goodmanners
Member
I'll say it - Craigslist sucks. You want to deal with the bottom 10% of society then try to buy and sell on it.
And Kijiji is not far behind.
And Kijiji is not far behind.
FS "Not Mine" Pinball Machines For Sale
- Thread starter mwong168
- Start date
I "ambulance chased" 2-3 pins a long time ago. Quite the experience.
I am glad friends own those pins now. I won't bother doing it again though.
It isn't worth it unless it is a "grail" type "keeper" pin and most really are not that at all.
The one's I chased were meant for others, so I am glad I did. I won't again. Pinball Karma.
I am glad friends own those pins now. I won't bother doing it again though.
It isn't worth it unless it is a "grail" type "keeper" pin and most really are not that at all.
The one's I chased were meant for others, so I am glad I did. I won't again. Pinball Karma.
Well said. I believe in pinball karma. I'll never attempt to pull the rug out from under someone who has struck a deal. If it means losing out, so be it. I was recently rewarded with a few sweetheart deals that fell into my lap...so the karma train keeps rolling along.
mstellato
Member
I agree. I was the first to contact the seller of the STLE. We agreed on his $7200 price and pickup as soon as he was available. Next morning I get a text saying he had sold it to someone else for 800.00 more. No big deal from my end. I won't engage in a bidding war with people. But you can't help noticing how far we've fallen....or maybe not. Greed has always been around. Its up to you to decide how you want to conduct yourself.
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While my intent isn't to make this a "philosophicl thread" on purpose, I think the added commentry here is excellent.
When you help others get what they want, it is amazing how Pinball Karma sends you what it is that you want as well.
When you help others get what they want, it is amazing how Pinball Karma sends you what it is that you want as well.
I've helped many people over the past 3-4 years buy/sell pinballs (easily 300+ pin deals). I don't middle man any of these deals and expect any sort of compensation but have been given things such as gift cards or booze as a token of appreciation. My real take away from helping people is:
a) I know what it is like to finally get a pin you have been wanting or had on your wish list for a while, the best ones are grail pins.
b) I get to keep tabs on a game because usually the buyer will reach out to me first when it comes time to sell
c) When the above happens I get to usually help out someone else and cycle just repeats itself like a pyramid scheme like Amway
I won't mention names but another member I use to talk to years ago asked why I didn't charge a "fee" and just seemed miffed why I would go through so much trouble setting up deals for nothing. It didn't surprise me because I heard that same member also expected a "finders fee" for forwarding a public kijiji pinball for sale ad to another member who ended up buying it. I thought that was pretty lame of him and that is why over the years I have dedicated as much time in this thread in helping others find pins.
I've actually been in touch with some sellers who I arranged a buyer for tell me they are being offered more money because they forgot to pull their kijiji ad down. I usually ask who and most of the time it appears to be the same group of people and leave it up to the seller to do what they think is right. If they end up taking more money then I won't help them sell another game in the future again or waste too much time. I know the seller has every right in the end but don't ask me for pricing advise or help finding a buyer only to waste time and get hopes up for nothing.
Try to play nice guys because nothing stays in your collection forever as there will always be that next game you will want more then your last. It would also be a shame for word to get out in this small community that you have bad character or morals because you tglover'd someone out of a game by offering the seller more money.
Bigbossfan
Active Member
Well said gents.
For me, this hobby (and those I associate with) isn't about flipping a pin for a quick buck. Shit, if it was, we would all be trying to sell our stuff over on Pinside, where fetching the US buck would be beneficial to any seller. Perfect example, look at Scott's TOTAN. He's doing the right thing by trying to keep it in the Canadian community.
I'm the one that got screwed over for that XMLE. I even offered the seller to send a deposit to hold the game. "Not necessary" he said. Well, we know how that turned out. Luckily the amount of good people I've met in this hobby far out-number the scum-bags and douches I've met. Some I will never EVER do business with again. Fool me once, shame on you......, fool me twice, shame on me.
Keep flipping folks!
For me, this hobby (and those I associate with) isn't about flipping a pin for a quick buck. Shit, if it was, we would all be trying to sell our stuff over on Pinside, where fetching the US buck would be beneficial to any seller. Perfect example, look at Scott's TOTAN. He's doing the right thing by trying to keep it in the Canadian community.
