Change from $ to $OLD
 

Just curious why people go back and delete prices from B/S/T posts after card(s) have sold? I'm always curious to learn about new sets and cards and knowing pricing is a valuable part of that process. It's obviously the sellers that are deleting the prices post sale but do the buyers care? Or does this practice protect the sellers somehow?

Here's an example post: http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=222608
I don't know a lot about exhibits and would have liked to know what the OP was asking for it...

+1

Don't really understand it, but always curious about sold prices.

+1

There was a fairly lengthy thread about this last year:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=210043

I agree with the OP, and with the others who have chimed in. I like to see what somebody was asking for a card even after it has sold.

I think some poeple are buying to resale and would like to keep there purchase price private.

Simple, after a card is sold it's only the business of the 2 parties involved. Is a dealer at a show responsible for telling everyone who walks up to his table what any of his previous sales were whenever someone asks? I understand people are interested in going rates but most have to pay for those services on other sites. Not to mention, I can't begin to tell you how many guys inquire about the availability of a card even though it's marked sold just because the price is still listed.
Sorry, that's just the way I do business.

I agree that I like to see recent sale prices, but my thought was that it was to be clear that the item was sold and not still for sale.

buy more cards
 

Buy more cards....that way you will know more prices.......Jerry

Good time to mention
 

And please don't delete entire posts in the BST area unless you mess up and put it in the wrong section. It makes the place look bad. Take out prices if you want to but please leave the other info. I think it's a rule :) but most folks know not to delete their entire posts when something is sold, traded or not sold. ...Overall our BST gets a lot of activity and is still a very good place to do transactions. It's not perfect but what is? And remember it's always caveat emptor. Ask for references and if someone won't give any, or is acting more stupid than normal, shoot me or another moderator a PM to take a look. Thanks everyone.

check VCP, cardtarget, pricesrealized.com, or ineedtoknowprices.com...i think one of them have the cache asking prices, even if the seller deletes them.

I'll stop removing prices when people stop bumping their overpriced items every few days.

Oh, wait - I don't remove prices. But the other thing happens all the time.

Rules, Leon. And settle down, Quan.

I actually asked the same question a few months ago. I don't agree with deleting asking prices and wouldn't unless the buyer requested it. If I remember right the couple if responses that made sense were a lot of buyers seem to request it so sellers just deleted the price automatically, or members would continue to inquire about sold listings unless the price was deleted. I have not found this to be the case personally the few times I have sold a card here.

I do not buy the argument that it's no one's business what the asking price was. You posted the card on a public forum. The original asking price should remain public in my opinion.

Jerry HA! Great idea. Just don't tell my wife or accountant.

and Chad I pay for VCP but don't think they nor anyone you listed include BST prices.

p.s. wasn't calling out the BST seller in the example as doing something wrong...was just curious why it was being done. I'm in a baseball card all consuming knowledge mode currently and get bummed when I miss out on learning something new from each post.

I delete the prices of sold items both as a courtesy to the buyer and to clarify that the item is no longer available. In the first instance, for example, if a buyer wanted to resell a card soon after purchasing it from me, I feel that he/she should be able to have a "clean slate" to do so, without somebody saying, "hey you just bought that card for $100 two weeks ago and now you are asking $125 for it." I believe that both of those transactions/potential transactions are private between the buyer and seller in each case and should not influence each other in any way, unless the card is somehow misrepresented.

Secondly, as was mentioned above, I believe that if a card is still listed in a B/S/T post with a price attached, even if it is also marked as sold, it can create some confusion as to whether that card is still available. I generally sell larger lots of cards, and will often delete the card from the available list altogether once it is sold, just to make it very clear that the card is no longer available. Often, people will STILL message me to ask if a card is available, because it is still pictured in the photo of the entire lot.

I can certainly understand and appreciate those who would like to refer to past sold prices and I see both sides of this, so I'm not saying that my way is any more right or wrong than any other.

Another consideration is that the asking price is frequently not the sale price, so knowing the asking price isn't all that different from knowing an Ebay asking price for something that sold for a best offer without knowing what the accepted offer was.

I also wish the asking price would remain.

What bothers me the most is coming home from work and seeing a card that was posted and sold during the day before I've had a chance to look it.

In the future, all you sellers please wait until at least 5:30 pm EST until I, Irv, get home from work to have a look!
This is only fair, imo, as it will give most on here a chance to not feel like they got left out! :D

In all seriousness, I do wish the price remained, but that is ultimately up to the seller and buyer if they wish to do so?

P.S. Would it be considered rude, if one were so interested, to ask a buyer or seller what they paid or sold a certain card for?
I personally wouldn't have a problem with it if it were me being asked, but I'm a rookie so to speak so I still have a lot to learn. :)

I think asking any question in a goodnatured, non-threatening way is ok. The other person doesn't have to tell if they don't want to but shouldn't be offended by a simple and polite question. At least that is my view.

Funny how many things in life about whats bought and sold people want to be secret..but the most expensive purchase most people make that impacts their lives the most...ie. buying a house....that info is largely available to all to know the price

like i said in that prior thread...not sure why at least the asking price cant be left on....not sure how many times in direct deals i am told by the seller 'i paid x much on the card in a private sale earlier' in which there is no prior VCP info available etc.....also since its likely the sale didnt go for asking price, the buyer still has his little secret....and can even claim he paid full asking price so he at least wants to break even...even though he paid less and its a sure profit if he gets the prior asking price....

