How do I find a cheap Copic Marker vendor?
April 21, 2010 4:10 PM Subscribe
I am looking for cheap Copic Ciao/Sketch markers. They are very expensive (the cheapest I have found is $80 USD for a pack of 36, but the sale is no longer on). I was wondering if anyone knows of a good vendor who sells them cheaply. I live in Canada (meaning: it would have to be local or a vendor that ships to Canada).
Best bet I've used was a student discount with an independent art store, though that was some time ago and I'm no longer a student. I've seen Copics on sale at comics or manga conventions as well, since they are excellent and popular in comics. Art supply places often will also have sales when they go to trade fairs, so that's something else to investigate. I'd check the Copic Dealer Locator (just input Country: Canada to get the official dealer list) and work those contacts.
Copics are expensive, but they really are excellent. Good luck.
posted by artlung at 6:58 PM on April 21, 2010
Copics are expensive, but they really are excellent. Good luck.
posted by artlung at 6:58 PM on April 21, 2010
The best deal on Copics I ever got was accidental - I stumbled on a Hobby Lobby where a number of them were mispriced at $2.51 each instead of $5.68, so I went through every single marker in the display and pulled out all the mispriced ones and bought them.
For the rest of my markers, I just kept looking at the Dick Blick website and picked up sets when they were on sale, and I picked some up at an anime convention where I talked the dealer into giving me three free markers because of the quantity I was buying (ended up total about a 10% discount). The same convention, I also entered a raffle and won a set of 12 Copics (that was the best luck I've ever had at a convention, I must say).
So my best advice is boring: keep your eyes open and visit as many stores, conventions, and websites that carry them as you can find, and pick up one or two markers here and there otherwise. You might be able to find someone selling theirs on auction sites. Mine have lasted without drying out for over 2 years, so I wouldn't be too worried about their age, plus as you probably already know, you can buy refill ink (for the Sketch markers, I'm not sure about the Ciao as I don't use them) so buying a used half-dead Copic marker isn't the end of the world.
posted by telophase at 8:55 AM on April 22, 2010
For the rest of my markers, I just kept looking at the Dick Blick website and picked up sets when they were on sale, and I picked some up at an anime convention where I talked the dealer into giving me three free markers because of the quantity I was buying (ended up total about a 10% discount). The same convention, I also entered a raffle and won a set of 12 Copics (that was the best luck I've ever had at a convention, I must say).
So my best advice is boring: keep your eyes open and visit as many stores, conventions, and websites that carry them as you can find, and pick up one or two markers here and there otherwise. You might be able to find someone selling theirs on auction sites. Mine have lasted without drying out for over 2 years, so I wouldn't be too worried about their age, plus as you probably already know, you can buy refill ink (for the Sketch markers, I'm not sure about the Ciao as I don't use them) so buying a used half-dead Copic marker isn't the end of the world.
posted by telophase at 8:55 AM on April 22, 2010
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-I am most interested in the sets (12-pk, 36-pk, 72-pk), but information on individual markers is also helpful.
-I also currently have the A, B, D sets of 36-pk Ciao (so wouldn't need those 3).
posted by angelaas525 at 5:06 PM on April 21, 2010