What do people expect when they come here?

[shakespear]

I've noticed a thread or two lately disappointed with bartertown. I think they are confused by selling things on the secondary market..

I've got to say, I do expect more than 20% off retail for items, even if new and sealed. I will trade retail for retail though.

I also think painting an item devalues it, even more..

I am never insulted by lowball offers, I've even accepted a few as they were the only ones I got.

[fitterpete]

It would help if they posted how much they wanted for a item.Ask "make offer" and cry when they don't get offered what they want? I don't get it either.
On the other hand the "make offer" crowd has saved me a lot of money
Pete

[kturock]

What I LEARNED to expect:

MY stuff isn't worth anything;
YOUR stuff is solid gold.

Most people don't know how to pack or even try to and ignore that it gets broken.

[shakespear]

What I LEARNED to expect:

MY stuff isn't worth anything;
YOUR stuff is solid gold.

Most people don't know how to pack or even try to and ignore that it gets broken.

Very true. Though Ive never had a problem with packing from here. EBay...different story. (xBox wrapped in 1 sheet of newspaper)

[bhouze]

Only takes a day in the simple green to make the "pro-painted" model another piece of bare metal.
I guess my time and old toothbrush should be worth something....

[kill4koin]

I expect people to read my topic and/or signature. It's mildly frustrating to think I have a deal closed only to find out they didn't see that I follow the rule that lowest rating goes first in both trade and payment.

I expect that people should realize expectations between traders are different. If you're extremely picky (and I don't mean that in a bad way) about the condition (quality of paint job, amount of visible glue, modifications that escape the naked eye, etc.) you should ask for a picture or ask for very detailed description. Seems to me you're only setting yourself up for disappointment if you don't.

You could argue that one should be more fastidious in their descriptions, but,

[MagickalMemories]

Respectfully, K4K, someone else could say something similar.

To play 'switch up' on a quote from you:

I expect people to know how Bartertown works. It's mildly frustrating to think I have a deal closed only to find out they didn't know that Bartertown says that personal rules in Sig Lines are non-enforceable & that any specifics of the trade must be listed in the trade ads or PM's.

We've stated it openly on numerous occasions; Not everyone has sig lines enabled. Not everyone reads them. If you want something to be included as part of the trade, whether as an item or rule -or, for that matter, DIScluded- then you need it listed in your thread and/or PM string. At that point, you'd have a legitimate beef.

As easy as it should be for them to read it (and I agree that it is), it's not really any harder for you to copy/paste it into the end of your trade ad.

Eric

[IraShaine1972]

I have learned that my items are precisely worth as much as I am willing to sell them for. After ebay and paypal fees I usually get what would probably amount to a lowball offer on b-town. The only upside is that most miniature wargaming stuff will sell almost for sure in the allotted time. B-town may take awhile. Everybody has different expectations and notions of value of what something is worth. I respect that and simply move on if I don't agree.

Had a trade offer recently insist that trading retail for retail be based on what discounts items can be purchased retail for. While my costlier items were readily available to him at a deeper discount than his normally cheaper items he wanted more from me in value. After pointing out numerous locations where his less expensive items were plentiful at the same discount we still agreed to disagree on value terms. It was odd but I wont knock a guy his estimation of his own belongings.

Be respectful is a good rule of thumb. To often on here I have encountered a belittle and insult to get your way attitude that has really served to decrease my activity on here.

[MagickalMemories]

Some very good info in the first 2 paragraphs there.
Sorry to hear that the less polite traders have kept you at bay, though.

IMO, there are 2 ways to handle rude traders. Since it's not against the rules to be rude, there's nothing the site will do about it. That doesn't mean you can't, though.
Either advise them that you didn't care for how rude they were and suggest that they get better at it, since BTown is a place where we support safe, FRIENDLY trading or just ignore them and move on.
Myself, I tend towards the latter. As an Admin, I don't want it to come across as I'm speaking "for the site" when just giving my opinions. Otherwise, I'd definitely educate them.

