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Post by spankweasel on Apr 12, 2008 14:46:29 GMT -6
which irritates you more while trying to build a collection. The outragous prices that some collectors are selling on ebay or flea markets & yard sales where the seller has no clue what their selling, but knows it's "vintage" and charges a arm & a leg for it. I only ask because i was at a market where a gentleman had a plastic tub with a couple of star wars rotj figures a couple weapons and about 5 joe's with some parts a stripped down vehicles. I would have easily paided 20 or even 25 for the bin, but the guy wanted 50 bucks. i felt i wasn't gonna get a deal for 50 bucks. one woman had a yard sale and she had stargate figures MOC and wanted 15 bucks a piece, cause that's what they were going for on an on-line store. she didn't know the market or what collectors were looking for or what they would pay. Was I just being cheap or what? thoughts? spank
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Post by Ghouldrool on Apr 12, 2008 15:04:35 GMT -6
This story reminds me of the time when in anticipation of Ep 1. , vintage Star Wars was hot. Star Wars was never rare, 'harder to get' at best for the last 17 perhaps, but you could always manage. Then at the height of the SW frenzy people started discovering that apparently SW was 'worth something' and people at flea markets started charging 10 euros for the most common, incomplete rundown thrash figures, and thus suggesting to others that any SW was gold. Online trading has given a ton of people the idea that toys = cash, so they act accordingly. They don't know crap about these things OR market value, let alone in such an obscure hobby as ours. They just wing it, and I despise their ignorance. Even more though I despise those guys of Lulu Berlu, the site that Northwinds ranted about earlier. They over-over-overcharge and get away with it because an online store doesn't cost anything (much) to maintain and wait for careless collectors to get lazy and throw gobs of money at a 'reputable' store or site. It's a pain in the ass because its always these guys who buy up everything in sight for resale, the very definition of hoarder. It's depressing at times, but it won't last. Ignore them, be patient, and you'll soon find what you were looking for in the quarter bins again. Like in the good old days.
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Post by spankweasel on Apr 12, 2008 16:01:52 GMT -6
I agree. I know that most toys were sold in the millions when released. not just 50 were sold. I just get sick of non collectors getting greedy just because a toy is 20 years old. My mother has dishes that are twenty years old, it doesn't mean I can charge outragous prices for it. I know I will eventually find a seller who is happy with selling toys at a price that doesn't screw me or him.
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Post by soundwave on Apr 13, 2008 10:10:00 GMT -6
I find that on Ebay and at yard sales the good deals are slim pickin's. If you have the time or opportunity you should see if there are any comic & toy conventions happening in your area. I try to attend all the conventions in my area because you can go there and meet local traders (google "comic and toy and look for ones in your area) and judge for yourself the good and bad and 9 times out of 10 they will gladly give you an email address or phone number for repeat business. I have met a couple really fair sellers/traders this way! SOME People that don't collect don't realize the condition and price go hand in hand they think that just because it's old it's gold and we collectors suffer!
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robomonkey
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by robomonkey on Apr 13, 2008 13:41:27 GMT -6
The flea markets bother me the most. Everyone seems to think they're a dealer. I think the biggest problem with the self-proclaimed toy dealers is a complete and total ignorance to the hobby, it's history, and how it works. Most of these clowns have no idea what they are doing, so they pick up a 3 year old copy of Lee's Toy Review, look at the high price, and think they're cutting you a deal by knocking 20% off high guide for their loose broken Transformers. Or they see and AFA graded 82 Snake Eyes sell for $600 and think $50 for a loose broken incomplete one is a steal. And the sad thing is on top of their zero knowledge of what they are selling, many of the dirt mall dealers are just flat out liars and shady a-holes. They come and go and really could care less if they rip someone off. I've gotten a really short fuse with these idiots. A good example, a local dirt mall dealer was trying to pull one over on guy once, selling a Metroplex as complete. This wasn't my first time dealing with this idiot. The funny thing was it only had a pair of fists with it and they were the WRONG fists. So I totally called him out and made a bit of a scene. The guy thanked me and the dealer was pretty pissed. I continued to make a scene whenever I saw him and made it a point to tell everyone else at the dirt mall that sold toys ALL about him. The same dealer, about a minute before all this went down, yelled at my girlfriend for shaking an Etch A Sketch ....seriously telling her to stop it, cause she'll brake it *Sigh* End rant
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Post by spankweasel on Apr 13, 2008 19:50:36 GMT -6
I feel your pain. I hope this guy rots in the ninth circle of hell for being an a-hole toy dealer wannabe.
