I'LL TAKE IT!!!

[drbanner]

Seller sets the rules...but to me, requiring an in the thread is a bit of a strong-armed tactic which basically precludes a buyer from being able to make an educated decision on a purchase (what is the page quality? do you take time payments? can I see a back cover scan? etc.). As a buyer, I appreciate the opportunity to be able to ask questions of a seller prior to pulling the trigger, which is why, as a seller, I do not require an "I'll takeit" to be posted in the thread and pretty much give first rights of refusal to any inquiries to me via PM, even if they do not explicitly include an "I'll takeit".

 

This concept mostly applies to more expensive books, which I believe is why you see a much higher percentage of expensive books being sold here "via pm" rather than via an "I'll takeit" posted in the thread.

[Bosco685]

Seller sets the rules...but to me, requiring an in the thread is a bit of a strong-armed tactic

I don't agree it is a strong-arm tactic unless the buyer states they would rather not let anyone know they purchased the item - the seller still demands they post the TAKE IT - then it leads to a situation.

 

In shopping for a forumite's Christmas present last year, I asked a seller not to have me post the TAKE IT in their thread. It was because my target gift receiver would clearly know it wasn't for me as it was a title I don't collect. The seller was perfectly fine with this, and marked it as sold.

 

I effectively communicated with my seller what was going on. Otherwise, it would seem kind of odd if I made a big deal out of posting TAKE IT in their sales thread, yet wanted the books in the PM.

[namisgr]

It would be a lot simpler if sellers would just post their best prices for thread offerings right up front. This stepwise approach of overpricing by 20%, then lowering the price to a 10% overprice, and finally "discounting" to what has actually been the best price all along leads to strings of negotiations, pm exchanges, and ultimately confusion about whether someone has made a committment to a purchase, or is still in the act of negotiating.

 

Consider simplifying your sales threads and stopping trying to squeeze board buyers by sticking to non-negotiable pricing, and alot of the confusion about who made the first buying committment will go away.

 

Finally, there are several board members who are highly active buyers but don't wish to participate as posters (can you blame them sometimes?) and only buy off the boards through pm messages. If you want to exclude this buying clientele then that's your business, but keep in mind that your business will be lessened by your decision.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I told a board member this week I would take a few books via PM, just some cheap . Later I get a PM saying they were sold? Because I had not posted a in the thread and made a spectacle of my desire for the book I lost the book. I checked time stamps, and I said I would take them about 10 minutes earlier then the person in the thread. But honestly while slightly disappointed, I dont care.

 

But if it is mandatory for me to wave my hands and jump up and down to buy from you, I wont. If I would rather stay annonymous about a purchse, and that is not acceptable I will shop else where. I rarely buy here anymore anyways, all my favorite sellers seem to not list anything these days.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

It would be a lot simpler if sellers would just post their best prices for thread offerings right up front. This stepwise approach of overpricing by 20%, then lowering the price to a 10% overprice, and finally "discounting" to what has actually been the best price all along leads to strings of negotiations, pm exchanges, and ultimately confusion about whether someone has made a committment to a purchase, or is still in the act of negotiating.

 

Simplify your sales threads and stop trying to squeeze board buyers with non-negotiable pricing, and alot of the confusion about who made the first buying committment will go away.

[namisgr]

It would be a lot simpler if sellers would just post their best prices for thread offerings right up front. This stepwise approach of overpricing by 20%, then lowering the price to a 10% overprice, and finally "discounting" to what has actually been the best price all along leads to strings of negotiations, pm exchanges, and ultimately confusion about whether someone has made a committment to a purchase, or is still in the act of negotiating.

 

Simplify your sales threads and stop trying to squeeze board buyers with non-negotiable pricing, and alot of the confusion about who made the first buying committment will go away.

 

Definitely no discounting for you.

[Bosco685]

stop trying to squeeze board buyers by sticking to non-negotiable pricing

Who is that seller that always notes "prices are firm" in their sales threads?

 

Maybe they meant "Slightly firm, with a chance of fluffiness."

 

[namisgr]

stop trying to squeeze board buyers by sticking to non-negotiable pricing

Who is that seller that always notes "prices are firm" in their sales threads?

 

Maybe they meant "Slightly firm, with a chance of fluffiness."

 

 

Best pricing right up front, with nothing else "meant". And no confusion about who first took the comic. (thumbs u

[Bosco685]

stop trying to squeeze board buyers by sticking to non-negotiable pricing

Who is that seller that always notes "prices are firm" in their sales threads?

 

Maybe they meant "Slightly firm, with a chance of fluffiness."

 

 

Best pricing right up front, with nothing else "meant". (thumbs u

 

(thumbs u

[namisgr]

stop trying to squeeze board buyers by sticking to non-negotiable pricing

Who is that seller that always notes "prices are firm" in their sales threads?

