Sale threads without prices

[Craig2]

For me, as a seller, I list cards with their published book value. I know what I want for them and I know what I list them for on eBay (which is more than I typically sell for on forums). I also know 'most' of the relatively recent sales and usually have some historical sales data. If someone wants a card, they can ask for my price or make an offer based on the BV and we can negotiate from there. I don't negotiate in public and I don't negotiate against myself (sorry, no 'best' prices). If a 'potential' buyer wants to believe I don't know what I want, they can, as they say, 'pound sand'. I've been collecting for 30+ years and sold at my first card show over 20 years ago. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep over not getting contacted because someone on the internet can't send a PM to discuss a card they want... [please understand that I'm not directing this at any person]

I just can't see why it really matters...

I guess I'm just not a fan of the dance. You obviously know what you want for the card(s) you're selling, so why not just ask instead of forcing the potential buyer to make the first move?

You're right that it doesn't really matter much, but I find it annoying. It also affects my potential dealings with many sellers. And judging from others' posts, I don't think I'm alone which makes me believe that sellers are losing out potential buyers by not posting prices in some cases.

Anyway, there's no right or wrong. I guess we just see this one differently. And for the record, I'd say that most hobby sites agree with your perspective...I believe that only Blowout requires prices.

[centrehice]

People that say "Offer" lose me as an immediate, and a potential future customer.

If you don't know that you want out of a piece of merchandise, then you shouldn't be selling it.

[Fred Bear]

I guess I'm just not a fan of the dance. You obviously know what you want for the card(s) you're selling, so why not just ask instead of forcing the potential buyer to make the first move?

You're right that it doesn't really matter much, but I find it annoying. It also affects my potential dealings with many sellers. And judging from others' posts, I don't think I'm alone which makes me believe that sellers are losing out potential buyers by not posting prices in some cases.

Anyway, there's no right or wrong. I guess we just see this one differently. And for the record, I'd say that most hobby sites agree with your perspective...I believe that only Blowout requires prices.

I don't post a specific price because in a very real way, the price depends on the deal. I may offer different pricing to someone I've dealt with before or different pricing to a known player/set collector looking for something specific. [Please don't accuse me of trying to gauge anyone because those deals usually go the other way]. I may 'need' money at some point and am willing to go a little lower. There may be 20 of them listed on eBay right then to 'compete' against and I'm willing to do it. There are a 100 different reasons why a price may be 'different' from the 'market' price at any given time. Not to mention, I buy/sell/trade on four different collecting websites and buy/sell on eBay - as a hobby. It's enough upkeep to try and keep track of trades/posts/images/breaks/etc. without trying to update one price on a junk auto that nobody wants anyways...

I think one of the things that gets lost in this discussion is pricing expectations. When you say 'you don't like the dance' or that I'm 'forcing the potential buyer to make the first move', I think we have different perceptions. For me, it's not a dance (but I understand that for some it may be) and there are several folks I've dealt with who will tell you - I don't dance. I don't wholesale my cards and I expect a fair price. I get enough of the 'I know it sells for $50 on eBay, but I'll save you fees and give you $20 by gift' offers to know when someone is wasting my time. I try to weed those out by having potential buyers contact me with what they need. Don't get me wrong, I may miss out on a sale or six here or even on another website, but if I saved myself the time of going 17 pm exchanges because someone 'only has $10 in their paypal right now' for my $25 card or can 'only go to $4.50' when I'm asking $5, so be it... It's been my experience (and, as I said before, I'm directing my comments at anyone), the dancers are the ones who expect below-to-well-below eBay auction pricing or vice-versa.

Centrehice's comment about the 'offer' above falls into the same category. I have no problem making an offer on a card from my want list. I know what I want to pay for it and I have no problem telling someone. I've read books on negotiating (career building), though, so I have no aversion to doing it, especially for something I want or need. I also look at my collection as an 'expense'. I have a monthly/yearly budget and I don't mind 'overpaying' as long as I don't go 'overbudget' (trust me, that's when wifey let's me know). On the other side, when I deal with someone 'adding' in a card I don't want to even out a trade or if I see a lot which might be nice for resale, I won't tell someone what their cards are worth because they have 'no value' to me and I want the best price I can get. If they can't give me a value, I can't make a judgment and I usually walk away...

I think the hobby sites actual agree with RGM81's post above. Trading sites often have tons of rules just trying to keep the bad eggs from completely ruining life for the good eggs. Making everybody post prices on every card they are trying to sell would become a nightmare to police and enforce. And it may just devolve into the uber-high BIN/BO which is eBay. [For the record, that's what I use there because, again, I don't necessarily think my s*&t is gold, but it gives me the opportunity to vet my customers against the trading forums before I accept an offer and risk a chargeback or other headache. I also ALWAYS beat my eBay pricing on the forums.]

There are definitely things that frustrate me, but I choose not to let much get to me within the hobby. Life throws enough curve balls in the dirt to let something little torque you on a trading forum... But, again, that's just my opinion and perspective.