[Hallicrafters] "ebay" prices ????

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On 4/29/05, Charlie <pincon at erols.com> wrote:
> I'd like to address Grant Youngmen's note about prices etc.
> 
> I was wondering how long it would take for someone bring this up.  I agree
> completely with your comments Grant.  Let's face it, hams are CHEAP.   And
> remember, the only really good deals at a hamfest happen when someone gets
> screwed by selling an item for less than it's worth.

Uh..how do you figure that, Charlie? I just had a friend sell me a
nice EAC R-390A with meters and covers, complete for $200. He knows he
could get "more" online, but didn't want the hassles of
packing/shipping or risking dealing with some of the less-than-honest
folks lurking there. Did he somehow get 'screwed' by deciding to sell
as he did? I've sold things cheap too, just to get them out from under
foot. Did I screw myself by not holding out for the absolute highest
price and taking 5 years to find that buyer?

Same thing applies at hamfests - I've actually tried to tell one guy
that an item he had for sale was worth considerably more than his
asking price. His response was that he really didn't care, he just
wanted it gone and so far no one seemed willing to pay his low asking
price, so I must not know what I was talking about. I'd spent my
money, so I wasn't in a position to buy it anyway.

You guys seem to be hung up on some perception of great value here.
"Value" is what something is worth to the buyer and what the seller is
willing to sell it for. Nothing more or less. In today's world, with
all of the avenues available for research of selling prices and all
those willing to help or even comment, pretty much anyone could find
out the higher online selling prices vs. hamfest prices. Guess what?
Many folks just don't care. They want things GONE.

I'll have to ask Mike Crestohl, W1RC and the rest of the guys who gave
away items (known as the shmeg pile) at Hosstraders over several years
just to move it, how badly they got screwed. In fact, we just had a
phone conversation about this last night, discussing taking a bunch of
stuff there next fall and selling it for a fraction of its *perceived*
value, even giving it to some newbie, just to get rid of it.

This must be what happens if you become a dealer: you get too focused
on the money aspect and lose sight of the real purpose behind ham
radio or restoring old gear. It then becomes just a business, more an
issue of money and less one of enjoyment. You seem to be saying
sellers have the right to ask as much as they want for something
(true) but denying that they can ask as little as they want too? Or
more the opposite of what George said - some guys are fools for asking
so much, you think they're fools for asking too little? Is there a
correct side to this argument, or is it more opinion-based?

> As to "ebay prices", it's as if the commenter is implying that the seller
> sets the (sometimes) ridiculous prices and is somehow the real culprit.
> There was a time a few years back that a rusty S-38 with bullet holes would
> bring a hundred bucks, but that time has passed.  Nowdays, only the most
> pristine and rare bring the big bids.  In fact, I've seen many 15 year old
> radios go on ebay for way under the current QTH/QRZ.COM prices.

I'd agree with this completely, prices have (for the most part)
leveled out. In fact, I've seen guys at hamfests asking high prices,
threatening to sell it on ebay and so on. Yet the prices that
particular item was bringing online was less than what they were
asking. There are still exceptions and always will be, but that's true
of any item offered for sale.

>  I would like to ad one of my pet peeves that I see all the time on ebay,
> and that is, the comment that a piece of equipment is sold "as-is" but will
> not be DOA.  Now THAT really inspires confidence doesn't it?

I like the ones who claim to know nothing about an item, yet seem
knowledgeable enough to set a huge reserve or opening bid (like the
$500 S-38 recently), or have a specific title or description. They
don't know what it is or if it works, but they somehow know it's worth
at least $500.....

BTW, I applaud you, Hank, and anyone else who makes an effort to
reproduce pieces for old gear as you do. I don't have a problem with
anyone asking whatever they want to ask for a product, item, or
service, but it's not fair to only apply one side of the equation and
the expense of the other. There are good and bad on both sides, we
just need to focus less on money aspect and more on the
radio/enjoyment side (IMHO).

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