[Blitzula]

What do you guys think about starting a thread/forum that shows prices that headphones were bought/sold at. For example (using one of my actual prior purchases as an example):

Grado RS-1/very good/$400/Nov-04.

It could even be a non-comment thread to reduce possible arguments, just the information above would be allowed. There could be a separate thread by manufacturer or whatever.

I know some people wouldn't participate, but it'd be cool if either the buyer or seller did, and there was some better indication of what goods are selling for.

 

[nabwong]

What arguments are you referring to? I don't think many people will participate in this. I wouldn't.

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong What arguments are you referring to? I don't think many people will participate in this. I wouldn't.

I was referring to arguements over justified selling prices or whatever people might argue about. Just information on what goods are selling for.

Why wouldn't you participate? What's the downside?

 

[nabwong]

Example....

HD650 - average sale price maybe $250-$300. So let's say a person needs money desperately and he sells it for $200. Do we moderate the price now to $200 for all future sales? Do we prevent the buyer from selling it at $200?

It's a very grey area and i think the best moderator is the market. It works 90% of the time. To me, it doesn't matter what the price is if both the buyer and seller are happy with the price/product. I think the important thing here to remember is both the buyer and seller have a choice.

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong Example.... HD650 - average sale price maybe $250-$300. So let's say a person needs money desperately and he sells it for $200. Do we moderate the price now to $200 for all future sales? Do we prevent the buyer from selling it at $200? It's a very grey area and i think the best moderator is the market. It works 90% of the time. To me, it doesn't matter what the price is if both the buyer and seller are happy with the price/product. I think the important thing here to remember is both the buyer and seller have a choice.

I'm confused. I'm not suggesting we moderate the price or prevent sales on ANYTHING. It's the norm in other markets to have an idea of what things have sold for. Would you want to buy or sell a house without knowing comps? Or any other item in the used market? Why are headphones any different?

I have no ulterior motives other than curiousity about what the used price on gear is. Hopefully my thought is clearer now.

 

[mulveling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong Example.... HD650 - average sale price maybe $250-$300. So let's say a person needs money desperately and he sells it for $200. Do we moderate the price now to $200 for all future sales? Do we prevent the buyer from selling it at $200?

It will be used as a guideline, not the law. Ideally people have higher than a 50 IQ so they can figure out that outliers happen. Considering some of the "deals" I've seen offered on the FS forums in the last year, any downward effect on prices will be much needed and highly appreciated.

I would definitely participate and contribute data after every purchase & sale on this forum. I don't normally agree with Blitz but I like this

 

[iSleipnir]

I would participate, I can't see how it wuold hurt much.

 

[n_maher]

You want to see an argument, I think this thread will start it

.

Whether or not it's the author's intent I think that a lot of people would look at a thread like this as trying to drive down the prices of goods. It merely offers a buyer a place to go look and say, "well that guy only paid $120 for his SR225s so that must be what they're worth".

Personally I simply fail to see the need for a thread like this, the market will bear whatever price is justified and to try to make it any other way makes me uncomfortable. I say let each individual determine what something is worth for themselves.

Nate

 

[meat01]

While I know your intentions are good, I believe this will just start more problems. The way it is now, we just let the market decide how much people are willing to pay. If someone's selling price is too high, they will get the hint when no one sends them offers. Then they will either take their item to ebay, drop the price or just continue to bump their thread. Prices fluctuate so much base on different things that you would not be able to keep up with the prices.

 

[elnero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula I have no ulterior motives other than curiousity about what the used price on gear is.

If people would stop editing their asking prices out of the their for sale threads after the item has sold this type of thing wouldn't be necessary because one could just do a search in the proper for sale forum to get the info.

I've never understood the logic of people editing out the asking price after the item has sold, what difference does it make if it's left for people to see? And it's only been getting worse, the last few products I've thought of possibly picking up used I haven't been able to find any previous asking prices for because they've been edited out so I can't get any idea of what they go for used and I can't even get an idea if it's something I might be able to afford used.

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher Personally I simply fail to see the need for a thread like this, the market will bear whatever price is justified and to try to make it any other way makes me uncomfortable. I say let each individual determine what something is worth for themselves.

Granted, it's been a long time since I took Advanced Microeconomics in college, but I am not aware of any market theory in which withholding price information benefits an efficient marketplace. Availability of information is one of the fundamental assumptions underlying basic microeconomic theory.

I don't think that we need a separate thread for pricing, but I would support the elimination of the practice of removing prices from "for sale" threads once the item is sold.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Like a used car guide?

Fair condition = £800
Good condition = £1200
VGC = £1400
Mint = £1600

That type of thing?

 

[nabwong]

Whether or not a buyer edits the price, doesn't bother me one bit. To me, it's like going to buy a used car. There's a tag on the windshield saying $xxxx. After you buy it, you take it down. There's still other cars of the same make around with tags on.

As you eliminate some types of arguments, you will also create new ones.

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs Granted, it's been a long time since I took Advanced Microeconomics in college, but I am not aware of any market theory in which withholding price information benefits an efficient marketplace. Availability of information is one of the fundamental assumptions underlying basic microeconomic theory.

Exactly. Information on selling prices isn't contrary to the idea of a free market or divorced from it in any way. Just the opposite.

Quote:

Originally Posted by meat01 While I know your intentions are good, I believe this will just start more problems. The way it is now, we just let the market decide how much people are willing to pay. If someone's selling price is too high, they will get the hint when no one sends them offers. Then they will either take their item to ebay, drop the price or just continue to bump their thread.

See my comments above and below. This is stil letting the market decide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs Prices fluctuate so much base on different things that you would not be able to keep up with the prices.

There's market information for items that have greater pricing volatility than headphones. I don't really see that line of reasoning.

Just to repeat, this is just so people (buyer or seller) have an idea of what things have sold for in the past. Whether that information influences their transaction will depend on the popularity of the item, the buyer/sellers own needs, and whether either even looks at or uses that information.

This really shouldn't be a controversial idea. The economics around head-fi are bizarre sometimes.

 

[Tachikoma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elnero the last few products I've thought of possibly picking up used I haven't been able to find any previous asking prices for because they've been edited out so I can't get any idea of what they go for used and I can't even get an idea if it's something I might be able to afford used.

I've always been wondering why people do that -_-