YinPrincess

This is so not marriage-anything related...

I'm looking for advice from buyers and sellers... EBayers would be helpful...

I buy and sell vintage toys. I was out of my element a few years ago when I came across a huge vintage transformer in a thrift store. I never planned on selling him until recently.

So I *tentatively* posted him for sale, $30 or best offer, not knowing anything about him. That was my first mistake.

I got a response from a girl that I've done business with for the last year or so. Her husband collects transformers.

So we agree that I would get a shipping quote. Because of the size, (this thing is two feet tall), the shipping was around $19.23.

The buyer then kept waffling about the shipping... Asking for quotes with and without insurance, box size, etc. I came to the lowest possible cost at $16.50. This doesn't even include shipping supplies, materials or transportation to and from PO. (Some of which you are allowed to ask for on Ebay as part of the shipping costs). None of this is inflated, as the buyer will receive the box with the cost of shipping on it, so she can see there's no inflation going on.

So I thought we agreed on that, when she hits me with the message, will I accept $40 - includes shipping and all. That means I take a cut on my initial asking price, EVEN though I did put, "or best offer".

So, I decided to look this transformer up. I know, I should have done that FIRST. Turns out, it's quite rare, and going for between $100 and $200 on eBay, with active bidders.

Yes, so now I feel like a dolt. I feel slighted because not only did the "buyer" try to low-ball me, yet again, but being a collector, would also know the value of this item.

Throw this into the mix... I have another, local, collector interested who is willing to offer substantially more than my initial asking price.

Keep in mind this is not posted on eBay - it was just posted tentatively on my Facebook, in which I network with a lot of other collectors. Btw, the transformer is an incomplete "Fortress Maximus".

What would you do?
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Gaia

My suggestion... sell it to the local who is offering more. Don't let yourself get low balled and certainly don't feel bad for rejecting her offer.

humanbecoming

Yep. She didn't jump on your offer, you have no obligation to hold it for a counter offer. Sell it!

YellowRoses

What she said

There are all sorts of con people and skinflints on Ebay all wanting something for nothing.

You have realised your mistake early enough to back out so do

Rule No 1 :always do your research

YinPrincess

I'm thinking of being upfront with buyer # 1, and telling her I have another person who is interested as well.

How much of an @$$ would it make me to now pit the two of them together?
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YinPrincess

Btw thanks for your responses. I'm quite awkward with this situation; never had it happen before... :/
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Gaia

Wouldn't make you an ass at all lol... it's just how business works. Just straight out say.. well thank you for your offer but I just recieved a higher one. Or something like that... if she wants it that bad... she will change her price.

tacoma

Don`t play that shipping game with these people.

I sold on Ebay for years and always had a set price for shipping for each item and it was always a buck or so more than the actually shipping(Boxes and packing crap costs money and shipping stuff at the PO on a regular basis is a pain in the ass)

I simply didn`t sell to anyone who even questioned my shipping price.

The item you have is a sought after collectors item so you have no need to deal with anyone lowballing you in the first place as there are probably 20 people behind the lowballer who will know they got a deal shipping or no shipping.

List it low and pay attention to your tags/title you may be surprised at the final bid price.

tacoma

Not at all ..it`s the name of the game.

I`d list it at auction and send each one of them a link to the auction.

This was how I drove bids up when I was selling to collectors.

humanbecoming

Just flat out tell her the item sold, and thank her for her interest.

In_The_Wind

You did say Best offer you have now recieved a better offer they were trying to low ball you because you didnt know what you had I would not feel bad at all selling to the one offering the higher price or you could just call them and say hey i have recieved 100.00 or whatever giving them a chance moral of the story he shouldnt have been so greedy and getting you to except 40.00 for the toy and shipping

YinPrincess

Update: I've met with the second interested party who has appraised my transformer to be worth between $120 and $150 in it's current, incomplete state. It's highest selling point? Bright white plastic! (Apparently it has a tendency to yellow over time).

I've emailed buyer # 1 and I hope tactfully explained this without offending her. Buyer # 2 offered me $85 - only because he wanted to resell it on eBay - something I don't do anymore because of the fees. She has the opportunity to now counter - offer buyer # 2. If she does, it will be final, as buyer # 2 was firm in what he was willing to pay.

About how long should I wait for a response from her? I'd like to sell as soon as possible.

Thank you all for your reassurances that I'm not a jack@$$ for trying to get what my transformer is worth.

I liked buyer # 2, and was glad that he was honest and didn't try to low-ball me.
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humanbecoming

I would have went with him directly then. Give her 2 days, then sell to him.

YinPrincess

Thanks, HB. Hope you're having a better day today! *hugs*
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humanbecoming

'sall good, eh? Not what happens to you, but how you react, and all that....

I'll just live my black and white life, and dream of painting rainbows on someones soul