Post a Price..or "Make an Offer?"

[pbspelly]

The standard practice (at least in Western countries) is to list a sales price if you are offering to sell something. That's why you don't see a lot of houses listed under "Make an offer." Even for cars, where people expect that the list price is just a starting point, the list price is a starting point for the buyer to respond to. Likewise with auctions, which start at a particular price, even if no one expects the item to sell anywhere near the starting price. If you are offering to sell something, you, the seller, are expected to propose a price.

Now if you have something that you don't intend to sell, but would if someone gave you enough money for it, it's fine if you don't put a price on it and want to just wait for offers. There is nothing ethically wrong with this. But you also probably shouldn't list it on this forum's buy/sell page since it is not technically being offered for sale.


As for someone trying to determine the value of an item, the best way is simply to ask the forum what it thinks the true value is. I've done this several times. You will get a lot more responses than you will by putting something up as Make-an-offer. Sometimes you will also get offers to buy.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Originally Posted by pbspelly

The standard practice (at least in Western countries) is to list a sales price if you are offering to sell something. That's why you don't see a lot of houses listed under "Make an offer." Even for cars, where people expect that the list price is just a starting point, the list price is a starting point for the buyer to respond to. Likewise with auctions, which start at a particular price, even if no one expects the item to sell anywhere near the starting price. If you are offering to sell something, you, the seller, are expected to propose a price.

Now if you have something that you don't intend to sell, but would if someone gave you enough money for it, it's fine if you don't put a price on it and want to just wait for offers. There is nothing ethically wrong with this. But you also probably shouldn't list it on this forum's buy/sell page since it is not technically being offered for sale.


As for someone trying to determine the value of an item, the best way is simply to ask the forum what it thinks the true value is. I've done this several times. You will get a lot more responses than you will by putting something up as Make-an-offer. Sometimes you will also get offers to buy.

I don't agree as I think the bst section can facilitate both straight priced cards and those that members want to guage the market and take best offers. If you're a good buyer you should be able to navigate both scenarios

[pbspelly]

Originally Posted by ajjohnsonsoxfan

I think the bst section can facilitate both straight priced cards and those that members want to guage the market and take best offers. If you're a good buyer you should be able to navigate both scenarios

I think that's true. But that doesn't change the fact that it is a buy/sell/trade forum, not a "buy/request-for-proposals/trade forum." If you are offering something for sale, the convention has always been that the seller is the first to propose a price. Even people running yard sales set prices for what they're selling, from which the haggling begins. It is only when you see something in the back of the garage--something that wasn't meant to be offered for sale--that the person says, "I don't know, I guess I might sell that. Make me an offer."

[Sean]

Quoting Jeff L.:"I find that with expensive cards, people don't like to bid against themselves and need a price."

I've been in situations where someone knows that I want a card, and asks me how much will I pay for the card. In that case I don't mind giving a figure.

But if the card is listed on the BST without a price, I don't like to make the first move.

[jfkheat]

I guess the "Noob Meddlin" was referring to me and the message I posted. As I said in the other post, it is your card, you should know what it will take to buy it. Why not post a price and not have to answer a bunch of emails or PMs asking your price? As others have said, if no price is posted most guys will just move on. If you are only accepting offers, put it up for auction. This is one of the few forums that I am a member of that doesn't require prices to be listed.
James