what is it about MLP and greedy people?.. just a thought to my own question..

[StarDapple]

I think that sometimes it can be that the seller is simply mistaken on the price, or has sentimental value added in, but I think for the most part it's the seller simply trying to pull a fast one on unsuspecting buyers. For instance, my brother was going to buy me a pony for my birthday. He found one online and was about to purchase it, but decided to not make it a surprise and ask me if I already had it. It was the Nightmare Moon toy from that fan favorites pack, and the single toy was priced almost the same as the entire pack! Needless to say, my brother was quite relieved to not have spent so much, and I picked out a reasonably priced pony that he bought me. But if I hadn't happened to have been there to correct him my brother would have got scalped unfortunately.

While it is true that sellers can certainly ask for any price they think they can get, I do think people should be decent enough to properly research and price their ponies. My brother simply had no idea on what proper prices were and would have been none the wiser.

[QueenStarglow]

I've run into many people over the years who think, "Oh collectors will pay a fortune for this vintage toy!" and hike up the price. They can ask whatever they want, but they probably won't sell it until they take the time to do their research.

The same is true in a way for sellers who don't take the time to do their research before they sell something truly valuable, like a rare mail order pony. But again they can ask whatever they want.

[Bee-chan]

I remember a few years ago, I stopped in a toy store in NYC, that also sold older toys. They wanted $80 USD for a manky as all get up and go, complete with pony cancer and smooze,  concave hoof Cotton Candy. The store owners claimed that that was what she was worth because she was an original release pony, that they were wrong, and based on that alone, she's worth that much.

It did shut them up when I proved to them that they were wrong, that the concave hooved ones were NOT the original releases, that they were easy as heck to find, and that they were only worth, truthfully, maybe $20. And in the condition that this one was in, it was only worth $2, because I'd have to spend more money restoring it back to it's full potential.

Now, if it was a flat foot, I MIGHT have considered it, but I would have still spent a lot restoring it. It was THAT bad...

[invaderhorizongreen]

I am thankful that I have not run into this yet, I have had some venders know they are vintage but sill offer realistic prices on them.

[Elfpony]

People are more than entitled to ask what they want for something that own - they can set any price they like. I don't think its greedy, I think its misinformed. There is a massive assumption by a lot of people outside the collecting world that something as old as a 30 year old pony is worth something - but they are as likely to try and sell you a Peachy for $20 as they are a Rapunzel.

This exactly. I think far more often it's a seller assuming that because something is vintage it must be worth tonnes of money, and they haven't done their research to find out what it's actually worth. That's why it's so important as a buyer to know what the going rate is on things and what you personally are willing to pay.

I've had luck a few times at conventions with sellers who have over priced their ponies but under priced their accessories. I guess they think that since it's such a little thing that G1 Princess hat and wand aren't worth much. Oh seller, if only you knew.

Elf

[goddessofpeep]

I've dealt with a few seriously greedy sellers in my time.  I had one ebay seller claim she lost a MOC pony I won on ebay for $50, but I was in luck because she had another one with a "slightly better card" that she'd be willing to let go for the totally reasonable sum of $200.  This was after I had sent the money order and she had overcharged me $20 shipping to pay for "gas, wear and tear on the car, and lunch at McDonald's down by the post office".  When I turned down her totally fair offer and I said I wanted my money back, she just wrote "return to sender" on the envelope instead of spending 30 cents for a stamp.  It took over three weeks to get my money back.  She'd also email me regularly for YEARS afterwards trying to get me to buy that $200 pony.  I heard from other people that she'd do that kind of thing a lot.  If she didn't get a price she liked for a pony, she'd "lose" it, but "find" a slightly better one at triple(or more) the price.

A couple of months ago at a flea market I ran into a child selling her ponies for fairly outrageous prices.  She wanted $10 each for the well played with G3s, and $35 each for the quite messed up G1s.  I just backed away politely since it was a kid.  That was probably more misinformed about the true value than it was straight up greed. 

[salemsparkler]

LOL
 I have to admit I dont wear pony t-shirts on boot sales anymore ;-) exactly for that reason.
I ever had people asking that high prices for their ponies, but I rejected them for around £4/8 each already because they were common, grubby, basically bait ;-)

xx

[Baby_Honeycomb]

I read this topic yesterday and thought about it instead of answering right away.
There are only very few flea markets here, no garage sales, it's not common here. I went to flea markets, not a single pony to find there, but I've been there as a seller and let me tell you how people really started to piss me of there. I put prices very low, leaving just a little space for dealing so the buyers feel like they made a real bargain but it was not fun selling. I had for example a complete set of porcelain with dishes, cups, etc. over a hundred pieces in total, everything as new, no chips, cracks, prefect painting. The buying price was a couple of hundreds, I asked fifty for the set and then they sneak around you for an hour trying to get it for just 10! Took me a lot to swallow my anger and not just yell at them to go away. That's just one example, I could come up with a lot more. I finally put it on Ebay and got even way more than I hoped for plus a nice, grateful and very happy buyer.

The thing is - everybody can ask whatever they want for their stuff. If someone is willing to pay an overrated priced, probably because he or she just doesn't know better, it's fine for the seller. To me collectibles are worth what somebody is willing to pay for it. If the price is unrealistic I just back off. Same with nasty sellers as I've also read through some of the posts. Had my experiences through twelve years of selling and buying.

I've also seen it, probably more, the other way round - like people picking up Nightlight at a garage sale for 5 bucks and being happy about it. None would imagine to tell the seller that she is worth more than ten times as much at the moment. So be happy about the good deals and stay away from sellers who just don't know better or try to rip you off. They'll learn eventually that bait ponies are hard to sell for a fortune.

Send via Tapatalk on my Galaxy - blame autocorrect for every mistake

[Skylar]

geez, i see that here on this site.
I have stuff on my sale page that I am practically giving away and people want me to make a 'deal' with them and drop the prices further. It makes it hardly worth the time, especially now that my printer is broken and I have to run down to the library when I want to print a label for another 10 each.

[Rainfeather]

Yes, I hate it. But it has it's upsides too! Most of the time the sellers don't know anything about ponies... will charge 20 dollars for a filthy peachy, but also for a perfect nirvana!

Had quite some luck that way

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Yes, I hate it. But it has it's upsides too! Most of the time the sellers don't know anything about ponies... will charge 20 dollars for a filthy peachy, but also for a perfect nirvana!

Had quite some luck that way

That's how I feel.  I've found beautifully minty ponies at the same price as some that need serious restoration work.  It all evens out in the end!    Though I typically balk and don't buy until I've thought about it.

[octocorn]

At the flea market near me this woman has had a bin of gross g1 ponies with pen marks, cut hair, missing flocking, no tails, etc.  One of them has "Rachel" scrawled across the entire side of the pony. She won't budge on the prices and they've been sitting there for at least two years.  They're all around $5-$7 and I thought that was ridiculous, I can't imagine someone having ponies in that condition and wanting $20 or more!