Why more detailed Comics categories are needed

[kazatgvtcdotcom]

I am trying to convert my comic selling from eBay to eBid. After notifying my old customers to check out eBid, I have received several responses with which I agree -- that eBid needs more detailed categories for comics. That is because comic collectors (a) usually collect quite narrowly, and (b) are already conditioned to finding their specific genre easily in eBay's deep category structure.

Again I strongly suggest that eBid adopt eBay's complete comics category structure.

Here's one good corroborating comment that came in yesterday, verbatim:

"I'm as willing to dump e-bay as anyone. And e-bid's 17,000 comics listings is pretty impressive, even if not in the same league as e-bay's 188,000. However, without the proper breakdown it's pretty useless. I don't see any way to filter to just the golden age war comics, for example, the way you can on e-bay. Maybe I'll check back to e-bid sometime to see if things have changed."

[Gothicina]

I am trying to convert my comic selling from eBay to eBid. After notifying my old customers to check out eBid, I have received several responses with which I agree -- that eBid needs more detailed categories for comics. That is because comic collectors (a) usually collect quite narrowly, and (b) are already conditioned to finding their specific genre easily in eBay's deep category structure.

Again I strongly suggest that eBid adopt eBay's complete comics category structure.

Here's one good corroborating comment that came in yesterday, verbatim:

"I'm as willing to dump e-bay as anyone. And e-bid's 17,000 comics listings is pretty impressive, even if not in the same league as e-bay's 188,000. However, without the proper breakdown it's pretty useless. I don't see any way to filter to just the golden age war comics, for example, the way you can on e-bay. Maybe I'll check back to e-bid sometime to see if things have changed."

It's no good telling the guys to look at feebay's categories they won't.

If you want a more detailed breakdown, you will need to set it out as you want it, exactly as Gazza requests in the sticky.

Then you have the problem of getting people to actually move their items into the correct category.

At the moment Golden Age only has 50 listings anyway, which will not exactly strengthen your case for an even more detailed breakdown.

[damian_steele]

In addition to the above the comics category has only recently been adjusted after other long term / professional comic sellers made their recommendations. Just how many times should eBid change their structure to suit each potential seller that comes along and doesn't like something or other? When sellers who are supposed to be knowledgeable in their field can't seem to agree with each other, just how is eBid meant to know what to change for the best?

[JerseyDevil]

DS, American comic buyers are more regimented than Brits ( I believe ) and Feebay has been the market for quite some time. Feebay also breaks things down in the same order found in key Price Guides. This would not be a bad idea here as well. Gothicina has the best point to make.
kaz should visually make his case with a list.

[VandTnut]

I think I advocated documenting the reason for category breakdowns over a month ago. The comic collectors are naturally going to expect things to be organized in a manner that closely follows the structure they are familiar with from the price guides.
Price guides for collectibles of any type are the #1reference available to admin.
I don't know how easy to obtain they are in Europe but Kovels publishes a wide range of guides on antiques and collectibles in the US and has for decades.
Should be easy to order from the Kovels website.
Why try to reinvent the wheel when the hard work has already been done?
The price guide structures work otherwise they wouldn't keep bringing out new editions with additional listings.
ED

[FBNeNotes]

It's no good telling the guys to look at feebay's categories they won't.

If you want a more detailed breakdown, you will need to set it out as you want it, exactly as Gazza requests in the sticky.

Then you have the problem of getting people to actually move their items into the correct category.

At the moment Golden Age only has 50 listings anyway, which will not exactly strengthen your case for an even more detailed breakdown.

At the moment Golden Age only has 50 listings anyway, which will not exactly strengthen your case for an even more detailed breakdown.

The above 2 Lines... are an extremely weak comment, and says nothing to a real collector.
A very poor choice of words. In reality proper sub-cats will draw in sellers, the more the better, always.. especially when it pertains to Collectibles.
Thanks.

[VandTnut]

At the moment Golden Age only has 50 listings anyway, which will not exactly strengthen your case for an even more detailed breakdown.

The above 2 Lines... are an extremely weak comment, and says nothing to a real collector.
A very poor choice of words. In reality proper sub-cats will draw in sellers, the more the better, always.. especially when it pertains to Collectibles.
Thanks.

