From one Auction house to another?

[ullmandds]

Any of your proposed scenarios is possible. This tactic has become common...we even see items listen on the bst immediately after being acquired from an AH at inflated prices.

[packs]

People complain about that stuff on the BST all the time but I don't see a difference between selling an individual item or buying up lots and piecing them out individually on the same BST, which happens just as frequently. Everyone buys low with an aim to sell high.

[ullmandds]

it's one thing to buy a lot and then price/sell individually on the bst...I have no issues with this. This used to be a pretty east way to make $$$$...not anymore.

The issue I have is buying a big ticket item then immediately placing it for sale at inflated price.

[packs]

I get what you're saying but a deal is a deal. If you get something at a bargain price for XYZ reason, I don't think listing the item for sale at the market rate is the same as inflating it. Maybe it looks that way when you know what someone paid.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by packs

I get what you're saying but a deal is a deal. If you get something at a bargain price for XYZ reason, I don't think listing the item for sale at the market rate is the same as inflating it. Maybe it looks that way when you know what someone paid.

i really don't want to belabor my point here...BUT...these cards are not being acquired at bargain prices...not much falls throught he cracks in major AH's these days...I'm talking cards purchased at full retail...if not more...then being offered at dramatically higher price immediately following the auction close.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

i really don't want to belabor my point here...BUT...these cards are not being acquired at bargain prices...not much falls throught he cracks in major AH's these days...I'm talking cards purchased at full retail...if not more...then being offered at dramatically higher price immediately following the auction close.

I have no issue with this if there is no overt deception. If the market won't bear the dramatically higher price, the item won't sell.

[nolemmings]

I agree with all that's been said but I still ponder the question of cards moving from AH to AH and wonder if it's any sign of our hobby's stability. I'm curious if others have noticed an uptick in flipping across the board, and if so, what they see as explanations.

In terms of the big-ticket items, I track m101 Ruth auctions, and observe that many of them are flipped within a year or two. Again, I know all the reasons stated in this thread generally make sense, but to me such an iconic card should stand as the cornerstone of someone's collection, maybe even the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Instead, it's as if the winner takes a few selfies with his new prize and then gets rid of it. Now if it's just a question of making profit then I wonder how much of a collector these folks are, for the old argument that selling it provides extra $$$ to buy more cards seems weak when you just sold a freaking Ruth rookie--what cards are out there that you could not have just bought in the first place? Same with moving on to to other areas of interest. Really? Ruth rookie doesn't do it for you? The only one that makes sense to me is the need money argument, as it is the only one to which I can relate. Still are there many impulse-buying Ruth owners? "Geez, I guess I didn't realize I can't afford a six-figure card, don't know what I was thinking, better move it right away 'cause now I'm cash-strapped." Or is our hobby filling up with people who are just investors and who don't care what type of commodity they hold short-term as long it flips for profit?

Now, getting off my high horse, I would add that I see more and more of this on lower-level cards as well. I don't know if it's because I now pay closer attention or if it's always been true, but I see several $50-$250 cards that seem to make the rounds at AHs too. These usually generate a break even or ever so slight gain upon re-sale, so it's not profit motivated. Are we as a group so lacking in focus that we shift what we collect every 6-18 months?