4 Sharp Corners

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

Welcome to the forum.

As a collector, I generally do not email sellers about a better price....I either pass if the price is not to my liking or look for a seller who offers the same item with the best offer option and make an offer through that seller. I can't remember ever sending a seller a message to solicit a better price, however, I routinely send offers via the best offer option.

As a seller, I use the best offer option to indicate to buyers I am willing to entertain reasonable offers on an item. However, as I have costs to cover, if the item I am offering does not have the best offer option, I also pass on any offers like you made.

All of the sellers i have dealt with have given me what I wanted. Probably because I was reasonable with my offers. If I buy one card from a dealer I understand the price and shipping will be what it is. If I buy two cards from the same dealer (that each card had its own listing) then I would expect them to combine shipping. If I buy multiple items, say 5 or 6 or 10 etc., I would expect a reasonable discount. Combine all the cards into one listing and I buy it straight away with the discounted price, or I put them all in my shopping cart and then ask for a total, and they can give the discount there.

Never really had any refusals from any seller at all ever in the over hundred purchases I made over the years, until the one mentioned. Are they bad sellers on eBay, no. If someone asked whether they should buy from them, I would say go ahead. But for me, on anything I buy i expect to pay what I think is reasonable, I'm not outrageous, so if I don't get what I want, I spend my money elsewhere. The seller loses my business but he has as much right to refuse me as i do to offer what I offer. I just won't buy from them anymore.

[Exhibitman]

Here's a trick: shop their stuff on eBay with their site open in a different tab and buy off their site. Their site items are cheaper than as marked on eBay.

Also, with junk wax stuff you can usually wait for them to cut prices to move things as their inventory ages. It isn't like they'll run out...

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Here's a trick: shop their stuff on eBay with their site open in a different tab and buy off their site. Their site items are cheaper than as marked on eBay.

Also, with junk wax stuff you can usually wait for them to cut prices to move things as their inventory ages. It isn't like they'll run out...

The second paragraph is the optimum one. Most of it was from the junk wax era where there are lots of copies floating around. You would figure a small discount on a bulk purchase wouldn't be refused. But anyway...life goes on.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by scottbdoug

Never really had any refusals from any seller at all ever in the over hundred purchases I made over the years, until the one mentioned. Are they bad sellers on eBay, no. If someone asked whether they should buy from them, I would say go ahead. But for me, on anything I buy i expect to pay what I think is reasonable, I'm not outrageous, so if I don't get what I want, I spend my money elsewhere. The seller loses my business but he has as much right to refuse me as i do to offer what I offer. I just won't buy from them anymore.

Right but the seller makes more money in the long run without buyers like you as they dont have to discount like other sellers so the get max ROI to make up for less volume of buyers

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

Right but the seller makes more money in the long run without buyers like you as they dont have to discount like other sellers so the get max ROI to make up for less volume of buyers

You are probably correct. But they risk losing future purchases from the buyer as well. Not all my purchases from them are of the bulk variety if my memory serves me correctly. Plus even with the discount, as small as it was, they should be making money off me anyway, so why refuse? But like I said...life goes on.

I wonder if I went to their website got the same cards, if they are still available, and asked for the same discount %, they would accept. That would be funny if they did. I would have to chuckle anyway.

[mybestbretts]

I have been following 3 cards that I feel were way over priced. Apparently others do because they haven't sold. This is interesting. As you know if you shop with them they have different discounts when you buy from them directly every week. Here are the prices of the 3 I followed with their weekly discount.
1st card
1/11- 1,474.89
1/16-1,543.49
1/23 1,560.64
1/30 1,543.49

2nd card
1/11 490.19
1/16 512.99
1/23 518.69
1/30 512.99

1/11 737.37
1/16 772.12
1/23 780.77
1/30 772.12

All I can say, is go figure

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by scottbdoug

You are probably correct. But they risk losing future purchases from the buyer as well. Not all my purchases from them are of the bulk variety if my memory serves me correctly. Plus even with the discount, as small as it was, they should be making money off me anyway, so why refuse? But like I said...life goes on.

