Different prices for the same card

MrNearMint

This is more of a rant then anything.
Before I buy a card, I check eBay completed along with Beckett and the smr to know what the average price a certain graded card goes for. I would think that anyone buying anything would do similar. So why do people sell cards for sometimes significantly more then what the average price is? As an example, I'm looking at a card in a Psa 7 that seems to sell for $280-$300. There's a few different websites that are selling the same card/same grade for way more. One website is selling the card for $597, another website is selling a Psa 6 version for $280. Are these prices motivated by greed? Or do they think that everyone who searches their website is a complete moron? I don't understand why these sellers think someone would pay more for THEIR card when the buyer could easily buy it somewhere else for cheaper.

I understand it's a free country and we can sell what we want for the price we want but wouldn't a seller rather gain the trust of a potential buyer then to try to screw them over, not to mention having a greater chance at selling the item?

I hope I didn't offend anyone if some of you are one's that do this, but if so maybe you can explain it.

Alfonz24

Could be many reasons:
1. They have a large inventory and cannot keep up with changing prices, e.g the prices were set several years ago on website,
2. Not all PSA 6s and 7s are the same. They may be over/undergraded. Some people will pay more for a centered card that has more touched corners.
3. They start high because customers come in with low ball offers, so they can make a counteroffer.

IF you can EASILY buy it elsewhere, then buy elsewhere. Maybe try to make a reasonable offer to the overpriced website sellers and maybe they will agree with your assessment. If not, then just ignore them as the cards are easily bought elsewhere.

thehallmark

Some dealers don't need to move the merchandise quickly (or ever). All it takes one person who wants the card and doesn't know recent sales information to make it all worth it.

I don't find there to be anything wrong with the practice of over-pricing as long as the pics/descriptions are accurate. It's up to the buyer to educate themselves.

cardcountry

I completely agree with Alfonz24. A high end 7 or 8 will command a much higher premium than a weak card of the same grade. All 8's are not created equal. Therefore you should "buy the card, not the grade."

Jeff

mcadams

While there are plenty of other plausible explanations as mentioned above, the likely answer is that they prey on dumb money. Some folks stay in business targeting new less-seasoned collectors or worse- non-collectors buying cards as gifts for others.

MrNearMint

you all have very good points and I'm aware of the fact that not all 7's or 8's are the same quality. But that's not exactly what Im talking about.

mcadams, your quote on your profile about the "rediculous BIN price" sums up my point perfectly!

fiveniner

Without mentioning names there are two dealers well known that keep running prices almost double of other sellers lots of it junk and prices never move even after a year or so being listed.I just do not understand it either.

gemint

Not all cards sell for the same price and I think sellers bank on this. I was checking VCP the other day and noticed a PSA 8 1971 Fritz Peterson that sells all day long for under $25 all of the sudden sold for $50 with multiple bidders.

Maurice

You're upset about the higher priced examples because those are the ones you want, and you want to buy them for the same price as the lower priced examples. And you can't. And that's why you're here complaining instead of just buying the lower priced examples.

Foo3112

This Frank Thomas sold for about $12



And this one sold for $47 (This card usually sells for about an average of $25-33) but regardless - A 10 shouldn't have sold for $12.



Both are the same card, both are the same grade. One card is obviously nicer than the other. One will demand more money. Not even sure why this has to even be explained. This should be common sense. As far people selling for more money, I don't mind (especially when I own the card) because that means that the value of my copy is also going up when people buy at higher priced. Some sellers (in every market, not just cards) prey on people who will just buy something without possibly shopping around/ or on the fact the some people don't have patience to wait for an auction to finish up in 5 days and just want to "buy it now" just to have it sooner but at the cost of paying more.

fiveniner

<< <i>Not all cards sell for the same price and I think sellers bank on this. I was checking VCP the other day and noticed a PSA 8 1971 Fritz Peterson that sells all day long for under $25 all of the sudden sold for $50 with multiple bidders. >>




I agree this happens very often.

Dpeck100

In the investment world there is a site called Municenter where dealers list their inventory of bonds for sale.

Many of the bonds are from mutual fund companies portfolios and they post what they are willing to sell and at what price.

Many bonds appear far away from the current market in price and in some cases they definitely are.

If someone places an order and buys the bonds the fund will sell them at that price. They are not necessary expecting them to trade but when they do they got the price they wanted.

Many card dealers operate the same way. They set a price that appears to be away from the market and if it trades they got their price and now you own it.

I remained perplexed at how many people just simply do not understand how markets work. Not every seller is motivated by the same thing. Some need cash fast. Some market other people's cards. Some just want to show you the cards they have and make you drool.

If you do not like the price just move on to the next listing.

WalterSobchak

I fail to see how pricing a card higher than what it usually goes for is 'screwing a buyer over'. If they want to list their cards at an insanely high price in the hopes that someone who either doesn't know (or doesn't care) comes along and pulls the trigger, there's nothing wrong with that.
The trade off when you use that philosophy is that most of your cards will sit there unsold for a LONG time. If the seller is comfortable with that, more power to 'em.

By the way, a lot of people here have singled out 707 as the poster child for the ridiculously overpriced BIN seller on EBay. From what I can tell, 707 is the DOLLAR STORE compared to deans_cards. For what that guy charges, if I ever bought anything from him I would expect it to be delivered to me in a frickin' limo.

JoeBanzai

I have seen this complaint over and over again. Frankly I am bored with it. If you are so much smarter than these sellers who are asking too much for their cards, teach them a lesson and don't buy from them. Stop whining about people having different opinions and move on.

itzagoner

<< <i>Some market other people's cards. >>



this is a very strong statement and should be considered at any time when viewing a dealer's inventory.

of course there are volume sellers who undoubtedly attempt to fulfill the wishes of consignors who own cards and want them sold.

perhaps the unreasonable expectations lie somewhere between a card hoarder and their overzealous buying habits.