from planet Earth and wipe all records of your very existence.

HAHAHA! This is true! lmao

[Uncle_Willie]

@Venomismypassion

With all due respect, you’re in a bubble. Your shop isn’t representative of the entire market.

I’ve been in this bubble for 45 years … I’ve actually lived through the swings in the Hobby over all those years … if I had had to rely on folks that spec or chase the heat, I’d be long gone … and, so would most B&M’s …

[Uncle_Willie]

@Venomismypassion

I agree that Completists were the target audience when store variants first came out, and they still are.

But, I think that audience has now expanded beyond them to include collectors who seek value.

Is this statement considered sarcasm or simply an oxymoron … ??

[jimee11]

I go back to what I always say - I personally am a collector/reader first and foremost. Speculating, flipping, etc. is a secondary item. Stores try to maximize on both groups as buying habits are different between the two. I am not a fan of promoting YouTube rumors, but as Poyo said it is up to us to figure it out. He is correct. As a 40+ year collector of comics, I treat variants as a nice to have. If I am an avid fan/collector of the series, and I truly love the cover, I may add a variant at the inflated price. But in the end, many folks who are into comics are just ‘readers’ with a mild collector flare, and don’t debate the merits of variants, issue runs, etc. Cover A suits them just fine.

[Venomismypassion]

@Uncle_Willie

Is this statement considered sarcasm or simply an oxymoron … ??

“But, I think that audience has now expanded beyond them to include collectors who seek value”.

That following sentence should answer that question.

[Venomismypassion]

@Uncle_Willie

I’ve been in this bubble for 45 years … I’ve actually lived through the swings in the Hobby over all those years … if I had had to rely on folks that spec or chase the heat, I’d be long gone … and, so would most B&M’s …

One should diversify, no matter what their industry or objective is.

And I say this in the most kindest and playful way possible: You’re still in a bubble though

Do you sell any store variants?

[Uncle_Willie]

@Venomismypassion

One should diversify, no matter what their industry or objective is.

And I say this in the most kindest and playful way possible: You’re still in a bubble though

Do you sell any store variants?

With all due respect, I don’t need advice … my longevity in this Industry speaks for itself … and, no, I’ve never sold a store variant or made a store variant … and don’t intend to …

We all live in our own bubbles … I simply stick with the basics / remain consistent and have a plan when my bubble pops … like most bubbles tend to do …

[Ravager]

Wow, some real heated debate with good points on both sides. Would be great to see more data and how this all plays out in a few years for Venom #27 too. In the end , it is amazing to me what a bunch of mass produced paper held together by 2 staples is worth to collectors.

[agentpoyo]

I’ll just add my two cents. Seeing a shop in this industry last 40+ years is an accomplishment in and of itself. We see so many shops come and go, so if you can go that long, you’re doing something right.