S.P.Q.R

[Peter Brydon]

Nothing to do with Roman history but as the Forum seems rather quiet after one particular thread seems to have come to have come to a conclusion ( or should that be end ) I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the following.

Some dealers seem to have certain items of stock for which they are asking very high prices and which they have had for literally years.

I know it is their stock and they can do what ever they want with it ,but I do wonder why they never seem to reduce their prices when there have been no takers after the market has been well and truly tested.

Is it not better to make a quick,if smaller profit,rather than have an item on your books for years .There must be a cost in holding an item when there does not appear to be a prospect of a early sale. I suppose in due course the market will catch up with the dealers idea of the value and it will sell.I am not thinking about ultra scarce items,some items seem to sell within hours of being listed on web sites no matter what the asking price.

Perhaps no one knows the true value of some items ?

I would be interested to hear other members thoughts.

P.B.

[grumpy]

In my case, I hold stock of all my books 'what I wrote'.

The house and shed are all paid for, I heat the former and not the latter, and I can perceive no on-going cost at all.

To say the money would be better invested is not true ....... if I buy printers run-ons of my books [which I always do], I get a fine mark-up AND can afford to discount the RRP.

Only winners.

[LONGSHANKS]

Hi P.B., I think the same sometimes when I see some badges at a high price. I think that maybe one day they sell them and to some it might be worth the wait.
I have to be honest, that your point on paying high for a badge elates to the buyers need. I mean being in the US, I don't have a plentiful supply of flea markets etc to pick up the odd bargain so when there's a badge I need to complete I pretty much pay way over the odd's as it's the only method of getting the right one etc.
I list badges on Ebay myself and sometime's they go for a song, when I know they should sell much higher. And on some occasions I sell a bog standard infantry for three time's it's market value. I recently auctioned a basic Worcestershire for nearly $45 (28 pound plus shipping to Ireland). I tend to think if I'd listed it for 45 it would have sat there for years.
It all depends on the need of the buyer as regards the final sale price.

Simon.

[Phillip Herring]

Simon,

I have seen some of your badges on EBay and could not bid on them because they could not be shipped to Canada. I know it is up to you, but make sure that you can reach your market. Ensure that collectors in Canada and the UK can bid and you may get more for your badges.

Phil

[LONGSHANKS]

Hi Phil, I set them for Canada etc. You should just let me know on here, I will revise if the listing doesn't allow. I list and set for canada, but have had it where for some reason it didn't end up with the Canada in the mix. I usually just set for UK, Canada and US.



Simon.

[Sonofacqms]

PB, from my point of view, I can see why people with original reasonably scarce badges hang on to them.

Look at the prices what some of the common items make at online bidding, I saw a few titles, collars and a few corps cap badges plus a cloth naval badge make over £70.

Of course not all items make this amount but prices generally seem high these days. Whenever I want any item, I generally have to pay a good price.

Rob

[Peter Brydon]

Rob,

I was thinking more of dealers for whom selling militaria is their livelihood, I would agree,it is better for collectors to hang onto reasonably scarce items rather than to sell them at knock down prices.

Most business`s seem to have sales on a regular basis to get rid of stock that has not sold. I am not suggesting that militaria dealers should do that,but they dont even seem to make even minor reductions in asking prices when there is no interest in items that they have been offering for some considerable time.

Perhaps for a lot of dealers selling militaria is a side line to their main source of income.

Peter

[KLR]

"Nothing to do with Roman history........."


That's a pity ! I know much more about the Roman army than the modern (19th / 20th century) British army !!!

[Sonofacqms]

Peter,

I think many of the people who deal have other interests or are retired, a friend of mine who is a great collector of things and has many other business interests once said that good badges and other militaria are better than money in the bank.

With todays interest rates being what they are this is very true.

Rob