+1

I have asked a few times and have been told the price, given the ballpark, and been ignored - and all three responses were ok with me.

I'd love it if the asking price was left alone and not deleted...

I agree, it's their decision and I certainly wouldn't be offended either or think differently of someone if they chose not to disclose that info to me.

I clearly mark mine as sold, but leave the prices for the benefit of the board.

I always delete the price from my listings (when I remember). At first it was because it seemed like it was what people did here on the board. After that, it was pretty much because I felt that the sale price was a private transaction.

Generally speaking, I have had no problem letting people know the general amount that something sold for if they ask in a PM.

Tom C

100% agree with this entire statement

Sorry, Leon. I have been guilty of deleting all the info from my BST threads in the past, especially when an item didn't sell. Moving forward, I will leave the content and only edit the, "for sale" info.

That saying about learning something new every day rings true. :)

No worries, Eric. It's just nice to see what it was that was being offered or talked about. The thinking is, if everyone deleted everything over there, after the transaction is consummated, how would it look? It's not a big deal.....but helps the members, a bit, if it is left.

I usually PM members when they completely delete stuff and ask them not to do that in the future. Leaving pricing is up to each person, whatever floats your boat. For me personally, sometimes I leave the prices and sometimes I don't. I almost always give a ballpark price of an item I sold if I am PM'd. There are always exceptions but a ballpark price usually doesn't hurt.

For shame for shame for shame
 

I decided a while back to leave the prices of sold cards in my listings. That way people can see what a bargain some other collector got.

Brian (shameful plug for future listings)

Ha - all that does is make me kick myself when missing out on deals.

I always leave them. Just because that seems to me like the natural thing to do I guess. If anyone ever asked me to remove it I would, but that has never happened. I've also never had anyone ask I a card marked sold was still available.

I delete them in case the person buying the cards are flippers. People seem to be adverse to someone making a profit quickly on a card.

The asking price has been advertised in a public forum - I see no reason to delete it from a sold listing.

The actual sale price is private between the buyer and seller and I see no reason that it should be made public unless both parties want to.

This is basically the policy of Ebay where many more cards are bought and sold. I have not heard of anyone objecting to the Ebay policy - and in fact there is usually much discussion on here about final prices on some of the high-end cards.

you have to pick a side...you can't play both!

My reasons for deleting sales prices are multiple-fold.

1) I don't like being ridiculed for having sold something way too cheap!

2) I don't like the concept of a perfect marketplace where cards are like commodities and a psa 4 sells for x and a psa 6 sells for 3xX...for example. Most advantages of long time collecting are gone. Information about most cards ever produced are on the web...on message boards such as this. Past auction results, sites like VCP...SMR...show up to the minute pricing.

So any information I have that most others doesn't provides me with a small advantage sometimes. I'll take whatever I can get.

3) its NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!!!!

+1

He did pick a side and I share his same opinion. The asking price was posted in a public forum and should remain public. If a private offer is made or accepted it is no one's business.

Thanks all for weighing in! I too think final selling prices need not be disclosed but that initial asking prices should be left for viewing. I think it's advantageous for the hobby as a whole that knowledge be disseminated because the guy that came across your initial listing and discovered a new card or set and now knows the pricing could be your next customer when you go to sell the next one.

p.s. Frank thanks for posting your Gehrig Exhibit for sale because now I'm hooked!

+1

oh sorry I misread it!

I mainly collect non-card memorabilia, and I think it's particularly interesting and helpful to see as much pricing and sales info as possible about those types of items. And I feel that way whether or not the item is something that's in my collecting niche. Even if it's not something I'd likely consider buying, I like having a feel for what the market is for a broad range of items. Not that any one data point indicates the market, but the more info you see, the more informed you are. I consider that part of the fun of collecting. It's a bit frustrating to click on a post to see that the entire thing or the relevant info has been deleted, but I understand and accept that it's within the seller's right to do so.

I like to see the prices, but if they're deleted I don't think it's a big deal. On the harder to find stuff I'm disappointed because deleting it gives me no info about what a proper value might be. But if the seller or buyer want it kept secret that's fine.

I would ask a question of those deleting for privacy.

How do you see most auctions, where the prices realized are usually available publicly. Do you avoid them because the sale price is there?

I must be the odd person who doesn't care what a seller paid, aside from a slight good natured hope that they make something on the deal. If I like the card and price, that's what matters.

Steve B

Steve I'm with you. I think it's absurd for a buyer to bring up what a seller paid for an item which is totally irrelevant to what the asking price is.

My general rule when someone asks how much I paid is to tell them 1 dollar.

I agree, I don't care what someone paid if I am buying from them. Sure it's great to see if you are getting an ok deal, but my buy prices are based on my experience, not what was paid by the seller for the card.

I picked up a couple of items for LexCat (Matt) who is a dealer at my shows and he mentioned this thread to me.

I was laughing and said, you can go the BST threads to see what I picked up for you.

Now I will make a small profit on those items which will go into his collection and he will be cool with them.

But he'll also know what is coming.

Rich

Here is a sale I made yesterday.
No problem of leaving the price.
If I made a side deal, that is my business.

It was a good deal for them. And I have upgraded.
Pass it on.
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=222814