Prices offered can vary because of several factors.
a) What type or size of business is doing the selling?
Is it a one man band selling from their darkened attic with little fixed overheads, if any?
Is it a one man band selling from a small shop with fixed overheads of £15,000+ pa?
Is it a small business employing 2 or three people with fixed overheads of £50,000 pa?
b) The quality of the product?
We have all been disappointed by some of our purchases.
c) How good is the customer service from the seller.
We have all asked questions of sellers and not got the helpful answers we have been looking for. OR the seller has bent over backwards to be helpful.
d) The quality of the packaging from online sellers?
Has it been well packaged or just thrown in an envelope and got wet?
The price differential in stamps is the exact same as automobiles.
Pay a Toyota Corolla price do not expect a Ferrari.
You only get what you pay for!
If it looks too good to be true.........it probably ain't!
Ian - Some of the prices I run into are well above catalogue and the sellers seem to be reputable. I don't care how good the service is, it just seems to be out to lunch!! I know what you're thinking (I think), just don't buy from them! I won't, but I'd still like to know how some of these companies can stay in business! Also, I'm not comparing a Toyota to a Ferrari, they are both Toyotas of the same year and model!
There all sorts of variables such as some do not price shop as much as others. For example, Mystic Stamps sells stamps at premium prices yet they seem to have customers.
Al
Harvey:-
You can go to six different Toyota garages and get six different prices quoted for the same model. (Been there Done that)
The price of a tin of Heinz beans is different in different shops. Why? there is no Retail Price Maintenance
Ask six plumbers to give you a quote to plumb in a washing machine in your utility room and you will get six different quotes.
Why do you expect stamps to be any different?
Its called a free market or Capitalism!
There are stamps here on stamporama that have different prices. Yes the exact same stamps.
" .... Mystic Stamps sells stamps at premium prices
yet they seem to have customers. ...."
Which would seem crazy, but their expenses have to
be high to start with. Plus Mystic supports the hobby
with paid advertising.
Whatever it is Mystic has been there for many years.
I think the lonesome collector in a rural town that
will never have another stamp shop, finds the approvals
they send out appealing, regardless of what we know
appears to be an almost excessive price.
I know it is a capitalist society and people can charge what they want. I'm just curious why some people spend a lot more than they have to. Maybe people are like my wife's sister used to be - she loved to brag about how much she spent for something. My wife would look for a bargain and comment on how much she saved. Some people look at the same item at different prices and then buy the most expensive one because it must be better. Or maybe some people get in the habit of buying from a certain source, cuts down on thinking time. Or maybe some people are just a bit weird! Take your pick!!!
"I know it is a capitalist society and people can charge what they want. I'm just curious why some people spend a lot more than they have to"
The most frustrating thing about this site is the general feeling that pricing needs to be at 10 to 20 percent of Scott. While I can understand this level for club sales of the usual FVF material, hard to locate sets and singles in VF or better condition are really worth more. Over the years most of my sales which sold at close to or exceeding Scott have been to other dealers.
I used to bring unpriced oddball or XF material which I had questions about identification or pricing on to shows to take advantage of the knowledge of fellow dealers. I kept them on the back table and always gave (most) dealers free reign to poke around “unhelped”. I often sold more off that back table to dealers than on the front tables to customers.. Offers were generally above what I thought they would sell for to customers. I once sold an XF+ White Plains SS (a VERY nice copy).for 50 per cent above Scott NH pricing. The dealer sold it later that day - knowing your customers wants and price thresholds is the key to success.
We can all knock Mystic and their seemingly high pricing. The facts are that Mystic supports 150 employees, is a benevolent corporate entity in a small upstate NY town, registers more members in the APS than anyone else, has been in business since 1923 and reports gross annual sales of $32 million dollars.
Ponder that for a few minutes and then try to figure out who is “out to lunch”.
" .... The most frustrating thing about this site is the general feeling that pricing needs to be at 10 to 20 percent of Scott. ...."
Two answers;
One , it is a tradition and like the proverbial fiddler, it is hard to explain or change a tradition.
Two, because there are sellers who will provide items at that kind of discount.
Three, No reserve auctions often do not get higher bids on some really decent lots.
And finally many collectors are not capable of understanding the difference between the condition of nice stamps, and really great stamps, between "-F," and "ExF."
Okay, I know that is four, thank you.
"....We can all knock Mystic and their seemingly high pricing. The facts are that Mystic supports 150 employees, is a benevolent corporate entity in a small upstate NY town, registers more members in the APS than anyone else, has been in business since 1923 and reports gross annual sales of $32 million dollars. ...."
Also, for the princely sum of $5.00,(Usually gratis to regular buyers,) Mystic produces a slick, full color, catalog of US stamp issues that can supplement that old set of Scott Catalogs that were bought for $60.00 dollars apiece in the stone age. (Gas was 29.9¢ a gallon, a cold draft beer cost 25¢, and a shiny new VW Beetle could be had for $1,295.oo delivered and prepped.)
