Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion RETAIL

My definition was of more a commercial version having operated both wholesale and retail businesses in the past.

In the collector world it is far more fluid. I recently bought a pump at a well attended auction. I had the high bid, having outbid several dealers, so in that place, at that time, I paid retail!

I think of "retail" as the higest price I think I could get for an item. I like picking and I think it's the funnest thing in the world, but when someone tells me what they have into an item, I'm not going to counter offer with a lower bid so that they lose money.

I don't mind people using the term "retail" because it's just a business term. If someone wants to make a business out of something they love then why not

If I want something bad enough I just buy it if I can afford it . Most my stuff I gave more than it really probably is worth , so the retail / wholesale thing to me is hogwash . Retail sounds to much like a shoe or clothing store term , has this term always been in this hobby or something that's came along with all the TV picker hipe ? I am in it because I like it and will pass it on to my children hopefully .

Truth spoken right there Travis!

for me book prices are all wrong, they take prices from auctions which are mostly unreal

for giving value of a sign I see for how much a sign is selling on ebay or elsewhere in shows and I make an average price of what could be the value to have a price range of what to pay if I see this sign for sale and depending the condition the price can drop from the value I have in mind

for exemple an original texaco firechief porcelain sign in good condition sold between 100 $ and 150 $ on ebay so I have an average value of 120 $ for one in good condition so when you see one for sale at 450 $ you clearly know it's a scam

I have a way of seeing items for sale for now, if they put a really high price don't buy it, they need our money but we can wait to find another one for a better price, right ? usually I see here in europe seller asking sky prices for items but one year or two years later they still have the item...

The cream is coming to the top now, read it pickers and flippers?

Mark,
I would have taken it from him, placed it on table & said It's not For Sale, just showing it.
Then place a new sticker on 3X the original asking price.

Or stomped it!

How about a long diatribe on the subject?
Agree, disagree, disregard....

regardless...

Grab your beer and enjoy!


Retail is a valuation when that which is sold is at a point where all it's average nominal value is being consumed. Wholesale is a valuation where that which is sold is at a point where there is still substantial value left which has not been consumed.

There are price guides in many fields of collecting, values are established in these guides by either arbitrary standards, comparative standards, or observed standards or some combination thereof. An author of such guides can choose any method they desire. The better guides, like Kovels, publishes auction values over many years. They are the most verifiable information available, albeit they can be inflationary or deflationary in nature over time and location. Arbitrary values are often seen in self-published guides when an author makes assumptions of value not upon fact but upon arbitrary feelings of what something might be worth. Comparative values are used when similar items though not identical are given equivalent values based on expectation.

There is no denying that in any collectors mind something is only "worth" what they are willing to pay for it. However, because there are often many collectors vying for the same item due to desirability, scarcity, or rarity, "worth" can be measured by upward and downward changes in values exchanged for items. Averaging these pressure changes to "worth" results in values one can call "Retail"; being a value that the average gathering of collectors is willing to pay at the top of their "worth" range.

On a recent trip to Detroit I was asked about availability and prices for Neon beer signs. When I told the gentleman what the local market was like he was astonished since our local valuations were well below his area except for the most established brands. Our "retail" was his "wholesale" for all but the established brands which were nearly identical. Thus, fluctuations in what is considered Retail vs Wholesale are possible, but not unanimous.

Whether a person decries the idea of a "retail" value is of little consequence, the fact remains there are values well observed within the collecting communities that are established normalized prices and ranges of prices. These have upward and downward pressures adjusting them occasionally, and it happens that currently they are on the upswing. This upswing is disconcerting to some so they feel ill at ease when terms are used like "retail". However, since the market is more than simple hand-to-hand deals, it is accurate to describe some sales as "retail" when the value has met the normal high range of "worth" and the exchange of money for the item is over the counter or on some non-auction website.

As stated in the beginning, the term Retail denotes average nominal consumption of the value of the item. The buyer assumes ownership without intent of immediate resale for a higher amount. The item is added to ones collection for enjoyment. Whether the item value depreciates or increases is not of major importance, rather it is exchanged for the perceived value of ownership of the item.

End of diatribe.

Put empty beer can down and go look at another thread for a while!

Retail means nothing anymore in the world of "I seen one on ebay for $$$$$."

If the seller is so confident that it will bring someone's ridiculous asking price, put it on ebay with no reserve. Chances are good, if you made them a fair offer, you will be within less than 30% of the "retail" price that the particular item warrants.

The people who live off this or are scared that someone might get a deal, for some reason can't comprehend that fact that by the time they pay ebay, paypal and shipping commission, they are probably below what they were offered originally.

This past year I offered a guy $8,000.00 for a Sinclair Aircraft 48" sign that was a 8.5-9.0 in condition. He wasn't offended by this offer, but his reply was one just sold in Ohio at auction for $11,500. He gave $1,000.00 for it(it was still hanging in Illinois). After a while he realized that I wasn't out of line on my offer. So one sold for 12k, at an auction that probably charged at least 20% commission, and you have to ship it there or deliver it. Now my offer is within 15% of what that sign actually brought at auction.

If your worried about losing a dollar, you should not be in the "retail" business.

BS, It's DICKERING.

As Chad said;

Get your own TV show, production Money will offset your Failures!