tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post3953867323556723238..comments2024-02-19T08:12:53.815-05:00Comments on The Right Thing: SOUND OFF: YARD-SALE SCORESJeffrey L. Seglinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15648051034425906705noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-13367251414505819792008-06-12T11:23:00.000-04:002008-06-12T11:23:00.000-04:00I work in an antiquarian bookstore, and it is not ...I work in an antiquarian bookstore, and it is not uncommon for another dealer to buy something from us, turn around and sell it for much more. As one example, we had a book priced at $100. A dealer from the UK was in our shop, saw it, and bought it, then pointed out that it contained an old map of California which, on its own, was worth at least $1000. <BR/><BR/>It's not a perfect analogy (it's presumed that we have at least some expertise in pricing old books). But, I think the same principle applies. <BR/><BR/>What's interesting about the bookstore example is that, if you reverse the situation, the bookstore is ethically obligated to offer a fair price. That is, if a customer brings a book into the store to sell, and I know it's something I could sell for $100, I have to make a fair offer (which would be 50% in trade, or 30% in cash).<BR/><BR/>Bill<BR/>Somerville, MABookseller Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13994449074551480114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-62856897962927110542008-06-08T12:27:00.000-04:002008-06-08T12:27:00.000-04:00UWCharlie,Thanks for the comment. Could you tell m...UWCharlie,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the comment. Could you tell me who you are and where you're from?<BR/><BR/>rightthing@nytimes.comJeffrey L. Seglinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15648051034425906705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-86054629189208878502008-06-08T11:53:00.000-04:002008-06-08T11:53:00.000-04:00This one is too easy! There is an old saying, "Le...This one is too easy! There is an old saying, "Let The Buyer Beware". Perhaps we could amend that to say "There is no old saying called Let the Seller Beware". When someone has a yard sale, they have the responsibility of knowing the value of their sale items. It is not incumbent on the buyers who happen along to alert the seller as to valuable items they are mistakenly or foolishly selling at bargain prices. Yard sales are not places where ethics abound. We have all been to yard sales where a seller has priced items way too high. A seller who has priced items too high would not expect a buyer to advise him or her to put a more realistic price on a particular item. If a buyer thinks a price is too high, he can make a lower counter offer. This is the ultimate in the activity where buyer and seller interact to arrive at a price agreeable to both. Ethics have no place at a yard sale! <BR/><BR/>uwcharlieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com