I'm the one that got screwed over for that XMLE. I even offered the seller to send a deposit to hold the game. "Not necessary" he said. Well, we know how that turned out. Luckily the amount of good people I've met in this hobby far out-number the scum-bags and douches I've met. Some I will never EVER do business with again. Fool me once, shame on you......, fool me twice, shame on me.
Keep flipping folks!
Bigbossfan
Active Member
I've helped many people over the past 3-4 years buy/sell pinballs (easily 300+ pin deals). I don't middle man any of these deals and expect any sort of compensation but have been given things such as gift cards or booze as a token of appreciation. My real take away from helping people is:
a) I know what it is like to finally get a pin you have been wanting or had on your wish list for a while, the best ones are grail pins.
b) I get to keep tabs on a game because usually the buyer will reach out to me first when it comes time to sell
c) When the above happens I get to usually help out someone else and cycle just repeats itself like a pyramid scheme like Amway
I won't mention names but another member I use to talk to years ago asked why I didn't charge a "fee" and just seemed miffed why I would go through so much trouble setting up deals for nothing. It didn't surprise me because I heard that same member also expected a "finders fee" for forwarding a public kijiji pinball for sale ad to another member who ended up buying it. I thought that was pretty lame of him and that is why over the years I have dedicated as much time in this thread in helping others find pins.
I've actually been in touch with some sellers who I arranged a buyer for tell me they are being offered more money because they forgot to pull their kijiji ad down. I usually ask who and most of the time it appears to be the same group of people and leave it up to the seller to do what they think is right. If they end up taking more money then I won't help them sell another game in the future again or waste too much time. I know the seller has every right in the end but don't ask me for pricing advise or help finding a buyer only to waste time and get hopes up for nothing.
Try to play nice guys because nothing stays in your collection forever as there will always be that next game you will want more then your last. It would also be a shame for word to get out in this small community that you have bad character or morals because you tglover'd someone out of a game by offering the seller more money.
Yes this is Wong in a nutshell. I haven't had to place a FS add in awhile because of his help. And if I do place a FS add its not because he's not helping me, it's because I'm too damn impatient to wait a day for responses
anyway it's like I say "you can't go wrong when you call Wong!"2001 - $1000 - Barrie
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-toys-games/b...ne/1110736418?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Dragon (Interflip) - $395 - York Region
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-toys-games/m...95/1110823984?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
That's odd, seller puts York Region but the number looks like it is from Newmarket. Maybe someone is trying to do a quick flip to make a buck?
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-toys-games/b...ne/1110736418?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Dragon (Interflip) - $395 - York Region
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-toys-games/m...95/1110823984?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
That's odd, seller puts York Region but the number looks like it is from Newmarket. Maybe someone is trying to do a quick flip to make a buck?
Frustratingly enough, this is the very one I was on my way to pick up for $200... I got a text literally on my way saying "sorry, the game sold to someone else". At least now I know who the "someone else" is.
Frustratingly enough, this is the very one I was on my way to pick up for $200... I got a text literally on my way saying "sorry, the game sold to someone else". At least now I know who the "someone else" is.
We're eating our own young here, people. Leave the flipping to the flippers.
No real point gents.
Been quietly saying it for years.
We all require the same help and "teaching".
You can try on your own. Brewmanager "advised" me not to.
Been quietly saying it for years.
We all require the same help and "teaching".
You can try on your own. Brewmanager "advised" me not to.
Morals?
If I am selling something and people offer me significantly MORE $$, I am going to sell it to them, UNLESS, I have made a 100% deal with someone who is coming at an agreed upon time/date. I have sold over 700 items on Kijiji over the past few years to make some extra $, and 75% of people never show up, the ones that do, 50% will try to haggle on an agreed upon price. Why on Earth in a free market would I sell something for less than I can make more on it?
