Question for the community

[Marlins2003]

I'd like several opinions on this.


When in the middle of negotiating a price of an item with a seller, the seller makes a claim to have previously sold many of the same items for X amount.

Is it wrong to ask the seller to stand by that claim and show you where they've sold said item for X amount?



I mean, with my business background I've never once taken the word of a wholesaler that the price they tell me something sells for is the the price I will actually get.

I strictly go by the current market. The price the market dictates it the price I expect to get (depending on many other factors of course).


So if the market suggests that $250-$300 is the actual going rate of an item yet the seller claims to have sold many of the same item for $400-$500, wouldn't it be in my best interest to ask them to provide proof of such a claim - by asking them to show even one completed auction or a link to any one of these items that has sold for over $400?

Or is the seller right in blasting me, claiming to be highly insulted and refusing to do business with me because i called them a liar (which does not affect me either way as there are many sellers in the market)?


A more simple anology would be that if you know a certain jersey goes for $1000 but I tried selling mine to you for $1800 and told you "Hey, I sell these all day long at $1800-$2200!" Wouldn't you be inclined to ask me to show you where I've sold my jerseys for those prices?

[David]

I don't think yours was an unfair question.

[zonker]

i think that was the right question to ask. if i'm looking to do bussiness with anyone and they make statements that seem out of the norm. then you asking for proof, it's your right, if for nothing else to educate yourself or catch up on fair market value's. and if the seller took it as an insult or perssonaly like he did. that would lead me to belive that if he wasn't honest in his statements he should have no problem providing proof as it will help him get a better price on his item's. but in this case it seem's the seller got caught in a lie and nobody like's that! and useally take it personal and get defensive. i think your better off not doing bussiness with someone like this, if they cant keep there personal feeling's and bussiness seperate from each other. what's next?

[Marlins2003]

Thank you both. I too feel that I was not wrong.

Anyone else? I'm just trying to get a general feel from as many members here as possible.

[Marlins2003]

Last time up, anyone else want to toss in an opinion?

[kingjammy24]

"Is it wrong to ask the seller to stand by that claim and show you where they've sold said item for X amount?"

ultimately, it's irrelevant. is it going to change anything if the seller shows you a sale for X amount? are you then going to turn around and pay their price or would you then start debating how it must be an anomaly and not truly representative? do you think that pulling out sales data is going to make the seller change their price? it's all just an argument for arguments sake.

you have your price, they have theirs and regardless of who's right, neither of you seem willing to budge, so what's the point of seeing who's right? if he won't lower his price and you won't increase yours, then this entire exercise of asking for sales data is nothing more than a meaningless pissing contest.

"A more simple anology would be that if you know a certain jersey goes for $1000 but I tried selling mine to you for $1800 and told you "Hey, I sell these all day long at $1800-$2200!" Wouldn't you be inclined to ask me to show you where I've sold my jerseys for those prices?"

no. i wouldn't be inclined to ask that because i'm not into wasting my time. if he wanted to sell it for $1k then he would've. if i was willing to spend $1800, then i would've already. if noone's budging, then who cares whose sales data is accurate. at the end of the day, he isn't making the sale and you aren't getting the item. your best interests lie in finding the item at the price you want, not in wasting your time to determine who's got the most accurate sales data.

rudy.

[Marlins2003]

"Is it wrong to ask the seller to stand by that claim and show you where they've sold said item for X amount?"

ultimately, it's irrelevant. is it going to change anything if the seller shows you a sale for X amount? are you then going to turn around and pay their price or would you then start debating how it must be an anomaly and not truly representative? do you think that pulling out sales data is going to make the seller change their price? it's all just an argument for arguments sake.

you have your price, they have theirs and regardless of who's right, neither of you seem willing to budge, so what's the point of seeing who's right? if he won't lower his price and you won't increase yours, then this entire exercise of asking for sales data is nothing more than a meaningless pissing contest.

