Could this sort of thing kill the hobby

[John Taylor]

I'm not too sure is this is the best place to put this, (admin, please move it if it is), but I saw this seller who says he has a massive collection coming up to sell, and many top titles to.
But if this link to his current sales is anything to go buy, I would suggest he will have problems. I'd hate to think what his top title features will be listed for. In my opinion, he will drive buyers away. I've not seen anything as disgraceful as this price for a cartoon that runs for no more than five or six minutes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304545651...wAAOSwUKliuaTZ

[Douglas Meltzer]

John,

Dramatic! I doubt high eBay prices will kill the hobby. If that film is worth that price to some collector then the seller will be proven correct in his choice to list the item for that figure. I have no idea whether an IB tech print of that particular Mr. Bugs title is truly rare. Perhaps it is. If it doesn't sell and gets relisted a few times, I'm sure the price will come down. The buyers always decide these things.

[Ed Gordon]

The high prices could be the result of 1) Greed, 2) Stupidity, 2) Gaming the system, or 3) ?

Here is an example of one seller simply doing what is his best interest:

I raised the prices on my listings to a point that no one would make a purchase when I had a situation where I was going to be unable to ship items for several days. I did not want to lose the listings.

Prices were raised to 3-5 times what they should sell for. Would do even higher, but eBay put a limit on how much I could raise them. Sudden limit because of all the changes as far as I could determine. Don't know my $$$ selling limit on the account, but that was not the reason.

I had 1 person make a purchase of $78 on something I normally sell for $28. Buyer had no clue about the value of the item. Just needed it.

I contacted the buyer, and had them request to cancel so the I could relist at a reasonable price.

Source: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Sellin...7352976/page/2

As Doug says, "The buyers always decide these things".

[Mike Newell]

What do you expect all that extra weight carrying 16mm has built up his brain muscle. He will be collecting for 50 years before he sells that one. Mind you according to his feedback there are Film sales. He should put them in plastic boxes like the other clown on eBay does then charge $24,000 for a film. The reality is more film collectors are leaving the hobby than joining it.

[John Taylor]

Thanks for the replies,
Doug, yes I guess it did sound a bit dramatic, I wondered if it may put people off buying films as the prices are so high these days. Mind you, there are also many good ones out there at sensible prices.
Ed, thanks for the interesting link, and I think 1 and 2 are definatly in play in some cases.
Mike, It is nuts. Did I read somewhere that ebay use to charge a listing fee dependent on the start price? If that is so, I think thats something they should go back to, it may weed out the silly start prices.

As everyone agrees though, the seller will decide.

Just to add, I've read through the link that Ed added and judging by some of the answers, it does show how many ignorant and stupid people are on ebay. Those who list this high simply say "if you dont like the price dont bid", while thats a bit obvious, no one has said, no one seems to want to answer the question, why do seller want to list way over the top high prices as surely they are not likely to get a buyer.

[Mike Newell]

In ye olden days. EBay charged a listing fee and small fee for selling an item. About 4 % in total. Now everything is free to list but big fees for selling an item plus they take a cut of your postage charge about 15-20% in total. This is in line with auction houses. The No listing fee has lead to monopoly prices from idiots as they can relist for years at no cost. This policy obviously works for eBay as they get their money upfront plus they take their cut before the seller sees any money 😂😂. Buyer don’t pay they still charge you. As you say John a lot of stupid people out there who haven’t a clue. Everything is very rare vintage antique memorabilia. Ask them to lace up a projector would be fun to watch.

[Allan Broadfield]

I don't think John's opinion was dramatic enough.
If enough chancers charged these sort of prices it definitely would kill the hobby stone dead, though I can't see anyone coughing up these prices.

[John Taylor]

Thanks Allen, i wasnt trying to be dramatic though, where I am coming from is this,
supposing a potential new comer, or even someone who left the hobby and is thinking of coming back in decides to start looking at prices. While we all know that ebay isnt the be all and end all, it is a place where many will look.
What they will see is a massive load of every day titles, but also, many of the decent items having a start price that would need a bank loan. The example i put up isnt a one off. There is now a vast majority who seem to pluck huge numbers out of thin air and then hit the list button.
This is what i was wondering if people would be put off. Almost a grand for a cartoon!
fortunatly, we all know whats prices more or less should be but i think it may do harm to the hobby which as Mike said,is already in decline.

[Allan Broadfield]

Agreed. At the risk of sounding like a skinflint I've already complained in another section of the forum of the ridiculous prices asked for projectors, items that would fetch pennies in comparison in most auction houses.
Over £400 for an untested machine, sometimes even without a lens, under the title 'rare'.

[Phil Moors]

‘ Down with this sort of thing!