Negotiating Better

[Den82]

I've been buying and selling toys now for almost 3 years. Not a long time I know, but the amount of stuff I've accumulated in the time is truly something amazing. However, it's a big personal blow when I find myself still making mistakes. Not only doing stupid stuff like selling things too low or accidentally throwing out pieces and parts I assume are junk only to find out they're something good, but either losing a deal or ending up paying too much.

Too many deals have fell through for me and I hate to admit it, but I am a terrible negotiator. I get often really overwhelmed, that I can't think straight and sometimes offer too little or way too much and I give in too often, often because I just want to take it home and get it in the car. I guess I hate to haggle.

Like for instance, this weekend I went to finally look at a collection I've been discussing about with the seller. I screwed up. Not only did my poker face vanish as soon as I saw it, but I low balled him and now things seem a bit uncomfortable. However I will say, that while he did give me a good deal on something. He seems to think the overall collection is worth an astronomical amount. A lot of stuff is in boxes, but the boxes are totally trashed. The only real "big ticket" thing I see is a Tattoine Skiff (which he foolishly sold the parts and instructs to by mistake (I didn't even see them in the box).

Tooo often, I have a hard time truly determining the value of something and what a fair price is.

Maybe because I'm still somewhat new to it and I can't help but to get excited by these large lots. But it haunts me for days when I know a collecting is rotting in a basement and no matter how much I try, I can't take it home.

[RickD]

I don't care how long you are in this business or how knowledgeable you are. You will never stop making mistakes along the way. I've been doing this since I was a kid and my grandpa and Dad taught me all that I know. I still make mistakes!

this business has highs and lows everyday.

I've made some bone head decisions, but trust me my mistakes have taught me a great deal now!

Don't beat yourself up over something like this because other opportunities will present themselves again and again!

The Best advice ever: HAVE PATIENCE in this business

[Den82]

I figured that too and really, I've made some amazing scores, so I shouldn't complain.

I can't stop thinking about this collection. What happens, is I become anxious and persistent and once that happens, they start reeling me in. I was getting frustrated with the guy, because it seems like no offer is going to be good enough now. I think when I made the foolishly low-ball offer of $200, I think he thought I was offering $2,000!

He also said something like "emotional attachment". Yet, they are sitting in his dad's basement, everything is a mixed up mess and getting dusty and musty.

It's like the GI JOE lot I was interested in during the summer. They reeled me in and it was like pulling teeth. They mentioned something like $500 and I finally gave it and said OK, $500! Then the brother, who got it out of a storage locker and gave it to the sis (who I was dealing with) to sort and sell it, told me "NO" and that if I wanted it, I would have to come up "substantially". Exactly one week later, they sold it all for $500 to somebody else.

Then the random garage sale stop where I pulled a bunch of 80s stuff out of the basement. AFTER paying her $75 for a pile of saw dusted covered junk, the husband tells us in a round about way to get the f___ out and when I went back the following week, they avoided me and wouldn't talk to me, yet still telling me about the rest of the stuff they have and that they would "call" when they clear it out.

Are people flaky like this all over or do I have to move off Long Island?

[RickD]

It pays to know what items are worth and know what you are talking about. Do your homework ahead of time before you go into a situation. Know your surroundings to. If you are in peoples homes, try not to overstay your welcome and be respectful.

People are not stupid, they usually check eBay to see what things have sold for and what they are listed at.

eBay has overall ruined the market.

You also have to have the cash flow for this business. Low ball offers will quickly get you kicked out and not welcomed back.

[4NDR01D]

When I had that Large Star Wars collection around X-mas time, I got some really good haggling advice from Toyman Chris. Here's the thread (post #2)

Star Wars ROTJ/ESB large lot score!! - Mego Talk

It worked for me, both seller and I came to an agreement in price that we both felt was fair, even tho in hind-site I feel bad for not just paying her original asking price.

[kennermike]

When I had that Large Star Wars collection around X-mas time, I got some really good haggling advice from Toyman Chris. Here's the thread (post #2)

Star Wars ROTJ/ESB large lot score!! - Mego Talk

It worked for me, both seller and I came to an agreement in price that we both felt was fair, even tho in hind-site I feel bad for not just paying her original asking price.

