Poster collecting used to be fun...

bosshogg18

I have been poster collecting since 1998. I still remember mailing in a check to 10C for $12 per poster to buy some of the left over 98's. I got into this hobby never knowing my $12 would be any kind of investment. I just loved the art. Some were even taped to wall back in college (I know, makes me cringe too). Obviously these posters have appreciated significantly since then, but it was a slow steady rise. 
Up until a couple of years ago, including even Pittsburgh 2013, you could pick up a week or two after show for $150 or less. Now, people are selling posters for several hundred dollars, often the day of the show. Even more sad is people are paying it, therefore driving this behavior.
What happened today to Mr. Mumford was completely ridiculous, uncalled for, and just downright pathetic on what was directed at him. I missed out too. Wasn't expecting to get the Bourbon & Beyond poster as I was amongst thousands of people trying for 100 posters, but gave it my best shot. When I didn't get it I moved on.
Poster collecting has been a great hobby of mine since 1998. It has brought me friendships and great joy. It made me feel like when I was a kid collecting baseball cards, or a 1980's Christmas morning when I scored an awesome poster via a mystery sale. Now the fun has been sucked out by people trying to make a quick buck. Threatening people both in person or online, over a fucking poster. I love these beautiful pieces of art and have brought me great joy, but often think of giving it up. 
Where as "in the good ole days" it was fun collecting, buying and trading, it has gotten to the point where we don't own the posters, they own us. The stress of standing in line for posters (other merch too) pressing F5 on online sales, ebay, raffles/waffles, trades where people demand 1998's for a poster released that day. Overall fun has lost and greed has won. Just my 2 cents.

CopperTom

Being able to preorder posters blindly would help everyone involved.

drakeheuer14

Soooo can I have your 98's for face value? Please?

Edit - on a more serious note, the costs are indeed crazy. I like to justify it by the fact that posters today are much better artwork than the 98's. Just my opinion and I know how much people praise the 98's. But most of them look like cheap art compared to post 2010. 

And the message to Dan was ridiculous. 

JojoRice

Agreed.  It's gotten out of hand.  Especially over the last 3 or 4 years.

Zod

I agree it's pretty crazy.  I remember the first time I encountered a poster.   Missoula 98.   They had an outside merch booth.  No crazy lineups and no crazy people.   The tshirt was kind of ugly, but I loved the poster, looked just like a comic book cover.   Bought it with no fuss or muss, survived the rest of a 5 week cross canada trip, and it it's been hung around wherever I live ever since.

I love the posters.   Going to concerts is one of my favourite things to do, so having posters hung around the house are mementos that mean something to me.  I like it.  

It is too bad its gotten insanely crazy.   I shudder when I see the merch lines.   Luckily at Wrigley a buddy of mine grabbed me one as he had time to kill.  I dunno.   I think half the issue is most of us have money now.    Not broke like we were in our 20s. 

I am surprised new posters go for as much as they do.

I'm not sure what else can be done.   Someone mentioned preorders (Which the 10c did in '09), but they said it was alot of work so they stopped doing it :(

edit:  I feel bad for the artist.  I'm not sure what happened, but these small website aren't built for the crazy pj fan base.  

dcp3y

I still like the idea for 10C members going to a show and able to preorder/prepay for their stuff (say 48 hrs in advance).  Day of the show, show confirmation # and get prepacked bag with items (could be limited to one item per kind) and would serve 10C fans well not having to stress, wait in excessive lines, pay exorbitant after market prices, and drive value to being a 10C member.  Fans at the show, getting the gig merch...win-win!  (And posters in tubes.). If items not picked up by 8pm (whatever time really), then released to general public and a prepare surcharge say $15 (or whatever deemed appropriate) charged with the rest refunded from the sale.  I get this is a bit idealish, but why not dream big?

