Dealing with Losing Out

[Den82]

I have a very hard time when I find something in the wild and I can't get it simply because the seller was a greedy hard head who wanted way too much for something.

It happened today. I went to a "moving sale" advertised on CL and this guy had a treasure trove of stuff in his basement. The kind of stuff that had it was an Estate Sale advertised as such, people would of been lined up outside the door. Here I was at a sale that didn't have a million hungry dealers and collectors to compete with.

EVERYTHING I picked up was "not for sale", "not selling that", "a dealer is coming by to look at that", "I want to check out what that's going for". The few things he was willing to sell, he wanted more than what it was worth.

Then he told me he had a few plastic bins of modern Star Wars and other figures a lady picked up for "five grand". Liar.

I ended up getting a Captain America with a beater head and two broken leg pins.
__________

What are somethings you lost out on that really sucked?

The thing I hate most about Estate Sales, is losing an item by minutes and having to see somebody else walk out with it and load it in their car. That ruins my entire day.

[acrovader]

What types of stuff did he have?

[Brad]

I am kind of used to it. Not with toys but with vintage bikes. I lost track of how many times I was given a hot lead on an old Kawasaki that "looks like the ones you collect" only to go and find an old KZ400 or something similar to that, which is nothing like the bikes I collect.


But you have to do the leg work as you never know what you may find and all it takes is that one time where you come across gold to make it worth while.

[WannabeMego]

I don't know the whole situation but technically it their's until they sell it, so they can do and ask what they want for it.

My approach to things that I personally want (not reselling) that someone else has is to connect with the seller...again, it's their's until they sell it to you...make them want to sell it to you.

I've succeeded more then I failed using that approach, but I'm also fair with my offers without being insulting and I think when you personally want something it is more receptive then if you're trying to get a good deal just to flip.

Nevertheless...it sux when you see things that you want slip away.

Good Luck next time.

[4NDR01D]

I hear ya Den, I hear ya. Just checked my local Kajiji ad's and this popped up.
1980's gi joe and g1 transformers for sale - Belleville Toy Games For Sale - Kijiji Belleville
Obviously he's got some decent stuff, but if he's of the belief that it's worth $25,000-$50,000, well what can you do. I wouldn't bother even contacting him to try to get some of these items, way too much of a headache. Sometimes you can see it a mile away.

[Saroyan]

I hear ya Den, I hear ya. Just checked my local Kajiji ad's and this popped up.
1980's gi joe and g1 transformers for sale - Belleville Toy Games For Sale - Kijiji Belleville
Obviously he's got some decent stuff, but if he's of the belief that it's worth $25,000-$50,000, well what can you do. I wouldn't bother even contacting him to try to get some of these items, way too much of a headache. Sometimes you can see it a mile away.

For that kind of asking price he better have a case of unopened USS Flagg Carriers at the bottom of one of those stacks of boxes!

You see pricing like that a lot with Hot Wheels- someone heard of a redline that sold for $5000 - so they think 50 cars from the 90s must be worth $3 each is a bargain- when .30 each is more the reality.

[nazgul]

It's happened to me more times than I can say, but I've had PLENTY of times where I won out. I just try to focus on those times and it kind helps me get past the stuff that slipped though my fingers...

[4NDR01D]

And even though I say I won't even email him, I'll admit I'm totally tempted, just on the off chance he's just trying to bring attention to his stuff and would actually let it go for a decent price. I think that's where the real frustration sets in, trying to inform these sellers that their stuff just isn't worth what they think it is. it's an uphill battle.

And Den, i had the exact same "not for sale" thing happen at a junky flea market on Sunday, I asked about 3 things, was told the vendor for the first two items wasnt there and since no price tags they couldn't sell them, the next item they couldn't sell because it was an electronic (Magnavox odessy 2) that hadn't been tested yet, and then when another flea market patron asked about some speakers he was told they weren't for sale because they were used to test things. The other guy and I looked at each other and at the same time said "is anything in here for sale?". Pretty funny moment actually.

[Splitty]

Luckily that doesn't happen much to me locally. Usually because none of the local stuff's so rare that I can't find it on ebay at some point. If there charging too much around here,I know I'll find it somewhere later. If it IS affordable, I have learned after many hard excruciating lessons if I'm attracted to it, just buy it immediately. Otherwise I'll go home an torture myself forever, and may involve a trip back anyway. Or be upset for days because I didn't get it. Rip the bandaid off quickly!!

