Post Prices Please!

[Bill M]

I don't respond to posts offering to sell pieces with no price stated by the seller.

I wonder if different prices are stated by the seller depending on who is asking?

For instance, I asked a seller, who usually advertises on his website "POR" (Price On Request) for the amount of one of his pieces.

He quoted me a price of $1100USD as "the best he could sell it for."

Another collector friend asked his price (about the same time I asked) and was quoted $750USD.

So when I see "POR" or "email me for price" or "email me offers," I just go onto something else and ignore the piece. If someone wants to sell something, put a price in your post.

Or post it on eBay and let the market tell you the best price.

[Dajak]

What is wrong with email me offers if you like it make an offer .

This reduce the not seriuos people that wanna have the stuff for nothing .

And the new owner sometimes do not want to now what he is paying for an Item.


That is different when someone have an store and put things up for sale
with no price like POR that is also what I also not like .

And Ebay not the right place to sell good items .


Ben

[Lew]

"And Ebay not the right place to sell good items" .




Email offers going to the highest bidder? The swap section should not be used as an auction outlet. Most if not all of us know what our pieces are worth so just state what you think is an appropriate price and leave at that first come first serve. I keep a journal of my collection and what I think their current market value is so when I put something up for sale it usually has a price so there is no guess work. Ben why do you think Ebay is not a good venue for "good items" Some of my best pieces have come from ebay. All you need is to set a reserve.



Lew

[Bill M]

I have to agree with Lew. You should have a price in mind and state it.

I have bought some very good pieces on eBay.

I don't care if other people know what I paid. Even if sometimes I pay too much!

And, Ben, this policy "email me offers" would seem to increase the number of "not serious" people who offer low prices.

[Dajak]

People always wanna use sale price as an valeu to the item ,
so if they have something like it they say this is so much valeu because it is sold then for that price .

I don t like this way that is why I use offer when it do met my price it will be sold .

If anyone do not like it don t send an offer .

And not serious offers I delete no problem with that .

Ebay is build on that the people bid against each other but don't forget
now the names are hidden the seller can put some friends that raise the bid for him .

This happends so that is why I don t put anything on ebay .

Some people do give an price and get contacted and the buyer tells the seller can I get it for less because I already did buy so much this month I like to avoid that too Bill .

Ben

[drdavid]

Bill and Lew,
I'm definitely with you on this one. I really dont like the trend towards not putting a price on items in the swap forum. It does open things up to less than desirable practices. There are other good reasons for showing prices, including assisting those of us less knowledgeable in the minefield. If someone wants to make an offer at a lesser price than that shown on the item or not be identified there is nothing stopping them sending a PM. I would much prefer to see swap offers or price only as the policy in this forum.
David

[spiral]

Originally Posted by Bill Marsh

For instance, I asked a seller, who usually advertises on his website "POR" (Price On Request) for the amount of one of his pieces.

He quoted me a price of $1100USD as "the best he could sell it for."

Another collector friend asked his price (about the same time I asked) and was quoted $750USD.

That seller sulked so much about bieng caught out Bill, He wont even quote an extortinate price to me any more!

But of course in this world of friends,associates & collector & dealer contacts, it makes no differance!

Spiral

[G. McCormack]

Why is it so inconvenient for you to make an offer?

You want to be in the biggest position of advantage possible, where transactions are concerned. Nothing wrong with that, unless it's coupled with an overarching sense of entitlement.

Making an offer puts you in a position of disadvantage...you don't have a place from which to wriggle the price down, and you don't have an instant idea whether or not you can get the piece. But thats just part of buying luxury items, you may not always be able to control every aspect of the deal.

Additionally, dealers quoting different prices for different people is a very common thing, although it's not a practice I espouse. It might be because they need the money, think you have more money than another guy, or just want more in return for dealing with a customer who is a huge pain in the ass. Or a dozen other reasons.

Many dealers prefer not to publish their prices because they dont feel like providing what is essentially a free appraisal service, one that may skew the market.



As for the forum itself, I think its a wonderful thing and as to the swap forum I have no problem with it but trust the judgement of the moderators whatever they decide.


