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flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:26 pm
by hbombgraphics
just curious
looking at a pedal I purchased for $65 and sold for less than $65 floating around bst for $175 (not by the guy who bought it for $65 btw)
somewhere along the lines (about 3 months time tops)
the price got jacked way up
just wonder how everyone feels about this
personally if I get a good deal on something I pass it along, obviously that doesn't happen with everyone.
I know you have a right to make a profit as the market dictates.........but when is it too much?
I want to point out I am not condemning the people who made the deals, just curious as to what everyone's policy is.
also: the dollar values have been changed to to protect the innocent but do reflect the approximate percentage of markup
Also: Dollar values have been changed to protect the innocent and/or guilty
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:31 pm
by space6oy
depends, if i'm flipping something i landed for a steal of course i'm gonna bump it up to profit. i wouldn't have been able to afford to gather all the gear i have in my studio without doing that over the years.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:34 pm
by bigchiefbc
If I get something on a really ridiculous steal, or if I buy something that the hype machine all of a sudden goes crazy with, I'll it mark it up a bit, that's kinda the main way I've been able to upgrade my gear. But I still always try to stay a bit below market value for my peeps here at ILF. No mark-downs for the douches at TGP or Talkbass, though.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:37 pm
by hbombgraphics
I agree with marking up a bit if you get a steal, most of us are trying to upgrade our gear.
and of course we should Jam TGP
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:38 pm
by coldbrightsunlight
I agree with those guys, if I get stuff for cheap I tend to pass it on, but I will mark stuff up a little if I got a really good deal. In the situation of getting an unusually good deal or something suddenly becoming in-demand, I still sell it for under the market value because if I get some profit and some other dude still gets a good price, everybody wins right?
The degree of mark-up in the OP is beyond what I'd ever do though, I'd feel bad about increasing the price THAT much (not to shit on anyone who would, it's just my personal feelings).
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:42 pm
by bigchiefbc
monkeydancer wrote:I agree with those guys, if I get stuff for cheap I tend to pass it on, but I will mark stuff up a little if I got a really good deal. In the situation of getting an unusually good deal or something suddenly becoming in-demand, I still sell it for under the market value because if I get some profit and some other dude still gets a good price, everybody wins right?
The degree of mark-up in the OP is beyond what I'd ever do though, I'd feel bad about increasing the price THAT much (not to shit on anyone who would, it's just my personal feelings).
I do want to add that that kind of mark-up is crazy, and I wouldn't do that. The only time I've ever done anything like that was when I was GIVEN an old Digitech Bass Whammy by the former bassist of my covers band, when I took over for him. Those things were like 199 new, but were going for $400-500 at the time. When I ended up selling it, I traded it straight up for a $350 pedal. The guy I did the deal with felt like he was getting a steal, and I got a pedal I really wanted to try. It was a win-win, so I didn't feel bad for the mark-up.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:45 pm
by hbombgraphics
maybe I have a guilty conscience about this,
I feel like if I snag something on BST at a steal of a price that in general I probably jumped in before someone else who would have bought it,
so if I turn it around I try to keep the same price because I don't want that next person down the line to get hammered because I got in first
I recognize I am actually in the hole because I am absorbing shipping costs
I do give gear away quite a bit though, in my mind, I am fortunate to own some cool stuff and snag some good deals at some point you gotta pass down the luck.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:48 pm
by space6oy
well, far as saying something i landed was a "steal," here are a couple great examples (not bragging, just thought i'd clarify) - years ago i grabbed a polymoog for $600. took a while but it sold for $2300. last year i grabbed a 909 for $900. took two days to flip it for $1900.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:50 pm
by hbombgraphics
space6oy wrote:well, far as saying something i landed was a "steal," here are a couple great examples (not bragging, just thought i'd clarify) - years ago i grabbed a polymoog for $600. took a while but it sold for $2300. last year i grabbed a 909 for $900. took two days to flip it for $1900.
holy cow dude, you are the master!!
In thinking about it I did once trade an old ART rack unit I got for free, for a monarch.

I am a terrible person
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:53 pm
by space6oy
having gotten something for free and swapped it for something else, man there's nothing wrong w/ that IMO.

i also got a vintage korg spring reverb for ten bucks just because a guy i became friends with when meeting up for his craigslist ad was in a rush to get rid of the last of things he could part with before moving across the country...
and i've also given away a yamaha drum kit. twice since the first friend gave it back once he was moving & couldn't take it with him.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:55 pm
by space6oy
oh yeah, another funny one, i landed an MS-20 for $800 since the pothead selling it thought it was an MS-10!

flipped that for $1500 since it needed retuned.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:57 pm
by Chankgeez
hbombgraphics wrote:maybe I have a guilty conscience about this,
I feel like if I snag something on BST at a steal of a price that in general I probably jumped in before someone else who would have bought it,
so if I turn it around I try to keep the same price because I don't want that next person down the line to get hammered because I got in first
.
Well, if you're looking for absolution, I hereby absolve you.
It's beyond your control what happens to the pedal after it's left your hands. There's nothing you can do about it. Let karma take its course.
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 11:08 pm
by hbombgraphics
Chankgeez wrote:hbombgraphics wrote:maybe I have a guilty conscience about this,
I feel like if I snag something on BST at a steal of a price that in general I probably jumped in before someone else who would have bought it,
so if I turn it around I try to keep the same price because I don't want that next person down the line to get hammered because I got in first
.
Well, if you're looking for absolution, I hereby absolve you.
It's beyond your control what happens to the pedal after it's left your hands. There's nothing you can do about it. Let karma take its course.
absolution rules, although I am not sure you can blend it with Karma
Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 11:10 pm
by Chankgeez
hbomb, I can do whatever I want.

Re: flipping ethics
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 11:25 pm
by hbombgraphics
Chankgeez wrote:hbomb, I can do whatever I want.

I accept, although this is a whole new level of ecumenicalism