[Boatanchors] Hamfest Pricing (was: Shelby NC hamfest photos)

[Ian Wilson]

At Saturday's TRW swap meet (quite variable in terms of stuff that I
consider 'interesting' versus PC junk) there was one of the nicest
BC-221's that I've seen. This was in an olive drab case, was in
spotless condition including a pristine cal book with nice clear
plastic cover. Unmodified - didn't even have a ham AC PSU.

I have no space left and have a brace of 221's anyway, but I felt
compelled to find out the asking price. $45. This is very fair, I think,
but of course everyone who asked about the price immediately
countered with $25. For some reason the seller wasn't thrilled by
this predictable response. I felt like explaining that people like to
bargain, and that perhaps putting a $65 price tag would let them
bargain him down, but decided that it wasn't my job...

(Literally) on the way to my car a Hickock 540 mutual conductance
tube tester jumped into my arms. Now I have to figure out what to
sell off to make space .. eBay here I come!

73, ian K3IMW



On Mon, Sep 1, 2014 at 6:54 AM, Jim Wilhite <w5jo at brightok.net> wrote:

> There  is another law.  Once you offer a piece of equipment at a price you
> can never raise it but you can lower it.
>
> Most of the time at fests I see people negotiating a price that is lower
> than the marked one.  So if you walk by and are interested in a piece then
> you might try offering a lower price to see .  I have seen a couple of guys
> work a trade at fests.
>
> If you assume the price marked is it, then you may miss a good buy.
>
> Jim
> W5JO
>
> -----Original Message----- That hamfest folks increasingly attempt to use
> Ebay as a
>
> pricing standard for hamfests is worrisome and harmful.
> The laws of marketing are immutable.
> Size of market dictates demand. Demand dictates price.
> Hundreds of thousands of buyers on Ebay equals
> big demand and that equals big prices.
> A few dozen buyers at a hamfest equals
> smaller demand and that equals smaller prices.
> Don't try to explain this to an "Ebay" pricer.
> They'll just get mad at you and blame you for
> their having to pack the radios back into the car.
>
>
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