Need to vent about week end gun show

[CINDERS]

From the other side as a buyer I know allot of stuff gets traded before the general public get in sorta like the inner circle, I can tell you this years big show at Cannington in Western Aus the one big show of the year I personally saw gear being swapped and asked about allot of really good stuff that I knew was traded before the show opened because the fit with what was on offer from the seller did not match the overall theme of his stand. You may ask how do I get to this conclusion 40 years of going to them and looking, scrounging and bargaining as there are very few eclectic (like me) collectors that sell badges, live ammo, bayonets and then have Tonka trucks and barbie dolls on the same stand. And to wait a whole year see an item that you would really want in the collection only to be told no sale as you are prepared to pay top dollar the want it syndrome.....

In essence the dealer may be doing themselves an injustice and missing out and I feel that in the spirit of a fair that it is unfair the buying public get a scrap eaters breakfast so to speak, at the show recently I think a cruddy looking Mills 36 had $350/Au on it I looked a WWI Sanderson/Neubold '07 bayonet and that was $285.00/Au in all reality I can get that item off fleabay cheaper but I try to support the locals on this one big yearly show.
I asked one lady dealer politely about a WWI Tip Taft Australian slider hat badge only to be told they are very expensive, I got p*ssed at that statement as I had cold hard cash in my pocket I said "really" what is the price. This is after she told another lady how extensive her "Women of Australia" First WW badges and that she had 3,000 badges. Back to the slider) they are a rare maker you realize (I know that's why I asked D A) Oh! that one is $350.00, I said what is the best price please $350.00 obviously she liked show and tell strutting her collection. CYA...........!
Anyway there was not that much on offer as it is fairly limited here in the West, I tried for a packet of Kynoch .577 NE (Brand new) I know the cartridge seller that's $245/Au for 5 rounds sales pitch will be collectible ummm? like how many people have the correct license to buy these or the gun to fire them it was still there at the shows end.
Nope I reckon hold out for the Gen public and haggle with them who knows that dealer may have had a buyer contact him just prior saying I want this and he seeing an opening for a sale and you have the gear low buy high sell your loss and his gain anyway I hope you have a good show at your next event.

[Seaspriter]

I can sympathize with your angst about being treated rudely -- for which there is no justifiable reason. But you should not take offense -- you need not bear responsibility nor emotional stress over another person's foolishness.

There are essentially three fundamental economic rules of engagement:
1) Adversarial: "beat down the vendor, trick, trap, and coerce them into succumbing."
2) Transactional: "buy low, sell high, bargain, negotiate, play your cards close to the vest."
3) Collaborative: "create value, innovate, find win-win solutions, build trusting relationships."

In your case, the collaborative approach was not a real option -- you were just a "trader at a gun show" and long term win-win was not on the table.

Your rude buyer, who should have been negotiating from a transactional trading set of rules, instead was an adversarial bully. He was ignorant, untrustworthy, crude, and was probably unethical. I would consider myself fortunate -- a "deal" with this kind of man would probably had other problems attached to it -- he could have paid you in counterfeit bills, might have tried to swindle you, or may have bad-mouthed your reputation. Let the whole affair pass into oblivion, where it belongs.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Very nice expliination.
Not being much of a seller (Not willing to bear the loss) I find a balance between no 2 & 3 works quite well. If a price cannot be agreed upon move on. Vendor might lower the price later or have a bargin item next time. Why burn a bridge?

[mmppres]

I feel best way is to walk away an someone will really need the part an be glad for a deal. Wife made comment that unless a dealer needs the part to fix or finish a weapon he waits till show opens to buy for resale.

[Aragorn243]

I buy and sell a lot of things, mostly buying these days but in the "old" days, used to sell quite a lot. Not guns mind you but other collectibles in the yard sale/flea market venue. My rule of thumb was I had a price in mind when I put it on the table. That price is usually less than what is on the sticker. The sticker price stays on for the first few hours and if no bites, it gets lowered but does not go below the original price. If someone makes me an offer anywhere between the "real" price and the sticker price, I'll usually accept. If someone low balls me, they can forget it. If I know it's a dealer I am less willing to work with them because I know their plan is to take it and sell it for more than what I'm selling it for. So if they can get it, so can I. Had a dealer haggle with me over some HO stock cars one time. Now I got the entire box for $10 so I would make money no matter what but I put $50 on the box knowing they were worth about $100. Had a guy offer $20, told him no. I'll come back later. He came back 3 times with the same offer. I finally told him. Look, I know what they are worth, you, know what they are worth, they aren't going lower than $50. He paid me straight up.

I'm not going to give a dealer a break if I know he's going to go off to another table and sell it for double my price. He wants to trade, sure. He wants to wait till the end of the show for any item that didn't sell, then we'll talk, but don't low ball me before the show starts. Might be a guy walking through that want's that item. The other dealer knows it or he wouldn't want to buy it.

[enfield303t]

To me I would classify the guy as a "village idiot" that being said I have a very low tolerance for stupid people and he seems to fit the bill.

I know people who have refused to sell to buyers who are jerks, they just tell them to get lost.

[villiers]

Is that another of those US peculiarites, spelling `knives´ with an `f´?

[WarPig1976]

Is that another of those US peculiarites, spelling `knives´ with an `f´?

And what would that peculiarity be?

[mmppres]

Will be going into this week ends show with open mind an big smile thinking of all the good advice from here

[villiers]

And what would that peculiarity be?

Just asking .... as we spell the plural of `knife´ with a `v´.