 

Maybe they meant "Slightly firm, with a chance of fluffiness."

 

 

Best pricing right up front, with nothing else "meant". (thumbs u

 

(thumbs u

 

I reserve the right to lower prices when unsold books are offered again in a few months.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

It would be a lot simpler if sellers would just post their best prices for thread offerings right up front. This stepwise approach of overpricing by 20%, then lowering the price to a 10% overprice, and finally "discounting" to what has actually been the best price all along leads to strings of negotiations, pm exchanges, and ultimately confusion about whether someone has made a committment to a purchase, or is still in the act of negotiating.

 

Simplify your sales threads and stop trying to squeeze board buyers with non-negotiable pricing, and alot of the confusion about who made the first buying committment will go away.

 

Definitely no discounting for you.

I know

[drbanner]

Finally, there are several board members who are highly active buyers but don't wish to participate as posters (can you blame them sometimes?) and only buy off the boards through pm messages. If you want to exclude this buying clientele then that's your business, but keep in mind that your business will be lessened by your decision.

 

Exactly...in addition to the hypothetical questions/terms I list above regarding the terms of a sale (not price), anonymity is undoubtedly the #1 reason many of the more expensive books sold on the boards are sold via PM.

[VintageComics]

It would be a lot simpler if sellers would just post their best prices for thread offerings right up front.

 

Why, some people want to get as much as they can for their books?

 

Don't you?

 

If people didn't want as much as they could get for their books they'd be blowing them out at 50% FMV and we know how many people do that on these boards.

 

Edited to clarify that I'm not talking about cheap readers...I'm mostly leaning towards more desirable books that collectors chase after.

 

 

[Green]

I told a board member this week I would take a few books via PM, just some cheap . Later I get a PM saying they were sold? Because I had not posted a in the thread and made a spectacle of my desire for the book I lost the book. I checked time stamps, and I said I would take them about 10 minutes earlier then the person in the thread. But honestly while slightly disappointed, I dont care.

 

but how did you feel after the taunting, and would you buy from that person again?

[namisgr]

It would be a lot simpler if sellers would just post their best prices for thread offerings right up front.

 

Why, some people want to get as much as they can for their books?

 

 

Especially on the boards, it's not always about squeezing every last dollar out of every sale.

 

The boards are in danger of becoming a venue where too much material is offered at too high prices, and with too few sales.

[EggsAckley]

Because of the nature of the type of comix I sell, some buyers prefer to have the sale out of public view. That is okay with me. But this thread does tell me I need to be more specific in my offering terms. Luckily, I have yet to have a situation occur similar to the ones discussed here. And I agree with Bob, this is not a "retail" venue, people expect some discounting. Unless the items offered are really scarce, the most successful threads are the ones where books are priced fairly.

[Bosco685]

The boards are in danger of becoming a venue where too much material is offered at too high prices, and with too few sales.

I've actually thought this a few times lately.

 

Books that are coming down in price at other sales venues seem to be quoted at the highest GPA data points here sometimes.

 

And posting examples is not a good idea, unless people are wanting a full-fledged war across the boards between sellers and buyers. It's just clear it is taking place if you do enough research.

[Bruce1971]

The boards are in danger of becoming a venue where too much material is offered at too high prices, and with too few sales.

I've actually thought this a few times lately.

 

Books that are coming down in price at other sales venues seem to be quoted at the highest GPA data points here sometimes.

 

And posting examples is not a good idea, unless people are wanting a full-fledged war across the boards between sellers and buyers. It's just clear it is taking place if you do enough research.

 

I agree. Thankfully there are still a fair amount of sellers selling stuff at good prices on these boards. High demand or well priced books, overall, tend to sell very briskly on these boards. Remember this is just one venue and when I see the % of books sold in a lot of the sales threads here is it impressive. Still wish I had not procrastinated in that last Ed Bird Donald Duck sales thread

 

Bruce

[GAFLASH]

I know there are a lot of offers that go on "behind the scenes" with PM's. I would be fine with someone announcing that the book is "on hold" due to a finalization of the negotiating process. Getting caught up in a previously myself, my thoughts on the matter are that a book is available until someone post an

on the sales page. As a buyer we have no idea that a book has been sold behind the scenes until we are informed of the matter on the sales page. I think the seller making the sales page the defining call takes away any shady dealings.

 

[Batty Scrooge]

But I'm not talking about haggling, I'm talking about an unconditional (i.e. paying full price) "I'll take it" via PM not being considered as valid as one in the thread.

 

Why would you PM a takeit? I see the take it in the thread as letting others know the book was sold, and to whom. I do most of my buys through PM but always thrown a "takeit via PM" on the thread.

 

I do wish we reported PM sale prices to update GPA tho.