Venting About Pricing

[Larry Pelliccioni]

Re: Venting About Pricing

A good topic and some great arguments both for and against.
What is discouraging to me is to post a price only then to have a low ball offer publicly debated.
I recently asked the moderator of this forum to kill my post of over 150 items for that very reason.
Now there were some of the people here and on other forums that privately emailed me and we worked out a deal and frankly sometimes I stuck to the pricing and sometimes I reduced it but those matters will never get resolved on a public forum but rather between the two parties that have interest in acquiring and selling.
Haggling has such a negative connotation and with the proliferation of computers and the lack of even the simple courtesy of signing emails, I can pretty well gauge the seriousness of the collector through his correspondence but have found that there are far too many "tirekickers" that don't even respond to getting emailed pics of what they say they are interested in.
For that very reason, I have relied on alternate sites and marketing to dispose of a collection that has spanned over 32 years and 1800 items.
Larry Pelliccioni

[Yankwood]

Re: Venting About Pricing

It is true that the "Price" listed gives you a starting point at least. But generally that's when the haggling begins anyway. I have listed a few things (bats) for sale on GUU and listed a price. Without exception the next 10 e-mails I would receive are "will you accept.......?" It was never consummated at the price listed. Other times I showed a picture of the bat and asked those interested to e-mail me if interested. Either way there is some back and forth involved. Some are put off by this however I look at it as part of the hobby. Maybe that is the difference. For those interested in the business aspects this is probably not a good thing. I have to admit, I do have a little too much time on my hands.
I have found though, that I get my best price when I lie and tell the people who email me that "several others are interested so if you really want it, don't wait too long." This is not very honest, but used car dealers have been using it successfully for years and I thought I would try it. It works very well.

[G1X]

Re: Venting About Pricing

I can only speak for myself, but I agree strongly with Paul, b.heagy, and lund. The Hockey Forum has it right on this subject in my humble opinion. I never enjoyed haggling at the car lot, so I don't like doing it in the hobby.

I don't like all of the "back-and-forth". As a dealer and a collector, I can tell a few ugly tales of how a couple of potential deals went sour, and what should have been simple transactions went on for several weeks.

To be honest - and not knocking anyone in this thread who doesn't list prices - but I find that some folks don't list prices because they are "fishing". They don't know the market value of their items, or else they paid an over-inflated price for an item such as a Billy Benchwarmer jersey back when he was a rookie and the next big thing.

You know what you have, you know what you have invested into it, you should know the approximate current market value, and you should know about how much you need off the sale to make yourself happy. So why play games?

I enjoy talking and dealing with fellow collectors, but I don't have time for extended email games that can take days to complete. Sometimes it leads to hard feelings because one of the party's got insulted. Just list the price and go from there.

But that is just my opinion, and I realize that it's a great big world out there and not everyone thinks exactly like me (my wife say "thank goodness for that").

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange

[bat_master]

Re: Venting About Pricing

Hi Everyone,

Looks like there are some varying opinions on this topic. I might as well throw my two and a half cents in as well since I normally put out a list that doesn't contain prices. I apologize in advance for getting a bit long winded.

I became a full-time dealer/collector last June after working overnights in a retail/stocking capacity. Over the last year I've found that I get the greatest satisfaction out of putting collectors in touch with items they are seeking for their own collections, not because they are looking for a quick flip.

I've sold to a great many forum members and to the best of my knowledge not once has the lack of a listed price on this forum stopped anyone from buying from me. I don't list prices because I have a website on which I have descriptions, photos, and prices. If I'm going to have all the information available here, what would be the point of even having a website?

As far as haggling goes...I don't recall selling more than two or three items in the last year at my asking price. I would say I actually have my prices a bit higher than normal expecting to have someone ask "What's the best price on X?" or "Would you take X amount for that item?". If I don't sell an item at my asking price then why list one? I think there is some responsibility placed on the buyer as well to have at least some knowledge of what a particular item is selling at. If you don't know, ask!

For example, if someone on the forum has a Jimmie Foxx game used bat from the mid 1930s for sale with no price listed a prospective buyer should not be shocked to find out that the seller is asking $15,000, nor should they be expecting the seller to jump with excitement at an offer of $2,500.

I honestly think that emailing back and forth with prospective buyers in working out a price is a great asset when buying or selling. This communication can lead to business relationships that last beyond just that one transaction and gives each person a better understanding of the people they deal with. It can also give the seller a much needed insight to other items the buyer may be seeking.

Let's say I post a list here without prices included and nothing on the list is even remotely of interest. If I repost the same list with prices included are those same items suddenly of interest? A price doesn't change the item. You either are interested or you aren't.

My email is located in my signature for anyone who disagrees. I look forward to hearing from you.

[lund6771]

Re: Venting About Pricing

if you want the market to determine the value than put it into an auction...

heaven for hagglers has to be a car dealership...but at least they have a starting point

[reed1216]

Re: Venting About Pricing

If you don't want to haggle, then you don't want the item enough to want to haggle.

What if a seller wants the market to determine the value of his/her item, rather than depending on opinions from others regarding the value of a piece that's going to be sold? As the current owner, the seller has the right to offer an item in any way he/she feels will generate the most return. If enough people decide that haggling isn't worth the effort, trends will change.

As a buyer, I prefer to see prices. It's easier that way. However, I am not in any position to demand that they be listed, because it isn't my right to tell someone how to generate revenue on an item they were fortunate (or smart) enough to obtain. If it's any item I really want, it's up to me whether or not I want to play by the seller's rules. If I don't feel it's worth the effort, I always have the right to move on to something else.

[dodgersfan]

Re: Venting About Pricing

Paul,I agree with you 100%!


Rudy

[b.heagy]

Re: Venting About Pricing

I agree with Paul. If it's for sale put a price on the item. Saves alot of time and trouble for everyone. If the item is in your price range you go for it. If not you can move on to the next thing. ahuff, Good thread.

[psmachetti]

Re: Venting About Pricing

It's called haggling. Some of us actually enjoy the "haggling" more than the purchase or the sale. It's been around for thousands of years. Rumor has it that Moses was the first haggler, however I'm sure he made all of his deals fair as Moses believed that thou shalt not steal.

Personally I don't want to haggle. This has always been a pet peeve of mine regarding this site. I spend a lot of time on the "gameused forum " which specializes in hockey. They have a rule that you have to post a price when putting something up for sale on their site. I think this is a great rule. Avoids all the bullshit . Emailing the seller to ask "How much are you asking?" , he responds , "make me an offer." and back and forth it goes. I think if you post something for sale , name a price. How hard is that? If you're selling something you know what you'd like to get for it, so why don't you post it? It's not like you're going to get an offer of $500 for a $150 jersey.
Paul

[ahuff]

Re: Venting About Pricing

Yankwood, See I knew there was a good answer. And you made it hilarious, as well. Thanks.

[Yankwood]

Re: Venting About Pricing

It's called haggling. Some of us actually enjoy the "haggling" more than the purchase or the sale. It's been around for thousands of years. Rumor has it that Moses was the first haggler, however I'm sure he made all of his deals fair as Moses believed that thou shalt not steal.

[ahuff]

I don't mean to go way off or sound like I'm peaved. Certainly, I am not. However, I just don't understand why people put their list of available items without pricing. Personally, I can't recall the last time that I went to a store and even considered an item without knowing what price range the vendor was asking. Can someone fill me in on this phenomena