Hi Viperman, ...Selling and buying of HL's can be very interesting, to say the least. I built a complete collection thanks to the many people I have dealt with here at the Collector Forums. I have done multiple deals with several people and individual deals with a quite a few others. I feel most fortunate to never have been stuck by anybody at the CF.
It almost sounds like you've dealt with a few people who have mixed feelings about parting with some of their more valuable pieces. My experience has lead me to put most sellers in one of the following categories:
1. Tired of HL collecting and just want to get out with as much return on their investment as possible. Usually these people have some valuable pieces that can be very hard to find.
2. Seller has nothing very valuable to offer. Most every piece was on eBay, at one time or another, at bargain pricing. They got into HL collecting as somewhat of a fad and now the thrill is gone and they want out at any investment loss.
3. Older collector that might have been on autoship with a special number. They no longer can afford an autoship because of the expense and no way to justify buying pieces and just storing them. They are out of room to keep up the habit. They are down-sizing and moving to a smaller home, apartment, or condo. They have retired and their income has been reduced. They can't physically keep up with cleaning curios and displays.
4. A seller that thinks it is a good idea to part with his or her more valuable pieces but almost instantly regrets advertising them for sale when someone contacts them and wants to buy. They second guess what they are doing and change their mind. That is their perogative.
I've been buying and selling HL's for years. I try to make a small profit but it doesn't always work. It's nice to buy low and sell a little higher but supply and demand doesn't always allow it. I've jumped on dealer closings and bought the good and the not so good pieces. I've managed to make a few people smile with good deals while still making a couple of bucks.
Is it worth it? I would say probably not, but I do enjoy it. When you figure the time you spend advertising, exchanging emails with a potential buyer, waiting for payment, bring the check or money order to the bank for cashing, packing up the piece to be shipped, bring the package to the Post Office or UPS for shipping, concern that the package will arrive okay and the customer will be happy, etc. for a small profit, well it just isn't a way to make a living for sure. You might do better picking up deposit cans along the side of the road. (lol!)
Pick who you deal with wisely. If you are curious who is great to deal with, send an email and ask. I know the first person I would recommend from the CF is Randy Kremer. I've purchased many a wonderful and rare piece from Randy and have always been more than satisfied. Randy is the best in my book!
I hope you find my reply interesting and helpful in your quest for fair business practices in dealing with HL collecting.
Bob
P.S. The biggest discrepancy I find in HL buying is the description of the condition of the piece. There are too many people who claim a piece is mint, never displayed, from a smoke-free environment, no pets lived withing two blocks of where it was stored, only removed from the box for one picture, etc. and their description is not really accurate. Let the buyer beware can certainly apply when you really don't know who you are dealing with.
