Do you post your art for sale with big price tags if you're not really intending to sell? 2 2

[Dr. Balls]

Had a conversation with someone regarding this, which seems to either be happening more now - or I'm just noticing something that's always been there. He states that for almost all of his art, he buys and posts up a whorehouse price and if it sells, he makes money, if it doesn't sell - it sits in his collection and he's happy either way. I know people joke about dealers doing this, but I was curious if anyone on the collector level looks at posting their art this way?

[redrighthand]

Yeah, totally. I have one piece up with a bit of a high price. I'd probably take a lower offer, but no one's tried.

In the meantime, it remains on my wall where I continue to enjoy seeing it. I decided it doesn't necessarily fit in my collection, but...I like it. Somebody wants it, they're gonna pay a little "I-like-it-tax"

[Captain ShipWreck]

I think it's happening more often. I've only been collecting art for a decade, but in the past couple of years, it's more common. I know someone who also does this and most pieces are 2-3x what they are probably worth/ paid for. They are a collector but specifically told me nothing is permanent for a price. 

When I sell something I try to stick to what I think it is genuinely worth, but I have one piece in my collection that I have no plans on selling that I've been contacted a few times over the years. I have a "stupid price" that I'd sell, but it is very high because I can't replace it and have zero interest in selling.

[Grendel72]

I leave my 'for sale status' blank. It helps me keep track of the current prices when I get an offer for a page that is like 5x of what i paid. Makes me go check what similar pages are going. Had some pleasant surprises over the years.

[grapeape]

I don't think it's a good idea, but to each his own. Maybe have the art listed like Grendel72 suggested, with for sale status blank. A fixed price is appreciated, but not when it's supremely out of line with FMV. You'll turn others off to the art. Leave it blank, and you will get inquries. I get tons of offers and all my work is posted as NFS. IDK. Do what you like, but listing items at your crazy money price, tells people you're kinda showing off. Remember comparables are easy to find on FMV if you've been monitoring every sale of artist's work. There are lots of pages that defy FMV and demand a premium. However, many of the 3x-5x list prices are on items that don't measure up to premium standards. JUST MY OPINION, KEEP YOUR GUN POWDER DRY PLEASE!

[The Voord]

Personally, I will never sell art at a loss . . . nor will I unrealistically price things up way-too-high during those times I'm actively looking to sell anything.

I think that, maybe, when collectors do post 'wishful thinking' prices on their art . . . they're taking their cue from the major dealers (What's good for the goose)?

Edited May 8 by The Voord

[alxjhnsn]

On 5/7/2024 at 6:00 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Had a conversation with someone regarding this, which seems to either be happening more now - or I'm just noticing something that's always been there. He states that for almost all of his art, he buys and posts up a whorehouse price and if it sells, he makes money, if it doesn't sell - it sits in his collection and he's happy either way. I know people joke about dealers doing this, but I was curious if anyone on the collector level looks at posting their art this way?

Not I.

Edited May 11 by alxjhnsn

[Kryptic1]

On 5/7/2024 at 7:00 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Had a conversation with someone regarding this, which seems to either be happening more now - or I'm just noticing something that's always been there. He states that for almost all of his art, he buys and posts up a whorehouse price and if it sells, he makes money, if it doesn't sell - it sits in his collection and he's happy either way. I know people joke about dealers doing this, but I was curious if anyone on the collector level looks at posting their art this way?

If we’re judging by the pricing at today’s Comic Art Live, many collectors do this.

[cstojano]

I think the problem with doing this is no one takes you seriously as a buyer or as a seller. 

[Rick2you2]

On 5/8/2024 at 4:19 AM, The Voord said:

Personally, I will never sell art at a loss . . . nor will I unrealistically price things up way-too-high during those times I'm actively looking to sell anything.

I think that, maybe, when collectors do post 'wishful thinking' prices on their art . . . they're taking their cue from the major dealers (What's good for the goose)?

George Will once said that if you hear a rumor in DC 3 times, it must be true. If everyone decides to post an unrealistically high price, it can become realistic. 

