The *JOYS* of Resales

[MGarza145]

A few years ago I missed out on an auction of a cel I really wanted to purchase. The cel sold for the default bid of $120.00 if I remember correctly. I later found the cel in a collectors forum for sale 300.00 because this merchandise collector wasn't a particular fan of this character but purchased it for the sake of having an "animation cel." I contacted this person yesterday to see if I can work out something and now they raised the price to $600.00 because "that is how much the cel is worth to them personally."

I think as cel collectors, we obviously see this all the time and sometimes even give in if we really desire the artwork. My question is, does raising the resale price to 500% make it ethical? Has the happened to you before and how did you handle it? If you gave in to the price, was it worth it in the end?

[Killua]

Yeah personally I wouldn't pay that much of a mark-up, with two exceptions: 1. I really desperately wanted that cel. Truly desperately. 2. If the final cost was reasonable given the cel, which would only be the case if the initial cost was a ridiculous steal of a deal.

[teggacat]

wrong as it may seem to a passionate collector, the owner of said cel gets to call the shots,
as with anything the piece in question is only worth as much as one is willing to pay and honestly
the original price paid by the now owner is irrelevant.

[Drac of the Sharp Smiles]

wrong as it may seem to a passionate collector, the owner of said cel gets to call the shots,
as with anything the piece in question is only worth as much as one is willing to pay and honestly
the original price paid by the now owner is irrelevant.

While this is 100% true, we need to remember that the owner can ask any price they want, but if collectors say "no thanks", then they're going to have to rethink that. (This is assuming they want to sell it.) That said, I feel for you. I try to avoid people who buy things from sources available to a given group, then try to sell back to THAT group at a higher cost.

[sugarcels]

I know your pain. I've seen people sell a cel for a certain price on Yahoo! Japan and then list it on Ebay for about 5x the price. Quite frustrating!

[theultimatebrucelee]

Personally can't understand those people. How does it make sense to double the price when the original price won't even sell? Its like some Yahoo Japan auctions, listed at certain price for years without any bid, then all of sudden price gets doubled. I'm assuming that they want people to remember the new price so when they drop the price back down in the future someone might forget the old price and think its a good deal or something-_-" When that happens to something I might be interested in, doing anything would be a waste of effort.

The other thing is, I don't think the previous price of 120 matters anymore here since its been exchanged hands already, new owner, new price, they own it. Its unethical, but, that's just business.

[cutiebunny]

Yes, I've had this happen to me. Many years ago there was a Sailor Moon cel that I saw on YJ that, although I liked and wanted it, I felt that I should be kind to fellow collectors and stand aside. I did and another RS member won it for about $250. Years later, when they're liquidating their collection, I asked if they were selling that particular cel, and they were - but now at $800. I sucked it up and bought it, but since then, my policy has been that if it's something I really want to just go for it instead.

I don't know if my choice was the wisest choice around - It's possible that another collector could have picked it up, and then later down the road, resold it for less. But at least this way, I can say that I own it.

I don't like it when sellers, especially those that are collectors, jack up the prices in order to stiff other collectors. I can understand making some profit, but there comes a point where I have a hard time understanding the need to, IMO, take advantage of your fellow collector. I know it's a hobby and there really is no such thing as 'fairness' out there, but for someone who tries to aid fellow Sailor Moon collectors out whenever possible, seeing stuff like this bothers me. I want to believe that there are people out there that can and do regularly help others out because they would hope that that kindness would be reciprocated, and not because there's some sort of profit to be made at the expense of others.

[Rekka Alexiel]

I have seen an interesting practice done when items have sat on YJ without any bids... That they've been placed on Amazon at almost a 200% increased price. I really don't understand why this is done. If it would have been on YJ a few months longer I could have afforded it, but at the time it was unreasonable to fork out the already expensive price."

Maybe sellers don't have to keep paying a insertion fee on Amazon, so maybe it's more profitable in the long run to keep it there? But why jack up the price of something that failed to sell at a much lower price?? Maybe they are hoping that people will notice the drastic price cut when/if they return them to YJ. I can't quite grasp the logic of this practice... But whatever. Sellers are going to do whatever they want with their property.;p

[sugarcels]

They have cels on Amazon?! I did not know this.

There's a cel I've been watching on Y!J because I've sorta grown attached to it. First they had it at 5000 yen, which is more than I can afford at the moment. Now suddenly they want 40000 yen. That doesn't make sense. If it didn't sell at the lower price, do they think people are gonna jump all over the higher price?! It's been on there for months, so I thought they'd be anxious to get rid of it.

[kungfulkoder]

It's a common tactic for dropshippers and people selling items that have few in quantity to sell some at a very jacked up price. If there is minimal cost to listing something (and keeping it stocked, etc), then eventually someone might buy it at the higher price (and I've seen this work). For cels, it might be kinda weird, but when it's something that isn't unique (like books), then it can work out.

[teppy]

...Its like some Yahoo Japan auctions, listed at certain price for years without any bid, then all of sudden price gets doubled. I'm assuming that they want people to remember the new price so when they drop the price back down in the future someone might forget the old price and think its a good deal or something-_-"

I've always wondered about some cels I see on YJ that have literally been listed and relisted for years - at the same high prices - and never sell. Do the owners really want to sell? Are they counting on an influx of new buyers on YJ who will see the cel for the first time and buy it. What could the rationale be for this. Don't they have to pay an insertion fee?

[star-phoenix]

A piece is worth what a person is willing to pay for it. And keep in mind that prices change with the economy and you said it has been a few years. That may not really be such a big markup on that piece if it has been a few years.

There was one auction I remember seeing a while back for an old vintage piece (non-Disney) that sold for $6,900. A month later, I saw that piece pop up on another site for $19,000!!! A MONTH later!! That is a lot of $$ there!!
However, I see this happening all the time. I personally would not get offended by it because if that is what they feel is worth to them, then that is great. If you do not feel comfortable about spending that much $$ on it, then most definitely trust your gut. If you feel you overpay for a piece, then it really ruins whatever love you do have for it.

[MGarza145]

I really do see and mostly agree everyone's point(s);

Although the current owner of a piece calls the shots on how much they want to sell it for, in my situation, it just boggles my mind that a person who claims they have little-to-no knowledge of animation artwork decided to bump up the price because it is simply an "animation cel."

Shouldn't one's opinion of art value come with RESEARCH first?

Thank you all for your helpful responses and opinions!

[KuroiTsubasa4]

Although the current owner of a piece calls the shots on how much they want to sell it for, in my situation, it just boggles my mind that a person who claims they have little-to-no knowledge of animation artwork decided to bump up the price because it is simply an "animation cel."

Shouldn't one's opinion of art value come with RESEARCH first?

On a semi-related note, I think it's interesting how some sellers will list a bunch of cels of varying quality all for the same starting price. There are often ones that are awkward poses, or have semi-closed eyes listed for the exact same price as a top notch cel (and a high price at that...). They don't seem to take into consideration that things like pose, character, fan-favorite moments, etc. play a role in the demand for the cels. >.< Those are usually the cels that I see circulating over and over.

[Killua]

...Its like some Yahoo Japan auctions, listed at certain price for years without any bid, then all of sudden price gets doubled. I'm assuming that they want people to remember the new price so when they drop the price back down in the future someone might forget the old price and think its a good deal or something-_-"

I've always wondered about some cels I see on YJ that have literally been listed and relisted for years - at the same high prices - and never sell. Do the owners really want to sell? Are they counting on an influx of new buyers on YJ who will see the cel for the first time and buy it. What could the rationale be for this. Don't they have to pay an insertion fee?

I think listing on YJ is around a dime or so.