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Should things be sold in B&S WITHOUT sellers making profits?

post #1 of 21
6/15/10 at 7:31am
Thread Starter 
I had a rather odd response to one of my sales threads in B&S, in which a member pointed out that I wasn't making much money (actually, any, in fact....!) on an item I was selling (a canvassed Bouvy blazer in Loro Piana wool) and so advised me to just donate it to Goodwill rather than try to find a new home for it with someone here who'd appreciate it.

I responded in the thread (it didn't bump, as I did so immediately, but I did drop the price to abide by the letter of the rules--thus making even more of a loss! ), but rather than have people discuss the issue in that thread (and so bump it at the expense of other sellers) I've started this one.

So--question: Is there a place in B&S for people who are passing along desirable items without making any or much of a profit on them as a service to other members, or not?

I think, obviously, yes, but apparently some people think this is foolish!
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post #2 of 21
6/15/10 at 7:47am
Should things be sold in B&S WITHOUT sellers making profits? No. Why do you hate our freedom? Is there a place in B&S for people who are passing along desirable items without making any or much of a profit on them as a service to other members, or not? Yes. In fact, I do it all the time. Most of the items I've sold were sold at either break even or at a small loss (after Paypal & shipping fees). Actually, I can't recall an instance where I said to myself: damn, I made a killing on these dumbasses today.
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post #3 of 21
6/15/10 at 9:18am
I've broken even too many times.
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post #4 of 21
6/15/10 at 10:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNW View Post
Should things be sold in B&S WITHOUT sellers making profits?

No. Why do you hate our freedom?


Is there a place in B&S for people who are passing along desirable items without making any or much of a profit on them as a service to other members, or not?

Yes. In fact, I do it all the time. Most of the items I've sold were sold at either break even or at a small loss (after Paypal & shipping fees). Actually, I can't recall an instance where I said to myself: damn, I made a killing on these dumbasses today.

+1! B&S is a great place to try out items that some of us cannot find locally and, if it doesn't fit (I've done this to myself a handful of times already!) then a person can put it right back up there and usually get the money back, or close enough to it.

One member recently had a "for free" ad up there with a few items and he was simply asking for shipping costs to be covered. I asked for shoes and a shirt and made sure to send an extra couple bucks to cover all his costs in shipping from Canada - so yes, there absolutely is some spirit of helping out others on there.

SP
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post #5 of 21
6/15/10 at 11:01am
I love that there are others around here that are putting things up for sale that other like-minded fellows would appreciate and give a new home... there's often a good chance that if you throw it in the donation bin, it gets unnoticed by the average shopper and ends up being torn apart for rags. Once I build a little higher post count and some more time here, I have a small amount of items I'll likely post here just to thin my closet a tad - and my prices won't be set with profit in mind.
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post #6 of 21
6/15/10 at 3:15pm
in before someone starts on a obama socialist redistribution of weath rant.
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post #7 of 21
6/16/10 at 12:15am
We should all rock according to our ability and kop according to our need.
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post #8 of 21
6/16/10 at 12:58am
Just sell it for what is a generally normal price. You don't have to sell it for the lowest possible price it has ever reached either via gilt or century21 or ebay price. Most of the time, when you price it really high trying to turn a profit it won't sell anyways and you'll have to drop the price 10% or so which will get it back down to where you break even or lose a bit. No biggie. Buyers on the forum shouldn't feel so entitled and have no leverage considering between here, sufu, sz, and ebay there are a lot of outlets to sell clothing
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post #9 of 21
6/16/10 at 2:48am
Sellers should be able to make profits, but those looking to pass on items for low cost/no cost shouldn't be discouraged.
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post #10 of 21
6/16/10 at 3:28am
FYI this was actually the guiding principle on my other forum (skiing related) for years. No longer viable, Buy&Sell there now operates on lord of the flies rules. But for a long time it was. Teton gravity research forums is self-policed strictly enough that there isn't a lot of profiteering there still. Doesn't really make sense here and the fact that people try to make money, even though it's mostly MC dudes, actually results in a better selection of discount goods available even if prices aren't rock bottom. Personally I've never really made any money doing it aside from proxying a couple sample sales which was maybe %10-15.
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post #11 of 21
6/16/10 at 12:28pm
Yea, it's hard to turn much money in sw&d. Even if i bought those CPs on deep sale at like $150. The most i'd probably be able to get for them is like $200 but more likely $175 and that barely covers paypal fees and shipping. Even buying drkshdw tees from c21 for $50 and selling them for $100 (sometimes $90) wouldn't really net you much unless you did some volume. Still, nowhere else to get drkshdw tees for $100 online or at a store. It's also silly some people think someone should spend their own time (going to the store and buying the stuff, creating the thread, doing the measurements and taking the pics, packaging and going to the post office to ship) all for free, especially with the risk of putting your own money down on the stuff ahead of time with the risk it doesn't sell and you have to price drop or someone out there screws you over
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post #12 of 21
6/16/10 at 12:30pm
Sellers' bonuses should be limited to twice their profit.
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post #13 of 21
6/16/10 at 12:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedScarf7 View Post
Sellers should be able to make profits, but those looking to pass on items for low cost/no cost shouldn't be discouraged.

+1 There's nothing wrong with making a few bucks, but there's no reason to stop people from selling just to recoup costs, either.
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post #14 of 21
6/16/10 at 3:37pm
Hypothetically, if I bought a suit for $2000 and sold it for $1000, I would definitely not be making a profit. But I would still be making $1000.
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post #15 of 21
6/16/10 at 3:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by borderline View Post
Hypothetically, if I bought a suit for $2000 and sold it for $1000, I would definitely not be making a profit. But I would still be making $1000.

Wait. What? In this context, doesn't "making" imply a net gain? The situation you describe is a net loss. If I came out $1,000 in the hole on an item, I don't think I'd say I "made" $1,000.
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