flipping ethics

[hbombgraphics]

Am I the only one that keeps seeing this as flipping ethnics? does that make me secretly racist?

I think it makes me secretly racist, but I can't be racist I have one black aquaintence

[chutneyfarmer]

Sometimes you lose money and sometimes you make some...the profits are there to even everything out (or give you new rig $$$ in space6oy's case)

That's a good point, although to be honest I'm a little fixated on the notion that you "have" to make a profit. Maybe I'm just over analysing it

You don't "have" to make a profit: you're free to sell your pedals for whatever you want. However, most people sell theirs for as much as the market will pay for them, so you'd be the only one losing if you don't play the game their way. More power to you if you want to be the mother teresa of pedal flippers though...changing the pedal flipping game one bargain at a time

Not trying to be Mother Teresa or anything, I just don't understand people's constant need to make money at every available opportunity. But sure what the fuck do I know. Fuck yeah, 'Murica!!!!!

[metalmariachi]

I’ve actually given away more gear than I’ve sold.
I’m a sucker LOL
On the down side of flipping in the early ‘70s I bought an old Gibson archtop in a pawnshop for $75 and a couple of years later sold it for $125.
Fast forward 40 yeas, last one like it I saw for sale was a steal at $12K.
I’m always too late or too soon to profit.

[chutneyfarmer]

I’ve actually given away more gear than I’ve sold.
I’m a sucker LOL
On the down side of flipping in the early ‘70s I bought an old Gibson archtop in a pawnshop for $75 and a couple of years later sold it for $125.
Fast forward 40 yeas, last one like it I saw for sale was a steal at $12K.
I’m always too late or too soon to profit.

Woah!!!! That's nuts man. 12k??

[snipelfritz]

Am I the only one that keeps seeing this as flipping ethnics? does that make me secretly racist?

I think it makes me secretly racist, but I can't be racist I have one black aquaintence

I keep reading it as flipping (as in fucking) ethics. Like TS is saying "Damn me and my constantly having honest and good thoughts!"

[D.o.S.]

Fucking Ethics: Is it morally sound if I want to finish first?

[Jwar]

Do you HAVE to make a profit though??

Yes. Duh.

Why is that though?

Just really curious because I have never understood that whole mentality.

I feel I must clarify because my posts were mostly made in jest.

I in fact believe I have very, very rarely made a profit on any pedal. Usually what happens is someone will PM me and be like "dude I only got this, would you take that?" and if it's not a huge lowball, I sigh and say yes. Of course I will because, first and foremost I am a pedal whore. How else am I supposed to keep the machine running? And secondly, money is stupid.

Now that being said, if I got a stupid good deal on something. Like a bass whammy for 50 bucks or fuck a deep impact for a 100 bucks, I'd flip that bitch for 800, no remorse, no regrets. Why? Because the people that want shit like that, can afford to buy shit like that. They aren't your typical fuzz lover like the likes of most of us, who have to scrounge around for shit to sell so we can get that pedal we are so desperately GASing for at that particular moment.

I hope that makes sense. I'm not greedy by any means, and I give deals as much as I get them.

[rustywire]

It depends.

I spend numerous, even countless hours researching and biding time to learn about most of the gear I wind up buying; and to find bargains which (ideally) keep turnaround/loss to a minimum. Impulse buys are rare, as is buyer's remorse.

In the past year, a pattern has emerged where my best results are coming from vintage/rare/limited effects, and I tend to chase what if as opposed to what is or what was. Plus doing what's easy is boring. Some rare stuff carries the benefit of only the savvy being aware of it, but it's a double edged sword and that rare gear you got for a low price might prove difficult to sell, even at a loss.

But in general, value of such secondhand merch tends to remain fairly linear in the short term, but appreciation is common and fairly occasional is the spike in interest/demand when some new band breaks, or old icon resurfaces with a new project and just about everyone gets GAS chasing their kit.

Anyway, market price is useful but never set in stone...but what really pisses me off is seeing "firm" marked pricing that is significantly over market price. C'mon man.
Occasionally I will test the waters with a higher-than-market price to gauge interest and value by others. Sometimes an absurd price on something I'm really into, but will consider selling for a high return (and if I know it can be replaced) or exceptional trade offer. But it's never "firm"

The best deals and even first chance at my private stock go to repeat business/trade partners or people who don't raise red flags. I don't need any new headaches.