Lets examine this statement more closely.
But first, let me state that I am not a comic collector currently and have only been moderately interested in collecting in the past so my knowledge in the area is superficial at best.

The Golden Age comics are very old and rare books. There are not going to be as many of them listed at any one time. For there to be 50 books listed on an auction site the size of eBid is in fact a testament to the confidence that the comic book sellers are placing in eBid as a viable venue for comic book sales.
If you want to develop this further, develop a percentage comparison between the listings on eBid and those on Greedbay.
I haven't investigated this area yet but may over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.
If the current newly arrived crop of seller/collectors are urging that specific modifications need to be implemented in order to encourage their fellow collectors to migrate they need to be listened to. Their requests are even more pertinent when backed up by feedback from their own customers.
ED

[kazatgvtcdotcom]

Well, OK, if we want them listed, here goes.

Below are the roughly 370 U.S. Comics categories which eBay uses and which I advocate adopting.

Some points:
1. These U.S. categories are quite valuable. They represent more than ten years proven-in-practice evolution of how comics are identified and depicted by the U.S. comic community. No one complains to eBay about them.

2. Tonight all 370 categories have listings. None are unused or empty.

3. It seems much more logical to give would-be defectors from eBay a familiar rich environment into which to migrate, rather than to present a sparse space which can be perceived as inadequate, incomplete, or immature. Why not avoid all those criticisms?

4. Is eventually assuming a self-destructing eBay U.S. comics auction environment a goal here? If not, then no, you don't need these. But I want all my old buyers to come over. So I'd say it is a goal. Any such seller would say so, I think.

Thank you for your consideration. Here is the complete U.S. comics category list in question. Unfortunately I cannot reduce the font size to conserve space, for which I apologize...

Platinum Age (1897-1937)

Golden Age (1938-55)
. . . By Publisher
. . . . . . DC
. . . . . . Fawcett
. . . . . . Marvel
. . . . . . Timely
. . . . . . Quality
. . . . . . Other
. . . Cartoon Character
. . . Classics Illustrated
. . . Crime
. . . Funny Animal
. . . Horror & Sci-Fi
. . . Jungle
. . . Movie, TV
. . . Romance
. . . Sports
. . . Superhero
. . . . . . Batman
. . . . . . Blue Beetle
. . . . . . Blue Bolt
. . . . . . Boy
. . . . . . Captain Marvel
. . . . . . Flash
. . . . . . Green Lantern
. . . . . . Superman
. . . . . . Wonder Woman
. . . . . . Other
. . . War
. . . Westerns
. . . Reprints
. . . Other

Silver Age (1956-69)
. . . By Publisher
. . . . . . DC
. . . . . . Dell
. . . . . . Charlton
. . . . . . Gold Key
. . . . . . Marvel
. . . . . . Other
. . . Cartoon Character
. . . . . . Archie
. . . . . . Dennis the Menace
. . . . . . Disney
. . . . . . Hanna-Barbera
. . . . . . Harvey
. . . . . . Walter Lantz
. . . . . . Warner Bros
. . . . . . Other
. . . Classics Illustrated
. . . Horror & Sci-Fi
. . . Jungle
. . . Movie, TV
. . . Music
. . . Romance
. . . Sports
. . . Superhero
. . . . . . Aquaman
. . . . . . Atom
. . . . . . Avengers
. . . . . . Batman
. . . . . . Beware of the Creeper
. . . . . . Blackhawk
. . . . . . Brave and the Bold
. . . . . . Captain America
. . . . . . Daredevil
. . . . . . Doom Patrol
. . . . . . Dr. Strange
. . . . . . Fantastic Four
. . . . . . Flash
. . . . . . Green Lantern
. . . . . . Hawk and Dove
. . . . . . Hawkman
. . . . . . Incredible Hulk
. . . . . . Iron Man
. . . . . . Journey Into Mystery
. . . . . . Justice League of America
. . . . . . Metal Men
. . . . . . Nick Fury
. . . . . . Plastic Man
. . . . . . Sea Devils
. . . . . . Sgt. Fury
. . . . . . Silver Surfer
. . . . . . Spectre
. . . . . . Spider-Man
. . . . . . Strange Tales
. . . . . . Sub-Mariner
. . . . . . Superboy
. . . . . . Superman
. . . . . . Tales of Suspense
. . . . . . Tales to Astonish
. . . . . . Teen Titans
. . . . . . Thor
. . . . . . Wonder Woman
. . . . . . World's Finest
. . . . . . X-Men
. . . . . . Mixed Items
. . . . . . Other
. . . War
. . . Westerns
. . . Reprints
. . . Other

