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

[Rob Atkinson]

At the Indianapolis hamfest last July I came upon a guy unloading his
pickup at around 6:20 a.m.  He hauled out an isolation transformer, a
Stancor, that looked pretty big.  Turned out to be 1KVA which was more
than most I see.  I had been looking for one like that.  I figured
he'd want at least 50 bucks for it.  I mildly asked what he wanted for
it.  He said, make an offer.   I ummed around looking at it and was
about to say $20 expecting him to laugh.  Before I could say anything,
he said, "How about 5 dollars?"  SOLD!  And glad I kept my mouth shut.
Some sellers are so eager to just get rid of things they'll
practically give something away to not haul it home.  Well, the Indy
hamfest from a buying standpoint, was all down hill after that, hi.

Ebay prices at hamfests:  my observation of that is that the eBay
price folks are what I call "professional hamfesters."  These are
bottom feeders who go to estate sales, and think they are
mini-Wal-Marts, and they can put a price on something and not
negotiate.  Sometimes they even buy an item at a hamfest cheap and put
it on their table at the very same hamfest.  They may or may not be
hams.  Not to be confused with real businesses who purchase gov't and
manufacturer surplus and have a brick and mortar business QTH and
advertise and so on.  The professional hamfesters are the ones who you
see at every hamfest, with their tables out and little neat price tags
on everything, sometimes with a computer there to check inventory and
prices, and these displays of stuff under glass, all used.   A regular
ham will sell you a 6V6 for $2.  One of these P.H.s will want $15 or
even $20.  Most hams who are simply cleaning out the shack and garage
will set something out and dicker over the price.

73

Rob
K5UJ