The only time I typically take a loss is in trades, but loss in $/numbers alone...as I will opt for receiving something in return that will be of greater use to me.
That tangible usefulness is in fact, the better value...and goes both ways. Win/win results like that are most satisfying IMO.

[psychedelicrelic]

I typicaly flip for the price I got it if its used gear. Like that ps5 I sold you hbomb. I got a good deal on it, and I passed it on. Same with most gear I sell here on ilf. But I got alot of shit for trying to flip my sunshine reverb for double (which I sold for more than double). I even got angry PMs! I wasnt looking for profit when I bought it. I knew I could profit by sellibg because thats what people are willing to pay and I jumped at the oppertunity. Who in their right mind wouldnt? Honestly. Seriously. If you can turn $200 in to $500, wouldnt you?

Theres no etiquette in capitalism.

[sonidero]

I thought this thread was about a class you didn't like or something...

[chutneyfarmer]

Do you HAVE to make a profit though??

Yes. Duh.

Why is that though?

Just really curious because I have never understood that whole mentality.

I feel I must clarify because my posts were mostly made in jest.

I in fact believe I have very, very rarely made a profit on any pedal. Usually what happens is someone will PM me and be like "dude I only got this, would you take that?" and if it's not a huge lowball, I sigh and say yes. Of course I will because, first and foremost I am a pedal whore. How else am I supposed to keep the machine running? And secondly, money is stupid.

Now that being said, if I got a stupid good deal on something. Like a bass whammy for 50 bucks or fuck a deep impact for a 100 bucks, I'd flip that bitch for 800, no remorse, no regrets. Why? Because the people that want shit like that, can afford to buy shit like that. They aren't your typical fuzz lover like the likes of most of us, who have to scrounge around for shit to sell so we can get that pedal we are so desperately GASing for at that particular moment.

I hope that makes sense. I'm not greedy by any means, and I give deals as much as I get them.

Just for the record, I wasn't having a go or anything, I was genuinely asking the question, and not in any aggresive manner. I guess that's the problem with reading text, you can read it in a way that it wasn't originally intended. I'm also a victim of that as I didn't pick up on the jesting in your post at all hahaha

[Jeff-7]

The only time I ever sell gear is when I'm financially desperate, and always sell it at or below what I paid initially. If I was ever at the point where I just felt like selling something because I simply didn't want it? Sure I'd want to make a little something on it.

[hbombgraphics]

I typicaly flip for the price I got it if its used gear. Like thatswell deal ps5 I sold you hbomb. I got a good deal on it, and I passed it on. Same with most gear I sell here on ilf. But I got alot of shit for trying to flip my sunshine reverb for double (which I sold for more than double). I even got angry PMs! I wasnt looking for profit when I bought it. I knew I could profit by sellibg because thats what people are willing to pay and I jumped at the oppertunity. Who in their right mind wouldnt? Honestly. Seriously. If you can turn $200 in to $500, wouldnt you?

Theres no etiquette in capitalism.

I can't believe you got angry Pms that sucks


And the ps5 was a swell deal that I will be potentially passing on. Out on a test drive now.

So far I appreciate the civility of this conversation.

[D.o.S.]

I typicaly flip for the price I got it if its used gear. Like that ps5 I sold you hbomb. I got a good deal on it, and I passed it on. Same with most gear I sell here on ilf. But I got alot of shit for trying to flip my sunshine reverb for double (which I sold for more than double). I even got angry PMs! I wasnt looking for profit when I bought it. I knew I could profit by sellibg because thats what people are willing to pay and I jumped at the oppertunity. Who in their right mind wouldnt? Honestly. Seriously. If you can turn $200 in to $500, wouldnt you?

Theres no etiquette in capitalism.

You can also walk around with a tee-shirt that says "I hate you, go fuck yourself, give me your money because you're stupid." You've got every right to wear the shirt, but you also have to take the reaction that comes with the choice to wear the shirt.

Now,(an assumption is imminent, because I don't/can't know for sure),

It could be that you got the angry PM's because you listed the pedal for $500 here, on ILF, the place where (another assumption imminent) you found out about the pedal in the first place for the list price. It's not the profit margin necessarily--but the relentlessly quick turnaround.

If that was the case, then yeah, you as the seller well-deserve all kinds of "fuck off" for that. It's a douche move, and a possible case study for a clear violation of flipping ethics.

[hbombgraphics]

I mean i just kind of keep picturing extremely short people of various ethnic minorities being flipped physically in a montage by like 2-3 frat guys.

I am sure there is a youtube video for that but I am afraid to search it.