On the Cheap

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Has this ever happened to you .... I'll bet it has.

Lets say you bought an expensive Astro' item ... could be an eyepiece, maybe a top quality Scope, or similar ' top shelf ' brand of gear.

You might decide to sell for one reason or another within a reasonable time frame ... lets say ... within 6 months.

Your ( item ) or items still retain good resale value because of the quality , brand , and could be a sought after item on the second hand market for those who could not afford paying ' new price '.

So.... you find out the current new price so to get some sort of an idea what yours ' is truthfully ' worth. ( any reasonable person would agree to this line of approach to gauge a selling price ).

You have an item you bought new... $2000.00....you put it up for sale at $1500.00 ( a $500.00 saving on new price )...gear is as good as it was the day you bought it.... you've only had it a short time.

......then you get a message ... can I have it for a $1000.00...!!

Another example .....you sell an eyepiece....' top shelf ' to... but you get a message asking to have it ' way below' what it is considered a reasonable asking price.

Would any of you who had an $5000.00 Scope in excellent condition ... sell it off for $2,500.00 ..... I doubt it.... well I wouldn't think so...would you...?

People who send messages wanting ' top shelf ' gear .. or gear that is quite expensive.... and then ask if they can ( or offer ) a much lower price , I find is rather ' not in good taste ' .

They want the ' good gear ' without paying a good and fair price.

This old ' adage ' about... things are generally sold at half price holds some truth when selling ' generic ' items....I'll go along with that.

Finally ..... you've have a $80,000 Mercedes ... had it for 6 months .... in showroom condition, low klm's, full servicing ...still has dealership warranty.......your offered $40,000 ....would you sell it .....NOT ME.

I think I've made my point.....price can be negotiable ... but TO A POINT.

Flash .....

[BeanerSA (Paul)]

I disagree. Almost no pre-owned items have good resale anymore. You choose to buy something new with your cash, you choose to take the massive depreciative hit when you walk out the door.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I've also had the experience of being offered ridiculous amounts for sale items, I find it cheeky, but not really offensive, that's the nature of buy and sell.

Personally, I'd never offer an unrealistic amount, although I've seen items in the Icetrade offered at well under their realistic value, some way above their value sometimes even more expensive than current buy prices.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Originally Posted by BeanerSA

you choose to take the massive depreciative hit when you walk out the door.

Ahhhh, ( that's the difference between you and me ) .... I don't ' choose ' to take a massive hit on the value of my items.
You'll only end up broke if you do that enough times.

You'll end up with NOTHING.....

I doubt if anyone on this site is a ' charity ' and wants empty pockets....

Very poor business sense if you go down that road ....IMHO

Col....

[Kunama]

I agree with you completely Col. I don't look at IceInSpace as a business opportunity to scalp friends of their hard earned dollars.
As you know Col, I have spent an enormous amount of money here over the years, mostly because I prefer to buy something and 'see for myself' rather than rely on others to review things for me.

I have always paid a fair price, usually the full asking price+postage, as I see fellow IIS'ers as friends rather than business opportunities. I think there is a reasonable expectation within a community such as this that people interact in a fair way. Those that cannot perhaps should use eBay instead, where it is fully 'caveat emptor'.

So do I get pissed off when I get ridiculously low offers for items I have kept in immaculate condition ........... you betcha !!!! this ain't Gumtree ....

Some people fail to remember that by their low-ball offers they are also devaluing their own items....... I personally will not buy items from people who have tried to 'low-ball' me. Karma can be a *****.

[Kunama]

Originally Posted by BeanerSA

I disagree. Almost no pre-owned items have good resale anymore. You choose to buy something new with your cash, you choose to take the massive depreciative hit when you walk out the door.

This statement could come back to haunt one, should one ever decide to sell one's astro inventory One can probably already guess what offers one would get.

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Worse is when "wanted" ads are posted and the person wanting the item is not willing to pay the market price.
Perhaps we ought to have a special thread "Wanted to buy at 20% of market value"

[UniPol]

It's all to do with the WTP vs WTA theory.

[LewisM]

There is a used TSA-120 on a certain Australian astronomy trading website selling for SUBSTANTIALLY MORE than it costs new... now there is a bargain (yes, it includes SOME extras, but not $2000 worth!)

[casstony]

Originally Posted by UniPol

It's all to do with the WTP vs WTA theory.

Want To Purchase VS Want To Annoy?

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Originally Posted by casstony

Want To Purchase VS Want To Annoy?

... oh so very true ...

If there was a ' like ' button here, I would have ' hit ' it a thousand times.

Love your humor Tony....

Col.....

[Solanum]

I find this post somewhat offensive.

I made an offer of $120 (inc postage, which would be under $8, I checked) on an item that costs $209 new and, for all I know, could be ten years old as the age is not stated in your advert. However well looked after something is, it still ages I'm afraid (a downside of photosynthesis).

The only reason people buy second hand items is because the are cheaper than new items. Get over it, astro gear isn't an investment opportunity.

I'm currently selling some stuff, all of it in perfect condition and all at half-price or less, because I'd rather get rid of it and someone enjoy using than 'make money'. I wrote off the investment when I bought the items.

I will be selling my Dob with Argo Navis and will want more than half-price for that, but that was a rather larger investment and, even at more than half price, will still offer a substantial saving over buying the gear new.

Everard

Originally Posted by FlashDrive

Has this ever happened to you .... I'll bet it has.

Lets say you bought an expensive Astro' item ... could be an eyepiece, maybe a top quality Scope, or similar ' top shelf ' brand of gear.

