>>>And let's not forget, in the early days, ebay was entirely free for both >>>sellers and buyers!
Geez, I completely forgot about this. I also remember before "eBay" it was called something like "Auction Web" or some such. The feedback system was rife with menace, retaliatory stuff in both directions until eBay killed it for sellers, leaving them at the mercy of buyers. It's now take it or leave it for sellers and they'll take their money and punish them even if buyers lie. They tried to be like Amazon. On the other hand, somehow, eBay and their crap fees are still here. - d. ________________________________ From: MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of Helmut Hamm <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 9, 2025 12:43 AM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: Aw: Re: [MOPO] Amazing what I don't remember By the time MCW arrived in Berlin, the great deals were usually gone, but I still bought a good number of items. Many purchases started with 'Sorry to hear XXX is already sold. What else have you got?' 25 years later, I still miss the second part. On the other hand, there were no photos of course, so as a buyer you were entirely dependent on the seller's condition report. I ran a few ads in MCW but never did too well. I started selling on ebay in 1999, and the first years were a BLESSING for me. Those days, I would more or less sell anything I listed, and sometimes at crazy prices. And let's not forget, in the early days, ebay was entirely free for both sellers and buyers! Postal Money Orders were still common back then, they came in both a domestic and international variety. I always accepted the domestic type and cashed them at a post office when I visited the US. Sometimes, they were a few months old, so the guy at the post office would double check them with a printed book of numbers he had, that apparently listed stolen or maybe canceled money orders. In the end, I always got my money and walked out with a wad of cash. These days, I can't remember the last time I sold a poster on ebay. I closed my ebay shop when they announced 'ebay managed payments' and never looked back. Helmut www.filmposter.net Gesendet: Mittwoch, 7. Mai 2025 um 14:56 Von: "Douglas B Taylor" <[email protected]> An: [email protected] Betreff: Re: [MOPO] Amazing what I don't remember I owe so much of my (former) collection to MCW. It was so exciting for me, getting that overnight delivery. I remember finding my GWTW plume style in a tiny add. I was over the moon when I called and it was, indeed, the plume style and still available (at a low 4-figure price). Woohoo! The thrill of the chase was my true enjoyment, of the collection. Regards Doug ________________________________ From: MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of Tony Calvert <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 8:48:21 AM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [MOPO] Amazing what I don't remember I also have great memories of "The Big Reel," before being absorbed by MCW. I was very young but could not wait for the little poorly made, folded typing like paper periodical to arrive. You had to be quick for the deals. This is a foreign concept for those growing up with tech. Hate to live in the past, but it was such a thrill to look through the film listings and try to beat everyone to your wants. It took a little work, but a very satisfying time. You actually had to navigate times to call, etc., and you dealt with a person instead of a keyboard. Tony On Wed, May 7, 2025 at 7:02 AM Michael Danese <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: So many great MCW and FCW memories! Those were the days! Thanks, MD On Wed, May 7, 2025 at 4:09 AM David Kusumoto <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: MCW and Brian Bukantis were quite a force, probably peaking in the 1990s through the mid 2000s. I don't remember the circumstances of how I became a "columnist" for that pub - covering sales in LA, NY, Boston and London - but in hindsight those years are vivid because they coincide with my peak involvement in the hobby, buying everything except for the key horror pieces that then and now - only blue bloods can afford. I have this belief that the collecting gene starts early and then peaks in one's 40s and 50s - before any notion of "downsizing" enters the picture, maybe after seeing mentors / friends passing away - and their collections liquidated by heirs who don't share their nostalgia - nor their stories - which are passed down by their friends for a couple of generations if they're lucky. If they're not passed down - and because most of us are not celebrities - we end up like the people from the 1930s-1960s seen in snapshots sold at flea markets - at the peak of their beauty and strength - who remain nameless because no one cared to label them, thinking there would always be enough time left to do it "later." I don't know if anyone else can "bracket" the years when they were most active in the hobby as collectors - but I can. - d. On Wed, May 7, 2025 at 3:22 AM Tony Calvert <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I was moving around some stuff collecting dust and found a box of old MCW's (Movie Collector's World) from the early 90s. I found some ads I had prepared and purchased for many issues. I can't believe what I have forgotten since then. Material I don't remember having, etc. Also looking at prices from various ads it is amazing the material that has appreciated and depreciated in the last 35 years. Also sad to see so many familiar names that aren't with us anymore. Just thought I would share. Tony Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