Zod

dcp3y said:

I still like the idea for 10C members going to a show and able to preorder/prepay for their stuff (say 48 hrs in advance).  Day of the show, show confirmation # and get prepacked bag with items (could be limited to one item per kind) and would serve 10C fans well not having to stress, wait in excessive lines, pay exorbitant after market prices, and drive value to being a 10C member.  Fans at the show, getting the gig merch...win-win!  (And posters in tubes.). If items not picked up by 8pm (whatever time really), then released to general public and a prepare surcharge say $15 (or whatever deemed appropriate) charged with the rest refunded from the sale.  I get this is a bit idealish, but why not dream big?

It's probably more complicated than you think.  Rather than bring a slab of 1000 posters, you have too add in the work of someone taking orders, cataloging them, packaging them, and dispersing them at the venue.   So much less effort to take the 35 and hand 'em over.

I think that's why the preorder thing was shortlived.   Processing that many orders per show (whether it be by mail or in person) is time and resorce consuming.

I loved the preorder thing.   Didn't have to worry about it getting squished.

Which reminds me that back then the outside merch booths were rare.    Now people lineup for days outside :(   I guess they could stop doing it to try and prevent non-ticket holding scalpers from buying... but then the lineups inside would be insane.   I've noticed people ponder the merch alot more.. gnr was superslow and long.. people trying on the shirts to see if they fit etc..   then paying with debit/credit which takes a while.    Gone are the old days of I want that and that, there's my 50 bucks.. lol.

RobbyD462

Pre order would be much appreciated.
Posters achtually waiting in line for hours for now that's priceless!

bosshogg18

The part I never understood, even back in 1998, why is merchandise so limited, especially posters? Why not make a shitload? This benefits both the band and the artist by increased sales. Someone selling a $35 poster on ebay for $300 doesn't help the band/artists at all. Some will say it is because posters don't always sell out. That in fact does happen, but more often than not, demand far out exceeds supply. Worst case scenario the band is left with extra posters that cost $7 to $10 to produce. If they produced way more posters they are selling for $35 a pop. How many thousands of dollars are they missing out on? Plus increased supply would bring down value and curb a lot of this recent craziness.
I would also think the producers of these posters or 10C would be smart enough to gauge demand. Knowing when they have a winner i.e. Pittsburgh 2013 (jaw dropped momment I saw it) vs Vancouver 2011 (I was at that show, and literally said are you fucking kidding me? when I got to merch booth).
I love the idea of pre order before show. If it is a pain in the ass for 10C, that's understandable. I am sure it is. Maybe outsource it and pass costs onto customer. 95% of people would pay a few more bucks as opposed to waiting in line for hours and stressing, often times getting skunked.

wecrazybob

It was crazy in 98 too.  I remember specifically getting shut out of getting the poster before the show started at Knoxville and Vancouver.

on2legs

wecrazybob said:

It was crazy in 98 too.  I remember specifically getting shut out of getting the poster before the show started at Knoxville and Vancouver.

Kinda agree with this... I never saw a poster at a merch booth in 1998.  Didn't even know they sold posters at that time. 

Horse2345

wecrazybob said:

It was crazy in 98 too.  I remember specifically getting shut out of getting the poster before the show started at Knoxville and Vancouver.

Ahhh Vancouver 98, I remember that, was definitely more interested in the beer line up then.

Deadman

Last tour I saw 2 shows.  Spent a combined 6 hours in line for merch.  Have done this a few times.  Never again.

wecrazybob

I will say this, sign me up for a presale, I buy ALL the posters of shows I have been to, no matter if I like the art or not.  Every once in a while I get a classic (Moline.)

PJfanwillneverleave1

bosshogg18 said:

The part I never understood, even back in 1998, why is merchandise so limited, especially posters? Why not make a shitload? This benefits both the band and the artist by increased sales. Someone selling a $35 poster on ebay for $300 doesn't help the band/artists at all. Some will say it is because posters don't always sell out. That in fact does happen, but more often than not, demand far out exceeds supply. Worst case scenario the band is left with extra posters that cost $7 to $10 to produce. If they produced way more posters they are selling for $35 a pop. How many thousands of dollars are they missing out on? Plus increased supply would bring down value and curb a lot of this recent craziness.
I would also think the producers of these posters or 10C would be smart enough to gauge demand. Knowing when they have a winner i.e. Pittsburgh 2013 (jaw dropped momment I saw it) vs Vancouver 2011 (I was at that show, and literally said are you fucking kidding me? when I got to merch booth).
I love the idea of pre order before show. If it is a pain in the ass for 10C, that's understandable. I am sure it is. Maybe outsource it and pass costs onto customer. 95% of people would pay a few more bucks as opposed to waiting in line for hours and stressing, often times getting skunked.

