I am gonna vent

[autograf]

I get the offer thing for sure. I've started setting a low threshhold thing on most BO items on ebay. I just can't tolerate the $10 offer on the $100 item. I figure I set a $60-$70 floor and then I weed all the jackwagons out of the equation. If someone REALLY wants something, they'll find a way to offer whether there's a best offer option or not.

[Marchillo]

I guess to the original point. I look at past sales and negotiate trying to stay on the low end as a buyer. Just as dealers pay lower prices when buying collections. If you picked up an item for $500 and you say it's worth $1500 why didn't it sell for $1500? Wrong audience? Bad marketing etc. I don't think it's insulting for someone to offer $650 on that item. If you don't want offers then make the prices firm.

On eBay I've come across some high volume dealers that accept 50% of a BO price. This has caused me to sometimes make these similar type offers with other sellers. Many times I get a flat out not accepted and other times I get a counter that is lower than I was willing to pay. So as a buyer who doesn't sell who has a modest budget if you want me to make an offer don't take offense if you feel it's too low. Just flat out say no or counter it. But why pay more when I don't have to.

I do agree to the point that if you paid $80 for a McGwire Olympic card in 98 and the market says it's worth $10 I don't give a d@mn. But recent sales do matter. That's why people shell out good money for VCP.

[Marchillo]

Originally Posted by autograf

I get the offer thing for sure. I've started setting a low threshhold thing on most BO items on ebay. I just can't tolerate the $10 offer on the $100 item. I figure I set a $60-$70 floor and then I weed all the jackwagons out of the equation. If someone REALLY wants something, they'll find a way to offer whether there's a best offer option or not.

And yes. If you set a threshold and an offer is made much lower you don't deal with it. Problem solved on eBay.

If you know the market value of an item, mark a price, end of problem. If you have a problem with negotiating, eliminate the Make an Offer option, end of problem. I'm not sure the point of these posts, and one of the reasons I have not posted on net54 in months. How does this increase my knowledge of the hobby? It doesn't. Carry on collectors.

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

I want to just say that I believe some of my first post was misconstrued and I probably should have been more clear.

In regards to the first scenario, I was referring to ebay.

I assumed everyone already understood I had a number up and wasn't just blindly saying make an offer.

Anyone that watches my BST sees that I rarely do not put a price, unless it is something unique that I am not 100% sure of the market so want to field offers to get an idea as there are not many comps out there.


In regards to the second scenario,

I do not mean instances in which an item has a VCP etc.

Here is one example.

I recently purchased a 1919 World Series guest pin on ebay. I paid $750. The dealer knew it was worth more as did I, however he needed quick cash for a auction that was ending soon.

We agreed on a price and now it is public knowledge. I sent out some photos to people (dealers and collectors) to see if there was interest, and I would get back the same thing...

Is this the one that just sold on ebay for $750? I'd do X on it.

Ok so in my opinion an item like this is worth anywhere from 1500 up to 5000 or even more depending on how many are out there and how many people want to compete over it.

Low ball offers based on what I spent on the item in this case are insulting and plain wrong.

This is the context in which I meant it.

Hope that clarifies some of the qualms.

[markf31]

Originally Posted by EYECOLLECTVINTAGE

I sent out some photos to people (dealers and collectors) to see if there was interest, and I would get back the same thing...

Is this the one that just sold on ebay for $750? I'd do X on it.

Ok so in my opinion an item like this is worth anywhere from 1500 up to 5000 or even more depending on how many are out there and how many people want to compete over it.

So none of the multiple dealers who you contacted about this pin were interested in offering you more than you had paid for it. Dealers. People who are in this business to make money, were not willing to offer you more than you paid for it. You think its worth $1500 to $5000, or more...so if it WAS worth that much, dont you think that one of those dealers you contacted would have snatched it up at say $1000 ir $1200 if they knew it was worth $1500 to $5000? I mean, they would make a 25-50% profit at a minimum...right up a dealers alley! Or maybe your valuation of this pin is way off base and the true valuation of what is a relatively non-descript pin that simply says "1919 world's Series" of which no other examples can be found...is closer to, or less than, the price you actually paid for it.

