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[shimozukawa]

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[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by shimozukawa

100% return over one week is the ultimate flip, IMO. I was actually commending the pick-up. I think it's awesome that someone is able to get 100% return on anything.

I'll tell you why your original comment was a little annoying. The current seller is a great guy. I have bought many things from him over the years, so I may be biased.

Obviously, he saw a card on ebay that he thought was worth more than he could buy it for. The last recorded sale of this card, in any condition, was in 2006, for $370. Chris must have thought he could get $800 - $900 for it now and was able to pick it up for $450, so he did.

But your original post was to make fun of his business model, a model that has worked very successfully for him, for years. Does he have a chance to make $300 - $400 in a short amount of time? Yes? Is there a chance that it will sit in inventory for a while, and drain that profit? Absolutely.

But this is what he does for a business, so why bother to point it out? Especially for a piddling couple of hundred dollars?

This is a fairly small community (Baseball card collecting.) Net54 is an even smaller subset of that community. When you make posts like this, it makes you look small and certainly naive to all. If Chris thinks he can make a couple of bucks on a card, so what? He has a home and a family to feed too. Let some things go.

[GehrigFan]

I have no comments on that particular flip, but thought I'd share another one, as I found it pretty funny. It's not even a full ticket or ticket stub... just the photo portion cut off of it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/LOU-GEHRIG-JULY-...item2c5a6daa01

http://cgi.ebay.com/1941-Lou-Gehrig-...item45f89f0c9d

[kcohen]

I'd like to amplify on Jim VB's post. I sell cards at shows as a hobby sideline. It irks me when collectors focus ONLY on what a dealer paid for a given card. However, they often do not take into account other factors such as time spent bird dogging such acquisitions, the expense and time spent maintaining their website, and the years of acquiring the knowledge to where one is capable of making good buys.

The original poster marvels at what a great flip it is for the seller to double his money. Well, he hasn't doubled anything yet. What he has for the moment is potentially dead money for an indeterminate period of time. So there is an element of risk that also merits compensation.

End of rant. I just find it irksome when someone nips at the heels of someone else's living.

Last, FWIW, I also am a bit acquainted with the couple that operates the website in question and they are fine people as far as I'm concerned.

[DixieBaseball]

In my humble opinion, a Buyer or a Seller is free to Ask or Sell at any price they want, and should not be scrutinized at all. Simply put, a Buyer does not have to buy, and a Seller does not have to sell, and all that really matters in buying, selling, and trading is both parties being courteous to one another. I have politely walked away from many deals without casting a stone when I knew the seller was possibly way overpriced. I have also been on the other side of that coin as well. I think what gets missed is some folks do this for a hobby, some for a living, and some do it to support their hobby, so there is nothing wrong with someone making a profit. I don't mind giving the profit either, as I have a price in mind and stick to that range. Bottom line, if both parties are happy, then the deal is a good one. If they are not, then politely disagree and roll on... It is silly for folks to get into the judgement department on values, etc. It is really simply : Either Buy it or Not, or Sell it or not. The one thing I loathe is overactive opinions and a bunch of complaining. To each his own...

Originally Posted by kcohen

FWIW, I also am a bit acquainted with the couple that operates the website in question and they are fine people as far as I'm concerned.

Of all the people they are probably one of the finest. I will say I agree 100% with Jim and Ken both that Chris and Christina are one of the best in the hobby. They both know their cards well and I have had a few great transactions. They went well and above to help my father try to finish his 69 Topps set. People like this will always succeed in this hobby.