SCORE!!!

Enough's enough. Everyone's made their points. Let's move on to something more constructive.

Rich -

smeagol the vile

Not really, because taking something meant for charity and selling it is a downright despicable thing to do.

Second I don't appreciate you telling me what to do, and I don't appreciate you correcting me.  This isn't a spelling test, its a (the, that is) internet, are you new to it?

You protest to a degree that demonstrates a desperate need to win, at any cost. It's getting tiresome. Quit already, please!

Second, Your several posts employ atrocious English, and that is offensive to me. It hasn't been my intention to annoy you, but that may be changing. I'm not here posting to curry your appreciation, and for as long as you continue to murder my language (and I don't depend on you for my liveihood), you may be subject to my criticism, at my whim.

Third. Concerning my familiarity with the internet, I was one of the beta testers for the birth of the Prodigy network in 1985. Before that I frequented many BBSs running CP/M on a TRS 80 since 1979. By the immaturity you demonstrate I would estimate that was before you were born.

Fourth, I know that I haven't posted much in this thread and, truly, I have no wish to offend you, nor do I wish you ill fortune. Your behavior here annoys me, and I'm just venting that. I mention all this in the forlorn hope that you might have the grace (and kindness) to just quietly retire. Your "position" is well known, and you're beating a dead horse.

Not really, because taking something meant for charity and selling it is a downright despicable thing to do.

Second I don't appreciate you telling me what to do, and I don't appreciate you correcting me.  This isn't a spelling test, its a internet, are you new to it?

smeagol the vile

Wait, she was suposto (supposed to, that is) give them to the salvation army but decided to sell it instead? 

I wouldn't have given her a dime over her asking price if even at all.  I passed up kits before becuase (because, that is) they had VA stickers on them (I think VA)

Seems like you're pissing up a rope. Everyone's got your message. Methinks it's about time you give it up, wouldn't you think?

Wait, she was suposto give them to the salvation army but decided to sell it instead? 

I wouldn't have given her a dime over her asking price if even at all.  I passed up kits before becuase they had VA stickers on them (I think VA)

You're a good man Pavlvs and you did the right thing.

What's cool about these types opf threads is that in the future, if any transaction came up, you find out who you could trust doing business with and and who you wouldn't even bother to answer their Email.

The responses here fascinate me.  I did not simply open my wallet and throw my money at the woman.  I simply gave her a price I could live with.  I know there would have been nothing wrong with my giving her the asking price and leave it at that.  I asked the woman if she knew the value of the pile of kits and she did not.  Her son said to give them to the Salvation Army but since she was having the yard sale she just added the models to the sale.  I informed her that they were worth a great deal more than $10.00 and offered to give her more and $95.00 was all I had.  I wanted to give her $100.00 but only had $95.00.  I still got the bargain of the year in my book.  It reminds me of my dentist in Shenandoah County, Virginia who exchanged his services for building R/C planes.  He loved flying but had no knack or desire to build them.  He would give me the kit and we would haggle on the price of building it such as him saying that building this particular kit was worth two cleanings and two fillings or something like that.  I once needed a new crown and he said building a kit was good for a crown and a cleaning.  It was fun doing that.  I thought that her lack of knowledge was something I could not take advantage of.  If it was on ebay, I'm not sure what I would do.  I guess would make a maximum bid and see what happens.  I am going to enjoy building the models and that's it.  I am not looking for kudos.  I just wanted to share my happiness on the bargain I got.  Since the amp was worth the amount I paid for the lot, I felt as though I got the models for free.  Like I said, "SCORE!"

My friend Panzerjager often upgrades his stash with the latest kits and then makes me deals "I can't refuse" and I often wind up with his cast-offs for barter or a good price.  Since he primarily does German armor my place is now known as "Pat's house of wayward panzers".  

                                                                                                                     Pat. 

Shoot &scoot, My father collects cameras and his collection has grown the same way.  A very interesting collection indeed.

Irronically, some of my best deals for kits have come from other modlers.  Even I had a few bouts of "getting out of the hobby" and have sold for a few dollars or have given away kits that were worth much much more.

What comes around goes around I guess.

Great avatar that you have there, BashMonkey!

It would seem bash monkey can make the points I was trying to make a lot more eloquent then I was able to.

