Greed in this hobby

[metsbats]

Re: Greed in this hobby

"I spoke to someone today at Citi Field that works Security there and they told me that for the Three Day's for the All Star Events
(Sun.Futures Game, Mon. Home Run Durby & Tues. All Star Game)
Parking will be 35.00 per Car
I'm told it's 20.00 a Car now"


I just got this in an email from a fellow Met fan.

This is the type of greed that is wrong in our hobby too.

[Phil316]

Re: Greed in this hobby

Any time you do business with someone known to sell forged merchandise, you are perpetuating their business and fraudulent activities. So instead of criticizing those who flip items, which is perfectly legal, how about taking a real stand and not doing business with known thieves.

Amen

[cohibasmoker]

Re: Greed in this hobby

So everybody who has money works hard for it? Last time I checked, plenty of people end up wealthy through inheritance. A lot of our financial state is due to pure luck, plain and simple.

Also, I find it disgusting the way people have jumped all over the OP. It's his opinion, and he has a right to it. Without being accused of being an Occupier. He simply shared his thoughts.

Jumped all over the OP? We don't have opinions to share?

As for wealthy inheriting their money, I've attached an interesting article. All the folks I know who have a few bucks earn it - they work 16 hour days, miss graduations, Little League and soccer games and some go to bed at 8:00 at night because they have to go to work at 04:00 hours. Others spend half their lives on an airplane away from their families.

Luck? Luck are the folks who stay home and whine that they aren't getting their fair share.

Just a couple of opinions

http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/real-1-percent

[beaglegypsy003]

Re: Greed in this hobby

I snipe as much as possible on ebay. It doesn't make sense to me putting in an early bid when you don't have to. It's done all within the rules of the game and when I do, I place an up to bid which is what I think it is worth to me and what I can afford. If somebody bids higher, I can't do anything about that and I just move on. Sometimes it ends up as a blessing in disguise and I run across something that I really want and wouldn't be able to buy if I had won the previous item.

[solarlottry]

Re: Greed in this hobby

"Cohibasmoker" great article that you posted. It really puts things into a different perspective and one that needs to be heard.

I think there are multiple issues at play in this post. The OP commented about "JTnbafan" as well as individuals who flip items for profit. Personally I wish I had the $$$ that "JTnbafan" has and was able to add to my collection at will. There are times when I become frustrated that there is someone else out there with more means to add to their collections than myself. That is life though and we have no control over what other collectors do and how they spend their money. Obviously JT wanted to add the Chalmers to his collection as did another collector as they both bid the shirt up to 6000$. Whatever their reasons were, they had every right to bid whatever they wished as the shirt was sold via NBAAuctions. Just because another fan/collector really wanted it does not mean that they are entitled to it. That's why it was sold at auction.

There have been many items I have missed out on because someone bid more. That is the way it goes. If I absolutely had to have the item I should have bid higher. There have been multiple instances where I have greatly overpaid for a 49er gamer because it fit into my collection nicely. I was not thrilled to overpay but once the shirt arrived, it's cost became irrelevant. Many of the items I have overpaid for are critical pieces of my collection and if someone offered what I paid I would not sell.

As for the flippers they are an inherent part of any collectable hobby. I am always on the lookout for quality items that I might sell but 99% of the time I keep what I buy. I think that if any of us saw a bargain and knew they could resist it and make a hefty profit, we would.

The winner of the Goldin Auctions Joe Montana KC shirt is a good example of this. The winner thought that the Grey Flannel hammer price was a bargain and now the shirt is listed on eBay for 35K! If it does not sell they could potentially lose serious cash. Risk goes with the territory.

No one likes to lose out on items that we would love to add to our collections but losing out from time to time is a fact of life (maybe not for JTnbafan!). It just makes the good score that much sweeter.

Always buying 49er game worn jerseys
Paul
garciajones@yahoo.com

[hairyangryfella]

Re: Greed in this hobby

Luck? Luck are the folks who stay home and whine that they aren't getting their fair share.

Who exactly is doing that?

I have a full time job. I save up and buy what I can afford. I've even had to sell off some of my cherished items to fund things I have to pay for. I don't "stay home and whine". I just don't like seeing people taking advantage - I know people who wanted certain items but to then see one person buy them all up to list for much higher prices (is happening on NBA auctions a little too) is worrying me, because this kind of behaviour ruins hobbies. It becomes a business, rather than a hobby and it becomes all about profit, rather than people having a chance to buy something they would treasure.

[cliffjmp33]

Re: Greed in this hobby

Very fine line with this topic, and I agree, everyone is entitled to their opinions.