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bec9681
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Post by bec9681 on Apr 13, 2008 21:07:56 GMT -6
At the flea markets (and garage sales) I think the best thing to do is smile, say no thanks, and walk away. To me, there is no point in arguing with these people - all you need to do is walk away. With the prices a lot of them charge, they will not be selling their stuff anyway. As for eBay - it's a lot easier - just don't bid.
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robomonkey
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by robomonkey on Apr 13, 2008 21:29:54 GMT -6
At the flea markets (and garage sales) I think the best thing to do is smile, say no thanks, and walk away. To me, there is no point in arguing with these people - all you need to do is walk away. Oh, I totally agree. There's no sense in getting angry and going off on every clueless dealer. For the most part I wish them the best of luck and go about my business. It's when they insult my intelligence, yell at my girlfriend for no reason, and then flat out lie and try to cheat the guy next to me....gah.....maybe one of those things I could let go, but all three in a 5-10 min timespan....oh it's on!!
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bec9681
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by bec9681 on Apr 14, 2008 6:42:54 GMT -6
I was actually at a comic show in Kansas City several years ago - looking for GI Joe #1 - I found a guy that had it and was asking $15 for it. I offered him $12. He about jumped over the table yelling at me about why people think it is ok to dicker & deal and, well, I don't remember the rest of what he was yelling about. I just smiled and walked away.
These are the type of folks that get me - the ones who are rude to you. To me, if you are set up at a toy/comic show, flea market, or garage sale, you are open to dickering & dealing. It's part of the deal of doing it. If someone offers you a fair price that you don't agree with, you can say no in a polite way. I have only set up at a flea market 1 time - and we have a garage sale once about every 2 or 3 years - and I expect people to dicker with me. I'd say 90% of the time if someone offers me a fair price I will do the deal.
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Post by Ghouldrool on Apr 14, 2008 7:33:33 GMT -6
Yeah, I agree. Flea markets are open to haggling. I remember an occasion at the semi annual collector's fair where I was buying modern Star Wars from a German dealer. He carries SW toys by the truckload, litterally. So, this guy buys six different figures and I'm right behind him. I hear the price, and as I so happen to have six figures as well, I ask the German seller in his own language (I'm clever like that) if a lower price would be good. He agrees and I knocked about 8 euros off the price, that's like one figure. The guy in front of me must have been ticked off about that =) But yeah, if you're being a bitch about it and you're overasking as it is, I'm less inclined to deal with you. This of course does not hold to auction sites, where I think it is the rule that you should always pay up what you bid, unless the seller cuts you a deal out of his own initiative.
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therealmogwai
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by therealmogwai on Apr 19, 2008 19:43:57 GMT -6
K...this is more of a two incidents: first takes place @ a mall by the name of Yorkdale in toronto. Its a high end mall that occasionally had allowed for dealers to come and set up tables. Its a rare occurance nowadays but occasionally occurs...anyways.. this was right before star wars episode 1 was released in theatres. This so called "dealer" had a large assortment of vintage star wars figures. The cheapest figures, i recall, cost 20 dollars. The condition these things were in is disturbing! We are talking teeth marks, mud...the whole 9 yards! ANyways the one figure that was in good condition was the jawa. Now me being a lover of all things jawa was interested. Whats more important was that the jawa figure had its plastic cape. So i asked the dealer the price... "$300. Flat" like it was a deal or something? even before i could open my mouth to respond he quickly barked "don't bother. Prices are non-negoiable" I guess because of my age at the time he thought he could take advantage or something...i don't know!
Another jerk dealer was located on bathurst in toronto. This comic store would price any "vintage" toy through the roof. Loose, abused, incomplete gi joes would fetch on average 15 bux. this store priced the crimson guard commanders, loose and without any accessories, for 60$. and i actually bought it. pathetic i know.
this thread..btw.. is excellent and i enjoy reading about others experiences with these so called "dealers"
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secretwars1984
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Post by secretwars1984 on May 21, 2008 20:58:31 GMT -6
I would like to thank Robomonkey for introducing me to the phrase "dirt mall dealer". That's just awesome and it really applies to many here in Ky.