I honestly dont think either party did anything wrong. The buyer simply wanted to pay what he thought was fair and the seller just wanted to get rid of something cluttering up her house. She probably didnt care if they were worth more than $10,she just wanted rid of them. The buyer just wanted to live with his purchase with a clear conscious. Personally once she said she just wanted rid of them I would have gladly paid her price. Why? Because I have been on both sides of this. I have gladly sold stuff, or placed on Evilbay items and collections for far less than they were worth just because I wanted them gone and away with as fast as possible. So several people have gotten some killer deals from me. On the flip side if I ask a price and the seller tells me and its way less than I think its worth, well I buy it the price offered. Happily. That's what its worth to them why would I argue with that. Just say Thank you very much and on to the next thing.

I collect old cameras and have a particular love for the older Leicas.  Depending on the model, some go well north of a thousand dollars.  I have bought all of mine at garbage (garage) sales and have never paid over $20.00 for one.

Usually it is some older widow or divorcee selling her husband's camera and the asking price is usually $10.00.  If the lady comes across as a nice person I will tell her exactly what the camera is worth and in some cases, have even helped to sell it for fair market value.

However if the seller comes across as a d ick or b itch, I'll gladly pay them their ridiculously low asking price and walk away smiling.  Several years ago I picked up a 1936 3g with eagle and swastika stamped in the case leather, asking price: $5.00.  The lady seller said her husband picked it up while "galavanting"  around Europe in WWII while in the Army.  She called this man and the Army every name in the book and said the camera was just old N azi junk.  I paid her $5.00 for it.

                                                                                       Pat.  

I agree with the previous two threads...me thinks we went down a rabbit hole and the written word sometimes does not always get the spirit of one's point across.

In a related matter, a few months back I came across an old guy on one of these sites looking to get out of the hobby, but his stash was big.  He was offered quite a bit of change by some, but he was put off by some of the opportunists out there.  So, he let me buy a major chunk at cost to him (but at 1980 and 90 prices)....but many of the kits were gems and a fraction of what he could have gotten on ebay.  I picked up many at insanely low prices.  I insisted on giving him a little more than he asked, but he wouldn't have it.  He then sent the models and in the package was some other stuff, as a bonus/gift. I, in turn, padded the check a bit.  He mainly wanted someone that wouldn't turn the kits around and make a profit on ebay or something like that.  I promised to send him pics of the finished kits.  It was a nice exchange...we both came away happy.

Hans, exactly.  He didn't go OMG TIFFANY BROACH TAKE ALL MY MONEY!  He gave her an offer that he would have given someone That knew what it was.  He paid for the item but he would still make a nice profit off of it.

Again, my point isnt to rip people off, its that throwing all your money at them is a stupid STUPID idea.

smeagol the vile

No, I can wrap my mind around being nice and giving someone extra for an item that they are selling at a severely undercut price.  What I cant get is the 'HERE IS EVERYTHING IN MY WALLET, TAKE IT!' mentality.

 

Now, ok they were her son's not hers.  It was up to the son to tell her what he wanted and what they were worth.  In the long run they weren't her items and we don't even know if she got to keep the money, may have went to the son it was his property after all.

And I see what you mean about comparing it to ebay, but how about this....  Flea markets are a wonderful example.  Same as yard sales except there are alot more people there.  Your selling the same kinds of goods, you can haggle on price if need be.  From the outset it looks exactly the same as a yard sale except there are alot of people at once place inorder to have people see their stuff.  Thing is alot of people do it as a career and are there every week but unless your there every week you dont know.  I recently got a Airfix 54mm highlander MODEL KIT from a flea market seller that my dad buys army men from.  He just doesnt care about model kits and will give them away, sold it to me for a dollar.  I didn't argue and go You should charge more!  He knew what he was doing, he knew his money was made in other items.

Also when selling OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF people tend to not really care.  I know another lady, we bought about I dont know must be close to 500$ if not more worth of vintage toy soldiers from her.  She was selling for someone else and she had piles of stuff on her table.  We talked to her, she was just selling it for them, didn't really care to get top dollar for it she just wanted to get rid of it for the buyer.   She wasn't a rube, she wasnt dumb and didnt know how to use the internet to price things, she just wanted to sell it and low prices sell.  Speaking of she sold everything and hasent been back in a few weeks.

Then there is the fact that the OP is not trying to RESELL these kits and amp.  If your buying to sell and pay the really low price if your thinking your taking advantage thats not a good thing, but if your going to use that amp, if your going to build those kits like they were meant to be I see nothing wrong with it.

