Is it me, or is this odd...?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by ROFLnaked, Jun 22, 2019.

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  1. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    There are 2 or 3 fairly rare LPs from the 1960s that I've been keeping my eye out for. During a slow moment at work last week, a quick internet search turned up one of them being offered at a very fair price by what looked to be a newly-opened record store in a small city in the middle of the country. I sent the guy an email inquiring...no response. A few days later I went back to look at the website and I saw he has a Facebook page, so I sent him a note through Facebook. Finally he replied to say yes; he still had the record, but as he has a new store that he's trying to build interest in, he would prefer to have the aforementioned LP on the shelf for the time being. If it doesn't sell locally within a few weeks, he told me he will then *consider* selling it to me via mail.

    I wrote back to ask if I can pay for it, he can keep it on his display shelf, and if anyone inquires, he can just say it's on hold pending payment. No response.

    Here I am begging a record store owner to please take my money! Seems weird to me.
     
  2. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I kind of get it. I remember when I had a full set of Third Man Vault releases to sell. Can't remember what volume I stopped at but this was a few years ago. I was asking a fair price, below market value per title, but a too much for any flipper to buy. But someone was opening a shop soon and was interested because it would be good PR for him. I also now some stores will buy certain titles, and pay more for them, if they will generate interest at the shop.

    However, these guys all wanted to sell these rather quickly rather than hang on to them for weeks and then possibly even longer. In addition, the pictures of the records would still be up on their social media pages so people can still see the store had it at one time.

    So, yes I get the idea about attracting interest but I find it odd that he won't sell for a few weeks or ever.

    But I've ever heard of similar type of sellers; people who just want to show what they have and reject offers and perhaps will sell at an astronomically higher rate than market once some crazy buyer comes along. Some people like the attention more than the money :)
     
  3. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    Sometimes, when the grease fire is out, and your fire extinguisher has spat all over everything on the countertop...is just not the right time to start nagging the cook about whether or not there's any glutin in your pancakes...
     
  4. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    Point taken, double-D. When I say the price on the record in question is “fair,” you may have the idea I’m hassling this guy over a $10 record when he is investing big $$ in his business venture. Though this record is fairly-priced, it will cost roughly my daily salary.

    I guess I can wrap my mind around the concept, but breaking it down to simple terms: you are a record dealer in the business of selling records. You have set the price on a specific record; I would like to buy it at that price. Please take my money.

    If any SH member lives in San Antonio and would like to earn a finder’s fee....
     
    Kristofa likes this.
  5. Veech

    Veech Space In Sounds

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    This makes no sense. So I assume he would also refuse anyone who comes in to his store and wants to buy the record? He will definitely build interest - the wrong kind - in his new store if he refuses to sell merchandise that is displayed for sale.

    There is something goofy here. I would cut this guy loose and continue searching.
     
    ROFLnaked, formu_la and Shawn like this.
  6. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    Hello Veech--

    That was my reaction, too. It seems he will sell it, but only to a local walk-in buyer. Once someone buys the record, though, it's gone. What's the difference if it goes to a walk-in or if it's mailed out to me?

    Here is the exact reply:

    "I'm trying to build a local clientele as a new record store as much as possible. If it sits around for over a month or so, I'd probably be okay with selling it to you if you are ok with the price. Thanks for reaching out!"

    It's like...you are a record store in the business of selling records. I would like to buy a record you are advertising at the price you are asking. Please, please take my money.

    Oh well. If he emails me in a few weeks and I haven't found another copy, then maybe I will move on it. If not, I will just have to wait for another to turn up.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2019
    Veech likes this.
  7. tman53

    tman53 Vinyl is an Addiction

    Location:
    FLA
    That guy has no idea how to run a business and probably won't be around long.
     
  8. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    there used to be a store in kent, ohio that sounds like the type of owner.

    he would display albums on the wall that were so ridiculously high priced no one in the right mind would buy them.

    we always thought he just liked having them on display and that maybe, one day, some fool would walk in and pay what he was asking.
     
    eddiel likes this.
  9. Kristofa

    Kristofa Enthusiast of small convenient sound carrier units

    Location:
    usa
    But the OP said it was a fair price for it and not some really high sucker price.

    Word of mouth includes social media. Selfies taken by new customers show those wall records as well—not just the obligatory website shots taken by the owner, and every “like” spreads those shots around. Opening a new shop has got to be tough, so I can understand him wanting it to stay local right now. If it is a fair price, he can always sell it online, and it sounds like he knows that.

    When I hit a new shop, people always ask me what I got and that includes price. And I do the same to everyone else. These first impressions matter, to be sure! If what most locals report back with “no real gems” meaning exactly those rarer records just under fair market price, who’s gonna go in there?

    His email was friendly as well, so I say either wait or send in a local and pay the finders fee, like the OP did a shout out for.
     
    R. Totale likes this.
  10. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    but if won't sell it, does it really matter whether the price is fair or not?
     
  11. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    If the store just wants to make sure locals get a shot at it first, I can understand that. I know stores who do a lot of instagram posts to show off what they are getting in. They have followers from outside the city and the country who want to buy but they don't sell outside the city. If you want it, you need to come into the store. Totally fine.

    If the store in question is doing just that and will maybe sell online if it doesn't go, fair enough. But if the store is just putting it up on the wall to show off and drum up business, it'll more than likely backfire IMO because as locals come in to buy it and he says "No I want to show it off a bit longer" it'll just annoy them. If he's got it up on his social media channels it would suffice and more importantly you'll have people saying "I got this gem at such and such a place" instead of "Don't bother, he just shows off stuff but won't sell"
     
    Kristofa likes this.
  12. Kristofa

    Kristofa Enthusiast of small convenient sound carrier units

    Location:
    usa
    But it sounds like he will sell it...locally. Now if somebody goes in there locally and he won’t sell it, then I don’t think that’s smart.
     
  13. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    Hello Gents—

    OP here. The store owner did get back in contact with me, and I paid for the record in question via PayPal with free media mail delivery; looks like it’s scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

    This is an uncommon LP that presents itself on the popular auction site @once every two months. The last one—same purported EX condition—sold for exactly twice what I just paid for this one in transit to me. Assuming it arrives in as-advertised condition, we can file this one in the all’s-well-that-ends-well category.
     
  14. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    I know a place like this as well and I'm fine with it. You have to take into account what a royal PITA it has become to sell things online, too. Beyond the usual potential problems like lost in the mail or psycho customer, a Paypal transaction isn't final for six months from the date of sale now.
     
    Dave likes this.
  15. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Even as a buyer, who accepts that 6 months is very beneficial to me, I accept it's incredibly excessive.
     
  16. jazon

    jazon A fight between the blue you once knew

    Location:
    ottawa
    What album is it? You've got me curious.
     
    Buddybud likes this.
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