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hanginloosefigures
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Post by hanginloosefigures on May 29, 2008 12:51:34 GMT -6
I was actually at a comic show in Kansas City several years ago - looking for GI Joe #1 - I found a guy that had it and was asking $15 for it. I offered him $12. He about jumped over the table yelling at me about why people think it is ok to dicker & deal and, well, I don't remember the rest of what he was yelling about. I just smiled and walked away. These are the type of folks that get me - the ones who are rude to you. To me, if you are set up at a toy/comic show, flea market, or garage sale, you are open to dickering & dealing. It's part of the deal of doing it. If someone offers you a fair price that you don't agree with, you can say no in a polite way. I have only set up at a flea market 1 time - and we have a garage sale once about every 2 or 3 years - and I expect people to dicker with me. I'd say 90% of the time if someone offers me a fair price I will do the deal. bec9681, I agree with you! If you set up shop at a convention, flea market, swap meet or garage sale you have to expect people to deal, offer and negotiate prices with you. I love visiting differnet swap meets and collectible shows and I have the benefit of living in Southern California where the weather and large population provides for an endless amount of swap meets, flea markets and garage/yard sales. I am always polite and will ask every dealer what the lowest they can go on an item is, then I ask what if I buy several items, and then once engaged I will ask for a quote for the whole lot. More often than not we can arrive at a price that is fair. If not I will thank them and will usually see them at another show. Surprisngly they usually remember me and we try to negotiate again. As far as EBAY, I agree if you don;t like the price don't bid. I actually have a store on Ebay that specializes in loose action figures. I start my auctions at a reasonable price and let the market demand determine the final price. I do not overcharge for shipping and only charge for the cost of shipping supplies etc.. The formula seems to work as I have had many buyers leave postive feedback and repeat customers. I find that on the Bay you can find a lot of itmes quickly and wth Gas prices the way they are now paying for shipping and handling is cheaper than driving to various stores, flea markets, garge sales and shows. GOOD HUNTING!
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joshtx
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by joshtx on May 30, 2008 18:35:15 GMT -6
There are always going to be people that get all hotheaded during the haggling process...I guess some people just don't have the right mentality for it. As far as dealers that try to sell stuff for the full book price...that's just ridiculous. You better expect some bartering if you are asking the full price for something. I don't know how many times I've seen those kinds of dealers at comic book shows sitting on the same inventory...because they use Wizard or some price guide and expect to get the full listing value everytime they sell a comic.
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Post by shogi on Jun 3, 2008 18:26:57 GMT -6
Here's my stories: Flea Market toy guy had a Joe that was obviously put together with other figure's parts but I was interested in the thighs that looked like the Baroness but were red and black (later found out they were Hiss Driver thighs) I offered $2 because it was mismatched and had scorch marks burned into the chest. The guy laughed at me! He claimed that all those GI Joes go for much more than that! (Most of them were Corps figures) I had to just walk away. Postscript to this story. A few months later I go back to the guy's booth and dig a few Joe accesories out of a box for about $1 I got a LNF Tripwire mine detector with unbroken wire and a damaged AVAC parachute along with a couple of other parts Once I stopped in at this small thrift store. I dug through their toy box and when they asked if I was looking for anything I told them the small GI Joes from the 80's. Well they preceded to tell me how they know those are worth a lot of money and they saved those for ebay. The stupid thing with that is that I never mentioned how much I'd pay for GI Joes. Maybe I was one of those people who'd give them hundreds of dollars for stuff that isn't worth it. Course I'm not but still
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Post by Captainamerica on Jun 3, 2008 22:08:28 GMT -6
Normally I just let missed deals pass, but this past weekend, I witnessed something that is douchebaggery to the utmost:
Saturday, found dealer #1's table, ripe with deals: $1 loose MOTU, $3 for the more recent MOTU figures MOC; bought a bunch with the intention of returning for more. Unfortunately, he sold out his entire table to dealer #2, that raised the loose figures to $3 and carded to $15. Jeez, greedy bastard, We both know you paid less than $3 for the careded ones I wanted, I'd have paid you $5, which would still have been a deal for both of us, I think.
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joshtx
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by joshtx on Jun 3, 2008 22:52:15 GMT -6
The "toy" game is quite fickle...there's no doubt about it after reading some of these posts.
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Post by spankweasel on Jun 4, 2008 11:29:05 GMT -6
I would like to make a distrinction betwwen the sellers of anything "collectable". There are dealers, who by my defintion only deal with the item and don't care to or have respect for the buyer. They want to just the money, end of story. then there are the collectors who sell, who understand the market, know what the item in worth on the open market and knows what they would want to buy it for. When I would occasionally sell at flea markets, when I had to clean out some stuff, i'm a collector first, then a dealer, money wasn't the motivation, but helping a fellow collector complete a figure or start a new one was paramount. When I did sell all the other collectors would come to my table because they new they were going to get what they wanted and they knew that i knew what I was doing. I always had different stuff and always lower than any "book' listing. I wasn't just some "dealer" who goes my date stamped on a toy and prices according by yearsX10. Hopefully the bubble will burst on the toy prices and demand and the outragious scammers all disappear from where they came from and we can all go back to collecting cause it's a hobby, not a lifestyle.