I have a question before I give my opinion. For the NBA collectors, or those "in the know", do the items JTNBAFAN buys/wins ever come back on the market? Just curious as I am not familiar with NBA items that well.

To the point in general, my feeling is that I am human and I'll get annoyed/mad if I lose out on an item I truly like. However, when it comes to auction items I'll set a maximum I'm willing to pay and should the item go past that and I lose, so be it. If it goes to astronomic numbers, it's easier to get over the loss. If it's fairly close to my budget that an item goes for, I'll kick and scream to myself, but, again, I get over it. In the end, I'm not going to allow myself to worry about paying bills on time for my favorite hobby.

I am happy with my collection and can honestly say with thanks to fellow members here I have added a couple of "holy grail" type items to my collection and they have been very fair in dealings and that has made my enjoyment in the hobby, and this community, that much better.

Collecting is enjoyable and maddening. But I know, no matter what, in the end, none of us are taking any of our collections with us.

[Mark17]

Re: Greed in this hobby

Who exactly is doing that?

I have a full time job. I save up and buy what I can afford. I've even had to sell off some of my cherished items to fund things I have to pay for. I don't "stay home and whine". I just don't like seeing people taking advantage - I know people who wanted certain items but to then see one person buy them all up to list for much higher prices (is happening on NBA auctions a little too) is worrying me, because this kind of behaviour ruins hobbies. It becomes a business, rather than a hobby and it becomes all about profit, rather than people having a chance to buy something they would treasure.

What you're saying is that you wish you could buy things at a price lower than what someone else was willing to pay. I guess all of us would like that arrangement from time to time, but I think most people realize that's not how it works.

I can just see an auction house telling a consigner: "Yeah, we could've sold your jersey for $5,000, but there's this collector who really, really wanted it for his collection, so we let him have it for $2500. We felt since he was a collector, he shouldn't have to bid competitively against the guy who is just a greedy dealer."

[BamaHater]

Re: Greed in this hobby

The thing that really bothers me is when some one tries to sell something on Ebay for a high price say $800 for a common player MLB jersey and it does not sell and they keep listing it for $800 3, 4, 5 times in a row. You would think that after the 1st few times an item was listed you drop the price to get it sold. If it did not sell at a starting bid of $800 what makes you think the 5th time you list it at $800 it will be any different. Why would a buyer be inclined to bid on an item that went unsold 5 times in a row at the same high price. This is what really bothers me.

[Mark17]

Re: Greed in this hobby

The thing that really bothers me is when some one tries to sell something on Ebay for a high price say $800 for a common player MLB jersey and it does not sell and they keep listing it for $800 3, 4, 5 times in a row. You would think that after the 1st few times an item was listed you drop the price to get it sold. If it did not sell at a starting bid of $800 what makes you think the 5th time you list it at $800 it will be any different. Why would a buyer be inclined to bid on an item that went unsold 5 times in a row at the same high price. This is what really bothers me.

Why does it bother you? Why does it even matter to you?

[hairyangryfella]

Re: Greed in this hobby

What you're saying is that you wish you could buy things at a price lower than what someone else was willing to pay. I guess all of us would like that arrangement from time to time, but I think most people realize that's not how it works.

I can just see an auction house telling a consigner: "Yeah, we could've sold your jersey for $5,000, but there's this collector who really, really wanted it for his collection, so we let him have it for $2500. We felt since he was a collector, he shouldn't have to bid competitively against the guy who is just a greedy dealer."

No, that's not what I'm saying.
Why can't you guys understand that this isn't about ME? I'm not in a position to buy stuff at the moment anyway. It's about what is happening with the 'hobby' becoming 'a business' and the behaviour of people.

[woodward30]

Re: Greed in this hobby

No, that's not what I'm saying.
Why can't you guys understand that this isn't about ME? I'm not in a position to buy stuff at the moment anyway. It's about what is happening with the 'hobby' becoming 'a business' and the behaviour of people.

But you can continue being ignorant if you want......

You're using the word "hobby" rather loosely. This isn't fishing where you have the freedom to drive down to the lake and throw your pole in whenever you wish. Game used memorabilia is a business. It's a competitive market characterized by supply and demand. Dealers and re-sellers assume risk when buying an item with the hope of selling it to make a profit. The item is owned by the dealer and thus they have every right to list an item at whatever price they wish and also have the right to try to sell it at their desired price for however long they wish. This is the basic principles of capitalism.

