Trading = Rocket Science

[icknaybob]

Okay, I just have to rant a little and get this off my chest. So I've been on the forums about 2 months now. About a month in I started trading for the figures that I've wanted. I've noticed a few things within the 21 or so trades/sales I've gone through.

1. Pricing of figures: There seems to be no set scale of how someone prices a piece in question. While most people use eBay prices its still very confusing. I base my prices on the Buy It Now price as I'm assuming most other people do. For example...

SR Sinestro from Crisis is "B.I.N." at close to $80.00 where as SR Superman Prime from AA is going for $40-$50. Now, I was able to snag a Sinestro for $43.00 with an auction style bid. That's the same price as the "B.I.N." Superman Prime, yet I couldn't find anyone to trade my Prime for a Sinestro.

2. Only trading for LEs and SRs: It seems everyone's Wants are consisted of only SRs and LEs.

I need 2 pieces for a mod, Horrorclix Polearm Predator and Amon Sur from AA. I would think that getting a Amon Sur would be easy since hes not SR or anything, but NO. Not one single offer. I'm thinking either no one is taking the time to look at the W/H lists or they don't care. I ended up buying the 2 from eBay once again.

3. Play Value?: This might be only a handful of people.

While most people are using the current market value, it seems a few realmsters are trading based on play value. I understand someone people value certain pieces for sentimental purposes. But it seems the other reason is for the fact that a certain performs better on the battlefield. This doesn't make sense to me (that's just my opinion). That means I can value my Deadshot V as the same value as say Lampost Batman because I like the way he plays on the field. :confused: I don't know...maybe its just me.

I have to admit that I've f-ed up a trade or 2 on my part and I've always tried to makeup for it by sending an extra figure on the other person's W/H list. I just find it weird how things work in the trading. I was able to score Superman Prime for 21 figures of which only I think 2 were older SRs. I just had to rant a bit. :p

[phantalien]

Sinestro seemed like a hard character to pull. He is a very popular character, plus Crisis sold out so you can't really find packs laying around anywhere.

People trading SRs and LEs is always common. A lot of people do not bother to list their nons that they have and hope that the other person listed them on their haves list and throw them into trades as sweeteners.

I think playability is important when it comes to trading with me. I can trade away an Irene Adler easier than an SR Colonel. Why? because she is very playable. I also know that my Wants list contains a lot of figures that I do not have but not necessarily want. I just learned that I am nearing a point where I can possibly accumulate a full set of figures I just need some random nons, Us, LEs. What bugs me are the trades where people offer some Indy stuff for the new hotness SR LE or something of the sort.

What I do to make my trading more effective is to have a trade thread open where I list my spotlight haves, and figures that I want more than anything on my H/W list. From there I point people to my H/W button and ask them to fill any holes. It is not fool proof but it works decently. Well, it works decently until I have not updated my trade thread and people bump it after it has been inactive for about 6 months.

[icknaybob]

I do have a thread with my newest wants highlighted. You know, you've changed the titles for me multiple times. LOL. I think its easier for me to buy from eBay at this point because its faster. I won't give up tho. I will still be actively trading.

[krusticlese]

Personally, if you are going to try to guesstimate a figures worth the e-Bay buy it now listings aren't exactly accurate because it's a price someone wishes would be paid not what has actually been paid.

For example, after Unleashed was released there was a fool who paid $100.00 for a KC Superman from that set. By your logic, you may have seen that and slapped a $100.00 price tag on that figure in your head just because 1 dope was willing to pay it. We know know that particualr piece is between $30.00-$40.00 based on demand, popularity, etc.

My method is to look at the last 10 *completed* auction's worth of figures and average the value of a figure on those numbers. It reflects an average of what the actual current value of a figure and not the perceived value. Seems fair to all and takes into account market fluctuation based on popularity of a particular storyline featuring the character (i.e.; Sinestro Wars), or supply vs demand factors.

So Sinestro (based on the only 3 completed listings in the last 3 months) averages $48.36 while Superman Prime averages $34.44 based on the last 7 completed auctions- all that was available). The huge disparage in *actual worth* (almost $14.00) is likely why you can't find any takers for that offer. Also, if there have only been 3 completed auctions for Sinestro vs. the 7 for Prime obviously Sinestro is a rarer piece if he isn't up for sale as often.

[icknaybob]

Personally, if you are going to try to guesstimate a figures worth the e-Bay buy it now listings aren't exactly accurate because it's a price someone wishes would be paid not what has actually been paid.

For example, after Unleashed was released there was a fool who paid $100.00 for a KC Superman from that set. By your logic, you may have seen that and slapped a $100.00 price tag on that figure in your head just because 1 dope was willing to pay it. We know know that particualr piece is between $30.00-$40.00 based on demand, popularity, etc.

My method is to look at the last 10 *completed* auction's worth of figures and average the value of a figure on those numbers. It reflects an average of what the actual current value of a figure and not the perceived value. Seems fair to all and takes into account market fluctuation based on popularity of a particular storyline featuring the character (i.e.; Sinestro Wars), or supply vs demand factors.

So Sinestro (based on the only 3 completed listings in the last 3 months) averages $48.36 while Superman Prime averages $34.44 based on the last 7 completed auctions- all that was available). The huge disparage in *actual worth* (almost $14.00) is likely why you can't find any takers for that offer. Also, if there have only been 3 completed auctions for Sinestro vs. the 7 for Prime obviously Sinestro is a rarer piece if he isn't up for sale as often.

I hear ya. I learned that the other day when I was able to get the Sinestro for $43.00 which included the shipping. I just would have rather given that money to a realmster. I even post in the Sale Thread and there were no bites. ::shrugs:: I give up. I'm an impulse buyer. Need it. Want it. Got it! :p

[hair10]

I need 2 pieces for a mod, Horrorclix Polearm Predator and Amon Sur from AA. I would think that getting a Amon Sur would be easy since hes not SR or anything, but NO. Not one single offer. I'm thinking either no one is taking the time to look at the W/H lists or they don't care. I ended up buying the 2 from eBay once again.


Both of these figures were only available in collectors sets and these sets have been out of print for some time. I would imagine that has something to do with not being able to find/trade for them.

[booleyb]

Both of these figures were only available in collectors sets and these sets have been out of print for some time. I would imagine that has something to do with not being able to find/trade for them.

Amon Sur was from AA. Abin Sur was from the GL set.

You may not get a offer for Amon just because people may not want to deal for just a non. Why pay $4 bucks to ship for a trade for a figure you could get off Ebay for cheaper. If he was part of a larger trade then you'll probably get some hits.

I list all my nons in my trade thread, but know that most often they'll just get overlooked while scoping out for the more rare figures.

Good luck.

[zero_cochrane]

The thing about rare figures is that sometimes, there are just none available on the HCRealms "market". I'd be interested in buying a promo Johnny Alpha or Judge Dredd, but they are uncommon enough that I just don't see them in Haves lists. If it's rare and many people want it, there's a good chance that they'll keep these figures rather than put them up for sale.

I personally don't make lists of nons; they're not really worth the effort. if somebody is working out a trade or sale with me and says "Hey, do you have an Amon Sur as well?" I'm happy to check (and may include him gratis!) but I'm not going to maintain a Haves list of hundreds of figures - many of which are of minimal interest to traders.

[CarlosMucha]

I keep saying that we NEED a "Have/Wants" search tool to search in others peoples wants. :)

We will really have lots of more trades if this happen.