Myself, I had a trader with some items listed who I contacted. He did not have his location in his profile and I was going on the presumption that he was in the US. I made an offer, shipping included, and asked him to ship first (he had little or no references). He response was a bit less than friendly and included a jab about shipping from Scotland being expensive and that he would not ship before receiving the money, "You pay. I ship. You wait."
I advised him that I didn't know he was in Scotland, since it wasn't listed in his profile, or I wouldn't have even PMed him for such a small trade, then kindly moved on.

Life's too short to deal with ***holes.

Eric

[extropymine]

First off, YMMV. Everyone has different voices in their head when it comes to value, communication, and decorum.

When someone comes to BT with things to offer, they're probably doing it for a mix of reasons: they want to support the site; they want to make sure they send their things to someone who wants them or will use them; they're hoping to trade retail-for-retail so they don't lose money doing a sale and then a purchase on a place like eBay; they're unwilling or unable to deal with the hassles of said other place like eBay; they have no more room in their house. Certainly, when I post something it's a combination of all of those.

When I put something up, I do at least a little research to help me price it in my own head. Then I make some wiggle room for that price and I post it up. If someone falls in the wiggle zone, we can deal. If they're more than just a little below it, I try to explain why I'm not taking their offer, and usually I direct them to the source of my own research. Most of the time, I just never hear from them again, but every now and then someone writes back and amends their offer, since they've now gone to eBay and looked at the 'completed auctions' for the item.

I guess what I'm saying is I always try to act in good faith. I make the assumption that if someone offers me 50% of retail for an OOP item that goes for more than retail every day on eBay, that they just don't know that. So when I say no, I usually try to tell the person *why* I'm saying no, and hopefully they see I'm operating in good faith, too.

On a similar note, I'm bothered when someone who clearly knows their stuff lowballs me, because that's just insulting. When they ask "oh, is that the 2004 version looking to the left or the 2006 version looking straight ahead? Because it's the 2006 version I want" they're telling me they know exactly what they're after, and probably, they've been trying to get one for a little while. If the 2006 version looking straight ahead goes on eBay for $40, they should know that, since they're actively trying to get the model, and so when that person offers me $25, it really bothers me.

[insidius]

I guess I'm old school when it comes to bartering/haggling.

I offer a 'lowball' amount for your item, you overestimate it's value, then we meet somewhere in the middle.

The process is half the fun and occasionally you get someone who doesn't even want to bother with the process and end up getting an item for super cheap.

[MagickalMemories]

I think that lowballing and ... high balling(? Why does it feel dirty, writing that? lol) are both wrong.
I think the low offer should be a low offer that is reasonably acceptable for the item in question ($5 is NOT a reasonable offer for a NIB Land raider), and the high amount should be a reasonable high amount (Retail price is a bit silly, but 15 to 20% off of retail is a reasonable starting point for new items).

Just my $.02, mind you. : )

Eric

[extropymine]

and ... high balling(? Why does it feel dirty, writing that? lol)

Don't worry, a highball is just another word for a mixed drink. You're thinking of freeballing. Which is when someone on BT offers to take your stuff for nothing.

[Raatcharch]

[wanted to delete]

[Raatcharch]

I think that lowballing and ... high balling(? Why does it feel dirty, writing that? lol) are both wrong.
I think the low offer should be a low offer that is reasonably acceptable for the item in question ($5 is NOT a reasonable offer for a NIB Land raider), and the high amount should be a reasonable high amount (Retail price is a bit silly, but 15 to 20% off of retail is a reasonable starting point for new items).

Just my $.02, mind you. : )

Eric

Well, I don't think these should be rules with a moral label (right vs. wrong). You can always say "no" to the offer of $5 for your NIB landraider. But really, it is in the potential buyer's best interest to give the lowest offer they consider reasonable. The problem comes in when party B has a wildly different idea of reasonable than party A. I've had many "lowball" offers gladly accepted, because I'm not going to waste my time on something even I think is stupid.