I also think that as an added bonus of winning lottery 10c tix an option of pre-purchasing a poster before the cc charge goes through would be ideal.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

Deadman said:

Last tour I saw 2 shows.  Spent a combined 6 hours in line for merch.  Have done this a few times.  Never again.

I agree.

I've been shut out a few times for DMB a couple times at the Gorge because we spent too long eating Mexican food and drinking margaritas. This was way funner than joining the back of a clump and jockeying your way to the front while watching the pile of posters get smaller and smaller as you get tenser and tenser.

The experience is valuable at these shows. If you miss out on a poster and really want it... you can get it later- albeit with a higher price tag. But if you think about it... spending more time drinking margaritas and not having to concern yourself with a poster at the show... the additional cost might be worth it.  

Zod

wecrazybob said:

It was crazy in 98 too.  I remember specifically getting shut out of getting the poster before the show started at Knoxville and Vancouver.

Weird about the Vancouver one.  I still have a vivid memory of being inside the coliseum and them having posters inside.   I remember because I opted not to buy one because I thought they were too small, and then changed my mind years later and tracked one down (for a premium of course :( )

I've also learned with recent shows that your ok waiting to buy in the venue.  Seattle '13 the merch line went for block and blocks every day.    Walked straight in and bought the poster inside no problem.   Similar with Wrigley.  Merch lines were insane.  We went with friends who didn't have GA and I got a text back that merch line inside was lineable and my friend grabbed a poster no problem).

I also agree on your time might be worth buying it online after.  I did that for GNR in Seattle last year.  The lineup was going nowhere (not nearly as long as a PJ lineup, but pretty long).   I hear Alice in Chains start, and I thought to myself, it's not worth a poster to miss AIC so ran out and watched their set.    Ended up buying a poster later (for a premium) but easily worth not missing AIC.

wecrazybob

Took 17 years but I FINALLY scored that Vancouver 98 poster.  The hunt is fun, I mean you can imagine how rewarding it was after all these years.  It was my birthday show.  I'll never forget it, was behind the stage and got pulled out of the show during Hail Hail cause i had a shitty tape recorder.

riley540

I think people are getting a bit crazy over the Posters. They are cool and fun, and sadly market prices are determined by collectors. Just because they are posted on eBay for $300 doesn’t mean they sell for $300. I always tell myself that it’s just a piece of paper and in time I will get my hands on one. There’s a few movie posters out there that I want but I’m sure it will be years before it ever happens. It’s fun trying to negotiate trades and deals with other collectors. That’s the fun in it for me. You can meet tons of awesome people and do fun negotiations. 

I'D RATHER BE

bosshogg18 said:

I have been poster collecting since 1998. I still remember mailing in a check to 10C for $12 per poster to buy some of the left over 98's. I got into this hobby never knowing my $12 would be any kind of investment. I just loved the art. Some were even taped to wall back in college (I know, makes me cringe too). Obviously these posters have appreciated significantly since then, but it was a slow steady rise. 
Up until a couple of years ago, including even Pittsburgh 2013, you could pick up a week or two after show for $150 or less. Now, people are selling posters for several hundred dollars, often the day of the show. Even more sad is people are paying it, therefore driving this behavior.
What happened today to Mr. Mumford was completely ridiculous, uncalled for, and just downright pathetic on what was directed at him. I missed out too. Wasn't expecting to get the Bourbon & Beyond poster as I was amongst thousands of people trying for 100 posters, but gave it my best shot. When I didn't get it I moved on.
Poster collecting has been a great hobby of mine since 1998. It has brought me friendships and great joy. It made me feel like when I was a kid collecting baseball cards, or a 1980's Christmas morning when I scored an awesome poster via a mystery sale. Now the fun has been sucked out by people trying to make a quick buck. Threatening people both in person or online, over a fucking poster. I love these beautiful pieces of art and have brought me great joy, but often think of giving it up. 
Where as "in the good ole days" it was fun collecting, buying and trading, it has gotten to the point where we don't own the posters, they own us. The stress of standing in line for posters (other merch too) pressing F5 on online sales, ebay, raffles/waffles, trades where people demand 1998's for a poster released that day. Overall fun has lost and greed has won. Just my 2 cents.

