How Do You Collect? Spill Your Secrets!

[Shannon]

I was just curious as to how people do what they do, collecting-wise. Oh course, I have my super-secrets that I don't want to share, but I don't mind sharing SOME of my ways of seeking out items.

I mostly stick to eBay. I've never bought anything from AbeBooks, and I very rarely buy from Craigslist.

On eBay, I search out the following items multiple times per day:

"Steven King"
Stephen King
Stephen King rare
Stephen King art
Stephen King promo
Stephen King promotional
Stephen King unique
Stephen King strange
Stephen King proof
Stephen King advance
Stephen King advanced
Stephen King arc

And since I'm doing it multiple times per day, I stick to the "Most Recently Listed" sort. and see what's new. The only time I see what's "Ending Soonest" is for the regular Stephen King search. I look through the first 200 results.

And then, if and when I find something interesting, I almost always go through the seller's other listings to see what they have, and then sometimes on top of that, I message the seller and ask if he has any other Stephen King items.

That's pretty much all I do. Anyone else care to share?

[Ben Staad]

Good topic. I don't have an "in" with any publishers so I mainly stick to EBAY and ABE. On EBAY I like to search for:

Stephen King Art, Stepen King, Steven King, Stepehn King, Steven Kin, etc.

Nothing fancy with what I do. I try to look at things in my limited budget so no signed or S/Ls. I have found a few bargains this way but again, nothing to exciting.

[Randall Flagg]

Oh course, I have my super-secrets that I don't want to share, but I don't mind sharing SOME of my ways of seeking out items.

I mostly stick to eBay. I've never bought anything from AbeBooks, and I very rarely buy from Craigslist.

On eBay, I search out the following items multiple times per day:

"Steven King"
Stephen King
Stephen King rare
Stephen King art
Stephen King promo
Stephen King promotional
Stephen King unique
Stephen King strange
Stephen King proof
Stephen King advance
Stephen King advanced
Stephen King arc

And since I'm doing it multiple times per day, I stick to the "Most Recently Listed" sort. and see what's new. The only time I see what's "Ending Soonest" is for the regular Stephen King search. I look through the first 200 results.

And then, if and when I find something interesting, I almost always go through the seller's other listings to see what they have, and then sometimes on top of that, I message the seller and ask if he has any other Stephen King items.

That's pretty much all I do. Anyone else care to share?

Thanks for not totally sharing.
I can't tell you my secrets-otherwise they wouldn't be secrets.

[carlosdetweiller]

Seriously. Who in their right mind would do that?

[needfulthings]

Spoiler:

[Randall Flagg]

Seriously. Who in their right mind would do that?

Bob, would you please be so kind as to share the highly tuned search skills you use the first thing in the morning and almost on a daily basis? Not only that, but before anyone else likely finds the item you personally are seeking, just post it here in Intriguing SK auctions thread.

[carlosdetweiller]

I'm almost tempted to use an emoticon in reply to this.

[Randall Flagg]

I'm almost tempted to use an emoticon in reply to this.

This one?

or more likely this one:

[Shannon]

lol, hey it's just an idea for a thread. They're not all winners ... lol

[Randall Flagg]

lol, hey it's just an idea for a thread. They're not all winners ... lol

I love the idea; I am waiting to "steal" the secrets.

[stkmw02]

Boobs are my secret weapon.

[Randall Flagg]

Boobs are my secret weapon.

Show me...


Or do you search with "boobs" as a parameter?

[stkmw02]

I was just wondering how you were going to steal them.

[Randall Flagg]

I was just wondering how you were going to steal them.

Ok, we have to stop hijacking Shannon's thread-otherwise the best searching collectors in the world won't share their tips. No offense but search tips are the most important.