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raythecollector
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by raythecollector on Jun 4, 2008 11:34:49 GMT -6
What I feel about garage sale they are great but you need to homes where rich people live FYI: westchester, very good price on vintage toy these poeple just want to get for rid of stuff example: I found an iron giant robot in box for $30.00 and an Ideal green hornet model kit with box. for $40.00 I LUV these kind of deals. try it. by past all the the liitle one..go for the richest...LMK
also try trading your item, wouldn't spend so much money they way, I do. and it help. save your money for something that you really need,,,
Ray
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spockoda
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May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by spockoda on Jun 8, 2008 17:41:08 GMT -6
I have seen some ridiculous things on ebay,like someone wanting $499.00 for a complete MOC set of the 5 Gabriel 3 3/4" Lone Ranger figures. Or someone asking $199.00 for the Star Wars Episode IV vinyl soundtrack album. Whether it be ebay or yard sales,I guess the same wisdom applies: Know what you're buying!
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Post by funkyterrance on Jan 22, 2012 14:03:25 GMT -6
Ebay by far. At yard sales I generally can haggle with people and either come to a price that I was already willing to pay or get the item for a lot less. I am always willing to walk away. In fact, in walking away I have more than once heard from behind me "ok, ok, lets work out a deal". Ebay on the other hand is sometimes flat out ridiculous. How can one seller have something that is started at $200 while an identical item (or close to it) is going for $20 on another listing. Don't these people even look to see if anyone else is selling what they are or at least try and find out what the thing is actually worth?
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Post by else3573 on Jan 22, 2012 15:23:21 GMT -6
Ebay, without question, but it's not the sellers as much as the snipers that annoy me. Also, obviously at a yard sale, you can SEE the condition of a toy, it's not some cloudy out of focus photo...
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Post by funkyterrance on Jan 22, 2012 15:29:11 GMT -6
I know this is just coincidence but I just noticed that your forum ranking is "Ebay Sniper".
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Post by else3573 on Jan 22, 2012 20:19:59 GMT -6
Yeah, That's everyones ranking at that amount of posts. It's not my own personal ranking I thought up.
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Post by BoogDoc7 on Jan 22, 2012 21:52:41 GMT -6
Ebay, mostly. 1990s MOC figures are the most ridiculous there, sometimes 80s stuff.
The local flea market here, most people really don't know what they have because it's more of a garage-sale setup rather than dealers, though about half of the people there are regular sellers (but few do action figures other than me consistently). I price pretty fair, as most of the good stuff I sell on ebay at market prices, and do pretty much everything else out there for $3 or less.
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Post by funkyterrance on Jan 22, 2012 22:56:36 GMT -6
I had no idea that 90s toys were actually collectable... I have a particular flea market that I went to this summer that had a bunch of 90s toys but I figured they were worthless. I got a few 80s lanard corps things but left the huge pile of stuff that was left.
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Post by BoogDoc7 on Jan 23, 2012 9:25:53 GMT -6
I had no idea that 90s toys were actually collectable... I have a particular flea market that I went to this summer that had a bunch of 90s toys but I figured they were worthless. I got a few 80s lanard corps things but left the huge pile of stuff that was left. It depends on how you define "collectible." Most figures from that era - for resell purposes - I won't pay more than .25 each for. There are some that people are still looking for, but 90% of most collections are non-rare figures that can still be had MIP for under $5 per figure shipped. I wrote several articles on it on the front page.
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Post by funkyterrance on Jan 23, 2012 10:08:35 GMT -6
Ahh, I see. I'll check it out, thx.
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Post by bowheadwhale on Jan 28, 2012 13:30:03 GMT -6
On Ebay, I indeed saw a few ridiculous prices for relatively common items. For example, one day, I was looking at everything under the key words "jellyfish toy" (I love jellyfishes). After a while I saw a "Littlest Pet Shop" large jellyfish figure. OK, I'm not a fan of "Littlest Pet Shop", but I appreciated Hasbro managed to make a jellyfish toy for the line. I looked at the price... 200$. Yes, 200$ for a "Made in China" figure from a commonly-seen line. I thought to myself: "Either Hasbro people are thieves, either I am in front of a personal thief seller". Crap. I then just passed by and continued to watch the list of jellyfish toys.
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Deleted
May 17, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Oct 12, 2012 13:06:16 GMT -6
I'd say dealing with an annoying seller at a flea market is worse because I actually have to interact with them, on Ebay I can just click the page away and find something else to buy.
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