i am still amazed at the greed of people these days. i saw a reel-to-reel player on yard sales and quickly responded since i've been looking for one. come to find out the guys teacher gave it away and now he wants $150-200. he probably doesn't even know exactly what it is or what it's worth. i'm pretty sure the offer from the teacher was for someone who wanted to use the thing. he could have sold it himself if money were the object. i'm sure i'll get beat up about this post but his is just my opinion. 

I totally agree Bob... I never make a profit off something someone has given me. If it was given to me, then I will give it away to someone when I no longer need it. 

Where is your business side? lol Maybe the teacher was going to throw it away, as in he/she didn't even want to bother with trying to sell it. One man's junk is another man's treasure. People go to yard sales all the time to get stuff super cheap/free and resell it through other venues. I don't see anything wrong with it really, unless the items were super cheap because they were meant for sale to those less fortunate (like good will). If someone wants one of those reel thingies, and is willing to pay that price, then there you go. Supply and demand ;)However, if the teacher gave it to him over other students that also wanted to use it, and told him not to sell it, then that would be a different situation. The problem is, none of us were there, so how can we know the exact scenario? o_O 

i understand the concept of supply and demand. this as in other cases of people wanting everything dirt cheap and then selling it for top dollar isn't supply and demand...it's greed.

i got an e-mail back from him and now he said he paid $20-30 for it so he can't even remember how much he paid (i don't believe he paid anything like his original e-mail stated). he also said it's selling for at least $100 on e-bay so he won't sell it for the MERE $50 i offered. that's simple greed not supply and demand. 

The seller was obviously foolish to tell you where and how he obtained the item. If you are not happy with his price, then you are free to look on ebay and pay those prices too.

It all comes down to how much you actually want the item. If the seller had never told you anything about it (and I am surprised they did, without hesitation, it is no one's business really how he came to own it) you would likely pay the asking price or close to it.

Greed is rampant in today's society, which is a shame, and I am in no way condoning it, just stating facts.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. 

no, i would not pay close to what he wants for the item. it is at least 38 years old and parts for those things are rare. i already have one from a different manufacturer in for repair for 2 years because we can't find the drive belt. this item is defenitely a nice to have not a necessity. i'm sure he will have a difficult time selling it since it comes with no tapes and the tapes aren't much easier to find (or less expensive) than the parts. 

I agree, Bob. the $150 or so profit he will make from that is not going to change his life or anything. It's just greed. He could do more for himself, and others, by selling it for what he got it or giving it away. Charity and sharing is good for the soul, and it is contagious; like those corny commercials- a natural pay it forward reaction.

You get what you put out there, though. 

i am still amazed at the greed of people these days. i saw a reel-to-reel player on yard sales and quickly responded since i've been looking for one. come to find out the guys teacher gave it away and now he wants $150-200. he probably doesn't even know exactly what it is or what it's worth. i'm pretty sure the offer from the teacher was for someone who wanted to use the thing. he could have sold it himself if money were the object. i'm sure i'll get beat up about this post but his is just my opinion.

Bob, it is called free enterprise - a basic principle of our society. More power to him if he wants to sell it - it is his to sell for whatever price he thinks he can get. If somebody wants it and willing to pay his price, he will be successful, if not he will eventually have to lower the price or not sell it.

If you really want to talk about something, lets discuss how people feel they are entitled to something for nothing! 

falurrias, ok...let's talk about wanting something for nothing; he got it for free and he wants $200, that's a lot of something for nothing, literally. he obviously feels he is "entitled" to your money for something that didn't cost him a penny.

i'm not saying the price is bad, i understand free enterprise but as i stated before this is a simple case of greed. he proved the point when he said he wouldn't sell if for a "MERE" $50 when he got it for free. all he did was go to ebay and see the price and that's what he wants. he doesn't even have a way to test it to see if it works.

i guess i'm just an old fashioned fool. i don't feel we should rip off each other for the sake of a profit. i know my feelings won't change anything and yes, someone will pay his price...eventually but only if he puts it on ebay. the people on ramstein yard sales won't pay that price. he will also have to find a collector like me who knows the value of what he is selling. 

Greed is a selfish and excessive desire for more of something than is needed.

i am still amazed at the greed of people these days. i saw a reel-to-reel player on yard sales and quickly responded since i've been looking for one.

this item is defenitely a nice to have not a necessity.

Just to point out the irony, you are accusing someone of greed because they won't sell you an "unnecessary" item at the price you want to spend. That would be like me complaining about everyone on RYS that didn't accept my low offer on their items . Barbiq is right, how the item was obtained by him should have no effect on the price you are paying on the item. 

ok, it seems like the point has been completely missed and i'm not going to try to explain it again. i understand taking advantage of each other is a normal human practice that i am unwilling to accept. 

Bob, I don't see a problem, he wants more than your willing to pay, so shop elsewhere. If you can't find the item in your price range anywhere else, then you have to do without or pay his price. Like others have said, where he got it or what he paid for it doesn't really matter. 

ok, it seems like the point has been completely missed and i'm not going to try to explain it again. i understand taking advantage of each other is a normal human practice that i am unwilling to accept.