[George at C-Springs]

My technique is easy. First I e-mail you via a false address with the promise of a position somewhere or telling you that you won something or just advertising Jennifer Aniston's boobs. When you click on the e-mail, it automatically downloads a keystroke 'bot' that's pretty much undetectable because you have no idea what to look for in the first place and rely on good ol' Norton AV which you haven't updated or run in 6 months to catch it. Good luck with that! Everytime you use your system my software generates me a report that details every single thing you typed, from websites (and oh, some of the naughty ones that you visit!) to passwords (oh no, nobody would ever guess 1q2w3e4r5t, that's practically uncrackable!) to ... you guessed it ... search parameters and locations! I'm particularly fond of the sheer variety of online auction houses and foreign sites you use; much less competition than Abe, Alibris, Amazon, Bookfinder, and of course good ol' eBay!

Oh yeah ... when it's dark outside and the lights are on inside, I can see in but you can't see out ... and those white curtains only help me. Thank goodness I can see your screen from out there!

[needfulthings]

I was just wondering how you were going to steal them.

Ok, we have to stop hijacking Shannon's thread-otherwise the best searching collectors in the world won't share their tips. No offense but search tips are the most important.

Spoiler:

I THINK YOU WILL FIND THAT MOST MEN & ALL BABIES PREFER THE BREAST TIPS

[Merlin1958]

Since I have more or less "Completed" my collection (at least what I set out to accumulate) I can share. I actually paid a person (Member "Rusher") to assist. She found the most amazing deals!!! Of course, I searched "Ebay" regularly and utilized these boards extensively. When I started working with "Dolso" I spread out to access to the individual artists. Naturally, as your reputation grows, so does your "contact" base. "Hutch" and "Betts" were mainstay's for the hardcore editions. Maybe not very sophisticated, but it worked for me.

Oh, I would be remiss not to mention "Weathevane7" She helped me out quite a bit. Very nice Lady!!!

[Shannon]

How'd you know my password was 1q2w3e4r5t?

[Ben Staad]

LOL. I have no problem with sharing my "secrets". I think I would love to hear what went on before ebay and the prevalence of the internet. It must have been some wild times tracking down the books with correspondence everywhere.

[needfulthings]

LOL. I have no problem with sharing my "secrets". I think I would love to hear what went on before ebay and the prevalence of the internet. It must have been some wild times tracking down the books with correspondence everywhere.

BEEN THERE....... DID THAT! I'D SAY 80% OF MY KING COLLECTION AND 100% OF MY MOVIE TIE-IN COLLECTION. I STOPED BUYING MOVIE TIE-INS 16 YEARS AGO (OVER 10,000 BOOKS & MAGAZINES) WERE BOUGHT BEFORE THE INTERNET. BY THE WAY VERY LITTLE CORRESPONDENCE JUST EVERY WEEK WOULD HIT BOOK STORES & NEWS STANDS & ONCE IN A WHILE A BOOK FAIR. LIKE I STATED ONCE BEFORE THE WIFE & I SPENT THE NIGHT STANDING IN FRONT OF A BOOK STORE TO BUY THE S/L THE STAND.
PART OF THE MAGAZINE COLLECTION 1958-1996

[Shannon]

What a great picture.

[mcdonaldj]

Holy crap - that is an immense magazine collection which appears very carefully sorted and indexed (Library Girl would be proud)! What is the total count?!?

I search ebay, alibris, amazon two-three times a week - and then just end up buying from a member here or Betts. It is fun to look but I rarely buy from other places. I have a hard time buying anything but a legit S/L from ebay with all the fakes. Veryfine and Abe are a waste of time IMHO.

I count on this forum to let me know when new S/Ls are being released so I can scoop one up (The Shining & Dr. Sleep) and also when S.K. is having a signing to see if I can get there.

Not sure any of this is much of a secret, but that's all I've got.

[Stebbins]

I buy the books I know I'll want to keep and borrow the rest from the library ... not much of a collector yet. Turns out you need spare cash for that haha

[Patrick]

How do I collect? Haphazardly.

[Sir_Boomme]

I wait until I see something I want when someone post's pictures here of their collections... then I do some internet searches and find out where they live.... and then I pay them a visit when they are not home....


nice collection there needful....