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🦘Pricing Thoughts

cacatman

No one knows 'cacat' like cacatman!!
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I know this has been done to death, but I thought I'd pen a few thoughts on the subject myself, especially given the observable amount of trolling that I've noticed recently.

I've noticed that people's idea of pricing is quite variable. People quickly and easily dish out the cry of "scalping" which then justifies their abuse of whoever happens to be selling.

Pricing Depends on Many Factors:-
  1. Rarity, but doesn't always determine pricing e.g. Madman Raw
  2. Exclusivity - e.g. Japan released pairs like the JPPO Juliet etc
  3. Desirability - e.g. Aluminium C-Six - There are many more pairs that had fewer production numbers, but there's no doubt that the C-Six is one of the most desirable pairs out there
  4. Proven to be a "prototype" or unreleased pair from factory (or lack thereof)
  5. "Special Edition" e.g. athlete only issued or "Limited Edition" e.g. Ducati/Ferrari/BMW versions
  6. Perceived Prestige value - e.g. X serialed Juliets vs Half X
  7. Actual original Oakley starting price (e.g. Livestrong Timebomb II)
  8. Personal Taste - Many here love the X-metals but some just prefer O-matter
  9. Past Sale Prices - Sometimes high or low prices just don't seem to make sense. It's just how the world is
  10. Whether You Already Have a Pair or Not - If you have a pair, one is less likely to place a high value on another pair that one sees on the market
  11. History of Pair - e.g. signed by Jim Jannard, Lance Armstrong, Ichiro or Scelzi etc.
  12. Timing of Initial Purchase - If you bought your pair at during "high season" e.g. late 90s or during summer, then one may possibly overvalue equivalent pairs
  13. Cost of Your Initial Secondary Market Purchase - If you managed to snag a good deal when you first entered the market, you're more likely to base your pricing on that experience
  14. Your Country of Origin - People from countries outside the USA (with the exception of Colombia) tend to overvalue their sunglasses compared to within the USA (presumably because of supply/demand issues and postage costs)
  15. How Desperate/Not the Person is to Sell - e.g. does he have another pair he wants to pay for etc.
  16. External Financial Pressures - We live in the real world. Not everyone faces the same easy life that you may experience. Challenges in life should not be underestimated e.g. sickness, pressing payments, divorce etc.
  17. ?Greed - And finally, of course, a strong reason is that people want to make as much money as they can. If someone is unsure of the market, and prices their item too low, they can never go up. But the reverse is not true.
An interesting thing that I note is that often a "double standard" is employed. People will value other people's items at a certain price that is below what the person is wanting to sell for, but the same person would not be prepared to sell their own pair at the same price.

I think it's helpful to talk about a good buy price for the buyer and a good sell price for the seller. Somewhere in between is usually what gets settled on.

"Scalping"/"Flipping"
Scalping is the reselling of an item quickly to make a large or quick profit.

Personally, I think that there are two issues that need to be separated re: scalping:-
1. Legality - As far as I know, in the USA, there is no federal law against the practice, however it is regulated in some states (e.g. you cannot "scalp" tickets on the property etc).
2. Morality - Let's face it, none of us want to pay more than someone else has paid for the item. The difference is that they got something that you want (but can't find) first.

Anger and distaste about scalping (IMHO) seems to emerge BECAUSE someone else got it first, they clearly have no emotional attachment to the item and lastly, they seek to profit (at your expense) from you NOT getting there first and YOU having an EMOTIONAL attachment to the item.

We don't like the so called "scalpers"/"Flippers", because they are seemingly exploiting a weakness in you and me. We take the moral high ground and say that our objection is about driving market prices upwards etc. blah blah blah. If you speak to people who seem to have a particular dislike for scalpers, you'll find that they always speak broadly about the "general" good for the community of fans/fandom etc. I believe that reason is rubbish because they live inconsistently with that so called "value". No. I think it's probably more about the fact that they hate the fact that someone to be profiting (seemingly easily), and at their expense.

Some collectors here who cry "scalper" would NEVER sell the stuff at the price they say someone else's "scalped" stuff is worth. Test my theory out. Ask them what they think a scalpers item is worth. Then ask them if they have one. Then ask them to sell theirs to you. They won't. But then offer them a million dollars for it and see what happens.

But in a free market where people can actually own stuff and sell (non-essential items for life ie. optional extras) stuff (without compulsion), there is such a thing as choice and freedom to buy or sell.

When someone owns an item, they are free to do what they please with it. They could burn it, keep it, bequeath it, treat it badly, treat it well. They're allowed to put it out for sale. And not only sell it, but sell it at whatever price they chose.

And.

You're free to make an offer for it.

If you reach an agreement, you pay for the item, and then you're allowed to do what you please with it.

The end.

In conclusion, the only thing that should dictate our decision to permit or not permit so called "scalpers" is whether it is legal or not. It doesn't mean you have to like it (morally), but that person should be free to "open their shop" and trade without being hassled, bullied, belittled or threatened.

There is no law (as far as I know) that restricts you from TRYING to sell a personal item for any price you choose. The law for buying and selling doesn't "judge" motivation nor make it illegal to sell items at a higher price. Neither should we. It may well alter secondary market dynamics, but that is the "market" at work. Something is worth what it is worth. It is the buyer that decides whether they wish to pay something or not. Sunglasses are an optional luxury item. No one HAS to buy sunglasses.



Case Study
In the end, the value of a piece to someone is what they think is worth paying.

And I'll use myself as an example. Early this year I purchased a Freeman Transport Jawbone at a high price. It was $800. Most people would probably think I was out of my mind to pay well over X-metal territory money for such an item but to me, as a collector, I felt it was worth forking out the amount, given it's rarity, the fact that most of them are now destroyed/lost and the fact that I love the model as well as this particular colour combo. I confess I do feel a little embarrassed to admit the amount here, but what can I say? I value the piece highly and I think I'd do it again (if I had the money, as I did at the time). I don't think I'd ever sell it, either.

I think most collectors here would not pay over $300. But in the course of doing my "homework" on the piece with @Romeo Van Frogskinstein, he offered this piece of advice. And I paraphrase, "Sure, it may be worth far less than that. But then you have to consider whether paying several hundred dollars more is worth it, given that it's unlikely you will be able to easily procure a piece like that in the next 2 or 3 years or more". It's not a question easily answered. Given that I've already been looking for 2 years, I felt it wasn't much extra to pay if it was genuine.

So if you're a collector who is after something in particular. Don't be put off by people valuing the piece, that you want to buy, less than you. It's YOUR collection. In the end, it's what YOU are happy to pay for that counts!

All the best in your hunting!!!
 
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All of you are gonna wake up one morning and not be able to open your doors bc i saran wrapped all your houses shut

:lol:
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So if you're a collector who is after something in particular. Don't be put off by people valuing the piece, that you want to buy, less than you. It's YOUR collection. In the end, it's what YOU are happy to pay for that counts!

The price of any piece in your collection is only of consequence on two occasions. When you acquire it and when you retire it. Pride in the content of your collection however, enriches everyday in between.

Isn't that why we turn the light on in our display cases everyday?

.
 

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