Should I go through with this sale?

[TigerEyez]

Please bare with the long explanation. So I just got into Lego in January when I built a UCS Slave I. I then bought a MF, an IST, a VW T1, and a Mini within the next 3 months. This hobby was getting expensive, so I decided to start buying/selling to satisfy my need to build and bankroll my personal collection, not for long-term investment. So far I've sold a Classic Mr. Freeze that my buddy put on his EBay. I have about $1,500 into 2 bulk lots and other new and used sets. Been using BL and CL so far b/c I'm reticent to use EBay based on all the horror stories on here and eating a hundred dollar set would be a significant blow to my small enterprise  

So I had a guy contact me from one of my CL ads asking what Star Wars Sets I have. I provided him a list with a total asking price of $500. From that list he picked out an open GG (I paid $9), an open Advanced Tie ($20), and a new Phantom ($12.50), so outlay after tax was about $45. I asked $90, we agreed on $80. He had stated he really wanted a Ghost, so when I found one at B&N this weekend I bought it for $107 after tax.  I was pretty excited to get this rolling.  This was late last week. He is from Indiana and is staying in one of the beach towns about an hour from me this week.  We decided to meet tonight at a nice mall about half way between. I asked if he wanted the Ghost too for another $120, he didn't reply for a couple days.  I asked again last night, he said he's spent too much money on this trip and only wants the Phatom at $40. So that's like $27 profit of a $13 outlay, but I'm going to drive 40 miles round trip, pay for dinner for me and my family, and then have a Ghost with no Phantom. If he wanted the original deal, there is no way I'd ever rescind it, but this doesn't seem worth it and I can make more by selling the Ghost and Phantom together. 

Do you think I should go through with the sale?

PS if you say no, I have a Phantom and a Ghost for sale for $200 plus shipping.

Thanks,

Lane

 

[exciter1]

No, and I spent too much on vacation.

[Poly 30286]

@TigerEyez

I'm not an expert on these things, but I think this guy is too much hassle. You are the seller. He should bend to your needs. If your profit is negated by the drive, etc, find another buyer.

P.S. IMO the buyer makes the drive, not the seller

[TigerEyez]

Lol, but if it was you here in Florida I'd go through with the sale just to meet the infamous @exciter1

[Kurinoko]

As Poly said, too much hassle. Really.

[gregpj]

Agreed, tell the buyer thanks but no thanks. I wouldn't even do the 40 mile drive for the original sale... find some place near your place that you are comfortable doing the exchange and tell the buyers they must come to you.

[TigerEyez]

@Poly 30286

I was just happy to finally have a real sale and there are some good restaurants at that mall that we don't get a chance to go to very often, plus I'm the kind of guy that would go on CL a week before a trip and find out if there was anything good.

We went on a trip to Panama City a couple months ago and while everyone else was at the beach (which I'm not really into) I drove around to all the Walmarts and Targets within 30 miles looking for discount IST's and I found 1. It had been open and half the contents were gone, so I got a good lesson on checking seals. 

[terrymc4677]

Yes, eBay has a fruitcake once in awhile, but after 2000+ sales between eBay, bricklink, brick classifieds, and my local craigslist I have yet to have a person return anything or try to scam me. Face your fears and start selling online. This guy is too demanding for what little profit you will be making. 

[TigerEyez]

I will get to EBay eventually, but I'd like to get a couple Bricklink sales under my belt so I can get a feel for shipping costs, etc. I was looking at posting on BrickClassifieds last night and was having trouble figuring out how to calculate shipping when I don't have a destination zip code. 

BTW my BL store is called "A Tiger Bricks", it's all complete used and new sets right now. My prices are generally on the low side, except for the Deadpool set, which I want to keep. 

[BrickLegacy]

There is no way I'm driving more than 20 minutes to complete a sale unless its with someone I've done business with before or a reputable BrickPicker member (did that three times, drove 1 hr+, all were very positive experiences). 

The chances of a random buyer reconsidering their purchase and not showing up are just too high.  Its just too much of a hassle.  Pass.

[gregpj]

3 hours ago, TigerEyez said:

except for the Deadpool set, which I want to keep. 

Then don't list it for sale...

[TigerEyez]

Oh I'd let it Deadpool go for $120, but at where my listings usually fall value-wise, I'm keeping it. 

For Ebay, do y'all prefer selling new or used sets (complete)? It's seems from other's posts that the biggest problems come from from new sets from people who want pristine boxes and folks sending back beat up sets that weren't the ones shipped out. For me, box condition of a set I'm going to build is of little to no importance. When I got my T1 from LEGO Shop at Home it was crushed, I let them know and kept the original set, didn't care to waste the time to ship back and wait for new one.

Edited June 15, 2016 by TigerEyez

[Bat man]

I would have asked for a discount for the box damage.