KesselRunPDX
Youngling
Alright, so here's something that's been on my mind since I started collecting, and while I have some thoughts on it, I'd like to get some other opinions on it.
Are people mad when it comes to vintage Star Wars and selling to other people?
Basically, I'm wondering when people are selling Star Wars figures and vehicles, there's a very wide idea of what something is worth and what people will buy. You might find a figure for say, $2 one place but find the same figure in the same state for $40 somewhere else, whether in a store or eBay or Craigslist or a garage sale.
Numerous times I've searched eBay and Craigslist, looking for any number of vehicles, parts, playsets or figures, and the prices vary wildly. Obviously one tries to find the best (and lowest) price for the item you're looking for, but most of the time you can't find it, or you have to buy a second or third of something you already have just to get the part you need, or it's in a lot of figures, most of which you already have.
The prices are the real issue. How does one figure out what something is worth just by looking at it? I'm not talking about getting things graded by AFA or whatever. Its more along the lines of one person looks at say, a loose Han Solo with his pistol, and decides that its worth $5, while another will try to sell it for $20-$60?
I think eBay is probably the worst in this regard. I was looking around there a bit ago, under "vintage star wars lot" and you have one person selling several complete figures and vehicles with boxes for say $200, and then you have another person selling a ton of what can barely be considered a vehicle or figure for astronomical prices! (The one that blew my mind was someone who had pretty much 1 of each of the major vehicles, not including mini-rigs, and most of them were not just missing parts, but whole chunks of the toy, and the person wanted over $1000 for them, not including shipping!)
I realize that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" but this is ridiculous. I got into a discussion with a roommate recently about this, and told him I was blown away at the difference in prices for various toys and other things (like retro video game consoles, which I also collect). He basically said that people try to get as much as they can out of things they're selling, and considering star wars, some people think they can break the bank and get crazy amounts for what equates to junk in collectors eyes, and then you have other people who sell more realistically, and will set a price that is affordable and they know people will be willing to pay.
What do you all think? Is the market that crazy for vintage Star Wars? Are the prices that variable? Is it the mark of a good seller to put a low price point on an item so they can sell more of them, or should they rack up the price to "brand new, mint in box, never been touched" status even though the item clearly isn't? Or is it just a case by case basis, and there really isn't an average price on things?
Thoughts and feedback appreciated.
Are people mad when it comes to vintage Star Wars and selling to other people?
Basically, I'm wondering when people are selling Star Wars figures and vehicles, there's a very wide idea of what something is worth and what people will buy. You might find a figure for say, $2 one place but find the same figure in the same state for $40 somewhere else, whether in a store or eBay or Craigslist or a garage sale.
Numerous times I've searched eBay and Craigslist, looking for any number of vehicles, parts, playsets or figures, and the prices vary wildly. Obviously one tries to find the best (and lowest) price for the item you're looking for, but most of the time you can't find it, or you have to buy a second or third of something you already have just to get the part you need, or it's in a lot of figures, most of which you already have.
The prices are the real issue. How does one figure out what something is worth just by looking at it? I'm not talking about getting things graded by AFA or whatever. Its more along the lines of one person looks at say, a loose Han Solo with his pistol, and decides that its worth $5, while another will try to sell it for $20-$60?
I think eBay is probably the worst in this regard. I was looking around there a bit ago, under "vintage star wars lot" and you have one person selling several complete figures and vehicles with boxes for say $200, and then you have another person selling a ton of what can barely be considered a vehicle or figure for astronomical prices! (The one that blew my mind was someone who had pretty much 1 of each of the major vehicles, not including mini-rigs, and most of them were not just missing parts, but whole chunks of the toy, and the person wanted over $1000 for them, not including shipping!)
I realize that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" but this is ridiculous. I got into a discussion with a roommate recently about this, and told him I was blown away at the difference in prices for various toys and other things (like retro video game consoles, which I also collect). He basically said that people try to get as much as they can out of things they're selling, and considering star wars, some people think they can break the bank and get crazy amounts for what equates to junk in collectors eyes, and then you have other people who sell more realistically, and will set a price that is affordable and they know people will be willing to pay.
What do you all think? Is the market that crazy for vintage Star Wars? Are the prices that variable? Is it the mark of a good seller to put a low price point on an item so they can sell more of them, or should they rack up the price to "brand new, mint in box, never been touched" status even though the item clearly isn't? Or is it just a case by case basis, and there really isn't an average price on things?
Thoughts and feedback appreciated.