"A more simple anology would be that if you know a certain jersey goes for $1000 but I tried selling mine to you for $1800 and told you "Hey, I sell these all day long at $1800-$2200!" Wouldn't you be inclined to ask me to show you where I've sold my jerseys for those prices?"

no. i wouldn't be inclined to ask that because i'm not into wasting my time. if he wanted to sell it for $1k then he would've. if i was willing to spend $1800, then i would've already. if noone's budging, then who cares whose sales data is accurate. at the end of the day, he isn't making the sale and you aren't getting the item. your best interests lie in finding the item at the price you want, not in wasting your time to determine who's got the most accurate sales data.

rudy.

The point of this exercise was not to see who was right and who was wrong. And no, this was far from a pissing contest.

I merely asked the seller to back up their claim of specific previous sale prices. A common practice for anyone buying merchandise that is not as easy to get as a shirt off a Macy's rack (i.e game used memorabilia).

It was however, to show that in this "community" (where we must depend on truth and honesty from one another and must root out those who are not truthful and honest) that some "highly reputable" dealers fall victim to the greed of the almighty dollar and choose to lie to potential customers in order to try and get a sale.

As Zonker said, the sellers abrupt defensive response was an age old indicator that they were caught in a lie and were agrrevated and/or embarrassed by it.


I will not openly bash the seller here, because I know they are well known here and I know the sharks will turn on me in a heart beat.


What I now know for sure is that atleast a few members here agree that I took the right steps in trying to make sure I wasn't being swindled.


The bottom line is that pracatices such as lying and trying to deceive a potential customer into buying an item at a fabricated price cannot notbe allowed in this hobby from anyone, especially a so-called well known, reputable dealer.


Ultimately, the choice to buy is mine. And of course, I am wise enough to walk away from any bad deal. But that still does not excuse the seller for attempting to pull the games they tried to play.



That's all.

[both-teams-played-hard]

I mean, with my business background I've never once taken the word of a wholesaler that the price they tell me something sells for is the the price I will actually get.

I think you are somewhat misguided. Usually, game worn jerseys are one-of-a-kind and not available in bulk rate. If you don't like the price, do not buy it. Do you think the seller should produce a copy of the receipts of his past transactions? Your business background should have taught you...prices may change daily...the market changes daily. What is the item you were trying to buy?

[Marlins2003]

I think you are somewhat misguided. Usually, game worn jerseys are one-of-a-kind and not available in bulk rate. If you don't like the price, do not buy it. Do you think the seller should produce a copy of the receipts of his past transactions? Your business background should have taught you...prices may change daily...the market changes daily. What is the item you were trying to buy?

I may have used bad anology. But hardly miguided. I was looking into purchasing another gu bat for my collection, to which there are enough available. The going rate for said bat is $250-$300. The seller claimed to have been selling said bats easily at $400-$500 and that my prices were incorrect, even though I've been buying them long enough to know better.

The bottom line is that the seller lied, that is clear. Their over the top reaction was evidence of that. Anyone using a seconds worth of common sense can see that.

Of course I am not buying an item, only a fool would overpay for an item that is readily available elsewhere. That's never been the issue here.

The issue has been and still is the fact that the seller blatantly lied in order to try and make a sale, got called on it and jumped on the defensive because they had nowhere else to turn. I find that pathetic and low.

As a side note, because I see where some of this is going. I own many gu bats and many of this particular player. And to boot, after a few days of negotiating I closed a deal tonight for another one.....with an HONEST seller who was forthright with information, pictures and answered any questions I had without batting an eye. An agreement was made and payment will be sent Mon. morning. THAT is what this hobby is about, not sellers trying to fleece you because they feel they can. - Bolded for emphasis.

[aeneas01]

I was looking into purchasing another gu bat for my collection, to which there are enough available. The going rate for said bat is $250-$300. The seller claimed to have been selling said bats easily at $400-$500 and that my prices were incorrect, even though I've been buying them long enough to know better.

please don't take this personally but i really must be missing something here - if you knew such bats were readily available at a going rate of $250-$300, then why would you even bother asking the dealer for proof of his claims? why not just a) tell the dealer you've been collecting gu bats for years b) you are interested in the bat he has for sale c) point him to the "enough available" bats going for $250-$300 and c) tell him if he's willing to come close to these going rates you'll take the bat.

i mean, frankly, i'm surprised the dealer didn't ask you why you were wasting his time asking for supporting evidence of his claims if such a bat was so readily available at a much cheaper price elsewhere - know what i mean?