And just for laughs, I enjoy spending an evening once a month looking through the random selections Mystic sends me, sometimes finding a stamp or two (few) and laughing at the prices, before returning most of them. But not all, or they would not keep sending that envelope. It is an evening's entertainment that allows me to avoid throwing a steaming hot cup of coffee at some politician babbling on a TV interview show. I do not know how many TVs were saved that way.
" It is an evening's entertainment that allows me to avoid throwing a steaming hot cup of coffee at some politician babbling on a TV interview show. I do not know how many TVs were saved that way."
Exactly . . . And some material is common and only worth 10% or even less of catalogue, and there are some sets that I have paid double or even triple catalogue for (try finding early Mongolia--not the 10 stamps that are everywhere). Condition is key--at 10% SCV I expect to find common material, hinged/heavy hinged material, faults, etc. I've found some great deals on Stamporama and I'm grateful for the people who list here. Remember too that this site was set up for collectors to exchange duplicates, so the pricing is meant to reflect that. We are fortunate to have some dealers here who provide great material at a very decent price.
Not everything on Stamporama is priced at 10 - 20%. Actually, I sold oodles of the hard to find postally used USA commemoratives from long sets at prices equal to or ABOVE Scott’s and they sold like hot cakes from my approval books.
Pricing varies in all hobbies. Model cars started in late 1950s so mint condition unmolested kits through the early 1970s, that have not been reissued in modern times can be costly. There is no printed definitive price guide like a Scott’s catalog, and we all know how well that works anyway!
You can find bargains here and there, but the rare kits will get bid up on eBay. That sends some guys to ranting on the message board about some greedy evil seller who got $350 for a 1968 Dodge Super Bee kit. Then the pile on ensues and at least one ranter will bring up that the kit sold for $3 back in 1968.
Then someone sane will point out that the seller started the auction at $10 and the bidding took it to the high number!
And so it goes...
I get many stamp adds through my e-mail and every once in a while I go in to check selling prices. I'm not going to mention any particular sites, but where in heck do these people get their prices from? The prices are sometimes several times what I would consider fair! Who in the world buys from these people and how do they manage to stay in business? I find E-Bay relatively sane as long as you shop around or wait a bit. Some of the others ... !!!
re: Out to lunch, or what?
Prices offered can vary because of several factors.
a) What type or size of business is doing the selling?
Is it a one man band selling from their darkened attic with little fixed overheads, if any?
Is it a one man band selling from a small shop with fixed overheads of £15,000+ pa?
Is it a small business employing 2 or three people with fixed overheads of £50,000 pa?
b) The quality of the product?
We have all been disappointed by some of our purchases.
c) How good is the customer service from the seller.
We have all asked questions of sellers and not got the helpful answers we have been looking for. OR the seller has bent over backwards to be helpful.
d) The quality of the packaging from online sellers?
Has it been well packaged or just thrown in an envelope and got wet?
The price differential in stamps is the exact same as automobiles.
Pay a Toyota Corolla price do not expect a Ferrari.
You only get what you pay for!
If it looks too good to be true.........it probably ain't!
re: Out to lunch, or what?
Ian - Some of the prices I run into are well above catalogue and the sellers seem to be reputable. I don't care how good the service is, it just seems to be out to lunch!! I know what you're thinking (I think), just don't buy from them! I won't, but I'd still like to know how some of these companies can stay in business! Also, I'm not comparing a Toyota to a Ferrari, they are both Toyotas of the same year and model!
re: Out to lunch, or what?
There all sorts of variables such as some do not price shop as much as others. For example, Mystic Stamps sells stamps at premium prices yet they seem to have customers.
Al
re: Out to lunch, or what?
Harvey:-
You can go to six different Toyota garages and get six different prices quoted for the same model. (Been there Done that)
The price of a tin of Heinz beans is different in different shops. Why? there is no Retail Price Maintenance
Ask six plumbers to give you a quote to plumb in a washing machine in your utility room and you will get six different quotes.
Why do you expect stamps to be any different?
Its called a free market or Capitalism!
There are stamps here on stamporama that have different prices. Yes the exact same stamps.
re: Out to lunch, or what?
" .... Mystic Stamps sells stamps at premium prices
yet they seem to have customers. ...."
Which would seem crazy, but their expenses have to
be high to start with. Plus Mystic supports the hobby
with paid advertising.
Whatever it is Mystic has been there for many years.
I think the lonesome collector in a rural town that
will never have another stamp shop, finds the approvals
they send out appealing, regardless of what we know
appears to be an almost excessive price.
re: Out to lunch, or what?
