bad timing and lesson learned

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by steve B

If seller A is asking $200, and sellers B,C,and D are between 7.99 and 25.00 I'm always puzzled why seller A doesn't simply buy up the other three copies.

I'd be much more puzzled by the fact that if seller A is now cognizant that his copy is ridiculously overpriced - as the much cheaper copies aren't even selling... why wouldn't he then lower the price??? Does he actually WANT to sell?? Or just live in some delusional world where he might eventually get his unrealistic price, even if it takes years... a decade.... or multiple lifetimes?

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

I'd be much more puzzled by the fact that if seller A is now cognizant that his copy is ridiculously overpriced - as the much cheaper copies aren't even selling... why wouldn't he then lower the price??? Does he actually WANT to sell?? Or just live in some delusional world where he might eventually get his unrealistic price, even if it takes years... a decade.... or multiple lifetimes?

I've been seller A a few times, as well as being seller B. It's not a matter of being delusional, but one of having the right venue/customers to sell something.

The bike shop I was running needed inventory. We did very well with ladies 3 speeds in any color except black.
I'd buy them at yard sales for anywhere from $3-$20. A quick once over for adjustments, and usually a couple new tires, and we could turn them over very quickly for 75-100.
Shops farther in town towards Boston could get more, an we could have too, but a quick flip was usually best.
I would rarely turn one down unless it needed a ton of work. (And even then... A rusty frame with a nice set of wheels and the original leather seat in good condition would still be a buy at $20

I've also sold stuff to dealers, across a wide variety of collectibles, probably for too little. But they usually had people that bought that sort of stuff while I
don't. I made money, they made money, everyone was happy.