[drcy]

A few points:

1) It sounds as if you can't find that particular card being sold by someone else (or you would have bought it from that person at desired price), so the seller has more leverage than just 'market price.' If this is the only one on the market and you're trying to procure it, this transaction is the market at this point and time.

2) "I'll keep it" is a literally correct phrase. There was a recent post complaining about sellers making up lies for why they won't sell, and this guy is telling you straight. He's keeping the card.

3) As a seller, I (and I know others) get quickly tired of 'negotiation types.' Back and forth negotiations get old quickly for me. I've also had buyers ask for the lowest price I'll sell, I'll calculate the price and the buyer will offer a lower price. My thought is "I just was honest and gave you my lowest price." It's an insult to my honesty because I'm an honest person. So people who like negotiating a lot can get tiresome and after a while I'll say "Forget this, I'm just keeping the card. I don't want to sell it anymore. I'd rather be watching telelvision."

4) The market value can be low. I think there are items that are currently way undervalued, there are baseball cards that have proven to be undervalued over time. If the market prices were always accurate, prices would never rise or fall.

5) Did you make an offer below market value? Do you make offers elsewhere below market value? If so, then what's with this 'market value as final arbiter of sales price' argument? If you can make an offer below market value, then why can't a seller go above it?

6) As a seller, I know the ultimate power in negotiations is I when don't have to sell something. A seller should never say before negotiations "I need money quick and have to sell this asap." There's nothing I have to sell. If I throw it all in dumpster, I'll still have a place to live and food to eat.

7) If you are rude to my mother or other customers at her garage sale, she will refuse to sell you anything at any price. She'll throw the stuff away before she sells to you. It has nothing to do with money or market value. At that point, trying to make those arguments with her is pointless. And before you try and be tricky and lowball her, realize that my mother is always this far (my index finger 1/4th inch in front of thumb) from giving the stuff to charity, so if sellers are rude or unreasonable or offers are low she will give the stuff away to charity. Often times she's having the garage sale to raise money for a charity.

And I can promise you that if you say to my mom "You have to sell it at market value," she will say "I don't have to do anything. It's mine."

My dad had a colleague who once asked him in the hallway if he was going to that afternoon's departmental meeting and my dad said he wasn't. The colleague asked why not and my dad said "Because I don't want to." The uptight follow rules and order colleague couldn't even fathom that as a reason for not going. "Not wanting to" as a reason fell outside his logic system. This story comes to mind when people state 'written in stone' rules such as "You have to sell at market price. That's the rule." My dad would respond "There are options other than selling at market price. One is to go to lunch. Another is to take a nap."