A LART is needed (was: VCF 4.0)

From: Jerome Fine <jhfine_at_idirect.com>
Date: Tue Oct 17 23:15:48 2000

>Sellam Ismail wrote:

> > I wasn't there, but I take it that some vendors dumped stuff they couldn't
> > sell? What is the problem with that?
> Well, personally, I think it demonstrates poor character (the mentality is
> "if no one will give me money for this then I'm not going to give it away
> either"...basically like the type of people who would rather scrap
> something than sell it for less than they think it's worth) but that's
> just my opinion.

Jerome Fine replies:

There might be another reason. I don't agree with the reason, but if you
attempt to step into their shoes (as I just did since I wanted to answer),
they may feel that giving it away would prevent a sale in the future. Plus,
if no one is willing to pay for the item, no one should have it. Probably
the first reason (which is self-interest) is more correct.

> However, since in this case I get to call the shots, I won't allow this to
> happen at the VCF. It happened this year and last because I didn't have a
> policy about it and I didn't know it was happening until this year.

I really think it would have been very easy to anticipate the problem - maybe
not the extent - and if small it probably would not matter. But even if it was
or is small, I personally find the whole idea unreasonable.

However, you will also find that if you actually have a standard policy that
stops dumping, at least a few people will just take the junk with them
after all and dump it somewhere else - which you should also consider.
If that policy is also unreasonable, but you feel it is out of your hands if
that happens, then you really need to re-think what should and needs
to be done.

> From now on, I'd like the vendors to leave with what they bring, or if
> they choose to leave it behind, it will have to be made free, first-come,
> first-served. However, finding a way to enforce this that won't tick off
> a vendor will require some thought.

Maybe have the vendors decide by a vote. I suspect that most people
will not want their names associated with deliberate dumping. The
question of taking stuff home could also be on the agenda - along with
reserve prices, etc. However, since I have never been to a VCF and
don't know how the vendors and customers feel about such things,
I am just bring up some questions. Why not poll this list for some answers
and give particular weight to previous vendors and customers.

> I brought a bunch of Apple //e systems to sell and only managed to hawk
> one. I didn't want to go home with the rest of them, and I certainly
> didn't want to trash them, so I yelled "FREE APPLE //E SYSTEMS!!!" and a
> few people came running. Problem solved :)

I would agree that is one of the most reasonable methods. Another might be
tagging an article if it does not sell - maybe with a minimum donation to the VCF
and having a window during which the item can be claimed. I don't know what
the VCF budget is, but those donations could be used to provide a vendor
with a credit for the next event - that way everyone seems to win. Maybe
at least 10% of the items left unsold must be made available in that manner -
vendors choice of course.

Sincerely yours,

Jerome Fine
Received on Tue Oct 17 2000 - 23:15:48 BST

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