CHEAP AIN'T CHEAP ENOUGH!!

[Dansalata]

THOSE ARE SOME NICE STORIES ON GENEROSITY...I ALSO SHOP FOR BARGAINS BUT USUALLY PAY WHAT THE FOLKS WANT UNLESS ITS OUT OF CONTROL, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IF SOMETHINGS OLD ITS WORTH A MILLION BUCKS..I HAVE SEEN THINGS ON CRAIGSLIST THAT WERE WAY TOO MUCH LATELY AND SENT EMAILS TO 2 DIFFERENT PEOPLE BOTH OF THEM THANKED ME FOR MY INFORMATION..THAT WAS A SHOCK TO ME BUT IT MADE ME REALIZE THERE ARE HONEST FOLKS OUT THERE...

 

[mctaggart67]

Some years ago when I did the show circuit up here in Canada, I used to have a "red-dot half-price" sale to clear out items that hadn't sold in a year or more. The thinking behind it all was that maybe I had priced some items too high in the first place, so a price inducement would clear them from my stock, and I'd mark half-off items with a red-dot sticker. I didn't want to wind up with the same old stock, show after show, a situation which sees collectors (and their wallets) avoid your table at show's beginning, in order to find new prizes from dealers known for their fresh stock. Anyhow, it used to amaze me how people would still chisel down a halved price in the following fashion: $24 item becomes $12, chiseller who thinks he's a great wheeler-dealer comes by and offers $8.00, I'd remind him that it's half off, he'd retort that as a dealer I should be prepared to dicker, I'd then reply that he was right and counter offer $16, he'd claim that it was outrageous to go $4 above the halved price, I'd point out that going $4 under the halved price was equally outrageous but that $12 was a happy medium, then I'd either get the sale at that point or not. If not, I didn't fret, since I usually cleared my red-dotted stock by show's end. Ah, the joys of "cheap ain't cheap enough"!

 

[ajohn]

What a cool thread! Great stories.

 

[PA Will]

Good karma goes around. I don't really know values of my local bottles because I am only exposed to them on limited basis (just a few shops) but the people that have em and the people I have met here are nice n helpful and genuinely like to talk old bottles n local history so I never feel bad about prices n never feel too bad about asking for a discount if it's more than I've seen on a similar bottle. All they have to say is yes or no. I never get flustered over a haggle.

 

[BillinMo]

Interesting.

As a buyer, if I feel the asking price is good, I'll pay it without question. If it seems steep, I'll negotiate.

As a seller, I'll nearly always lower the price if asked. Often a new collector or a youngster won't attempt to negotiate, so I'll usually just tell them "I'll knock $N off the price for you." If a seasoned veteran offers me full price, I'll smile and say "Thanks."

Usually I find buyers are pretty reasonable. If I say "this is the best I can do" I really mean it; the buyer's still free to walk away and I don't let it get to me. Worst case was when I was trying to sell some old magazines for a friend, bundled up by year and selling for $1.00 per year. One guy fussed because he didn't like having to buy an entire year's worth; he only wanted 11 of the 12 issues. I don't keep lots of coin on hand at a show and this dude wanted me to produce eight cents so he could buy his eleven issues. It didn't happen.

 

[glass man]

I have no problem with haggling what so ever...even expect it...but yep some want it almost free...at the same show I sold the pint flask I also had the smallest Carter's catherdral cobalt ink there is and mint ...a guy kept on and on finally at 100 bucks he grabbed it off the table...hey it wasn't going any where![]He acted like he had just won on a game show...[8D]

You know it has always been funny to me that when you are selling an item so much is wrong with it...so common..this/that,but as soon as the person has bought it from you the thang almost magically becomes WONDERFUL!![]

Aso as a dealer I love to see old friends meet up...but have probably lost sales cause they met up right in front of my table...I hate to say to the happy people"could yall move over and let people see what I have..please" at the same time I see people trying to look at what I have to sell and look around them...till I see a look of "oh well" and they move on...I need every dollar I can get..ain't no money lover..but...

Over all I can say since being a dealer since the 1970s it has been fun..a little frustrating at times,but still fun!![] Sure is easier being a buyer though!![] JAMIE

 

[LC]

I remember once having a blue half pint glass top fruit jar . I took it to a flea marked and put ninty five dollars on it . At the time they were bringing at times $125.00 . I had a guy come up and haggle at me for a good half hour wanting it for seventy five . I finally got fed up with him and let him have it for the seventy five . After paying for it , he started laughing and hollered at another fellow to come and see what he got . He then turned to me and said , DO YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH MONEY I AM GOING TO MAKE OFF YOU ON THIS JAR ! And in turn I cracked up and said to him , I HOPE YOu DO WELL WITH IT , I BOUGHT IT FOR FIVE DOLLARS AT A YARD SALE THE DAY BEFORE . At that point he got angry and stomped off . I sledom got that lucky as for buying and selling , but held my own for a number of years .

 

[SAbottles]

@ LC ~ that's a lovely story, Louis; not often one gets the chance to use a put down line like that !

@ Jamie ~ I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has problems with "talkers" in front of my stall. I have a couple of bottle acquaintances who stop at my stall to chat to me - and then stay & stay & stay .... right in the middle of the stall front ! Sigh []

 

[LC]

What really hurts is when the visitors and chatters come right at the height of the show while the people are flooding through and block the tables . If they come to chat with me , I would make them come behind the table with me . If they were chatters , I would politely ask them to move to the middle of the aisle or step out of the area . There was only one occasion where I had a person become irate by me asking them to move .

 

[SAbottles]

Ever had a mother stop with her pram, right in front of your table, and then proceed to rummage around in the pram etc for about 5 minutes? And you want to say "Madam, please take your wizzened monkey somewhere else and feed it its peanuts !" [:-][]
But politeness prevails and you just smile at her and secretly hope it cries & keeps her awake all night !