Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[Frunobulax]

You want a THIRD???

It's a different color...

 

[Rumad]

I was just looking at the pictures of the one you were talking about, and couldn’t figure out what’s up with the bow (still can’t really). So I did a google image search for demon Hanover hat, and one of the first pictures is of you haha. Dude, you’re famous! Imagine if you had three! Anyway. What is up with that bow? Looks burnt or frayed or something.

 

[Frunobulax]

That's a feather.

Another reason to add that one is the sweat debossment indicates it was manufactured in East Dorset, VT. Normally, it would say Danbury, CT.

It would be nice to see a non-Demon Hoyt hat.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I love poorly listed hats. Some of my best deals have come from hats that we’re described improperly. I find them because I put in the work. Regardless of an items actual value, if the seller is happy with the price why not make a deal? I also see things different when dealing with someone selling family items and a third party who bought a hat to flip it.

However, I don’t get upset if someone educates a seller. The fact that Im not able to take advantage of their ignorance doesn’t seem like a very moral argument for me to make. How can I say it’s wrong for the seller to get the market price for it? I understand that I might not get an item, or have to pay more for it, but that’s how supply and demand works. Getting upset over someone offering help and a seller getting a fair price just doesn’t seem right to me and goes against my personal religious ethos. At the end of the day, kindness and fairness are more important to me than deals on “stuff.” Just my personal take.

 

[Bamaboots]

Maroon argument.

 

[Bill Hughes]

I love poorly listed hats. Some of my best deals have come from hats that we’re described improperly. I find them because I put in the work. Regardless of an items actual value, if the seller is happy with the price why not make a deal? I also see things different when dealing with someone selling family items and a third party who bought a hat to flip it.

However, I don’t get upset if someone educates a seller. The fact that Im not able to take advantage of their ignorance doesn’t seem like a very moral argument for me to make. How can I say it’s wrong for the seller to get the market price for it? I understand that I might not get an item, or have to pay more for it, but that’s how supply and demand works. Getting upset over someone offering help and a seller getting a fair price just doesn’t seem right to me and goes against my personal religious ethos. At the end of the day, kindness and fairness are more important to me than deals on “stuff.” Just my personal take.

I’ve had very similar problems. And it started just a couple of years ago. I hate to say it but I think the seller backs out because someone made a better offer. And the seller is not honest enough to honor the completed sale. To me it’s an integrity issue. I even had a seller contact me a week later and fessed up. But the twist was the buyer found another hat cheaper so backed out. So then the seller wanted to complete the original sale. I told him I didn’t trust him - so no. After all, it’s just a hat.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I’ve had very similar problems.

Maroonn arguments.

Then there's the issue of running up bids & sometimes getting stuck with things you can't even wear.

 

[SteveFord]

Okay, so I've lost my mind.
At least I've got another St. Regis coming my way.

 

[Bamaboots]

I even had a seller contact me a week later and fessed up.

Bill, one of the sellers that backed out and returned the money to PayPal, also sent me $25.00 for my “troubles.” I returned the $25 with a note telling them I wanted the hat not the $25 to help appease their guilt at being unscrupulous.

Then there's the issue of running up bids & sometimes getting stuck with things you can't even wear.

Just to satisfy a curiosity, they run up bids on a hat just to see what it’s like.

 

[Just Daniel]

That’s a great point. I wonder, is there any moral difference between providing information to a seller or to a fellow buyer?

If I send a note to Dr Max on a greatly undervalued hat informing him of its true market value so he can profit off the disparity, is that any different than writing to the seller to give them a heads up so that they get the market value?

Thinking it over, I don’t see many positions for one over the other that are not based on fairly narrow self interest. Maybe someone has a better argument?

I love poorly listed hats. Some of my best deals have come from hats that we’re described improperly. I find them because I put in the work. Regardless of an items actual value, if the seller is happy with the price why not make a deal? I also see things different when dealing with someone selling family items and a third party who bought a hat to flip it.

However, I don’t get upset if someone educates a seller. The fact that Im not able to take advantage of their ignorance doesn’t seem like a very moral argument for me to make. How can I say it’s wrong for the seller to get the market price for it? I understand that I might not get an item, or have to pay more for it, but that’s how supply and demand works. Getting upset over someone offering help and a seller getting a fair price just doesn’t seem right to me and goes against my personal religious ethos. At the end of the day, kindness and fairness are more important to me than deals on “stuff.” Just my personal take.

 

[Frunobulax]

Good Lord, we're counting angels dancing on the head of a pin now.

