Is this a brilliant rip-off tactic?

[MIB41]

I think as a rule, anyone selling collectibles to a business should not expect to get more than 50% of the sale value of that piece. No one should expect market value under those circumstances. That only makes sense.

[palitoy]

I think as a rule, anyone selling collectibles to a business should not expect to get more than 50% of the sale value of that piece. No one should expect market value under those circumstances. That only makes sense.

My friend used to run a store in a pricier part of Toronto and opened with a speech similiar to this before he even made an offer. "I can't give you full value, I run a business, rent yadda, yadda" It all seemed like common sense to me.

About half of the people who came in would give him a hard time.

[MIB41]

My friend used to run a store in a pricier part of Toronto and opened with a speech similiar to this before he even made an offer. "I can't give you full value, I run a business, rent yadda, yadda" It all seemed like common sense to me.

About half of the people who came in would give him a hard time.

That's sad. It's also indicative of the society we live in. Too often people have no idea what they have (that applies both to value and non-valued items). I've seen people sell absolute garbage like it's precious gold. I've also seen people sell incredibly rare pieces for pennies of their actual market value. But, at the end of the day, it's ALL fair game. They're all used items. Every buyer and seller comes to the table for different reasons. And in my eyes every transaction is fair if the buyer and seller agree to terms. I can sell something for market value as easily as I can give it away if I'm close to that person or feel it's the right thing to do. Everything is a judgement call. And at the end of the day you need to be comfortable with your reasons for parting with something, whether it's for money, friendship, or compassion.

[pepi]

Really touchy topic. I have to admit a part of me has that drive - finding something that's expensive....paying less than its worth and often selling it...more often than not of course keeping it for myself...much to the chagrin of my wife of course. It's a business sense.

ALL THAT SAID

There is a fine line between buying something from someone who obviously has no idea what they have in their possession and well, offering a fair price...or "ripping them off." It's a moral quandary isn't it? I mean if they are happy with what you are offering...what's the problem? -- Something to think about from the people at Getty.


Additionally does anyone remember way back in 1996 was it? Toy shoppe magazine featured a story about a guy who purchased a bunch of Boba Fett prototype stuff from a Kenner employee. I think he owned a rare J-slot jet pack prototype (worth thousands). The guy who bought it from him knew all this and purchased (offered) it for $200 then of course went on to try and sell it for the thousands it was worth. BIg Backlash! The toy community sided with the Kenner employee and the dealer was "compelled" to settle for paying the guy a lot more money. Haven't looked for it but the article should be somewhere online.

[toys2cool]

I have no problems with store owners paying you 50% or even 40% of what it's worth..they do have a business to run and you're walking into their store...but when people put ads on newspapers to meet them at so and so hotel or w/e like the gold buying people do and then they offer you pennies on the dollar and tell you they're paying you top dollar? that's what bother's me..in fact not so long ago they had a special on ABC about the gold and collectibles people , where an expert had just told them a coin was worth like $5k outside and the guy offered $200 and said it wasn't worth much more, when confronted the guy had the camera guys taken out with security and closed the doors

[anarocker]

I live in brooklyn. I might stop buy just for laughs lol.

[pepi]

Yeah I saw that gold special...pretty messed up.
Ok so before we crucify the "tactic" maybe this entire thing is on the up and up (not that this is illegal to say). Maybe he offers 80% of value. Maybe he is offering top dollar.

I pinch myself everytime I watch American Pickers. They are business men have overhead...pay tons in gasoline...rent and maintenance on their shop. but sometimes those offers are ludicrous!

[toys2cool]

Yeah I saw that gold special...pretty messed up.
Ok so before we crucify the "tactic" maybe this entire thing is on the up and up (not that this is illegal to say). Maybe he offers 80% of value. Maybe he is offering top dollar.

I pinch myself everytime I watch American Pickers. They are business men have overhead...pay tons in gasoline...rent and maintenance on their shop. but sometimes those offers are ludicrous!

Mike usually offers good prices, it's the fat guy that's the low-baller

it's funny cause Mike will pay something and then when they say what they'll sell it for, He'll say something like I payed $50 for this "I Think" I can sell it for $100, but Frank will say I just payed $15 for this but "I know" I can sell it for $100...so he knows he's low balling where Mike takes more shots in the dark and hopes he can make that much

[jwyblejr]

^Mike seems more willing to meet people in the middle as well. Frank doesn't seem to want to budge much.

[Den82]

I have my own code of ethics and principles when it comes to different situations.

I do a lot of garage sale hunting. My personal belief is garage sales are for items you do not care about and just want gone. So if I found something like a Marx Yeti at one for $10 and of course I'm going to buy it and not say a word. Who would?

When people respond to my Craigslist ad, I make it clear that I often resell a good chunk of what I buy and let them know that if they want top dollar, they should eBay the items themselves. With that said, I try to make it worth a persons time. I really do try to be honest with people.

Last CL score was a few loose Star Wars junkers and a a treasure trove of vintage 1960s Barbie stuff. I wasn't sure if a lot of the Barbie stuff was vintage and it was really dirty. I offered him $20 for the SW stuff and 2 of the 3 Barbie boxes. He insisted I take the other box and was acting as if I was doing him a favor by taking it from him. To even my surprise, I've already made $260 on the Barbie stuff and still have a lot left.

[Den82]

Oh and I forgot to mention why I don't like this. Aside from the fact there is a feeling they are preying on the naive (who but a totally clueless person, perhaps one without internet access, would show up to such an event?), it's also reminiscent of the kind of greedy corporate take over tactics of big business.

"Let's host an event only really stupid people are going to show up to and where WE will be the only ones allowed to buy anything".

It's greed. Like those other asswipe toy dealers on CL that are constantly flagging my "want" ad.

Why not just host a multi-vendors show and have the Antiques Roadshow type thing too?