Used stores?

[mu26aeh]

Making money is fine, and I expect people will pay a little more for harder to find items, but in one case I've seen charging $80 for a single WoT baggage car is far too much (especially when they were originally sold as a pair for less than that). That's very unlikely to sell for that price. Part of me wonders if they just set it that high so they can hold on to items longer to draw in more interested buyers. I guess they probably don't care about quickly moving things.

It's like something a buddy pointed out to me while we were walking thru an "antique" mall.  Points out a price tag on something, "last year when I walked thru here, that was here at that price.  It's still here at same price"  Tag only says the ask price, not what it's going to sell for.  Same thing goes on evil bay, I always look at the sold listings to see what people are really paying.  Even then, I'm shocked at what I see sometimes and say " damn, I wish I had a half dozen of them right now to sell"

[peteski]

It's like something a buddy pointed out to me while we were walking thru an "antique" mall.  Points out a price tag on something, "last year when I walked thru here, that was here at that price.  It's still here at same price"  Tag only says the ask price, not what it's going to sell for.  Same thing goes on evil bay, I always look at the sold listings to see what people are really paying.  Even then, I'm shocked at what I see sometimes and say " damn, I wish I had a half dozen of them right now to sell"

Yes, I was also thinking of shades of today's eBay.  Sellers list some 2nd-hand (ore even NIB) items for ridiculous prices, and the item doesn't sell for months (or longer).  Seems that the sellers are looking for some rich clueless person, or someone who really wants the item and has lots of money.  I suppose the same can be said for the direct sellers of pre-owned model trains.

[tehachapifan]

Yes, I was also thinking of shades of today's eBay.  Sellers list some 2nd-hand (ore even NIB) items for ridiculous prices, and the item doesn't sell for months (or longer).  Seems that the sellers are looking for some rich clueless person, or someone who really wants the item and has lots of money...

This is why I believe eBay should bring back relisting fees and limit auctions to 7-10 days max. Even with a nominal relisting fee (maybe just $1 each time), I believe you would see this nonsense come to an immediate stop. Relisting fees=motivation to sell quickly.

[djconway]

You have to know your limits and walk away once the price is too high.  After 50+ years in N scale there are very few things I need and only a few that I want and nothing I must have.

[robert3985]

I have problems with eBay also, but, it has the largest market share out there...so I use it to both buy and sell. But I don't pay eBay's fees...my customers do.

I've gotten some terrific deals shopping at eBay, and I've made a lot of train-money by selling there...both "buy-it-now-or-make-me-an-offer" and auctions.  I've lost my shirt a few times doing auctions, so I rarely do them any longer...but, I definitely WILL consider a decent offer, but not from some low-baller who thinks I'll take half of what my selling price is.

As to what something's worth?...It's "worth" whatever somebody is willing to pay for it.  When I'm perusing sites looking for something specific (which I always do) if somebody is offering something I think is too expensive, I just continue looking and don't get bent out of shape about it.  On eBay, ofttimes a similar item will come up for either auction or sale sometime in the future at a lesser price eventually...and maybe somebody willing to spend more money than I am will buy the item I just ignored...doesn't matter to me...at all.

Someone said "The perfect deal is where both the buyer and the seller come away thinking they got the best end of the deal!"  Oh, and "rare" DOES mean it's going to be more expensive usually, as long as it's in excellent shape and it's a good model to begin with...not some Revell U.P. Wooden Caboose still in the box and "run very little". 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[learmoia]

Caboose Stop Hobbies in Iowa, they have a live N scale YOU TUBE sale every Weds. Also Packratt Trains in Gridley, CA.

Shameless Plug...

You can tune into the Caboose Stop N scale youtube show tonight..
We just got a couple of N scale collections of vintage stuff that should be getting shown over the next few weeks.

How it works..
You need to have a Google account to be able to log in and post in the live chat.
During the show (if your watching live) type the number of the item you want in the live chat.
Then we pull those items after the show and put your name on them.
OR
Watch the video on your own time, and email us (trainguy34@gmail.com) with the numbers.
We do ship international.

~Ian
(I guess should put these instructions on the website... )

[JMaurer1]

I've shopped at most of the above listed stores, but the one that I always seem to find things to spend money on is Trovestar Classifieds. I'm guessing that maybe because they don't get the traffic, people lower the prices. Last time I bought from there (maybe a month ago) I got a bunch of limited run cars (NSC and MT) for under original retail. Ebay USED to be the go to place, but ever since they stopped doing auctions... (lol). Everything lately seems to be BIN at prices higher than I will pay. Model Train Stuff used to list a ton of things on EBay and if they didn't sell the first auction, they LOWERED (imagine that) the price until it did sell...then EBay changed their pollicies and they went private...and raised the prices.

[wm3798]

Having run a second hand store, (Habitat ReStore) there is a method to the pricing madness. 

When you have something nice come in, price it high so it sticks around for awhile.  Or if it doesn't, you make some quid on it.
When the nice stuff stays on the floor for a bit, people who are pondering donating their stuff to the cause will see that you accept nice stuff, then donate nice stuff.
If the nice stuff sells too quickly, all that's left on the floor is junk, and people looking at your store figure you'll accept junk, and then they'll clean out their garage on you, filling your store with more junk.

So, when you see the really nice stuff on Trainz.com or Ebay with a price you believe is too high, it doesn't stop you from looking further to see what else might be available.  The best thing to do with the actual junk is to combine it into a lot, put one cherry in the lot to attract attention, then throw in the rest of the Mehano engines, Bachmann trainset cars, and parts cars in more or less for free to get rid of them...  I mean, to give hobbyists a font of interesting work projects,,,

I've dealt with Trainz on a couple of purchases that ended up being pretty good values.  They list a lot of stuff as bid/buy it now options, and if you hit the bidding right, you can usually save a fair amount under the Buy it Now price.  Not as effortless as pushing the shiny BUY button, but it can be worth the wait if the cards end up in your favor.

Of course, the best source is always going to train shows and looking for the poor soul who's either tangled up in a messy divorce and just needs to dump things, or who has been put in charge of dispatching dad's estate collection and doesn't really know what he's got.  Again, not as easy as sitting in your underwear in the dark with your phone in your hand, but it can really be worth the small investment in time and gas to get to a good show.

Lee

[DirtyD79]

I was looking at Trainz but they want a fortune on shipping. They can go pound salt.