[PhilipB2k17]

There’s a “NFS” designation on CAF that means “NOT FOR SALE.”  If you post prices, that means you’re willing to sell it and advertising that fact. 
 

I don’t get the whole “priced not to sell” thing. 

[Rick2you2]

On 5/12/2024 at 6:05 PM, PhilipB2k17 said:

There’s a “NFS” designation on CAF that means “NOT FOR SALE.”  If you post prices, that means you’re willing to sell it and advertising that fact. 
 

I don’t get the whole “priced not to sell” thing. 

A Hail Mary pass.

[MAR1979]

IMHO it's like School on the 4th of July or Christmas

[Mephisto]

A few years ago put a piece up for sale on CAF for a really inflated price of 50K as I didn't really want to let the piece go but figured why not. A few weeks later I got blackout drunk with a few people and listed it on CLink one Saturday night for 69K...a price I don't even remember entering but an indication of the amount I had been drinking. I wake up the next morning to an email that the piece had sold (buyer did pay for it).   

Edited May 13 by Mephisto

[redrighthand]

On 5/13/2024 at 10:36 AM, Mephisto said:

A few years ago put a piece up for sale on CAF for a really inflated price of 50K as I didn't really want to let the piece go but figured why not. A few weeks later I got blackout drunk with a few people and listed it on CLink one Saturday night for 69K...a price I don't even remember entering but an indication of the amount I had been drinking. I wake up the next morning to an email that the piece had sold (buyer did pay for it).   

This reminds me of the art fair phenomenon. Guy selling his art for 1k a painting - no takers. While much lesser works are selling for 15k. When he raised his prices to 5k or more, they flew off the walls. Pricing does create a perception of value. When he asked one buyer who had passed him up before what changed his mind, he said "I want to get in on it before it went up any more."

[Rick2you2]

On 5/13/2024 at 11:11 PM, redrighthand said:

This reminds me of the art fair phenomenon. Guy selling his art for 1k a painting - no takers. While much lesser works are selling for 15k. When he raised his prices to 5k or more, they flew off the walls. Pricing does create a perception of value. When he asked one buyer who had passed him up before what changed his mind, he said "I want to get in on it before it went up any more."

The problem of perception is why I hate excessively priced pieces. Luckily, a lot of pieces are mis-perceived for their artistic skill.

[Matches_Malone]

On 5/13/2024 at 1:36 PM, Mephisto said:

A few years ago put a piece up for sale on CAF for a really inflated price of 50K as I didn't really want to let the piece go but figured why not. A few weeks later I got blackout drunk with a few people and listed it on CLink one Saturday night for 69K...a price I don't even remember entering but an indication of the amount I had been drinking. I wake up the next morning to an email that the piece had sold (buyer did pay for it).   

Was that the Thanos painting by any chance?

[Mephisto]

On 5/14/2024 at 6:23 AM, Matches_Malone said:

Was that the Thanos painting by any chance?

Correct. There’s really only one buyer at that level so I laugh when I hear people talk about how much that stuff now brings. I guess that just illustrates the whole it only takes one buyer argument for people to put 🦇 💩 prices on things they are okay keeping.

[Matches_Malone]

On 5/14/2024 at 12:39 PM, Mephisto said:

Correct. There’s really only one buyer at that level so I laugh when I hear people talk about how much that stuff now brings. I guess that just illustrates the whole it only takes one buyer argument for people to put 🦇 💩 prices on things they are okay keeping.

Awesome piece. Congrats on the sale.  Who said bad things only happen when you get black-out drunk? 

[grapeape]

On 5/13/2024 at 10:36 AM, Mephisto said:

A few years ago put a piece up for sale on CAF for a really inflated price of 50K as I didn't really want to let the piece go but figured why not. A few weeks later I got blackout drunk with a few people and listed it on CLink one Saturday night for 69K...a price I don't even remember entering but an indication of the amount I had been drinking. I wake up the next morning to an email that the piece had sold (buyer did pay for it).   

Yes but that's blackout drunk posting for sale.... where anything can happen. I guarantee you, same piece, same price, listed while sober.... doesn't sell.