Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler TV puchasing advice needed!

Wow Amie...I actually heard Blah, Blah, Blah in my head when I glazed over that part!

i understand what your saying john i usually round down on labor im to nice in that respect. so if i move to texas and want to open a store i will just mark everything up 10% more then say man you are tough customer i will give you 5% off. lol seriuosly john maybe in your area people being nicer and all maybe haggling comes off as being more neighborly. here it comes off as someone trying to screw me. also being in busines for myself 7 years and being to nice originally has made me bitter. anyway peter how did you make out with the tv?

When I had my comic book business back in New England I always haggled. Often if I got a guy asking if I could take for example $18 for a book I marked $20. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for me to reply..."No, but I'll gladly take $15.".

My business lived or died on repeat customers though...and I had a major competitor very, very near me. I had to go above and beyond to grab his customers. Over the course of approx. 3 years my business grew at least 400%. People kept coming back. It's all about customer service. With the advent of e-business customer service has really gone out the window. I'm pretty sure it'll make a comeback. The honeymoon of cheap prices over the internet will soon be over. The prices will still be cheap, but when you've got a dozen different choices on the web, rather than one or two, it'll be the guy with the terrific customer service that wins out. (Axiom seems to understand this very well.)

Just an example in my case: A friend of my little brother's mother heard I bought and sold comic books. She had a box full from when she was little and wanted me to take a look at them. I went over and she had a nice collection of 1950's superhero and western comics. Certainly valued much more than I could ever hope to pay her...and I told her so. What I did do was offer to sell them for her. I'd take a commission, she'd get the rest. It would take a bit longer, but she'd end up with much more money. She agreed and I took the books. She told me another man had stopped by to see them and offered her $100 for the entire box. I knew exactly who it was that offered her that (yep...same guy as above).

Within two months I sold nearly the entire collection. She ended up with over $1500, I had a nice commission, and I also gained numerous new customers because I had some vintage books for sale. (My usual stock was 1980's books).

When I decided to move to Califorinia that competitor of mine was more than glad to buy me out.

As much as I enjoy my job now, and I certainly make more money, there's never been a better job than having my own biz. I wouldn't mind giving it another shot someday.

ps - Congrats on the new tv Peter!

My Dad has a huge collection of DC comics from the mid 60s to early 70s (at least 4 large boxes). I, of course, read all of them (which makes my comic knowledge really odd, sometimes). They're certainly not in the best condition. He said that at one point, someone said that he would pay cover price for them. Needless to say, Dad didn't sell.

Amie, It sounds like Ian and I have the same shopping habits. My wife HATES to shop with me. Well, there are a couple stores which have a men's lounge. There is something about free drinks and a pool table that take the edge off the damage she is doing ...

As far as people haggling with me (or my people), yes, it can be interesting. Definitely worth yacking about over beers sometime.

Pete - congrats on the TV. It's a great choice.

Haggling is a lost art in North America. It's interesting what 2 questions can do somewhere during the process.

At the beginning, - "Hmmm, what would you take for it?"

Towards the end - "Can you do any better?".

I've spent most of the last 20 years negotiating contracts. Knowing that the other side 1) is usually uncomfortable and 2) feels like they have the weaker hand usually gives you the advantage. Always trying to attain a win-win is a must.

The rest of the world takes the whole thing much more seriously. When the U.S. was setting up to negotiate our way out of Vietnam, we made hotel reservations in Paris for 3 months. North Vietnam made their reservations for 3 YEARS. Says alot about the value of patience in a negotiation.

Anyhow, enjoy the Sony Pete!

In what had to have been the quickest round trip from my house to the middle of San Francisco during rush hour ever accomplished -- just under 1.5 hours -- I acquired the TV and brought it home for $375, plus $3 bridge toll, plus 28 miles worth gas.

I've got it hooked up and it looks fantastic. My wife noticed that it was silver and not black like the old one (thus more color mismatches in the room), a little bigger than the old one, and that she would have gone for a smaller TV (and paid less) had she been in on the decision process. Then she clarified that she was not mad in any way, what's done is done, and that she'll definitely enjoy a nicer TV that works.

Mission accomplished.

Peter,

It sounds like you lucked out. My Mrs. said I have to wait until Father's Day to replace the 32" mag. I protested that Father's Day doesn't mean anything and said something about it being a bogus holiday. . .but, none of that mattered in the end. I'll probably replace that old TV about December 23rd, as an early Xmas present to myself.

cool deal peter!! glad it worked out.

should we ask for pics of the new TV with HT, or are you just taking your time???

bigjohn

I've been meaning to take an updated pic. It'll happen soon.