The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I had lunch will a collector friend recently. When I mentioned the Forum he immediately became critical of Forum members in general. He said it is common for collectors to see a craigslist item that is priced really low so they do one of two things. If the item is a long distance away they contact the seller and suggest that they raise the price. If the craigslist item is close they will call in hopes of making a purchase. If it's sold they might offer more money to help get the seller closer to market value for the item.

Would you ever call a craigslist seller and inform them that their asking price is a fraction of the true market value?

If you called on a craigslist item and were told the item was promised to a buyer, would you make a higher offer and justify that by saying you are helping the seller get closer to real market value?

Any comments would be appreciated. Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:I had lunch will a collector friend recently. When I mentioned the Forum he immediately became critical of Forum members in general. He said it is common for collectors to see a craigslist item that is priced really low so they do one of two things. If the item is a long distance away they contact the seller and suggest that they raise the price. If the craigslist item is close they will call in hopes of making a purchase. If it's sold they might offer more money to help get the seller closer to market value for the item.

Would you ever call a craigslist seller and inform them that their asking price is a fraction of the true market value?

If you called on a craigslist item and were told the item was promised to a buyer, would you make a higher offer and justify that by saying you are helping the seller get closer to real market value?

Any comments would be appreciated. Jerry Blais

Sounds like some very sour grapes for some deal the person was unable to make. Anything is possible, but the former, they contact a far away seller [who is presumably someone they don't know] and suggest that they raise the price [presumably even though they have no intention of buying it themself], seems extremely unlikely. "If it's sold they might offer more money to help get the seller closer to market value for the item" also seems very unlikely. It is more likely, although hopefully rare because it is unethical, to offer more for a sold item in the hope of getting something they really want for themself.

Clay

I have had to stop announcing where and when my lectures or recordings, or displays were to the collector community Until AFTER The FACT! For a similar result. I have had members call some of the places and cause me problems. And I had other headaches, caused by members of this and other forums. I am not going to mention what or who as that does not matter, I am just stating it does happen. So my finding is Warranted!

Jerry B. wrote:I had lunch will a collector friend recently. When I mentioned the Forum he immediately became critical of Forum members in general. He said it is common for collectors to see a craigslist item that is priced really low so they do one of two things. If the item is a long distance away they contact the seller and suggest that they raise the price. If the craigslist item is close they will call in hopes of making a purchase. If it's sold they might offer more money to help get the seller closer to market value for the item.

Would you ever call a craigslist seller and inform them that their asking price is a fraction of the true market value?

Never. Unless I'm buying it, it's none of my business.

Jerry B. wrote:If you called on a craigslist item and were told the item was promised to a buyer, would you make a higher offer and justify that by saying you are helping the seller get closer to real market value?

Never. I once bought an item on eBay, and after the sale a well-known collector (not a member of this forum) contacted the seller and did his best to screw up the transaction. Nice guy. I just don't understand why some people feel the need to stick their noses in other people's business.

Jerry B. wrote:Any comments would be appreciated. Jerry Blais

Just my take, of course. Vive la difference.

George P.

I suppose it is a matter of ethics. I personally believe we are all in this together, we enjoying and preserving these machines, recordings and accessories for ourselves and future generations (we can never totally speak about the future of these collectibles after we are gone). I don't think that people should go around and encourage sellers to take more or less for their machines unless it is warranted. I have dealt with some local craigslist sellers and they were not very good dealings. I think I told the story about a guy that tried to sell me about 200 records for $200.00; I told him I will look through them and offer him a fair price 1.00-5.00 each, or save the trouble and I will take all them for a certain, I price (I believe it was $50.00 or 100.00). He declined, he shows me a race record and said its a good one and wanted some huge amount, I think 5.00. I was not going to pay him 200.00 for a lot of records which appeared to contain alot of 40's and 50's labels.

This subject has been discussed many times....sellers must rememeber just because it is or appears to be old, it does not mean it is valuable.