Seriously, if someone offered me $800 more on a machine after a deal has been made, I would call back original buyer and see if he understands that I cannot pass it up this offer, or see if he will come up a bit in price to make the trade off reasonable. Most reasonable people will understand that a few hundred more on a machine is hard to pass up. I don't you know about you, but I am not rich, and a few hundred dollars more takes precedent over some supposed deal that almost always falls through with buyers who suddenly renege, don't show up, or don't return e-mails after a deal is made - and that IS the majority of them.
Let's not forget that these people on here that harp on about "community", go to shows and buy machines, fix 'em up and then try to derive maximum profit from these machines. They are not there to give you a cheap deal. Nothing wrong with that at all, but trying to chastise the average seller who wants to make his money back on a machine, or perhaps a bit more, is rather myopic thinking.
Still, if a deal has been made, I would try to keep up my end of it, since I am a person of my word.
Thanks for pointing yourself out as "one of those guys"
I know not to make a deal with you ever.
cdnpinballer
Member
- Nov 15, 2012
- 342
- 13
- 18
Uh-Oh... Around these parts this is a huge NO-NO and you will get flamed for it because it's unethical since in your words a deal has been made. Pitch forks are coming... Better seek shelter and hide yourself now.
Honey Badger
Well-Known Member
Wedge Head...If you wanted that price to begin with then you should price it at that or sell on eBay as that is an auction site. When people play those games with me on kijiji I tell them to stick it in their ass!
cdnpinballer I don't know how you would feel if you struck a verbal agreement with a seller to buy a game for an agreed upon price, make arrangements to get a vehicle for transport and take a day off only to get a message the day of saying sorry but someone offered me a little more money if you still want it you have to match or tough luck. Even worse what if the seller doesn't even have the courtesy to give you advanced notice and pulls this crap when you show up to his door. This has happened before to some of my friends in the past and trust me it sucks when you drive 6-8 hours one way to find this news out and even worse you give in because you don't wanna go home empty handed.
I think you are missing the whole point and it has nothing to do with the extra money and more to do with seller not honouring his word. Clearly if he wasn't happy with only getting $7200 for his STLE he wouldn't have listed it for that price or sold it to the first person who contacted them via kijiji. It just happened that he grossly undervalued his game and I'm sure everyone who inquired probably knew that. When they were told the game was sold to someone else for full asking they probably made a subtle comment or maybe an outright offer they would paid $X more on top of asking. At the end of the day it's the seller's game and they are free to do or sell it to whoever they please.
A good friend of mine inquired the day the STLE listing came up for $7200 but was too late and seller told him it was sold... likely to mstellato as you read above. Then the following day I see the same STLE re-listed for $8000 and I told my friend but he didn't bother as he didn't want to get caught up in a bidding war especially when he is located in Ottawa. Even though my friend didn't get this STLE I did help him secure another pin that has been on his wish list which was Austin Powers. He was even more shocked that I found him a nice HUO example the same day after telling me he wanted one too. I haven't earned this "enabler" title over the years for nothing and when I help put a deal together it almost always goes through 100% and nobody's time get wasted.
I think this is where readers might get confused, as these statements come across as contradictory. Either a person is of their word or... well, they aren't.
If you agree upon, and make a deal, you should honour it. If the buyer attempts to change that deal, you don't have to accept the change. If the buyer doesn't complete the deal (i.e. pick up and payment) in a reasonable amount of time, I think it's fair to consider other options. However the key thing here is making all reasonable efforts to honour the agreement you made: if the buyer comes and pays the agreed upon price, you should complete the sale. It takes two parties to come to agreement, one of them being you (the seller or the buyer). If another buyer come up saying they would pay more, perhaps you should have waited longer for more offers, or sold the pin at auction.
Yes, buyers are going to haggle as, after all in most cases, these are used products. As a buyer, you don't really know the condition until you see it and play it in person, and the condition may affect your offer. It doesn't mean, as a seller, that you have to haggle too. If you are happy to wait for your price, wait for it.
Oftentimes in this hobby, we drive long distances to buy a pin, and sellers really need to consider how they'd feel if they'd made arrangements to buy a pin from someone, arranged to borrow a larger vehicle, withdrew a larger amount of cash, possibly taken the day off work, and driven a long distance, and then the seller sold out from under them.
Integrity is an important thing is the relatively small pinball community, for buyers and sellers alike.
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