I know it is a capitalist society and people can charge what they want. I'm just curious why some people spend a lot more than they have to. Maybe people are like my wife's sister used to be - she loved to brag about how much she spent for something. My wife would look for a bargain and comment on how much she saved. Some people look at the same item at different prices and then buy the most expensive one because it must be better. Or maybe some people get in the habit of buying from a certain source, cuts down on thinking time. Or maybe some people are just a bit weird! Take your pick!!!
re: Out to lunch, or what?
"I know it is a capitalist society and people can charge what they want. I'm just curious why some people spend a lot more than they have to"
re: Out to lunch, or what?
The most frustrating thing about this site is the general feeling that pricing needs to be at 10 to 20 percent of Scott. While I can understand this level for club sales of the usual FVF material, hard to locate sets and singles in VF or better condition are really worth more. Over the years most of my sales which sold at close to or exceeding Scott have been to other dealers.
I used to bring unpriced oddball or XF material which I had questions about identification or pricing on to shows to take advantage of the knowledge of fellow dealers. I kept them on the back table and always gave (most) dealers free reign to poke around “unhelped”. I often sold more off that back table to dealers than on the front tables to customers.. Offers were generally above what I thought they would sell for to customers. I once sold an XF+ White Plains SS (a VERY nice copy).for 50 per cent above Scott NH pricing. The dealer sold it later that day - knowing your customers wants and price thresholds is the key to success.
We can all knock Mystic and their seemingly high pricing. The facts are that Mystic supports 150 employees, is a benevolent corporate entity in a small upstate NY town, registers more members in the APS than anyone else, has been in business since 1923 and reports gross annual sales of $32 million dollars.
Ponder that for a few minutes and then try to figure out who is “out to lunch”.
re: Out to lunch, or what?
" .... The most frustrating thing about this site is the general feeling that pricing needs to be at 10 to 20 percent of Scott. ...."
Two answers;
One , it is a tradition and like the proverbial fiddler, it is hard to explain or change a tradition.
Two, because there are sellers who will provide items at that kind of discount.
Three, No reserve auctions often do not get higher bids on some really decent lots.
And finally many collectors are not capable of understanding the difference between the condition of nice stamps, and really great stamps, between "-F," and "ExF."
Okay, I know that is four, thank you.
"....We can all knock Mystic and their seemingly high pricing. The facts are that Mystic supports 150 employees, is a benevolent corporate entity in a small upstate NY town, registers more members in the APS than anyone else, has been in business since 1923 and reports gross annual sales of $32 million dollars. ...."
Also, for the princely sum of $5.00,(Usually gratis to regular buyers,) Mystic produces a slick, full color, catalog of US stamp issues that can supplement that old set of Scott Catalogs that were bought for $60.00 dollars apiece in the stone age. (Gas was 29.9¢ a gallon, a cold draft beer cost 25¢, and a shiny new VW Beetle could be had for $1,295.oo delivered and prepped.)
And just for laughs, I enjoy spending an evening once a month looking through the random selections Mystic sends me, sometimes finding a stamp or two (few) and laughing at the prices, before returning most of them. But not all, or they would not keep sending that envelope. It is an evening's entertainment that allows me to avoid throwing a steaming hot cup of coffee at some politician babbling on a TV interview show. I do not know how many TVs were saved that way.
re: Out to lunch, or what?
" It is an evening's entertainment that allows me to avoid throwing a steaming hot cup of coffee at some politician babbling on a TV interview show. I do not know how many TVs were saved that way."
re: Out to lunch, or what?
Exactly . . . And some material is common and only worth 10% or even less of catalogue, and there are some sets that I have paid double or even triple catalogue for (try finding early Mongolia--not the 10 stamps that are everywhere). Condition is key--at 10% SCV I expect to find common material, hinged/heavy hinged material, faults, etc. I've found some great deals on Stamporama and I'm grateful for the people who list here. Remember too that this site was set up for collectors to exchange duplicates, so the pricing is meant to reflect that. We are fortunate to have some dealers here who provide great material at a very decent price.
re: Out to lunch, or what?
Not everything on Stamporama is priced at 10 - 20%. Actually, I sold oodles of the hard to find postally used USA commemoratives from long sets at prices equal to or ABOVE Scott’s and they sold like hot cakes from my approval books.
re: Out to lunch, or what?
Pricing varies in all hobbies. Model cars started in late 1950s so mint condition unmolested kits through the early 1970s, that have not been reissued in modern times can be costly. There is no printed definitive price guide like a Scott’s catalog, and we all know how well that works anyway!
You can find bargains here and there, but the rare kits will get bid up on eBay. That sends some guys to ranting on the message board about some greedy evil seller who got $350 for a 1968 Dodge Super Bee kit. Then the pile on ensues and at least one ranter will bring up that the kit sold for $3 back in 1968.
Then someone sane will point out that the seller started the auction at $10 and the bidding took it to the high number!
And so it goes...