Sometimes selling the item is all that matters, it isn't how much you can get for it.  I'v done alot of yard sales and flea markets in my life.  Heck, you know the story about the original copy of the declaration of independence that was found behind the picture frame?  Yea we were in that shop the day before the person bought that picture and discovered it.  Should he go back and throw his cash at the guy because of the good deal he got on the item?

Oh and lets not mention that times are hard for most people, there are a few threads on here about people loosing their jobs.  I know a lot of people out of work and that cant find jobs, myself included.  Disposable income is hard to come by now a days and to just go around tossing your money away like that is... ill advised if not down right reckless

I once saw an episode of Pawn Stars where in it a lady brought in a tacky looking brooch she inherited and wanted maybe a few hundred dollars for it...it was the shape of a spider and looked to be encrusted with rhinestones---pretty big item.  The bald dude on the show looked it over good and found that it was actually a Fabrege' (or Tiffany) piece made in the early part of the 20th century---worth a lot of jack. The guy told her that he could not in good conscious give her $300 and instead offered her $15,000. I believe he thought he could turn at least $20,000 on it.  Interestingly enough, the lady then began to haggle with him and initially refused his $15,000 offer...They finally made the deal.

They interviewed him afterwards and he told the show's producers that as a businessman he wasn't in the habit to rip people off who had no clue about what they had cause that kinda reputation would eventually hurt his business...he also told them that he was in the pawn business to make money but at the end of the day he also had to live with himself...great episode... 

sigh.. I give up... "clicking.. "stop emailing replies"..

No, I can wrap my mind around being nice and giving someone extra for an item that they are selling at a severely undercut price.  What I cant get is the 'HERE IS EVERYTHING IN MY WALLET, TAKE IT!' mentality.

Now, ok they were her son's not hers.  It was up to the son to tell her what he wanted and what they were worth.  In the long run they weren't her items and we don't even know if she got to keep the money, may have went to the son it was his property after all.

And I see what you mean about comparing it to ebay, but how about this....  Flea markets are a wonderful example.  Same as yard sales except there are alot more people there.  Your selling the same kinds of goods, you can haggle on price if need be.  From the outset it looks exactly the same as a yard sale except there are alot of people at once place inorder to have people see their stuff.  Thing is alot of people do it as a career and are there every week but unless your there every week you dont know.  I recently got a Airfix 54mm highlander MODEL KIT from a flea market seller that my dad buys army men from.  He just doesnt care about model kits and will give them away, sold it to me for a dollar.  I didn't argue and go You should charge more!  He knew what he was doing, he knew his money was made in other items.

Also when selling OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF people tend to not really care.  I know another lady, we bought about I dont know must be close to 500$ if not more worth of vintage toy soldiers from her.  She was selling for someone else and she had piles of stuff on her table.  We talked to her, she was just selling it for them, didn't really care to get top dollar for it she just wanted to get rid of it for the buyer.   She wasn't a rube, she wasnt dumb and didnt know how to use the internet to price things, she just wanted to sell it and low prices sell.  Speaking of she sold everything and hasent been back in a few weeks.

Then there is the fact that the OP is not trying to RESELL these kits and amp.  If your buying to sell and pay the really low price if your thinking your taking advantage thats not a good thing, but if your going to use that amp, if your going to build those kits like they were meant to be I see nothing wrong with it.

Sometimes selling the item is all that matters, it isn't how much you can get for it.  I'v done alot of yard sales and flea markets in my life.  Heck, you know the story about the original copy of the declaration of independence that was found behind the picture frame?  Yea we were in that shop the day before the person bought that picture and discovered it.  Should he go back and throw his cash at the guy because of the good deal he got on the item?

Oh and lets not mention that times are hard for most people, there are a few threads on here about people loosing their jobs.  I know a lot of people out of work and that cant find jobs, myself included.  Disposable income is hard to come by now a days and to just go around tossing your money away like that is... ill advised if not down right reckless

smeagol the vile

See, the way I look at it is this.  You all have a certain perception of someone BECAUSE there using a yard sale to sell their items.

 

Let me ask you this.  Lets say you found those items on ebay for 10$  Would you INSIST on paying the seller 9 times that amount for the items, or would you be on here telling us about the awesome ebay deal you got?

You're comparing apples to oranges, sure they are both fruit. but not a very good comparison really.

Yard sale items are sold on a first-come-first-serve basis. you haggle down the price and it takes about a couple of minutes.

Whereas most sellers on eBay know the value of what they are seller and price items at a lower price to get interest. even if the seller doesn't, there are generally more than a handful of hopeful buyers that do. They bid on the item over the course of a couple of days and drives the price upwards. and the best offer wins. you don't get that with a yard sale generally the asking price is argued down.

