What's with the pricing on sale/trade forums? We should monitor the prices.
Apr 2, 2012 at 4:56 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 70

Chezzy79

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So I've been checking out the sales/trade forum multiple times a day in order to find a good deal.  But it seems like the forum is getting filled with people who wants to sell the cans for how much they paid, not how much it is worth (for example, $360 for scratched up Pro 900, $180 for TripleFi 10, $250 for a year-old AKG K701, $950 for a year-old LCD-2).  Anyways, in a lot of cases the price on the used item is comparable/higher than the retail price for a new one, and they don't even come with a warranty.
 
Could we please spread the words and call people out so nobody gets ripped off on the Head-Fi forums and we can all keep getting good deals from here?  I want to keep seeing posts like "Like new Signature Pro for $800" or "slightly used LCD-2 Rev 2 for $750", not only because I just saved up enough money to buy one of these, but this way it is a lot easier to trade and try each others gear for people (like me) who doesn't have access to other high-end equipment.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:05 PM Post #3 of 70
"Calling people out" on not offering great prices on FS listings is against HF ToS to my knowledge.
 
Here's the simple truth: listings that are better deals will sell much faster.  Listings that are priced at or near new prices will stay on the market longer, sometimes indefinitely.  
 
Something else to ponder: I have seen people recently offer up (as an example) a 9/10 K701 for ~$240.  Harman themselves have been selling it for $215 for the last year.  Are these posters ripping you off?  In most cases they aren't, as they didn't know better and paid $300 six months ago and are still not aware of the better deals out there.  It is the buyer's prerogative to find the better deals out there, not the seller's.  
 
Flippers and the like are a different story.
 
We could start a deals type thread with a first post that is constantly edited by the OP to reflect the "best deal" on X headphones, with a running list of hundreds of models.  This could be used as a reference by both buyers and sellers when selling/buying used headphones.  This would be a surefire way of many of these deals disappearing though.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:05 PM Post #4 of 70
The buyers here are generally very well informed compared to the average Joe looking for any headphone. Ask the seller if they are willing to be more reasonable with their pricing if you want to buy their gear. Otherwise, just move on.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:08 PM Post #5 of 70


Quote:
People can price stuff at whatever cost they want - if the price is wrong it wont sell.



I would say the same thing if this was eBay or craigslist... but this is Head-Fi, where commercial sales and flipping for profit aren't allowed, and I thought that the purpose of the forum was to provide each other with good deal and trades, especially since a lot of people doesn't have a place nearby to test the headphones they want, like in a retail store such as B&H or a friend that's into headphones... plus, if you actually dealt with these sellers who are "unaware of better deals", they are unreasonably reluctant in a lot of cases to lower the price.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 5:14 PM Post #6 of 70


Quote:
I would say the same thing if this was eBay or craigslist... but this is Head-Fi, where commercial sales and flipping for profit aren't allowed, and I thought that the purpose of the forum was to provide each other with good deal and trades, especially since a lot of people doesn't have a place nearby to test the headphones they want, like in a retail store such as B&H or a friend that's into headphones... plus, if you actually dealt with these sellers who are "unaware of better deals", they are unreasonably reluctant in a lot of cases to lower the price.


As others have pointed out, in most cases it is not "flippers", it's people are putting what they think is a fair price. If the market disagrees, they'll end up dropping the price, if someone agrees, they sell it.
 
Again, as others have pointed out, most buyers and sellers here know what they are doing with prices so no one gets "ripped off".
 
People own their gear, it is entirely up to them what they ask for when they sell it, and its entirely up to the potential buyer to vote with their wallet.
 
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:11 PM Post #8 of 70
I would just offer what YOU think they're worth and if they don't take the offer you just wait for another, more reasonably priced, set to come along.

In my experience, most of the FS/FT prices I've run into have been very reasonable, to the point that I've sold things here for less than I probably could've gotten for them elsewhere. I don't necessarily need the money, and I like feeling like the buyer is excited about his new purchase.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:15 PM Post #9 of 70
Sellers are free to set the price on items as high as they want. In the end they're wasting their time, but there's nothing wrong with it. As juantendo8 pointed out, buyers (most at least) on these forums are well informed and know the true market value of certain items. There shouldn't be any concern about people being ripped off and thus no "calling people out" should be warranted. In fact, that in itself goes against the objective of Head-Fi being an open and friendly environment.
 
If you want to see scammers at work, try Craigslist.
 
Also, people don't post items for sale so others can get a good deal. Yes, it works out that way, but people sell pieces of gear for personal reasons, and are in most cases just trying to recoup their initial investments as much as possible. I've sold several items on these forums and I know I hate to take a hit on deals.
 
If you disagree with the price, there's nothing against contacting the seller and bartering.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:19 PM Post #10 of 70
Headfiers are pretty well informed and are most likely aware of the current street value of the product they want to buy. If someone charges an unreasonable price, I assure you that the seller will have to re-bump their post for a very long and extensive period of time.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:22 PM Post #11 of 70


Quote:
People can price stuff at whatever cost they want - if the price is wrong it wont sell.



Actually it's against Head-Fi rules to sell on the forums at a profit.  So if you see someone doing that, send them a PM or alert a moderator.
 
But there isn't a rule against selling for what you paid, even if what you paid is more than they are worth.
 
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:27 PM Post #12 of 70
On the flip side, I wish buyers would read the whole ad before shooting off a private message to the seller.  I've sold many items on this forum - and, in each case, I've felt that I've priced my item(s) quite fair as I has never taken me very long to sell my items at all.  Now, back to those buyers who don't read the full ad and "offer" you a price even though you've never clicked on the option to have your ad reflect "or best offer".  Since I try to keep my gear realistically priced, I hate those low-ball offers that come through because people can't read.
 
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 8:29 PM Post #13 of 70


Quote:
Actually it's against Head-Fi rules to sell on the forums at a profit.  So if you see someone doing that, send them a PM or alert a moderator.
 
But there isn't a rule against selling for what you paid, even if what you paid is more than they are worth.
 


I wasn't actually referring to selling at a profit; none of the examples given in the OP mention that. 
 
Regardless, it's actually "flipping" that is against the rules. Buying something here or elsewhere for a good deal and immediately selling it for more.
 
If someone buys a set of headphones in the 70s or 80s or 90s which get discontinued and become highly valued collectors items they can (and do) sell them for a profit in the long run. 
 
Why shouldn't they sell them at their market price? It's not like they can go out and buy them again themselves for any less than that after they are sold.
 
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 11:42 PM Post #14 of 70
Everybody here has the resources of this forum, as well as search engines and all that is the Internet.  Perform a little due diligence and don't be afraid to say "no thanks".
 
While I have not yet bought or sold here, I prefer that people not waste my times with unreasonable listings of any stripe.  However, what I judge to be "unreasonable" may be just fine to some one else.  Further, this is an international forum.  So what is unreasonable in my country or region, might not be in another--and vice versa.
 
Apr 2, 2012 at 11:52 PM Post #15 of 70
Get a gun and put pantyhose over you head if you want to steal something...
 

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