[Boatanchors] Stuff

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On 4/19/06, Jim DiMauro <radio6146 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I agree, and disagree.  I agree that it's not
> "required," but on the other hand I believe that it's
> proper.  If I see something that a seller has clearly
> underpriced due to his ignorance (like a working 75A-4
> for $75), I'd tell him, even if I were interested in
> it myself (I've done it before, and ended up paying a
> higher, but fair price for both of us).  I don't
> believe it's right to take unfair advantage of
> someone.

But that's just it, Jim - how do you it's "underpriced due to his
ignorance"? And what constitutes taking unfair advantage? I suspect
it's more opinion than anything, whether an old radio, used car, or
anything else. At what point is the seller expected to be responsible
for their own pricing and sales? As others have pointed out, there is
usually a good reason why things are priced low: broken, messy, or
(the reason I see the most) they want it *gone*.

Case in point: last year I bought an original Collins 51J cabinet,
with very nice paint and hardware, for $100 from a seller. An old
timer, at that. Howard Mills makes reproduction cabinets like this
that sell for $450. Sounds shady, hmm? Consider that he also had a
very nice 75A-4 on the same table, with all 3 filters, priced over
$1K. Basically, he wanted the cabinet gone and wasn't too concerned
about getting rich from it. He felt that a complete, working receiver
was worth asking real money for. I may have been able to argue with
him into taking more of my money, but why? He was happy, I was happy,
and so were several other sellers who took more of my money later in
the day. And somehow, I don't think he was at all concerned that he
could get more for it on ebay.

In today's world there is more than enough access to pricing info,
more than enough people willing to help out, and more than enough
freedom to ask a higher price. Nine times out of ten I have found that
sellers just want to sell stuff for a price they are comfortable with.
I've even had folks tell me that they got their use out of the radio
30 years ago, would feel guilty asking *that* much money for it, and
so on.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are crooked, slimy folks out there
who would lie to their own mother if they could make a quick buck, or
take advantage of someone like a widow at a weak moment. I just don't
think everyone who gets a 'good deal' (meaning, a price they are happy
with) is somehow a crook because of it. In fact, I find others who
weren't in any way involved tend to get far more upset by it. Envy?
Jealousy? A need to save the world from itself? The feeling that their
opinion of 'what is right' is the best, and therefore, the only
opinion? Who knows! At the end of the day, only a very few of us in
the world could care less about this stuff. We are the ones who attach
value to it, and our views of that value are all over the place. Try
taking a $500 prized receiver over to your neighbor who doesn't know
what it is and get him to pay that for it. He'll likely laugh you out
the door, but he might be willing to pay that amount for a 'useless'
old, wooden golf club.

If you enjoy this 'old junk' while you can, for what it is, not what
it's perceived to be worth, life is a lot more fun (in my opinion).

Thanks to everyone who emailed me about my comments, it's nice to hear
similar stories and views along with some differing ones. There's a
lot of good information in this thread for doc and others, as well as
different approaches and opinions. If you let your conscience be your
guide, you won't go wrong. And if you have no conscience, I'm sure
your day is coming.

de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