Bronze Age (1970-83)
. . . By Publisher
. . . . . . Gold Key
. . . . . . Harvey
. . . . . . Marvel
. . . . . . Other
. . . Cartoon Character
. . . . . . Archie
. . . . . . Dennis the Menace
. . . . . . Disney
. . . . . . Hanna-Barbera
. . . . . . Richie Rich
. . . . . . Other
. . . Classics Illustrated
. . . Horror & Sci-Fi
. . . Jungle
. . . Movie, TV
. . . Music
. . . Romance
. . . Sports
. . . Superhero
. . . . . . Aquaman
. . . . . . Avengers
. . . . . . Batman
. . . . . . Brave and the Bold
. . . . . . Captain America
. . . . . . Conan
. . . . . . Daredevil
. . . . . . Defenders
. . . . . . Dr. Strange
. . . . . . Fantastic Four
. . . . . . Flash
. . . . . . Ghost Rider
. . . . . . Green Lantern
. . . . . . Incredible Hulk
. . . . . . Iron Man
. . . . . . Justice League of America
. . . . . . Spider-Man
. . . . . . Star Wars
. . . . . . Superboy
. . . . . . Superman
. . . . . . Thor
. . . . . . Tomb of Dracula
. . . . . . Wonder Woman
. . . . . . World's Finest
. . . . . . X-Men
. . . . . . Mixed Items
. . . . . . Other
. . . War
. . . Westerns
. . . Reprints
. . . Other

Copper Age (1984-1991)
. . . By Publisher
. . . . . . Comico
. . . . . . Dark Horse
. . . . . . DC
. . . . . . Eclipse
. . . . . . First
. . . . . . Image
. . . . . . Marvel
. . . . . . Pacific
. . . . . . Valiant
. . . . . . Other
. . . Alternative, Underground
. . . Cartoon Character
. . . Horror & Sci-Fi
. . . Jungle
. . . Movie, TV
. . . Music
. . . Romance
. . . Sports
. . . Superhero
. . . . . . Alpha Flight
. . . . . . Aquaman
. . . . . . Avengers
. . . . . . Batgirl
. . . . . . Batman
. . . . . . Captain America
. . . . . . Catwoman
. . . . . . Conan
. . . . . . Daredevil
. . . . . . Deathlok
. . . . . . Defenders
. . . . . . Fantastic Four
. . . . . . Fathom
. . . . . . Flash
. . . . . . Ghost Rider
. . . . . . GI Joe
. . . . . . Green Arrow
. . . . . . Green Lantern
. . . . . . Hawkman
. . . . . . Incredible Hulk
. . . . . . Iron Man
. . . . . . Justice League of America
. . . . . . Justice Society of America
. . . . . . Legion of Superheroes
. . . . . . Moon Knight
. . . . . . Phantom
. . . . . . Punisher
. . . . . . Sandman
. . . . . . Secret Wars
. . . . . . Silver Surfer
. . . . . . Spawn
. . . . . . Spider-Man
. . . . . . Star Wars
. . . . . . Superman
. . . . . . Swamp Thing
. . . . . . Teen Titans
. . . . . . Thor
. . . . . . Transformers
. . . . . . Wolverine
. . . . . . Wonder Woman
. . . . . . X-Men
Mixed Items
Other
. . . War
. . . Westerns
. . . Reprints
. . . Other