I remember this thread did you sell the the Return of the Jedi Collection?Hope you got a decent price

[gaga4toyz]

I hate negotiating myself. If I'm buying for myself and I really want something, I will pay full retail if the condition is excellent. If I'm buying to resell, I tell them what I think it's worth, I tell them they could do alot better if they did the work and sold the stuff themselves, and then I offer about half of the value I quoted. I may come up a bit if I think I can move the stuff quickly. You have to keep emotions out of it. If I can't make a little money off the deal I pass.

[4NDR01D]

I remember this thread did you sell the the Return of the Jedi Collection?Hope you got a decent price

Yeah, I kept a MIB Rancor and a MIB Jabba, sold everything else. The fact that it was Canadian Bilingual packaging only helped. Some stuff that would've pulled $30-$40 on US cards pulled hundreds. It was quite a pleasant surprise.
In all, I probably got 6 times out of it what I put into it. Then minus the eBay fees of course.

[rche]

Keeping your excitement going on any project while not letting emotions take control is always a bit of a trick. I would assume you are buying/selling because you enjoy it. That is good for your soul; and then you introduce finances into it and it becomes business.

Sometimes you just have to go ahead and let things rot if that is what is going to happen. It is definitely best (as has been mentioned) to have a pretty good idea of what things are selling for. And not just mint in box prices, but for beaters and casual playwear items as well.

The guy with the loose CreatureFTBL who was trying to get thousands for his doll comes to mind. Some folks see a big dollar sale for something that is similar to what is in their garage and don't realize that the packaging and condition make a BIG difference.

It is also good to be honest with someone who says, "but I could get $x.xx if I sold it myself"

Sure, they possibly could. But, what you are offering is to take a big bundle of stuff and do the organizing and the sorting and the pictures and the sales. And all of that has a value as well. You cannot have a business if you pay 90-95% of retail. You will never clear your own overhead that way. So - sometimes it helps to tell someone outright that you are offering 25-35 % of potential retail, and that if they were to invest their time and do all that abovementioned work themselves, they might make a bit more change.

One last thought. Tho I don't like the way Ebay treats their sellers currently, I do not believe they have 'ruined the market' for anything. Expanded the market and brought many many items out of storage that otherwise would have languished or been thrown out - Yes. Does having an instant connection to millions of potential buyers mean that pricing gets leveled? If the majority of the people that buy that sort of item shop there, then yes. But, does exposure to millions of buyers mean that you get exposure to the right buyer at the right time. Not necessarily. And if you are using Ebay as a tool to reference prices in order to negotiate with people selling estates and lots, is it truly unfair for them to have that same sort of information?

[mego ninja]

nice thread. I wish I could hunt and sell toys full time. As one person said it, "You have to keep emotions out of it" which is very true. Best thing you can do is research. beyond that, you win some you lose some. Good luck!

[luey]

Negotiating has always been my strong point and one of the reasons I have landed a lot of collections, Like Rick, I grew up watching my Grandfather trade tractors and cows, my Uncle dealt in Guns and my older brother comic books... Also have a long history in retail sales so the B S seems to pour out of me I have regretted some deals of course but those experiences will pay off in the long run... Stay at it and each deal will get easier... Making people feel at ease about selling their stuff is key, separate the sentimental attachment and you got it licked, most of the time they are ready to sell anyway, just gotta push a bit... Greg

[Den82]

One reason I find myself low balling, is because in the past I'd really sell myself short. I was never the kind of person who liked to sit on stuff and some times priced stuff too low.

These days, since I am top-rated, I've found I can ask higher prices. I always surprise myself with how the cash builds up from these lots.

I'm also really picked with what I put in my store.

If this lot was made 100% of stuff I'd sell, I'd be able to walk away. But a lot of it, I want in my own collection.

[luey]

what's your seller ID on ebay, or do you have a link? Would like to check out your stuff

[Den82]

100 Complete Figures, Star Wars '77'-'85 items in Vintage Toys New York store on eBay!

[rche]

It may help you to remind yourself that there is more 'stuff' out there, especially vintage SW. So unless you are looking at double telescopes or production hardcopies, sometimes it is best to just say 'OK, good luck with it' and walk away.