-Garrett

[fernando]

Originally Posted by G. McCormack

...Additionally, dealers quoting different prices for different people is a very common thing, although it's not a practice I espouse. It might be because they need the money, think you have more money than another guy, or just want more in return for dealing with a customer who is a huge pain in the ass. Or a dozen other reasons. ...

Hi Garrett
Your assuming that you don't espouse such methodology gives me space to also opine that, maybe some of these (dozen) reasons would not fall into the transparency (honesty?) chest.
The posting of a price shouldn't necessarily avoid an interested member to make a higher offer, if he considers the article has a higher value (at least for him) and he wants to make sure to get it before others, as also to make a lower offer, if in good faith he thinks the item is not so valuable. In the other hand, if the swapper/seller considers that a certain member who offers to buy the article is a pain in the ass (for him), he can either answer by deliberately inflate the (previously) posted price as an undoubtfull message that he assumedly doesn't want to sell it to such person ... or just say it directly, face to face (post wise).
However in my perspective, there is a great difference between the Forum swap section and a business speculation web site.
I would risk to bet that, such swap section wasn't implemented for the members to buy things with the basic intention to come in there to sell them with a speculated profit, nor with the intent to only sell things to the member with the nicest eyes.
... Just my humble opinion
Fernando

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by fernando

Hi Garrett
Your assuming that you don't espouse such methodology gives me space to also opine that, maybe some of these (dozen) reasons would not fall into the transparency (honesty?) chest.

Most eloquenly put!

Originally Posted by fernando

........ posted price as an undoubtfull message that he assumedly doesn't want to sell it to such person ... or just say it directly, face to face (post wise).

Fernando

Could be the seller is lacking in cojones to let someone know he doesn't like them, but does not liking someone mean you don't like their money?

On the other hand,

As a buyer, I have one, and only one, dealer whom I told, (and this should be in private email, never a topic for open forum, that since I feel so shabbily treated by him for inflating the price -- $1100 to me and $750, to someone else), that I don't care if he has a solid gold jungayyan kris. I wouldn't buy it! I have no interest in supporting dealers who do this.

But this is a private matter between us and has nothing to do with any of the forum members, who currently post items now and then.

If dealers like him are naive enough to think this community is NOT a very small arena and their reputation as an honest dealer is NOT important, then they are quite foolish.

I apologize in advance if anyone feels slighted by my remarks. The dealer knows full well who he is -- I am only talking about one person.

However, it is my policy not to make offers. I buy if I see a stated price that is open to one and all and I am willing to pay that price.

[David]

Originally Posted by fernando

However in my perspective, there is a great difference between the Forum swap section and a business speculation web site.
I would risk to bet that, such swap section wasn't implemented for the members to buy things with the basic intention to come in there to sell them with a speculated profit, nor with the intent to only sell things to the member with the nicest eyes.

Thank you Fernando, i believe you have hit at the heart of the matter right here. We do not run an open marketplace here. It is a members only club. You might have noticed in fact, that the forum under discussion here is called the "Swap Forum". Now, i don't think anyone imagined that sales would not take place there as well and in fact more "sales" than "swaps" do occur. But as far as i can see this swap forum is a service for our members to help each other grow our collections or dispose of pieces when we decide to move on to something else or plan on trading up. Nothing irks me more than when dealers "join" our forum just so that they can start using the swap as their marketplace and hardly, if ever, make any posts on the regular discussion boards. As far as i am concerned, the cut-throat rules of marketplace advantage should be left at the door. I am not saying that a seller should take a bad deal for community sake, but a little transparency would go a long way in situations like this. We are a community here, and as far as i can tell from my surfing of the net, a rather unique one. IMHO we should treat each other just a little bit better that we would act in the marketplace at large.