[CPuente57]

Re: Greed in this hobby

For me personally, it's not that I feel entitled to get stuff cheap because I'm a collector, the only frustration I have is knowing you have no shot at the opportunity at a lot of the NBA Stuff. The finals jerseys for example, the guy that won (and JTNBAFan) seemed like he had no limit on what he was willing to spend. For example the Jarvis Vernado Game Issued Jersey for 2 grand, he would've kept building that up until he won period. Again, there's nothing wrong with it, if I had all the money in the world, I'd love to be able to compete like that, but for me it's like why even bother when you know who's gonna win everything?

[Mark17]

Re: Greed in this hobby

No, that's not what I'm saying.
Why can't you guys understand that this isn't about ME? I'm not in a position to buy stuff at the moment anyway. It's about what is happening with the 'hobby' becoming 'a business' and the behaviour of people.

But you can continue being ignorant if you want......

The concept is very simple and about a dozen people have said it in different ways. An item that is being offered for sale will go to the highest bidder, period. That is "fair."

Buying and selling for a profit is how the private sector in this country thrives, whether it's your local gas station, Walmart, or a guy trying to make some extra cash flipping game used stuff.

I remember many years ago, Bruce and Floyd Hartel bought a bunch of Twins jerseys and re-sold them, for a profit I assume. This allowed me to pick up a couple jerseys I wanted. Before and since, I've bought all sorts of items from many dealers and ebay sellers, and presumably, every single one of them had the goal of making money.

People who flip game used to make a profit are not "greedy," any more than the guy who sells cars or houses, or an employee who looks forward to getting a bonus or raise. Or anyone who buys a lottery ticket for that matter. Everybody I know would like some extra cash, and the more the better. It's human nature and basic common sense.

You mentioned you've sold some of your things in the past. Did you sell to the highest offer, or to the fourth-highest offer?

For some reason, there seem to be people who think these basic economic realities should not apply to game used items. Personally, I am glad there are dealers out there, and auction houses, and ebay sellers.

If you think I'm ignorant I can't help that. I learned a long time ago that there are all sorts of things I can't afford, so I live without them and don't worry about it. I'll go after common players while the guys with the dough go after the really great stuff. And when I miss out on something, I shrug my shoulders and hope for better luck next time.

Simple, stress-free, live and let live attitude that's key to enjoying this hobby, which after all is supposed to be fun. If someone's out there gobbling stuff up, that's their business and that's the way it goes. No big deal. Nobody actually NEEDS any game-used item after all.

[jbean023]

Re: Greed in this hobby

I knew this would turn into a cut throat thread and would have both sides that strongly disagree. My opinion on the topic looks at this thread a few different ways.

One I thought this is like us all having a conversation about women(no offense to the women on here) so ill comment for both sides. Everyone one wants a Jennifer Aniston or for ladies everyone wants a Channing Tatum but that's not how the cookie crumbles.

You know what makes me mad, when people buy gas and resell that for higher prices, I want gas straight from the source for the cheapest possible amount!!! Can anyone help me? Ken?? Could you buy us GUU members an oil well?

The thing that gets to me the most, Ive talked through email with a few of you on this topic is the fact that all the American game used items are crossing the ocean and those folks are happy to pay our prices. No offense to you oversea seas collectors because I have done many deals with you but I'll give you an example(its not that the item is going to an overseas collector). I had a pair Jose Bautista signed GU Reebok zig zag cleats on Ebay for $800 OBO. I have never seen a pair for sale so wasn't sure on the value, to me "PE" baseball cleats are more rare than bats and jerseys. I got 300$,400$,450$ offers from US collectors after the first day. I wanted the auction to run 2 weeks and see what offers I got, well when I declined the offer I would get nasty messages saying "Those cleats aren't worth that much" and saying a bunch of negative thoughts(being rude and very disrespectful). To me a pair of cleats might be worth 1,000$ and to you the cleats might be worth 5$, but if you want the cleats from me you're going to pay 1,000$ or I'll keep them in my collection. Then I had a gentleman message me and ask if I would ship overseas, very polite and respectful message. Needless to say the cleats went to a Japanese collector and he said he would of gladly paid 1200$ if I would of asked as he has never seen a pair.

All in all if any of us walked up to a garage sale and seen an old Ty Cobb bat sitting there for 1$, could be a kids play bat, could be Ty's bat. You buy the bat, have the bat checked out and sure enough that's a Ty Cobb game used bat. I contact you and say hey Im a huge Ty Cobb collector would you please sell me that bat for 1$ since that's what you paid. No one on here would say yes, that bat is going to auction or staying in your collection.

Below is two definitions of greed, by definition anyone that has excess of material items is greed, so that would make us all greedy!

As defined outside of Christian writings, greed is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs, especially with respect to material wealth.

However, greed (as seen by the church) is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of material possessions.