Feedback please on sales by offer, pick up only

[shopdoc]

Would it be of interest to anyone here if I were to list dad's phonographs that are available for sale on Yankee Trader as only for pick-up in Verona NJ, best offer? There are about 50, in a wide range of conditions.

I'm thinking that I could put the complete list here, taking pms for requests of things to list on Yankee Trader with pics added at that time.

Thoughts? Please tell me if this isn't acceptable board protocol.

Teri

[Phono-Phan]

In my humble opinion, it would be best to put a price on each item and not make the Yankee Trader section a bid platform.

[JerryVan]

In my humble opinion, it would be best to put a price on each item and not make the Yankee Trader section a bid platform.

That's my humble opinion as well. At least begin with a price, you can always consider any offers someone may make.

[shopdoc]

That might work for the better ones, but I honestly have no idea how to price the ones in bad shape, which is most of them. I might be better off just taking them apart and selling parts.

[52089]

I would suggest pricing each item in the listing as well, with, if appropriate, language indicating that prices are possibly negotiable and that offers will be considered. Since you are requiring pickup in person, I would say it was reasonable to indicate payment is due in cash (or PayPal, or whatever) after in person inspection of goods. This gives a potential buyer at least a ballpark idea of what they're going to pay and also gives them the chance to make sure they're getting what they want.

[Marc Hildebrant]

With regard to the ones in "bad shape". That is your judgement, and another person who is skilled in phono repair could fix them with no trouble.

Many years ago, my father had a very, very large collection of early phonographs and records. At the time of his death, my knowledge of the phonographs value was very limited, and our family used an experienced collector to dispose of the collection. This collector and the family arrived at a percent commission for disposing of the estate, and it provided my mother with a retirement income, and the collector with needed money. All party's benefited.

You may try finding an experienced collector and let them liquidate the estate. Or you can use the machines to start your own hobby.

Marc

[shopdoc]

With regard to the ones in "bad shape". That is your judgement, and another person who is skilled in phono repair could fix them with no trouble.

Yeah, that was dad, and that was why he had them. I like the idea of supporting individuals who could really be in need of some oddball thing that dad had. And I'm definitely learning as I go. But I'm not local and don't have space for the 10 good ones, nevermind the 40 others.

I talked with one of dad's acquaintances who sold Charlie Hummel's collection, and he had great advice. But the fact of the matter is, dad's collection was relatively small. He enjoyed fixing a machine for every antique show they sold at, and trying to turn someone into a new collector. The difficulty is he saved everything in case a piece could be used to make another machine run.

I am probably going to wind up with a bulk solution. And I did connect with someone interested in repair, so it's better than the dumpster like other family members might have done.