Posted by Steve Baker on April 07, 1999 at 03:12:42:
The following comments reflect my views only and not necessarily those of
the management of this web.
I have noticed that many of the questions in this forum concern the
value of a single found item of petrolina. As the lucky owner you are
naturally interested in the value and perhaps more importantly, turning the
item into cash. You post a message on the web and then wait for a response.
And wait and wait.
When you think about it there is an obvious reason that you might
not get the response you want. What is happening here is that you, the
seller, are seeking an appraisal but are not offering any payment other than
the possible purchase of the item by the buyer/appraiser. The seller is
also aware that anyone offering their services for free are likely
interested in purchasing the item for themselves. This assumption is largely
true as the specialized knowledge required to value an item is normally
acquired by the buyer/appraiser previously purchasing items for their their
own collection.
By deciding not to pay for a professional appraisal the seller has now
put themselves into a bind in as much as he is asking for a value from
someone who has a vested interest in purchasing for as little as possible.
The appraiser is aware of this bind but faces his own dilemma. If he
offers ANY amount for an item, this amount then becomes the floor that the
seller uses to obtain higher offers from others; e.g., I have an offer of
$100 can you top that. The appraiser is also aware that sellers most often
will take the best offer at hand and will virtually never come back to him
and allow him to increase his initial valuation/bid.
There is a solution to this problem and that is for the seller to
recognize both conflicts and to act in a responsible manner. This is
achieved by the seller entering into negotiations as follows:
Appraiser - I think your item is worth $xx.
Seller - Thanks, let me think about that and I will get back to you not
later than Wednesday of next week. I also promise that I will not sell the
item without talking to you again.
By naming a date and telling the buyer that he will be contacted again
the seller has put a definite limit on the process and has assured the buyer
that the item will not be sold without allowing a final chance to buy. This
process tends to reassure both parties and if followed, encourages buyers to
contact sellers promptly in the knowledge that the first to call will at
least get a call back.
Sellers must also realize that by not spending the time to buy the
guide books, attend meets, send out pictures, or take other steps to market
their product, they are increasing the likelihood that they will sell their
item for less than full retail. This should be acceptable as the amount of
time spent to market the item has been minimized.
Your comments please.