You might decide to sell for one reason or another within a reasonable time frame ... lets say ... within 6 months.

Your ( item ) or items still retain good resale value because of the quality , brand , and could be a sought after item on the second hand market for those who could not afford paying ' new price '.

So.... you find out the current new price so to get some sort of an idea what yours ' is truthfully ' worth. ( any reasonable person would agree to this line of approach to gauge a selling price ).

You have an item you bought new... $2000.00....you put it up for sale at $1500.00 ( a $500.00 saving on new price )...gear is as good as it was the day you bought it.... you've only had it a short time.

......then you get a message ... can I have it for a $1000.00...!!

Another example .....you sell an eyepiece....' top shelf ' to... but you get a message asking to have it ' way below' what it is considered a reasonable asking price.

Would any of you who had an $5000.00 Scope in excellent condition ... sell it off for $2,500.00 ..... I doubt it.... well I wouldn't think so...would you...?

People who send messages wanting ' top shelf ' gear .. or gear that is quite expensive.... and then ask if they can ( or offer ) a much lower price , I find is rather ' not in good taste ' .

They want the ' good gear ' without paying a good and fair price.

This old ' adage ' about... things are generally sold at half price holds some truth when selling ' generic ' items....I'll go along with that.

Finally ..... you've have a $80,000 Mercedes ... had it for 6 months .... in showroom condition, low klm's, full servicing ...still has dealership warranty.......your offered $40,000 ....would you sell it .....NOT ME.

I think I've made my point.....price can be negotiable ... but TO A POINT.

Flash .....

[astroron (Ron)]

I'm one of those people who just say No if they offer me a lower price than I want or consider it is worth.
Then just move right on along.
No worries.
Cheers

[Kunama]

Originally Posted by LewisM

There is a used TSA-120 on a certain Australian astronomy trading website selling for SUBSTANTIALLY MORE than it costs new... now there is a bargain (yes, it includes SOME extras, but not $2000 worth!)

Retail value $8500 and unused, not too bad !
You could offer $5k and see what happens (the Devil made me suggest that... )

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by Solanum

astro gear isn't an investment opportunity.

I don't think anyone disagrees with you on this... investments appreciate in value.

The fundamental issue is that items which are more along line of specialized gear tend to depreciate more slowly than a enmasse produced consumer items. Items in the "scientific" category probably even less, as the availability of second-hand items are much less than say a used car. Condition of the item is the most important thing for me... age, secondary, save coatings, which tend to age.

In reality, if we were to follow general accounting rules, all of our items would have a book value of ZERO in seven years...

On that note, would everyone please send me ALL of your Astrogear that is older than seven years. I'll pay the postage so you are not out anything.

Shipping address to follow...
OIC!

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by Solanum

I'm currently selling some stuff, all of it in perfect condition and all at half-price or less, because I'd rather get rid of it and someone enjoy using than 'make money'. I wrote off the investment when I bought the items.

Perusing through your ads, I can tell you that if you sell something I'm after, I'll take it. Looks like your equipment is well kept and hey... you're LOCAL!

OIC!

[Solanum]

Actually 'scientific' gear is basically worthless the moment it's bought. I am a scientist by trade and work for a 'major Australian scientific agency' and sadly can assure you that is the case, or my funding applications could be a fair bit less!

Originally Posted by OICURMT

I don't think anyone disagrees with you on this... investments appreciate in value.

The fundamental issue is that items which are more along line of specialized gear tend to depreciate more slowly than a enmasse produced consumer items. Items in the "scientific" category probably even less, as the availability of second-hand items are much less than say a used car.

In reality, if we were to follow general accounting rules, all of our items would have a book value of ZERO in seven years...

On that note, would everyone please send me ALL of your Astrogear that is older than seven years. I'll pay the postage so you are not out anything.

Shipping address to follow...
OIC!

[Solanum]

Originally Posted by OICURMT

Perusing through your ads, I can tell you that if you sell something I'm after, I'll take it. Looks like your equipment is well kept and hey... you're LOCAL!

OIC!

Looking at your list of gear and mine, it is very unlikely I'll ever be selling anything you want!!! Certainly am local though!

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Originally Posted by Solanum

I find this post somewhat offensive.

I made an offer of $120 (inc postage, which would be under $8, I checked) on an item that costs $209 new and, for all I know, could be ten years old as the age is not stated in your advert. However well looked after something is, it still ages I'm afraid (a downside of photosynthesis).

The only reason people buy second hand items is because the are cheaper than new items. Get over it, astro gear isn't an investment opportunity.

I'm currently selling some stuff, all of it in perfect condition and all at half-price or less, because I'd rather get rid of it and someone enjoy using than 'make money'. I wrote off the investment when I bought the items.

I will be selling my Dob with Argo Navis and will want more than half-price for that, but that was a rather larger investment and, even at more than half price, will still offer a substantial saving over buying the gear new.

Everard

Goodness me .... your name is not even mentioned in this thread..... whats your problem.
Give it a rest .... if you can't afford the asking price .... THEN GO WITHOUT.

... these are words that you sent to me in your message ..... and I quote

..' the pricier it is the higher proportion I would expect second hand.' ... you put yourself in now..!! ( TeleVue gear is not cheap ..... one only has to look at Bintel prices lately to know that )

Col....

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Kunama

Retail value $8500 and unused, not too bad !
You could offer $5k and see what happens (the Devil made me suggest that... )

OK, but can I sell you the included TV EP's and Pelican case for $2000? you know you WANT them.