On ebay however, OMG there are so many times I KICK myself for missing something sweet, usually when it's something really rare that may never pop up again, or at least at that price.

My biggest mistep so far this year that I'll NEVER forgive myself for is this knock-off 12" chupacabra monster man that will be impossible to find again, if so I'm sure it'll be expensive. I didn't check the watch list before I went to bed and it ended in my sleep! I thought I had more time.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_909wt_1025
I can't bring myself to delete it from my watch list. I love cheesy bad monster junk like that! I'll never find one again@!#!

I him.

[Brad]

For that kind of asking price he better have a case of unopened USS Flagg Carriers at the bottom of one of those stacks of boxes!

You see pricing like that a lot with Hot Wheels- someone heard of a redline that sold for $5000 - so they think 50 cars from the 90s must be worth $3 each is a bargain- when .30 each is more the reality.

As a Redline collector myself I have seen this too. Often someone sees a rare color and thinks their much more common colored car is worth the same amount. Or worse yet they think their beat up car (lucky to be a C1 condition) is worth a ton just because "it's a Redline!"

[4NDR01D]

I don't mean to rub it in Splitty, but that IS COOL!!! and cheap. I'm sorry for your loss.

Luckily that doesn't happen much to me locally. Usually because none of the local stuff's so rare that I can't find it on ebay at some point. If there charging too much around here,I know I'll find it somewhere later. If it IS affordable, I have learned after many hard excruciating lessons if I'm attracted to it, just buy it immediately. Otherwise I'll go home an torture myself forever, and may involve a trip back anyway. Or be upset for days because I didn't get it. Rip the bandaid off quickly!!

On ebay however, OMG there are so many times I KICK myself for missing something sweet, usually when it's something really rare that may never pop up again, or at least at that price.

My biggest mistep so far this year that I'll NEVER forgive myself for is this knock-off 12" chupacabra monster man that will be impossible to find again, if so I'm sure it'll be expensive. I didn't check the watch list before I went to bed and it ended in my sleep! I thought I had more time.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_909wt_1025
I can't bring myself to delete it from my watch list. I love cheesy bad monster junk like that! I'll never find one again@!#!

I him.

[Splitty]

I don't mean to rub it in Splitty, but that IS COOL!!! and cheap. I'm sorry for your lose.

I KNOW!!!!

[Den82]

What types of stuff did he have?

Nothing too great as far as toy stuff. He had a Marx Medieval horse in the box that he didn't want to sell. As it turns out, ones in better shape than his sold for under $30 on eBay. He had a Glow in the Dark Aurora Frankenstein in a kind of beat up box and missing parts that he wanted at least $35 for. He had gigantic plastic box of mint Star Wars trading cards, the sticker ones. I didn't even ask what he wanted for those, because he was wild with his prices.

The thing I really wanted. This will strike some as odd, but let's say he has some um, "adult" movies on Betamax. All mint condition. I collect cult films and especially old VHS. He was convinced he had a goldmine in them. I can elaborate more on this, but I might get in trouble. Let's say some of them featured a rather notorious star who was making movies when she really shouldn't have. Anyway as it turns out, Betamax while some collect it, doesn't fetch as much as VHS.

Some VHS, especially horror can be BIG bucks.

As far as toys go. I missed out on a GI JOE Flagg for $150. It was incomplete, but still would of been nice to get. That was a Craigslist thing.

[darkmonkeygod]

The thing I really wanted. This will strike some as odd, but let's say he has some um, "adult" movies on Betamax. All mint condition. I collect cult films and especially old VHS. He was convinced he had a goldmine in them. I can elaborate more on this, but I might get in trouble. Let's say some of them featured a rather notorious star who was making movies when she really shouldn't have.

Yeah, that'd get you into bad trouble these days.

[Saroyan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 4NDR01D
I don't mean to rub it in Splitty, but that IS COOL!!! and cheap. I'm sorry for your lose.

I KNOW!!!!



I'm right there with both of you! I have saved stuff and forgot when it ended- or worse, had the auction open with 10 minutes remaining- and get distracted by something else and forget to bid before it ended!

And, it is really cool- kinda like the Green Goblins prehistoric cousin or something! I don't usually collect that sort of thing- but with my recent purchase of a 12' Darth Vader knock off and the follow up of a Radio Shack Galactic Man (RoboCop knock off) that sort of thing is growing on me!!

Best to let the losses go and focus on the wins.