Modern Age (1992-Now)
. . . By Publisher
. . . . . . Comico
. . . . . . Crossgen
. . . . . . Dark Horse
. . . . . . DC
. . . . . . Eclipse
. . . . . . First
. . . . . . Image
. . . . . . Malibu
. . . . . . Marvel
. . . . . . Pacific
. . . . . . Valiant
. . . . . . Other
. . . Alternative, Underground
. . . Cartoon Character
. . . Horror & Sci-Fi
. . . Jungle
. . . Movie, TV
. . . Music
. . . Romance
. . . Sports
. . . Superhero
. . . . . . Alpha Flight
. . . . . . Aquaman
. . . . . . Avengers
. . . . . . Batgirl
. . . . . . Batman
. . . . . . Captain America
. . . . . . Catwoman
. . . . . . Conan
. . . . . . Daredevil
. . . . . . Darkness
. . . . . . Deathlok
. . . . . . Defenders
. . . . . . Dr. Strange
. . . . . . Fantastic Four
. . . . . . Fathom
. . . . . . Flash
. . . . . . Ghost Rider
. . . . . . GI Joe
. . . . . . Green Arrow
. . . . . . Green Lantern
. . . . . . Hawkman
. . . . . . Hellboy
. . . . . . Identity Crisis
. . . . . . Incredible Hulk
. . . . . . Iron Man
. . . . . . Justice League of America
. . . . . . Justice Society of America
. . . . . . Lady Death
. . . . . . Legion of Superheroes
. . . . . . Lobo
. . . . . . Magneto
. . . . . . Moon Knight
. . . . . . Phantom
. . . . . . Punisher
. . . . . . Sandman
. . . . . . Secret Wars
. . . . . . Shi
. . . . . . Silver Surfer
. . . . . . Spawn
. . . . . . Spider-Man
. . . . . . Star Wars
. . . . . . Superman
. . . . . . Swamp Thing
. . . . . . Teen Titans
. . . . . . Thor
. . . . . . Tomb Raider
. . . . . . Transformers
. . . . . . Ultimates
. . . . . . Ultraverse
. . . . . . Witchblade
. . . . . . Wolverine
. . . . . . Wonder Woman
. . . . . . X-Men
. . . . . . Mixed Items
. . . . . . Other
. . . War
. . . Westerns
. . . rade Publications
. . . Reprints
. . . Other

International Editions
. . . Asia
. . . Canada
. . . Europe
. . . Mexico
. . . UK
. . . Other

Apparel & Accessories

Collections
. . . Batman
. . . Incredible Hulk
. . . Spider-Man
. . . Superman
. . . X-Men
. . . Mixed Lots
. . . Other

Figurines
. . . Batman
. . . Captain America
. . . Fantastic Four
. . . Incredible Hulk
. . . Justice League of America
. . . Punisher
. . . Spider-Man
. . . Superman
. . . Wolverine
. . . Wonder Woman
. . . X-Men
. . . Other

Full Runs

Full Sets

Graphic Novels, TPBs
. . . Alternative, Underground
. . . DC
. . . Cartoon Character
. . . Horror & Sci-Fi
. . . Marvel
. . . Movie, TV
. . . Superhero
. . . Other

Magazines
. . . Alternative, Zines
. . . Collections
. . . Fanzines, Fan Clubs
. . . Heavy Metal
. . . Mad
. . . Pulps
. . . Superhero
. . . Other

Manga

Newspaper Comics

Original Comic Art
. . . Comic Strip Art
. . . Covers
. . . Drawings, Sketches
. . . Paintings
. . . Splash Pages
. . . Other

Posters

Supplies
. . . Bags, Backing Boards
. . . Boxes
. . . Price Guides
. . . Other

Other

[blazinggrace]

Kaz, I moved my comic auctions here at the end of October and also informed all my eBay customers of the move. Thank-you for actually listing out the categories for ebid - - perhaps someone will actually listen. For instance, I listed Project Superpowers and there was absolutely no modern age category to list the books in. I ended up listing them in Golden Age since they contain Golden Age characters, however, they are obviously not Golden Age books.
Sales on ebid seem rather slow and I would like to know if anything actually sells or is just listed. Comic book sales are very slow.
Anyway, welcome and hope you bring in some more business!

[gazza]

HI kazatgvtcdotcom

Our US comics are categorised by Age > Publisher > Character. On your list you have Publisher and Character on the same level which would mean 2 places a comic could be placed ..

eg.
Golden > Publisher > DC
Golden > Character > Batman

We are happy to add more publishers and characters but they will have to be in hte format Age > Publisher > Character

Gazza