A few questions and why's

Why don't posters post the price a lot do but the ones that don't can waste the posters time as well as the buyers time if the price isn't posted.
Can't that be mandatory to post??
also any thoughts on being able to have a feed back so the buyer as well as the seller knows who ther dealing with????

Don't know if this was coverd before but thought I would bring it up again if it was
Thanks
Larry

I agree with you in theory, but in practice it might be too much trouble.

I see the Marketplace as an informal version of ebay, Amazon auctions , etc. There are very few rules. It would take too much time , I think, to monitor the Marketplace in the manner you suggest.

The best that could be hoped for is to add the concern you state in the ground rules,that are brought up every month or so, as a suggestion. I bet that more people would post the prices if it was done this way.

The others will just have to put up with wasted time and effort trying to sell something. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Dennis

Seems like your main point is you want every person posting to include their price.

However, that's up to the seller to decide.

Why NOT include a price?

One reason is because as soon as you set your price for XYZ, another individual can come along and undercut the price by $10 - $20 or more just to take away the business.

Another possible reason to not include a price is to be current with asking prices and more open to negotiation.

Some sellers are more 'professional' than others. They have a reputation to maintain if they are to continue in the 'secondary business' and part of that reputation is based on speedy delivery and personal service, not just on price.

Seller "A" may appear to always be 'high' on the price scale, but may have an outstanding reputation for delivery and service. Seller "B" may be unknown - a new individual who appears to be selling a 'hodge-podge' collection. Their reputation is unknown.

This is a long-standing issue for on-line collectors, pre-dating these Collector Forums and going back into the AOL Lighthouse Collectible posts.

I've not intended to offend anyone here - the question is welcome and will, no doubt, create some additional heat and light [eh JTA?]

Most of the best deals I got were from the "Marketplace"! But not all dealers have good prises - watch, wait, and be quick if the price is right!

As Bill Cullen use to say: "The Price is Right!"

I feel posting the price is a good idea. If you post high, you immediately drop the bargain hunters. If you post low, people will immediately think something might be wrong. If you post a reasonable price with the option of accepting offers, you should get a good response.

Bob

I'm just going from my first expierence a couple months ago when a post had some I wanted with no price and emailed then got the reply and "O" I was surprised for I wasn't ready to pay that at that time,If the price was posted I would have never emailed in the first place

But I have had some very good expierence on the marketplace
Larry

Hey lkeasyliving, ...I have obtained many desired HLs through the Marketplace at fair prices. The best seller I've ever dealt with is Randy Kremer. He sells quality product at fair prices. If you see Randy post something you want to buy, I would highly recommend you buy from him.

Bob

I've made quite a few deals on the marketplace. When I first registered, it was the only place I frequented for the first 6 months (heck, the Marketplace, Lighthouse links and Map Room are still the only places that I frequent regularly...oh and Bill's lighthouse reviews too).

Here's my opinion Larry:
If a seller wants to make a sale he's going to list his price. If a seller is interested in seeing just how much he could possibly get for the piece (and leaving himself an out if it doesn't fetch what he wants) he doesn't post a price. Its kind of like having a reserve auction on ebay. Typically if the price isn't posted, the seller will want "book" value which we all know is a little overinflated.

I am no longer in the market to buy many retired pieces like I was 3 years ago when I joined this forum (I now have most of them) but I did learn to quit making offers on pieces that didn't list a price...it was a waste of my time. The best thing to do is watch the marketplace regularly (and ebay too) and when a piece that you want comes up that has a decent price posted jump on it quickly!

Doc John

I have bought a few recently good deals too
but now I need to hold off a little theres a little shortage of $'s if you know what I mean
But I want more lots more I'M HOOKED
Larry

my, my... sounds like an FSB topic. :-)



As JC will attest, I'm a long time advocate of open pricing and encourage secondary dealers to post their prices. If a dealer is recognized as delivering superior professional service, that word will get out and the dealer should have no fear if his prices are a few dollars higher.

Open pricing is an inherent part of the free market economy. Competition on price *and* honest service make the marketplace work and benefit all consumers. Publishing prices does not preclude negotiation nor does it preclude offering a buyer a lower price than the published price. Failure to publish a price is not a prerequisite for good service - and I'm not aware of any evidence that automatically connects higher prices with good service. (Course if you do pay more you darn well better get top-notch service.)

There was time in the past when several HL secondary market sites sprang up on the Internet. These were run by folks who bought and sold HL models not so much as collectors (although many were) but with the express purpose of making a profit (nothing wrong with that) based on the rise of secondary prices. At first these sites all published prices and this was very helpful in gauging a piece's relative worth on the secondary market. Before that time, there were no well known regularly published price guides - most collectors had no idea what a secondary piece should sell for. As with any market place, the savvy buyer shopped around for the best 'deal'.