I totally agree.

HesCalledDyer

I feel ya OP.  Over the last two years, I've sold all of my posters that aren't in frames and I'll stick to just getting a tour shirt from now on. Unless the art really kicks me in the ass, I'm done with posters. Fortunately for me, my tastes usually seem to be the opposite of the masses, so a poster I go apeshit for has the odds of being a dud to everyone else, thus making it easier for me to obtain.

Sarava

bosshogg18 said:

The part I never understood, even back in 1998, why is merchandise so limited, especially posters? Why not make a shitload? This benefits both the band and the artist by increased sales. Someone selling a $35 poster on ebay for $300 doesn't help the band/artists at all. Some will say it is because posters don't always sell out. That in fact does happen, but more often than not, demand far out exceeds supply. Worst case scenario the band is left with extra posters that cost $7 to $10 to produce. If they produced way more posters they are selling for $35 a pop. How many thousands of dollars are they missing out on? Plus increased supply would bring down value and curb a lot of this recent craziness.
I would also think the producers of these posters or 10C would be smart enough to gauge demand. Knowing when they have a winner i.e. Pittsburgh 2013 (jaw dropped momment I saw it) vs Vancouver 2011 (I was at that show, and literally said are you fucking kidding me? when I got to merch booth).
I love the idea of pre order before show. If it is a pain in the ass for 10C, that's understandable. I am sure it is. Maybe outsource it and pass costs onto customer. 95% of people would pay a few more bucks as opposed to waiting in line for hours and stressing, often times getting skunked.

I work in printing. Printing extra copies costs very little in the grand scheme of things. Most of he costs in printing posters are the design, the prepress, the press proofs, the printing plates, the make ready on press. Adding a couple extra thousand copies is minuscule in the grand scheme of things. And even if you had to throw 1000 posters in the trash due to not selling them, it would have little effect on the bottom line.

I am sure they limit these for demand reasons. It's one of those things where if it was readily available, most of the people that want them probably wouldn't want them. People want limited items. They want items that feel special. 

Sarava

It will be interesting to see if Pearl Jam alters how they handle posters for shows going forward. It's one thing when people miss out and get whiny on the forum. In the end, we all live. But now we're talking about fists fights and people wishing death on the artists. Come on man. This has gone too far.

I definitely support pre-orders...or even lottery's to purchase these. If it eliminates the lines, the fighting and some of the flipping, then wonderful.

Zod

I've felt they've increased the size of the pressings over the years, but the demand keeps going up to.  I think concert posters are awesome souveniers from concerts.  I mostly have PJ ones, but other bands have slowly started doing them too.   Some of them are a bit ugly, but I definitely like hanging the nicer ones around the house.

It's too bad it's a crazy experience trying to get them.   I imagine lots of people feel the same way, and like to have a souvenir from the show.

Sarava

They definitely increased the runs on the Fenway and Wrigley posters. That Thomas poster would probably be going for $700 if they printed the amount they do for normal shows.

