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Hamfest Depression

Mudfoot

Mudfoot

Elmer
Jun 17, 2009
10,919
6,296
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Southeast Ohio
Went to my local hamfest yesterday.

I know the economy is bad, but damn!

The majority of attendees were the biggest bunch of low ballers I have ever seen. I had several dudes utter profanely low offers, only to be offended when they were rejected. I even had a guy at the next table, jump in and admonish the skinflints, lol.

I don't think I will ever sell anything there again.

I know most sellers use eBay pricing as a benchmark nowadays, but it seems like buyers are expecting yard sale prices.
 
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Or selling spam at the price of Filet Mignon. (eBay pricing)

The last hamfest I attended three years ago should have been called an "Old crappy computer parts fest". I think that's what they've evolved into anyway. Long gone are the days of real ham fests. I suppose there are a few really major ones that could still be labeled that but local fests are just sad.
 
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m42duster said:
The majority of attendees were the biggest bunch of low ballers I have ever seen. I had several dudes utter profanely low offers, only to be offended when they were rejected. I even had a guy at the next table, jump in and admonish the skinflints, lol....but it seems like buyers are expecting yard sale prices.
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No, we are just looking for a fair price for a piece of 20 year old gear.

Most HAM op's price their gear as if they bought it yesterday. If I was to try and sell a 20 year old computer for 5% less than the $5000 I may have paid for it, I would be then on your side of the table complaining about the skinflints.


 
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My prices were more than fair. Most of these skinflints would puke and choke if you offered the same price as they did, if the deal was reversed.

These same tight assed fools would drive 10 miles to collect a $2.00 debt.
 
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RatsoW8 said:
The last hamfest I attended three years ago should have been called an "Old crappy computer parts fest". I think that's what they've evolved into anyway. Long gone are the days of real ham fests. I suppose there are a few really major ones that could still be labeled that but local fests are just sad.
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Amen! This is one of the reasons I stopped going
 
There are indeed a lot of cheapskates out there. I often see someone ask how much people think a particular radio is worth and it is amazing to see the responses. A $500 piece of gear that is only a couple years old and people say they would not offer any more than $75-100 for it and only if it was in really good shape. They are usually the same skinflints that would ask $400 for it after five years because it "is in really great shape". To me a good fest needs tube gear and lots of parts like variable capacitors, inductors and heavy iron not monochrome monitors and large circuit boards.
 
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Thats the way it is in Kirkwood Mo every year,alot of old tube radios and amps.and alot gone in the first half hour.I sold alot this year,and if up to ot will be at the one next week in Collinsville Ill.
 
m42duster said:
The majority of attendees were the biggest bunch of low ballers I have ever seen. I had
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you couldn't tell? most of them-buyers & sellers-dress horrendously, look more disheveled then the homeless guy behind the gas station looking for cans, & they smell worse. 30 year old clothes, no hair brush & they obviously save on water by avoiding the shower. & you want them to pay fair-market-value? i am appalled at your thinking ;)
 
davegrantsr said:
you couldn't tell? most of them-buyers & sellers-dress horrendously, look more disheveled then the homeless guy behind the gas station looking for cans, & they smell worse. 30 year old clothes, no hair brush & they obviously save on water by avoiding the shower. & you want them to pay fair-market-value? i am appalled at your thinking ;)
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Thank God we have a different class of hams up here. The above description would apply to about 2-3% of hamfest attendees at any hamfest I have attended up here. Then again perhaps the stereotypical ham is not so stereotypical afterall.
 
You have to remember that ham radio operators aren't capable of writing off the value their own old equipment, but are masters at it when they want to buy something.
 
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PD0AC said:
You have to remember that ham radio operators aren't capable of writing off the value their own old equipment, but are masters at it when they want to buy something.
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Sounds like the general population to me. Nothing unique to hams. Talk to a guy trying to buy or sell a car sometime and see how he deals.
 
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