Then almost at the same time, two of the major sites stopped publishing prices - they'd only provide a limited number of price quotes via e-mail to serious buyers. These professional dealers claimed they were being undercut by individuals who'd sell pieces for less money. They claimed is was too difficult to keep their prices up to date. (yeah - tell that one to gas stations.) The loser in this was the average buyer who lost their market ticker, their reference point. The absence of open pricing makes it easier for dealers to fix prices and for people to pay way more than they should. (I'm not suggesting anyone is or did fix prices, but undisclosed pricing can deter competition.)

I don't think it makes sense for lighthouse model sellers or any other merchant to try teaching us the lesson that you get what you pay for by withholding public pricing.

I encourage all established dealers (and there are several who post frequently and repeatedly in the The Marketplace) to:

[*]always publish model prices

[*]include accurate condition reports

[*]make their money on the piece and not the shipping/handling, and

[*]where possible allow the buyer to choose the shipping method

Rgds,
Industrial Heat & Light
[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 09-11-2000).]

If you ask Pharolgst (sp?) nicely, he might make you an animated gif, Sean. Old Beav could probably do 10-12 in a single whack of his tail.

I just posted this so I could learn more about buying on the market place I've learned alot and still lots to learn as said earlier WORK looking at the market place & ebay
Thanks for all the imfo!!!!!!
Larry

Gee Beav, don't stop at A. there's a B, C, & D too!

I'm with ya on the animated .gifs.


Disable smilies in this post.

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/im

Tough!! I like animated gifs!!!!
SaintWackoPaul '
Keep the Flame
SaintWackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

SaintWackoPaul'
Keep the Flame
And if a person is selling a quality lighthouse, I feel they have the right to post or not post the price. The person reading the post of a lighthouse for sale has the right to either inquire about the price or just not worry about it.

SaintWackoPaul '

I've gotten used to most of the animated gifs'because they're over-used. Sorry, can't help the fact that the flashing yellow ones are distracting to my eyes when I'm trying to read a post. Not a comment about people, just what I experience when there's a flashing light in my peripheral vision.

And sure, people "have the right" to not post prices or not post their name, or not read a message or not do just about anything.

My point is not about people's "rights". It is about people getting a better idea what pieces are worth because they can see a variety of prices that sellers are asking. The more information about prices that a buyer has, the better chance he/she won't overpay. I also think published prices and condition reports encourage competition in the marketplace. Imo, the choices brought about by that competition help encourage the hobby.

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/im
[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 09-14-2000).]

Looks like your next post will be 1,000, Sean. Congratulations.

Th spelling is correct PHAROLOGST , note there is no "i" in the "gist". That's because somebody already had PHAROLOGIST!!!

"Pharologst" George


[This message has been edited by pharologst (edited 09-15-2000).]

Sean -

If you want debate, we could always start a debate about who should be the next President and why. That should make the forums HOT again.



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Jim
Dr. Who ?

(Sorry - I know this is very much off the subject started here, but I felt that a new topic somewhere else would not make sense.)

[This message has been edited by drwhok9 (edited 09-15-2000).]

>>. Maybe we need to start a healthy new GLOW debate? Tim do you know anybody that could do that? {tic} <<

LOL! I'll keep my eye out for 'em. But, feel free, we could use the business in the Fog Signal Building. All the cats have gone and all we have left is a large stack of buttered toast.

Remember - when the make GLOWS they don't break the mold.

From the warm and cuddly FSB where we only tolerate consensus,
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/im
[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 09-15-2000).]

Thats cute Art. Next, a Vegas fountain, then the Grand Canyon. Evel Kabeaver - The Flying Flattail!

Evel Kabeaver! I'm still laughing at the image that paints!

You're unbelievable, Art! Many laughs over that one!

Bob

Art,
You have way too much free time! Or, you gotta stop playing at work! Will we now have to follow the adventures of Evel Kabeaver? Will there be regular installments of his (or her) misadventures?

Dave

ROTFLMAO

Way, way too much time, Art.

But an instant classic here on the Collector Forums.

BTW Art, extra credit for having the backgrounds on those animated gifs match the alternating bands of color here in the forums.

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 09-23-2000).]

Too much time? You gotta be kidding. I get 24 hours per day, just like everyone else. I simply choose not to waste any of it sleeping. Sleep is way overrated anyway.

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-Art

Art, ...you da man!

Bob

I applaud Art's prowess with graphics ...but did we get off the subject a little? Just a smidge! LOL

Art... way too funny bro. I love it!

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

After trying 8 Smileys, I figured my services were needed...

Cute Art.

Incredible Art!