[ALEX]

I've noticed some "trend" here when sellers asking for offers are challenged to name their price. Well, sometimes we have an idea, an estimate, but just as at ALL major auctions - they never considered as "price" per se. The price is determined by how much someone is willing to pay! I have some fantastic swords I'd offer for sale, but I'd never list them at a fixed price. So... "... I do not see anything wrong with asking for offers. If someone is interested in an item (really wants it!), and knows enough about it in terms of comparative market value - one should be able to make an intelligent offer and to negotiate it. It is a seller's right afterall to sell anyway he/she prefers without justifying his/her selling preferences".

[Dajak]

[QUOTE=G. McCormack]Why is it so inconvenient for you to make an offer?

You want to be in the biggest position of advantage possible, where transactions are concerned. Nothing wrong with that, unless it's coupled with an overarching sense of entitlement.

Making an offer puts you in a position of disadvantage...you don't have a place from which to wriggle the price down, and you don't have an instant idea whether or not you can get the piece. But thats just part of buying luxury items, you may not always be able to control every aspect of the deal.


This is a good reason not post an price and anyone is free to make an offer or not .

I don't see the problem doing it this way .

Ben

[VANDOO]

IT BASICALLY COMES DOWN TO (IT IS THE SELLERS CHOICE HOW HE LISTS AND SELLS HIS ITEMS)

IT IS ALSO THE BUYERS CHOICE TO MAKE AN OFFER OR NOT. EITHER WAY SOMETIMES YOU CAN BENIFIT OR SOMETIMES YOU LOSE POTENTIAL BUYERS "YOU MAKES YER MOVE AND TAKES YUR CHANCES"
PERSONALLY I LIKE TO SEE A PRICE AS IT GIVES ME AN IDEA IF I CAN AFFORD IT OR NOT. MY PURCHASING POWER PUTS ME IN THE LOW END OF THE MARKET THESE DAYS AND I WOULD JUST AS SOON NOT MAKE AN OFFER THAT MAY BE MY BEST THAT WILL NOT EVEN BE HALF THE DEALERS ASKING PRICE THATS EMBARASING.
A GOOD WAY TO DETERMINE WHERE YOU ARE ON THE FOOD CHAIN OF COLLECTING IS TO BID ON 100 NICE EBAY WEAPONS AND SEE HOW MANY YOU WIN IF IT IS 2 ITEMS OR LESS YOU ARE IN MY COLLECTOR GROUP.

I UNDERSTAND SOME DEALERS NOT WANTING COLLECTORS SUCH AS MYSELF FROM KNOWING THE PRICE OF AN ITEM AS PERHAPS THEY CAN GET THINGS I COLLECTED IN THE 1960'S AT 1960'S PRICES. I CAN LOOK AT EBAY PRICES ON AUCTIONS AS WELL AS MANY SELLERS WEBSITES TO GET AN IDEA OF CURRENT PRICES IF I WANT ,SO THIS WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO DO IN MY CASE. I HAVE SOLD A FEW ITEMS TO OTHER COLLECTORS WHO WERE SPECIALIZING IN THAT CERTIAN FIELD WHEN I WAS NOT. BUT I MOSTLY JUST HANG ON TO MY OLD STUFF AS I AM NOT ADDING NEW ITEMS TO THE COLLECTION AT TODAYS PRICES AND LEVEL OF COMPETICIAN.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
I don't see any good reason not to put a price on an item. There is no written law that the potential buyer has to offer the asking price and at least an asking price gives both buyer and seller a starting point from which to negotiate. An item which is put up for closed offers only, which P.M. offers are essentially, is a Silent Auction.
Regards,
Norman.

[Gavin Nugent]

I simply believe in seller's choice as it is buyers choice to ask the question if interested. It would be like asking everyone who posts a link that expires in three months to post images instead so information is not lost forever, it has been asked time and time again but...it's on the never never plan....

Gav

[Dajak]

[QUOTE=Bill Marsh]I don't respond to posts offering to sell pieces with no price stated by the seller.

I wonder if different prices are stated by the seller depending on who is asking?


So when I see "POR" or "email me for price" or "email me offers," I just go onto something else and ignore the piece. If someone wants to sell something, put a price in your post.


Bill strange I had an peduang for sale with no price on it and you did make me an offer .

I still have the email .

Can you explain ??

Ben