[Kernmac]

Not sure where to post this thread, so I am posting it here as it is in regards to headphones mostly and the Mods can then do with it what they want.

I'm only interested in other forum members opinions here and this is not a shot at anyone, so please don't take it that way, but I am curious as to what could be perceived as inconsistency regarding the practice of "Flipping" in the for sale forums.

For instance there are rules regarding the practice of Flipping (and I think most of us are comfortable that is a good practice to discourage through rules) and there are occasional specific pre-empted warnings of potential flipping EG: tripple Fi 10s and even more recently K702s (good luck to all those that may have snapped up a bargain) however it seems flipping could be seen to apply to other situations which do not seem to raise the spotlight. EG: Example that comes to mind HF2s (several available at the moment)

Now I think most would agree that some vintage or discontinued headphones will potentially increase in value over time and it is perfectly acceptable to sell said headphones at market value, even if that means making a profit over the original purchase price. So when is a return on investment legitimate and when is it flipping?

 

[Kernmac]

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[aimlink]

That's a difficult one, and unless you see an obvious pattern, it's difficult to put a finger on it since people will turn around and sell their headphones for various reasons and may well come across as though they're flipping. Times are hard and I'm sure that we'll be seeing flipping in various shades and subtle manifestations. Only a serious observer will pick it up.

As to the vintage or discontinued models which have acquired increased market value because of increased demand, we will never know why each owner wishes to sell. Those sales will have to be considered legit.

Flipping is when you buy the can for what you know to be a below market value price with the intention to sell it very soon after purchase for a price that's closer or at market value. It's difficult to do this with vintage or discontinued models since the one flipping will not have owned the model for the time required to realize the intended profits. The serious flipper that purchases limited editions upon release with the intention of selling them in the next year or so at a profit? I don't see how one can stop that from happening.

 

[aristos_achaion]

I'd say that flipping has occurred when the seller has not listened to the headphones a sufficient length of time to form an opinion on its sound. Obviously, that definition falls short if you're flipping headphones you already own, but I'd say it's legit if they can give you a good reason why they chose to sell.

 

[MomijiTMO]

I dunno, I feel that it is pretty hard to prevent. At pc forums I always post the receipt with my goods [and post a pic if asked] to show what I've paid. Most people on OCAU [Aus pc forum] have the decency to only price their used goods for as much as they bought them, even if the local price increases [due to global shortage, ER etc]. There is some kind of unwritten rule there were everyone prices low. It's not screwing the buyer as such as you can also get bargains. I feel that not enough people have this perspective at HF and hence the occurrence of flipping.

I'll make a harsh and unfair stereotype that this is only a problem with the younger crowd.

 

[Kernmac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MomijiTMO /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll make a harsh and unfair stereotype that this is only a problem with the younger crowd.

I'm not sure I agree with that generalisation, I have no data, just gut feel, but I think ethics and values are fairly well distributed amongst all age groups. Perhaps older people like (us-I assume) me have more experiences to form our values. One thing I know is that my values are my values, and I should only consider mine right for me, because someone else has different values that are right for them.

 

[MomijiTMO]

By younger I mean <30 crowd which includes myself. My statement was also just gut feelings and from some personal experiences and observations. I feel that those who have been working full time and have saved up for that house and car, generally act fairly when it comes to used goods. Those looking for a quick buck are the ones who don't work hard enough, most often youths. I think Gen Y threw ethics out the window.

EDIT: If you search for 'scammed' in the member's lounge you'll see that the majority of scammers/bad deals involve <30s. Just saying but it seems my group seems to make unethical decisions more so than other groups. It's no surprise that a cash strapped college/uni student like myself will jump on a quick buck, after all I have a 30k student loan.