i was reading another post and some members thought that it was unsportsman like to make a profit from something they bought of eBay.

of the 1000's of signs, clocks and themometers ive sold over the years, i cant ever remember someone putting there money back into their pocket because they didnt like where i bought it from or how long ive owned it. 50% of everything i have on my wall or sell comes from the computer (eBay, craigslist, oldgas, icollect247 ect). i would not buy anything from charles schilling if you care where it came from. my only gaurantee to you is that is not stolen!!!

once you own it, it's your business what you do with it..

you're totally correct and, as Randy says above, it's yours to do what you want with. If someone misses a good deal on a purchase and you have the opportunity to sell it for a profit, GOOD FOR YOU

I totally agree with the above opinions.

Through the process of collecting we have acquired knowledge/ expertise. Collecting developes certain skills i.e. ability to buy & sell, seek out good deals ect... Our entire economy is built on paying for knowledge or skill sets. Knowledge is power. Why not use that knowledge and your skills to fund your collection or for mere profit? Isn't selling your doubles part of collecting?

"unsportsman like to make a profit from something they bought of eBay."

oh yes, Its wrong to resell anything, thats what I hear and making a profit is just wrong...lol

Every person in this hobby has sold thing for more than they gave for it. Heck I have done it! So the ones that criticize someone else for doing it has "never" done that then right? Wrong!! I have never met anyone that sells everything they have ever bought & sold just to break even or at a loss. We "all" buy things cheap & if we dont want to keep it for our collection sell it to make a little cash. This is how we help fund our petro buying purse. If your pockets are deep enough where you dont have to sell at a profit & can keep everything you buy kudos to you. So with that said the knowledge & mostly the friends I have made over the past 8-10 years of collecting far out value anything I have in or could ever have in my collection. JM2C

I'm new to collecting and to be honest if I dident turn a lot of what I bought regardless of where I bought it, I wouldn't be able to buy the things I really like. I'm unemployeed so the little spending cash that I do have is always working for me. I have tripled my cash and purchased some things that I really wanted. When I started out I bought anything gas related that was cheap. I gambled on some items but then realized I wanted to focus my collection strictly on certain companies or time periods but also realized that something that I may not want for my collection somebody else may. If I turn a profit for doing it so be it.

Dave, What you say strikes home with me. The knowledge I have gained collecting has enabled me to spot a value. It has also provided me with a sense of what something might be worth should I purchase the value priced item. Every now and then I get a eBay seller to end their auction and some folks here call that greed. It's free enterprise at it's best. I may offer $500 for an item worth $1000. I then make a profit. Is that different than what any picker does? I'm an eBay picker. Free world,sellers item, end your auction if you like my offer. Plain and simple. Labeling it greed is wrong in my opinion.
Now who doesn't like cash?

I guess they don't mind paying a grocery store for their markup.

What's the difference from buying something on an eBay auction, and a farm or estate auction then selling it on here?? I mean they both have the same concept, do they not?

Either way, I think its fine.

I think there is another diminsion to this discussion that should be mentioned.Many of us ,myself included,have display facilities open to the public.As a result,more times than you might think,people who appreciate what we are doing bring in things to "donate" to our efforts.

When someone gives me things,cost zero,what am I supposed to do?BTY,I'm talking stuff in the several hundred dollar range.

I have had people give me different items before as well. They have ranged in value from $1- several hundred dollars. I keep what ever is given to me. Mainly because it was a gift from a friend. Though I am just a college student now, there will come a time when my health declines, at that point in time, I hope to pass those items (at no cost) to someone who enjoys them just as much as I do.

Come to the northern states, they wont "give" you anything.

Sure they will give you something Bill an empty wallet!!! Most gas items 4x retail around here and 75 percent of the stuff is junk.

I'm a little lost about this thread as it seems everybody is debating on the same side.
Who is saying that it's not ok to make a profit on an item you purchased (through eBay or other means)?