 

[Héctor Fernández]

Be happy when you get a deal and enjoy it. Life is too short folks! But that's me, hats don't even rank in my top 100 of things that I care for, they are just that, hats.

I joined the Lounge last year, and they only thing I care about is the great friendships I have made.

The hats could disappear tomorrow and I wouldn't care one bit, but those friendships will always remain.

 

[Rmccamey]

You find a perfect Maclacklin 100 in an old hat box at a garage sale. You know it is worth well over $1000 but the seller has it tagged as $5. Do you tell the seller the real value or do you buy it and walk away?

 

[Just Daniel]

I buy it and walk away. Given my eBay habits, I may even offer $2.50

...but if I’m not going to buy it, I would certainly mention to the seller they could get more for it.

One example: an antiques seller I know in Mexico City had an old photo for sale for $50. I thought it looked cool, with the studio name on the frame. A quick google search revealed it was one of the earliest studios in NY and the photo was a valuable collectors’ item for folks into that stuff. I let him know. He called around until a friend of friend put him in touch with a collector who paid him a lot more for the pic.

You find a perfect Maclacklin 100 in an old hat box at a garage sale. You know it is worth well over $1000 but the seller has it tagged as $5. Do you tell the seller the real value or do you buy it and walk away?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

You find a perfect Maclacklin 100 in an old hat box at a garage sale. You know it is worth well over $1000 but the seller has it tagged as $5. Do you tell the seller the real value or do you buy it and walk away?

My point is this: do you criticize the person who decides to tell the seller what it’s true value is? Is there anything wrong with educating the seller, even if that means the eventual buyer has to pay more for it?

I don’t think there’s any obligation to educate or inform, and I don’t think the buyer is doing anything wrong as what he’s doing is profiting from his study and knowledge. I just don’t see how anyone can think it’s wrong when someone does act altruistically and helps the seller.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Be happy when you get a deal and enjoy it. Life is too short folks! But that's me, hats don't even rank in my top 100 of things that I care for, they are just that, hats.

I joined the Lounge last year, and they only thing I care about is the great friendships I have made.

The hats could disappear tomorrow and I wouldn't care one bit, but those friendships will always remain.

Be happy when you get a deal and enjoy it. Life is too short folks! But that's me, hats don't even rank in my top 100 of things that I care for, they are just that, hats.

I joined the Lounge last year, and they only thing I care about is the great friendships I have made.

The hats could disappear tomorrow and I wouldn't care one bit, but those friendships will always remain.

I completely agree. Hats are just inanimate transitory possessions. “Things” are not important or of any true value in my big picture. To me, acting honorably and with integrity should always come before the accumulation of mere possessions. I’m imperfect too, but my compass still points north and I keep trying.

 

[Bamaboots]

All of these arguments are so damn silly. Not one here has ever informed an anonymous seller that a hat they were interested in buying was WAY undervalued and underpriced. “Oh, please let me pay you more for that hat than what you are offering it for.” Yet they do it when the hat is not their size. No one here has ever failed to boast of a deal or a bargain they have found. How about you Goodwill shoppers? Any of you ever bought a used car. Sometimes no other words cover it.

What a bunch of bullshit!

 

[J Williams]

I personally don’t think there is anything immoral about purchasing something below market value. The information needed to determine something’s worth is readily available with relatively little effort. I feel like if a seller is not willing to put the time in to properly price an item then it’s either not of much concern to them or they are happy with the profit on the price set.

I don’t really see how me going out of my way to correct someone’s pricing or educate a buyer is the right call or my responsibility. As an example I definitely didn’t do that when I bought a 50’s OR in great condition for $12.00 and wouldn’t do it if it was me getting a great deal in the future.

@Ivano selling off his finds here is a good example of someone who took the time to learn about what he was selling. He offered hats up at a price that was fair for all parties.

 

[Rmccamey]

You find a perfect Maclacklin 100 in an old hat box at a garage sale. You know it is worth well over $1000 but the seller has it tagged as $5. Do you tell the seller the real value or do you buy it and walk away? The seller is your neighbor down the street.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Do you tell the seller the real value or do you buy it and walk away?

It seems it would depend on the size & whether it's your ego or religious ethos that has kicked in.

All of these arguments are so damn silly. Not one here has ever informed an anonymous seller that a hat they were interested in buying was WAY undervalued and underpriced.

It seems religious ethos & altruism are on the opposite end of the spectrum from ego & flipping hats for profit.