But besides that? I don't know. I watched how fast the posters sold out at MSG1 and Lexington in the last tour. It was literally a matter of minutes after doors opened in both cases. MSG2 I think lasted a bit, but that poster is fugly. Moline was also impossible to get in the 2014 tour.

lastexitlondon

bosshogg18 said:

I have been poster collecting since 1998. I still remember mailing in a check to 10C for $12 per poster to buy some of the left over 98's. I got into this hobby never knowing my $12 would be any kind of investment. I just loved the art. Some were even taped to wall back in college (I know, makes me cringe too). Obviously these posters have appreciated significantly since then, but it was a slow steady rise. 
Up until a couple of years ago, including even Pittsburgh 2013, you could pick up a week or two after show for $150 or less. Now, people are selling posters for several hundred dollars, often the day of the show. Even more sad is people are paying it, therefore driving this behavior.
What happened today to Mr. Mumford was completely ridiculous, uncalled for, and just downright pathetic on what was directed at him. I missed out too. Wasn't expecting to get the Bourbon & Beyond poster as I was amongst thousands of people trying for 100 posters, but gave it my best shot. When I didn't get it I moved on.
Poster collecting has been a great hobby of mine since 1998. It has brought me friendships and great joy. It made me feel like when I was a kid collecting baseball cards, or a 1980's Christmas morning when I scored an awesome poster via a mystery sale. Now the fun has been sucked out by people trying to make a quick buck. Threatening people both in person or online, over a fucking poster. I love these beautiful pieces of art and have brought me great joy, but often think of giving it up. 
Where as "in the good ole days" it was fun collecting, buying and trading, it has gotten to the point where we don't own the posters, they own us. The stress of standing in line for posters (other merch too) pressing F5 on online sales, ebay, raffles/waffles, trades where people demand 1998's for a poster released that day. Overall fun has lost and greed has won. Just my 2 cents.

Perfectly written. I sold all but a few of my many posters and stopped collecting anything. For this reason
 I sold all mine at basically face value to my best friend so he now collects but he is paying 100's . Multiple times its not fun anymore its pressurised and dirty back stabbing kind of mentality.  I wish the merch had stayed like the old days.never mind just my view.

nicknyr15

If I can't score one from a fair 10c member than I don't end up with one at all. I can't spend 4 hours on line and I never score one from the artists. It sucks. 

BCBA

Obviously it is never going back to 1998 when it was a big secret and posters were $12, and yet nobody cared.  These are really cool mementos of shows.  Good artwork.... and face it, the scarcity/demand makes posters 'look' better in a lot of cases.  Many other bands have also gotten onto the gig poster bandwagon.

It was trending negatively.  Basically through ebay sales.  People here would try to gobble up new posters to try to dislodge older grails, and bump threads 1,000 times.  Overall, it was well policed.  If people put posters up at a 'near ebay max' value, they would get shouted down.  A group started yelling down at the policing and the door was broken down a bit.  I very rarely see a good price here, as before, it was more in the interest of the hobby.  Maybe getting 50-80% of what you could get if you went on an 'open market'.  

Then these "raffles" and "flash sales" started and it has hit a new level of sucktitude and there is no coming back.  People now found a way to grab like 150% of max value for things, with paying no fees or taxes.  In turn, this "collector" movement has created a ripple throughout everything and prices have gone up and up.  And to be honest at this point, I would hesitate to do anyone a favor on the price of an item, because I wouldnt be surprised to see it offered in a raffle.  

With posters, I dont see them so much as cool art and souvenirs any more.  They have become currency. 

helplessdancer

if memory serves me right for 1 or 2 tours this band offered a presale of posters for people who purchased tickets to said show. sight unseen for the poster. taking away that gift was not cool at all
but i'm done with posters and f'n pins and stickers and i ain't gonna wait in any line for any of it ever.
obviously a insane "serious collector" HA HA wrote that nasty email to mumford and it sure sheds light on the "collector scene". there are many many "pj people" who buy just to re-sell

buck502000

I don’t like people 

elwayvedder

I'm definitely souring on merch due to all that you mentioned etc.  However and with that said - The one thing I'm focusing on when I see things like people fighting at merch booths is posters and other merch bring people together. They cause people to help each other. Whether it's as a poster buddy or someone donating an item for a charity fundraiser etc.  I've seen more examples of good being done to help others with merch involved than bad and I try to remind myself of those examples as it does sadden me to see friendships lost or bad experiences happen because of "stuff".  The feeling I get from helping someone with a merch item or when someone stands in line to secure an item for a charity fundraiser to help a great cause rises above all the bad stuff that happens