Interesting dilemma: liquidation percent off?

[swarmee]

So I've had a booth in an antique mall in Destin for the past 2.5 years. On Monday, someone traveling through the area stopped in and reviewed the items in my booth, where I have probably 100-150 cards priced between $50 and $500 each.

He asked the mall employees to call me to see what discount I would give on the entire lot. Figuring there were probably at least $10K in list prices, I said that I would give a 40% discount on the entire lot. He then decided to select a smaller group, totaling $3,300 in list prices, and called back to see what I would give as a discount on this group. I responded $2,500, basically 25% off. The buyer passed on both options.

So, what type of bulk discount on this type of lot would you have offered? What discount would have made you take the whole lot?

In my case, I probably have half the list price invested in each of the cards for sale. So if I buy a card for $200 intending to resell, I usually would price it at $400 and wait for it to sell, as Destin is a great location for vacationers and gets really busy when it's raining on the beach. And when an item sells, the mall would take a 10% of sale price as commission. So if I sold $10K in cards at 40% off, I would get $5,400 on the sale (well, subtract another 3% - $165 - if they pay with credit). So the 40% off discount would have guaranteed me only a slight profit.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Your offers seem very fair to me assuming your initial pricing was also reasonable. I would only have gone further if I really needed cash or just wanted to wash my hands of the whole thing.

[Rhotchkiss]

John, I agree with Peter. Your discount seems more than reasonable (assuming they were reasonably priced in the first place). I think you were dealing with a bottom feeder.

[nwobhm]

What is your definition of “list price” ?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by nwobhm

What is your definition of “list price” ?

The price I have them marked at in the store. So, retail. In the past two years, I've sold $20K in my booth at the mall. So my prices are reasonable, but not cheap.
But the cards I sell are nicely presenting mid-grade star HOFs, HOF autos, HOF RCs, etc. Some graded, most raw.

[parkplace33]

I will be honest with you. I cringe when I hear bulk discount and it rarely works out.

[Tyruscobb]

Originally Posted by swarmee

The price I have them marked at in the store. So, retail.

I’m not saying this is you or your prices. However, some sellers don’t realize that the high-water mark has crested. Some sellers still have March 2021 prices listed, and will not really budge.

If this was your situation, then the bulk discount would’ve probably only pulled the lot down to current retail, which is not a discount at all. This would make your “discount” unreasonable.