It’s sad that you can’t wrap your mind around a person doing what they feel is right and paying what they felt was fair price regardless of the state economy or any given individuals financial situation. Doing what feels like the right thing to do is not a “horrible idea”, just because you wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean somebody else shouldn’t either.

People are so ready to do just the bear minimum, and sadly that seems to becoming the norm these days. Integrity is being cast aside for personal gain and hollow victories.  It’s nice to see folks that are willing to go above and beyond.

BaBill212

In my humble opinion:

Opinions have been voiced

We agree that we disagree (at times)

Close this book and begin anew

 

In my humble opinion:

Opinions have been voiced

We agree that we disagree (at times)

Close this book and begin anew

"So in the Libyan fable it is told
That once an eagle, stricken with a dart,
Said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft,
"With our own feathers, not by others' hands,
Are we now smitten."

Aeschylus

And that's all I've got to say about that.

smeagol the vile

I... I dont get this at all.  ....

Yeah, but you wouldn't get it - after all, you are smeogal the vile right???

Good on ya - If you'd walked away with that pile for the straight-up (un-informed) price, you know very well the sprue gods would get you, PE that didn't bend right, parts lost to the carpet monster, clear parts that fogged up for no reason...

wooosah.. wooosah... sheesh...

"At a yard sale your [sic] selling your personal property, you know how much you paid for it and what you want for it."

In this case, it was the owner's mother who was selling it, so it was not her personal property. 

 "And I hate to be like this but if your [sic] selling something like model kits or guitar amps and are to [sic] lazy to go on google and send [sic] 5 minutes looking up these items... well then why should I give you more then [sic] you price the item at?"

Perhaps, the owner's mother was not all that adept at using Google or the internet, for that matter?

Instead of belabouring the point and prolonging this thread in a "drive-by" visit simply to criticize somebody's good deed, perhaps you might prefer to return to the AFV or video game forums where you seem to usually hang out?

smeagol the vile

 

  

 

THOSE

 ARE

 ASSUMPTIONS!!!

I have bought from people on ebay that have had NO IDEA what they had.  I have went (gone, that is) where they know EXACTLY what they have because its normally things they purchased for themselves at one time. 

At a yard sale your (you're, that is) selling your personal property; you know how much you paid for it and what you want for it.

And I hate to be like this but if your selling something like model kits or guitar amps and are to lazy to go on google and send 5 minutes looking up these items... well then why should I give you more then you price the item at?

I am moved to mention:

That vonBerlichingen's comments are of course assumptions, and quite reasonable ones I think. So are yours. His (her?) position, however, appears a tad more humane,

That I, for one, am disturbed by demonstrations of sloppy grammar and syntax in the use of this beautiful and eloquent language. I know that there are many others,

Also, that if you "hate to be like this", I would gently suggest that you not.

vonBerlichingen

Why should anybody need to reply to you before posting?

Regardless, selling on eBay usually entails having some knowledge of what is being sold, and what its likely value might be. Selling in a yard sale often requires little or no such knowledge, so there is a greater chance that the yard seller may underprice some items.

Buying on eBay is generally somewhat impersonal. Buying at a yard sale generally means buying in person. A non-selfish (altruistic) buyer who sees that a fellow human being has unwittingly vastly underpriced some items may well decide to pay more than the asking price, instead of greedily and selfishly taking advantage.

 

THOSE

ARE

ASSUMPTIONS!!!

I have bought from people on ebay that have had NO IDEA what they had.  I have went to yard sales where they know EXACTLY what they have because its normally things they purchased for themselves at one time. 

At a yard sale your selling your personal property, you know how much you paid for it and what you want for it.

And I hate to be like this but if your selling something like model kits or guitar amps and are to lazy to go on google and send 5 minutes looking up these items... well then why should I give you more then you price the item at?

Why should anybody need to reply to you before posting?

Regardless, selling on eBay usually entails having some knowledge of what is being sold, and what its likely value might be. Selling in a yard sale often requires little or no such knowledge, so there is a greater chance that the yard seller may underprice some items.

Buying on eBay is generally somewhat impersonal. Buying at a yard sale generally means buying in person. A non-selfish (altruistic) buyer who sees that a fellow human being has unwittingly vastly underpriced some items may well decide to pay more than the asking price, instead of greedily and selfishly taking advantage.