I just don't see how he is taking advantage of you? It is his to sell how he wishes and it is worth exactly what another person is willing to pay for it. 

This happens everytime you pay full retail price on anything. Sorry but it is true. 

I get Bobs point, I agree with him. 

i was just wondering how many of you who support this type of action complain about the price of gas or prices at the bx. it's the same concept, if they can get that much for their product...why not??? people always seem to take a different view of things when it affects them directly but when someone like this screws someone else then it's ok. 

I don't like getting screwed over either, and when it is something I REALLY want, but know I won't find otherwise, it makes me mad when I have to make a decision to buy or not to buy. 

i was just wondering how many of you who support this type of action complain about the price of gas or prices at the bx. it's the same concept, if they can get that much for their product...why not??? people always seem to take a different view of things when it affects them directly but when someone like this screws someone else then it's ok.

Not sure how the price of gas or prices at the BX compares to your situation. But again, I don't see how he screwed you - did he take your money and not give you anything or was the item not what he advertised? I think your just upset because you want the item, but don't want to pay his price.

When I read your posts, I get this image of a little kid in a store throwing a temper tantrum because his mother wouldn't give him what he wanted. I suppose this is a by-product of the "gotta have" society we live in today. 

falfurrias, again, you missed the point. i think you need to get the idea straight in your head before you come up with the "little kid in the candy store" crap.

let's see if i can make this clear. people will support a person like this because as you put it:

"It is his to sell how he wishes and it is worth exactly what another person is willing to pay for it."

and other people support that. the same people will complain about the gas prices or prices at the bx. the concept hold true in both cases. the product is theirs to sell and worth exactly what another person is willing to pay. people must be willing to pay because i see lines at the gas stations all the time and the parking lot at the kmcc is always full, especially on weekends.

does this make it easier for you to understand? 

May Karma rain down her joy on those who sell things they receive for free.

Did you say he received it free from a teacher? If it was a DoDDS teacher, that projector should have been DRMO'd, otherwise it is classified under FWA. You can't just take stuff, regardless of it's value or lack thereof from the schools. 

I do not totally disagree with you Bob, but I do not think gas prices can not be used as an equal comparison here. Obviously we can not haggle with the prices we pay at the pump. Although that would be awesome. most of us do not have to buy a reel to reel but we do have to buy gas. We can only control the amount of gas we as individuals purchase. We can choose to drive a gas hog or something economical. We can choose to to take our cars all over the place or we can choose to walk/bike to closer locations; carpool to work; or take public transport. We can not choose the price we pay per gallon/liter.

IMHO...don't see much use in complaining about gas prices as that is not something I can control. 

Hmmm...i think it would be unethical if it would be given as a charity and then you sell it on but if someone was given a free bed and you sell it on,does that mean you are taking it away from someone else?Maybe ,it depends on the circumstances,it could be another source of income. 

Ditoo daisy, totaly agree with you and bluesser o_O .bIG HUGS XOXOXO 

i was just wondering how many of you who support this type of action complain about the price of gas or prices at the bx. it's the same concept

Bob, actually I didn't understand how you are connecting gas prices and prices of the BX as the "same concept" of someone's "greed", "rip off each other for the sake of a profit" or "someone like this screws someone else".

Bob, I feel for you - I can tell you really wanted that reel-to-reel tape player, but putting the blame on the guy selling it (and proclaiming him greedy and out to screw people)because you feel he wanting too much money for it and you don't want to pay his asking price just sound petty to me. There are a lot of things I would like to have or buy that I cannot afford, but I don't feel it is necessary to blame the other guy.

I grew up on a dirt poor farm in South Texas, so my perspective of money is probably different from those who had money. I'll even admit that I have in my past when I had little to no money (pretty much my first 25 years of life), I would buy things very cheaply at yard sales or even find free stuff people were throwing away. I would re-sell it to make me a little extra money. I guess that would make me greedy too. 

The line between 'Greed', 'Business' and 'Market Value'is a fine one. I genuinely believe that no-one is deliberately trying to screw anyone, but if they see an item with a value that is too cheap, and they understand its true value - they will naturally try and make a gain in many cases. I will include myself in this category.

If they get their estimate wrong, the item will not sell, and they will either be stuck with it or will lower the price until it finds its value naturally.

The opening post by Bob is riddled with assumption, but I really do not see the issue with this situation. It is a debate that has rattled many cages, and it all comes down to the person in possession! Once they let go, free or at a cost, it is gone - which is exactly what they wanted. What happens next is up to the new owner!!!

I am 100% confident this is not the first or last item you will miss on RYS, as people break arrangements and try to make more for a quick sale.

I have had at least two instances where I had made arrangements to sell an item, and was approached by buyers offering more money. I never accept a new offer until the original arrangement is broken, and even then the price does not go up beyond my list price!

So, having said I will buy and resell, my word is my bond, so if I do not raise the price, this cannot be a greed issue, just natural business sense. I must say - I rarely buy and resell on the same site!