Ethics Question ???

[BlissComics]

This has probably been discussed on the boards before, but I'm too lazy to go look for previous threads right now. So here's the scenario:

 

Seller is asking $400 for some comics.

Before seeing the books, in an email I ask, "What's the best price you can do on these?"

Seller says, "$200 for all of them."

So, upon traveling out to see the books, I realize $200 is a great deal and I'm ready to buy the comics.

 

What would you do? Pay the $200? Pay the original $400 asking price? Split the difference and pay $300?

[chrisco37]

Pay $200.

[comicalgems]

I say if the books would retail 5x your investment then pay the $400.

 

Look at the OS Guide, dealers (You) pay only 20-50% of the guide based on rarity and demand, whereas buyers/collectors should expect to pay 80-100%.

[DawgPhan]

screw the old hag...she should have used ebay and the interwebs to see what the books are worth...oh and try and talk her down to nothing...or paying you to take them...unless you are chuck in which case, you are a major league jerk for not offering $1k for the books.

[mschmidt]

This has probably been discussed on the boards before, but I'm too lazy to go look for previous threads right now. So here's the scenario:

 

Seller is asking $400 for some comics.

Before seeing the books, in an email I ask, "What's the best price you can do on these?"

Seller says, "$200 for all of them."

So, upon traveling out to see the books, I realize $200 is a great deal and I'm ready to buy the comics.

 

What would you do? Pay the $200? Pay the original $400 asking price? Split the difference and pay $300?

 

I fail to see how ethics are relevant to this question :shrug:

 

The seller set a price. You haggled & received a lower price. You pay the lower price. End of story.

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

It's a tough one, but an asking price is an asking price. Did you twist the person's arm? No.

 

Take it for what they asked for - $200.00. You're not obligated to buy something if it's too expensive, so why feel obligated to offer more for a good deal?

[KEY ISSUES Comics]

We're not talking $1 for $1K book.

[mschmidt]

It's a tough one, but an asking price is an asking price. Did you twist the person's arm? No.

 

Take it for what they asked for - $200.00. You're not obligated to buy something if it's too expensive, so why feel obligated to offer more for a good deal?

 

Exactly.

 

An ethical dilemma would be if the seller had no clue about the value of their comic books & didn't set a starting price, but rather trusted you to give them a fair deal (the oft-repeated "kindly ol' grandma scenario"). If you then turned around & offered them $20 for $2000 worth of books because, according to you, the books were only worth $20, I'd say you were a bit of a scumbag.

[KryptoSpidey]

$200 was the agreed price before you even went to see them,if it was garbage you would have driven away,no money exchanged...Pay the $200 IF THE DEAL IS STILL AVAILABLE.

You are sitting here asking this question,and if you didn't buy them,someone else probably already has gone and seen them,and threw down the $400.

[joeypost]

OP, how long have you collected comics?

[Boozad]

This has probably been discussed on the boards before, but I'm too lazy to go look for previous threads right now. So here's the scenario:

 

Seller is asking $400 for some comics.

Before seeing the books, in an email I ask, "What's the best price you can do on these?"

Seller says, "$200 for all of them."

So, upon traveling out to see the books, I realize $200 is a great deal and I'm ready to buy the comics.

 

What would you do? Pay the $200? Pay the original $400 asking price? Split the difference and pay $300?

 

I fail to see how ethics are relevant to this question :shrug:

 

The seller set a price. You haggled & received a lower price. You pay the lower price. End of story.

 

This.

[zuckuss2003]

If the seller really had no idea of what they were worth and asked me to provide an estimate of their worth as opposed to just accepting the offer of $200, I would probably give them a fair assessment. It might cost me the collection but at least I wouldn't have to come here to the forum and even consider asking this question.

 

If they don't ask, I don't feel bad accepting the collection for my offered $200.

[the blob]

$200, that's what they asked for. you get them home and take a third look at them and those NM copies will look like VF+ses. happens every time. i don't know how many times this has happened to me.

[BlissComics]

OP, how long have you collected comics?

Joey, about two years

[BlissComics]

You are sitting here asking this question,and if you didn't buy them,someone else probably already has gone and seen them,and threw down the $400.

The comics are paid for and have been picked up.

Some of them will be offered here on the boards next week.

[joeypost]

OP, how long have you collected comics?

Joey, about two years

 

Agreeing on a price regardless of the value of the books is standard operating procedure.

[BlissComics]

OP, how long have you collected comics?

Joey, about two years

 

Agreeing on a price regardless of the value of the books is standard operating procedure.

You're right. That absolutely makes sense and sums it up for me.

[sborock]

A long time comic hobbyist/collector/dealer in my area had a small collection. Offered it to me at $3500, I looked at it, figured it was worth $8000-$9000 and gave him $4500. He told me it was the first time in this hobby someone ever gave him more than he asked. Afterward, he also told me that if I had turned it down or went below $3100, he would have taken to another dealer/friend and he knew the guy would give offer him $3000 if he asked for $3500, because what ever he has offered him in the past, he always got a counter offer from him.

 

If your deal was worth $1100+, I probably would have taken the comics and then gave the extra $200.

 

But that's just me.

 

I don't think you did anything ethically wrong. Seller gave a price, you paid it. End of story.

[Mr. Zipper]

This has probably been discussed on the boards before, but I'm too lazy to go look for previous threads right now. So here's the scenario:

 

Seller is asking $400 for some comics.

Before seeing the books, in an email I ask, "What's the best price you can do on these?"

Seller says, "$200 for all of them."

So, upon traveling out to see the books, I realize $200 is a great deal and I'm ready to buy the comics.

 

What would you do? Pay the $200? Pay the original $400 asking price? Split the difference and pay $300?

 

I fail to see how ethics are relevant to this question :shrug:

 

The seller set a price. You haggled & received a lower price. You pay the lower price. End of story.

 

Ditto.

 

 

[sckao]

 

If the books were valued at WAY more than what was expected, I'd have paid the $400 even though $200 was agreed upon.

 

You really have no idea if this sale is just the tip of the iceberg and the seller may have access to more books or have friends who are also collectors or have comics.

 

Creating a good relationship is key here... and establishing good word-of-mouth.