I wonder if I went to their website got the same cards, if they are still available, and asked for the same discount %, they would accept. That would be funny if they did. I would have to chuckle anyway.

Right i used to overthink this stuff too But no one is 'keeping score' it is what it it is. As we get older at least for me, i dont worry about keeping score such as doing little extra things to prove that i can get something for my price and be proven right to offer whatever i offered....i just move on

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by scottbdoug

if I don't get what I want, I spend my money elsewhere. The seller loses my business but he has as much right to refuse me as i do to offer what I offer. I just won't buy from them anymore.

So, if at some point, only sellers who offer the same price to all of their customers (the sellers who do not arbitrarily discount to you or anyone else because their business model is sound) have the cards you are looking to add to your collection, are you: A) going to stop collecting because you won't buy from sellers who won't negotiate OR B) going to get over the fact that they did not give you what you want and buy from them?

[Stampsfan]

Buyers who are upset about sellers not taking their offers, and sellers who complain about low ball offers, I find it bizarre. Everyone has every right to say no. It's not personal, it's business.

I make the occasional offer through BIN on something I want. If the seller says "No", it's OK. If they say "Yes", then great!! I don't ever take it personally. Move on to something else... there are more things I want than I have the cash for.

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Buyers who are upset about sellers not taking their offers, and sellers who complain about low ball offers, I find it bizarre. Everyone has every right to say no. It's not personal, it's business.

I make the occasional offer through BIN on something I want. If the seller says "No", it's OK. If they say "Yes", then great!! I don't ever take it personally. Move on to something else... there are more things I want than I have the cash for.

exactly

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Buyers who are upset about sellers not taking their offers, and sellers who complain about low ball offers, I find it bizarre. Everyone has every right to say no. It's not personal, it's business.

I make the occasional offer through BIN on something I want. If the seller says "No", it's OK. If they say "Yes", then great!! I don't ever take it personally. Move on to something else... there are more things I want than I have the cash for.

I agree with this, especially if you're sending an offer on a card with no best offer option. I do have a problem when I offer 90 or 95% of list on an eBay obo and get declined with no counter. Why even accept offers?

As for 4sc I highly recommend buying from their website. I have made a few small and large (for me any way) purchases. All at reasonable prices with great service and free shipping.

[midwaylandscaping]

4 Sharps website service tops their eBay store. Never had an issue. Good sellers IMO

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

I agree with this, especially if you're sending an offer on a card with no best offer option. I do have a problem when I offer 90 or 95% of list on an eBay obo and get declined with no counter. Why even accept offers?

I guess the seller would say if you are willing to offer 95% of the list price, whats to really stop you from just paying 100%. Some potential buyers dont look at straight BINs (and hence will never pay list price) but will look at listings with Make an Offer and even pay list price on those.

[buymycards]

My ebay store is closed until I retire in November, but if someone offered me $150 for cards listed at $172, I would accept the offer without a second thought. Also, the offer was for $16 shipping. I could send these cards by insured priority mail for around $8 bucks, so the total discount would only be $14 for this group of cards. That is only an 8% discount.

Rick

[divecchia]

I've made well over 100 purchases from 4 sharp Corners and never had a problem. Some on eBay when the price was too good to wait for it to show up on their website as there is a delay from the eBay listing to it showing up on their website. Do they price high on some stuff? Yes they do, but they lower their prices monthly on the stuff that doesn't sell right away. Every month or so (4-5 weeks) an item doesn't sell they will reduce the price. I watched an item for 2+ years and then made the purchase when it finally reached the price I wanted to pay for it. I've also gotten screwed doing that as I waited just a bit too long on an item I had been watching for over a year and someone bought it just before it reached the price I was comfortable with paying. I was waiting for just one more price reduction and someone pulled the trigger on it.

