On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, FBA wrote:
> The seller I was refering to had the biggest booth of all and the most
> inflated prices I have ever seen. For reference the name started with
> "Computer" and ended in "Jones", That's the guy who didn't want to sell at
> the VCF. I don't know where he comes from but I have never ever ever seen a
> dealer in used "crap" refusing to bargain. And that really pissed me off
> (here you go Sellam another example of where cussing IS appropriate). That's
> the dude I hope had to take his load back home. He's a buisness and should
> know better. If he wants "ebay prices" (TM) for his stuff, he should sell on
> ebay or out of his store or whaterver hole in the wall he normally operates
> from. A hobby meeting is for hobbyists where you unload stuff you don't want
> anymore and sell at a reasonable price so you're not out of pocket. If a
> business wants to participate, they should undrstand the spirit of the event
> and be willing to play by the rules.
I hear you loud and clear. My problem is in choosing between filling the
vendor area with stuff and generating more income for the enterprise vs.
turning away vendors who may potentially cause problems. Let's see, money
vs. empty space, money vs. empty space, hmmmm... :)
The only thing I pre-screen about a vendor is what they're selling, to
make sure they are sticking to the rule (10 years or older, computer stuff
only). I have considered making suggestions to them about pricing but I
didn't feel it was my place to dictate how they should run their business.
However, I think next year I will make suggestions to the vendors that may
result in increased sales for them.
Overall the pricing of stuff at the VCF is reasonable, with the occasional
exception from particularly hard-headed sellers, as well as the occasional
bargain. But like with anything, haggling skills are useful.
Some of the best deals were at the consignment table, which unfortunately
wasn't as organized as last year's. I plan to improve this considerably
next year and get even more stuff there. The consignment section actually
is a haggle zone. The prices you see on the items are not absolutely set,
and are usually low to begin with.
Sellam International Man of Intrigue and Danger
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking for a six in a pile of nines...
VCF 4.0 is September 30-October 1
San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California
See
http://www.vintage.org for details!
Received on Thu Oct 12 2000 - 16:34:44 BST