Subject:
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Re: The difference between hobbyists and collectors...
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
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Date:
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Mon, 8 Jan 2007 21:39:50 GMT
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Viewed:
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1582 times
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In lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, David Koudys wrote:
> > how does it harm you or calum? if you dont want it... dont buy it.
> However, my personal opinion--jackass. As you say--it's not a matter of 'right
> or wrong' or morals, because it is, indeed, a matter of opinion. My opinion is
> that it hurts the hobby and hurts us all. It's the 'Ebenezer Scrooge' single
> person hoarding to the loss of the community.
Well, hoarding is fine, Chris loses the opportunity of using that money for
something else, or the bricks for something else.
> I've seen it before--John Doe has an excellent idea for designing something new
> and great. 'Ahh, but I need part 'x' and only Richard Roe has part 'x' and he
> wants a gazillion dollars for it.'
>
> There goes the idea.
It also can't be taken as a loss to the community--come on Dave, Chris paid for
it fair and square. These things aren't like organ transplants or
something...again, you said it, they're mass manufactured.
Where is it a negative to the community?
a) When jackass (love that on Corner Gas when Oscar says it...my favourite
catchphrase) goes around an area's stores or online, buying all the stock so
everyone, meaning kids, AFOLs, whoever, can't get any sets. Example: Star Wars
action figures where some "dealer" goes and scoops up all the delivery before
anyone else can get any. Another example: Buying out all of a certain set on
S@H.
BTW, there used to be someone in the GTA (actually a few) who did such things.
b) When jackasses started on ebay on the rtl/atl timeframe, creating a
collector's market. Previous to this, you'd never pay more than MSRP plus a bit
for a fellow AFOL's help to buy a set you didn't have. But now that ebay is a
part of regular mainstream culture, you can't really complain someone's gonna
put stuff up for sale on auction. It's done.
> for some reasonable profit.
If you're makin' money, the only reason profit is the most profit you can get
away with. Anything else is a value judgement.
A while ago I bought a 4031 Fire Rescue boat to use in a project. It's sat on
my shelf now for ten years waiting. If I were to sell, I would expect no less
than to sell for what the market wants. Anything else would be shooting myself
in the foot.
"Dealers" making money off of a hobby used to be distasteful for me beceause
they were ruining a "fun" community. I don't like people making money from
something I have fun from, but I don't know why. It doesn't feel good.
But I don't know how I can resolve that with a respect for the free market.
People will do whatever is legally (well, illegally in one guy's case) way to
make whatever they can. That is the market system we have chosen. So I can't
fault Chris for thinking he's going make a mint off that 8880 in his basement,
and I can't fault Chris for wanting everything he can get on it.
What I can only fault on, is the concept of making money by excluding everyone
else (eg buying all the Maersk ships off S@H) or not playing fair (eg, Bill
Swanberg).
Calum
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