So why would a collector try to encourage a seller to raise the price of a machine that is far from them? Without even seeing the machine? The condition may not warrant the list price. Let the market play this one out. I think criticism is warranted.

"Would you ever call a craigslist seller and inform them that their asking price is a fraction of the true market value?"

Never. And why would the craigslist seller believe me anyway?

"If you called on a craigslist item and were told the item was promised to a buyer, would you make a higher offer and justify that by saying you are helping the seller get closer to real market value?"

Never.

Parenthetically, Jerry's collector friend also claimed, "He said it is common for collectors to see a craigslist item that is priced really low so they do one of two things.… If the craigslist item is close they will call in hopes of making a purchase."

I know Jerry didn't ask this, but isn't this normal behavior? Not sure what the criticism is, in this scenario.

Best wishes, Mark

If I'm not involved in the sale, it's none of my business.

I'm pretty sure nosy people get themselves into other peoples business regardless of forum membership. Happens on Craigslist, eBay, and at phonograph shows all the time. One example... I was at the union show years ago selling a machine to someone when a crabby loud mouth guy walks up who had nothing to do with the transaction and he starts going on and on about the machine. Theorizing about one little flaw that I had already pointed out and was up front about. The machine didn't sell. Gee thanks, Dude.

Maybe its because I have spent the last 40 years owning and running a retail business but this is a hobby and I want to make friends and be happy with what I do. One of the key points in Rotary's 4 way test is "Will it bring goodwill and better friendships" Recently I saw an ad in craigslist where someone was selling a very carved cased Radiola 60 for $10,000. I called and talked with a very nice lady that grew up with the item (which did not work)and talked to her about what she had after I introduced myself. I told her I knew someone who might be interested in the item but the price was not realistic. The bottom line is that one of our forum members will be buying the item and the lady is very happy. In fact she will be a guest speaker at my Rotary club.

As much as I like this "stuff" I like people better, so I like making things come together where everyone is happy.

Kinda my take on life.

Abe

Jerry B. wrote:I had lunch will a collector friend recently. When I mentioned the Forum he immediately became critical of Forum members in general. He said it is common for collectors to see a craigslist item that is priced really low so they do one of two things. If the item is a long distance away they contact the seller and suggest that they raise the price. If the craigslist item is close they will call in hopes of making a purchase. If it's sold they might offer more money to help get the seller closer to market value for the item.

Would you ever call a craigslist seller and inform them that their asking price is a fraction of the true market value?

If you called on a craigslist item and were told the item was promised to a buyer, would you make a higher offer and justify that by saying you are helping the seller get closer to real market value?

Any comments would be appreciated. Jerry Blais

In my useless opinion, some people are just hardwired to want to spoil everybody else's fun. These people are legion, and everywhere.
I have yet to run across a "phonograph person" that's actually like this. I am, however, sure they exist.

In the end, I like to sleep at night, and I do believe there's a God (or maybe just Karma), so I tend to not pull shenanigans. If I try to buy an item and it's already promised to a buyer, I tend to look at it as there's a better deal right around the corner. It usually works out that way, too. I'll leave my info in case the buyer flakes, but that's about it.

I'm absolutely not meaning to insult your collector friend, but, cynic (and let's just put it out there: "a-hole") that I am, I would have to wonder exactly how my collector friend knew this was going on, and I'd even wonder if my friend had been trying these things himself and had been roundly rebuffed.

I'm with Irving Kaufman: "I just roll along havin' my ups and downs". I don't care what anyone else says or thinks; when the day is done I come home to my wife, doggie, records, and machines and just forget all the bee ess out there. Oh, and I play keyboard warrior on the Interwebs, too.

Just my 2c... life is too short to be as uptight about immaterial things as your friend seems to be. He who dies with the most toys.... still dies.

Me neither, I would not interfere with a done deal.

Like practically any other hobby, ours is also loaded with jealousy. And these certain individuals are continuously fueled by others who, when they found something, enjoy themselves to see them go green with envy. In some way, it appears to be a vicious circle.