As far as offers go, they will not accept offers on lower priced items, but I have made and they have accepted offers on more expensive items ($1,000+). We did the transactions with a PayPal invoice instead of through their website which helped me out even more as they did not charge me sales tax as I live in the same state they work out of.

With all that said, I highly recommend them.

Donato DiVecchia

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

So, if at some point, only sellers who offer the same price to all of their customers (the sellers who do not arbitrarily discount to you or anyone else because their business model is sound) have the cards you are looking to add to your collection, are you: A) going to stop collecting because you won't buy from sellers who won't negotiate OR B) going to get over the fact that they did not give you what you want and buy from them?

Since the cards I collect, mostly, are a dime a dozen, reason being they are from the junk wax era, example A) doesnt really apply.

Because I collect over-produced cards, that are worth very little, and can be found everywhere, i won't ever need to get over the fact...

It is not much of an over-stretch to understand and/or agree with a person only paying what he wants to pay for a used item. Just as sellers can refuse to sell to you, you can refuse to buy from them.

I get what I want, at the price I want, or i don't buy. I just did that recently on the house i bought. And will continue to do so on anything used I buy. You should as well, everyone should. It's your money, you earned it, spend it as you want, not at what sellers want to charge you.

[savedfrommyspokes]

Originally Posted by scottbdoug

You should as well, everyone should. It's your money, you earned it, spend it as you want, not at what sellers want to charge you.

I can assure you, after almost 40 years of collecting, I ONLY pay what I want, and certainly not what any card seller wants to charge me. If a price does not fit my needs, I pass and harbor NO hard feelings towards the seller as I am not here to gouge everyone. IMO, a buyer and seller not agreeing on a price is just part of this hobby. My guess is that most of the folks on this board take the same approach

The difference between you and me is I do not hold grudges towards a seller because we were unable to agree on a price on one deal.....then again, most of the cards I collect are not a "dime a dozen", so I realize that if a current deal could not be struck, there will likely be more opportunities in the future . I guess this approach just comes with maturity.

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by savedfrommyspokes

I can assure you, after almost 40 years of collecting, I ONLY pay what I want, and certainly not what any card seller wants to charge me. If a price does not fit my needs, I pass and harbor NO hard feelings towards the seller as I am not here to gouge everyone. IMO, a buyer and seller not agreeing on a price is just part of this hobby. My guess is that most of the folks on this board take the same approach

The difference between you and me is I do not hold grudges towards a seller because we were unable to agree on a price on one deal.....then again, most of the cards I collect are not a "dime a dozen", so I realize that if a current deal could not be struck, there will likely be more opportunities in the future . I guess this approach just comes with maturity.

It's not a grudge. it is just business. If you make a reasonable offer and it is refused, you will figure that the store you are buying from does not negotiate. The price is the price. If you always barter to get a price you want, and the seller does not negotiate why even bother buying from them, they obviously don't want your business unless it is on their terms. I don't have time to create an offer over and over only to have it be refused, I just move on.

But what really made me think that this seller does not negotiate, other than the refusal they gave, was that all the cards I wanted except one were from the junk wax era. The offer was a small discount, for cards that are super easy to find and much harder to sell, yet still no acceptance. It kinda blew my mind actually. Wouldn't it have surprised you as well? So, on to the next seller.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by scottbdoug

It's not a grudge. it is just business. If you make a reasonable offer and it is refused, you will figure that the store you are buying from does not negotiate. The price is the price. If you always barter to get a price you want, and the seller does not negotiate why even bother buying from them, they obviously don't want your business unless it is on their terms. I don't have time to create an offer over and over only to have it be refused, I just move on.

But what really made me think that this seller does not negotiate, other than the refusal they gave, was that all the cards I wanted except one were from the junk wax era. The offer was a small discount, for cards that are super easy to find and much harder to sell, yet still no acceptance. It kinda blew my mind actually. Wouldn't it have surprised you as well? So, on to the next seller.

And they are on to the next buyer...

[scottbdoug]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

And they are on to the next buyer...

true