Sellers: When do you drop your price?

That’s MC’s specialty. Very rough grade, but useful.

@dill - that was my point, but you said it a lot more directly and clearly than I did....his compass makes no sense to me, but he said it's on a case by case basis, so I guess he shoots from the hip.

Why did you go from tubes to SS?

As long as she was honest about the condition, age, how many owners, how long she had it, etc., who cares if she made money on it or thought she could make money on it when she originally bought it?

she’s filling a market need. And taking a risk. What if she couldn’t get what she thought she could? 

Something is worth by definition what someone is willing to pay at some point in time in some place by non urgent buyers. The more efficient the market, the quicker and more consistently the price will be very repeatable regardless of buyer and seller. I.e the stock market (assuming everyone has the same information).
Estate sales when being sold to the public “as is” “no minimums” are not efficient; there are urgent sellers. When real estate is sold with no contingency, the price is lower as the seller is motivated to move quickly.

Sounds like Hilde got a good deal when she bought and a market deal when she sold. Econ 101.

Sorry @hilde45 - I just assumed by your alias that you were female. You know what happens when you ASSUME....

I wonder if there are any women on this site. Anyone out there? Bueller....anyone....

@gano - you are confusing honesty with charity ....receiving incorrect change and returning it is honest (although it would be interesting to see what % of people would return it. I bet it would depend on who gave you the extra change, a small businessman or a huge corporation that is publicly held).

Making a profit is not dishonest - leaving money on the table in a business deal is charitable. If you work for someone else, they are paying you for your time and you are taking their money. Do you think that is dishonest? Would you work if they weren't paying you what you consider a market rate? What if you thought you were worth more? Would you look for a different job? We're not talking communism/socialism here. This site is for commerce, not charity.

@jdoris - selling gear you don't want any more is not turning pro if you happen to make a few bucks. What if you inherited the gear and decided you didn't need it and wanted to sell it? Should you give it away?

2 equally motivated (or unequally motivated) people reaching an agreement is called creating a market. Audiogon is a marketplace. Being a good consumer and seller is knowing the market.

@gano - it’s nice that you support your mother and are charitable. The inheritance could come from your father’s side. Someone maybe you didn’t know existed. That has nothing to do with the subject at hand. The question is whether @hilde45 could make profit off of a sale on Audiogon.

You contradict yourself saying you would do what is fair and let’s you sleep at night. Sounds like you might make money off of an inherited piece selling it for what you consider is fair, which I guess would be based on what they typically sell for.

Hilde - you did good and it sounds like you had a fair, market based, mutually beneficial transaction with everybody being happy. Congratulations- you should have absolutely no second thoughts about making $75.

Of course you pay a retailer more.....it's retail! Even if discounted. He stands behind the product and will help resolve any issues at a minimum. Hopefully he adds value conveying his expertise on the options available and tips on using the component. He has to work with the manufacturer and pay to inventory the goods. And the stores I buy from are owned by individuals (not Best Buy, etc.), so they are dudes too. I didn't mention Marx or Friedman.

I hate to say it @gano, but if you sell something to a "dude", even the Big Lebowski, it is still a transaction. Also you didn't answer my question about what you would charge if you inherited a nice component that you weren't going to use. Would you give it away since you paid nothing? Or if you had to pay inheritance tax on it, would you charge that? Of course not. So whatever price you agreed to below market is charity. If it is a friend, of course you cut them slack (or maybe give it to him for free), but I am talking about arms lengths transactions, regardless of "dude" ness.