Just a thought.

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by markf31

So none of the multiple dealers who you contacted about this pin were interested in offering you more than you had paid for it. Dealers. People who are in this business to make money, were not willing to offer you more than you paid for it. You think its worth $1500 to $5000, or more...so if it WAS worth that much, dont you think that one of those dealers you contacted would have snatched it up at say $1000 ir $1200 if they knew it was worth $1500 to $5000? I mean, they would make a 25-50% profit at a minimum...right up a dealers alley! Or maybe your valuation of this pin is way off base and the true valuation of what is a relatively non-descript pin that simply says "1919 world's Series" of which no other examples can be found...is closer to, or less than, the price you actually paid for it.

Just a thought.

I was being offered 900-1000 (because they knew I paid $750.

Would you sell a 1919 guess pass for a 25% profit? Be honest. And do you really think it's worth less than $1500?

[bobbyw8469]

Would you sell a 1919 guess pass for a 25% profit? Be honest. And do you really think it's worth less than $1500?

Yes....and not think twice about it. You got lucky to get it as cheap as you did. I thought I got lucky to get my 1932 US Caramel Lefty Grove as cheap as I did. Until someone won it for $300 less than me. Then I realized I wasn't lucky at all. I was a fool. Take the profit and run.

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

I disagree with that (no hard feelings as I respect your opinion). When holding a piece such as this, the reward far outweighs the risk in my opinion. The down side is $750 (which it's not, but if I lost it then yes). The upside is... Who Knows?

On a baseball card, where the market is set for the most part, the ceiling is only so high.

[markf31]

Originally Posted by EYECOLLECTVINTAGE

I was being offered 900-1000 (because they knew I paid $750.

Would you sell a 1919 guess pass for a 25% profit? Be honest. And do you really think it's worth less than $1500?

If a dealer thought there was money to be made by paying more, they would have. They're goal is to make money so if they thought it was valuable enough to buy from you at say 1400 and sell in excess of say $1750 for a profit of at least 25% then I'm pretty sure every dealer would have jumped at that chance. They're in the business to make money, its all percentages to them. They dont care what they have to pay for an item, as long as they get it for under a certain percentage of what they feel the can comfortably sell it for and none of those dealers you offered it to felt the item was that valuable...the story spells that out. Just because you think its value is between $1500 and $5000 does not mean the market will bear out your valuation.

As for me? I wouldnt think to purchase that pin for anywhere close to what you paid for it. The market might prove me wrong and so be it. But a non-descript pin that simply says "1919 World's Series" on a generic baseball medallion...that makes no mention of the Reds, Cincinnati, the White Sox, or Chicago...just doesnt hold the value it does to me, that it apparently does to you. Just my opinion.

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

Originally Posted by markf31

If a dealer thought there was money to be made by paying more, they would have. They're goal is to make money so if they thought it was valuable enough to buy from you at say 1400 and sell in excess of say $1750 for a profit of at least 25% then I'm pretty sure every dealer would have jumped at that chance. They're in the business to make money, its all percentages to them. They dont care what they have to pay for an item, as long as they get it for under a certain percentage of what they feel the can comfortably sell it for and none of those dealers you offered it to felt the item was that valuable...the story spells that out. Just because you think its value is between $1500 and $5000 does not mean the market will bear out your valuation.

As for me? I wouldnt think to purchase that pin for anywhere close to what you paid for it. The market might prove me wrong and so be it. But a non-descript pin that simply says "1919 World's Series" on a generic baseball medallion...that makes no mention of the Reds, Cincinnati, the White Sox, or Chicago...just doesnt hold the value it does to me, that it apparently does to you. Just my opinion.

You are entitled to your opinion on this. I guess time will tell. You are failing to mention collector's and not just dealers which I mentioned. In total 3 people answered me. 2 dealers and 1 collector.

A lot of times, I find that dealers are scared to pay up on a item with no history. Like I said, there is no exact market on this piece as it has never traded. It came from Muchinsky's collection who said it came from a White Sox executive.

I don't mind taking chances on weird items. Maybe to a fault, but it's what makes this hobby fun to me. Seeing stuff that's never been seen etc.