Fun, interesting? selling stories....

[ricarmic]

Something reminded me of this situation today so I thought I'd procrastinate from other stuff I should be doing and open an "interesting/fun" selling stories.

Here's the one that came to mind.

Long time customer purchases $20 - $30 worth of material each month, then several orders for 100s of $$$ of stuff for a few orders then back to $20/$30 again.

I always wondered what caused that surge in purchase sizes.

Later on the collector passed away and his family asked me to handle his collection. While I was talking with them they told me about the time years earlier when he won $100,000 in the lottery and spent all kinds of $$$ on his various hobbies etc till it was gone. (I apparently didn't do as well as some of the other hobby providers!)

So my question got answered about what caused that surge in purchases. 

I've had several folks over the years tell me they wish they'd win the lottery so they can buy lots more, of course I'm pulling for them too as a "lottery win" was good to me at least once thus far!

What stories/experiences have you had?

[kawartha-ephemera]

That's great, kind of sad it took the man's passing to learn of his story. I've sometimes wondered "why" too.

[lucitabby]

About 1-2 years ago I had an old Eaton's hat with netting and an Eaton's pink & grey hatbox for sale.  I figured it would sell to someone in Canada who collected old Eaton's stuff - there are a lot of collectors.

It sold and went to New York - to the prop department for the TV show The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

If you watch the show, look for a small navy hat with netting over the face - a bit of Canadiana in the USA show.

Last week I sold some vintage ladies collars.  One of them was white & beaded.  The woman who bought it said she is going to wear it on a black top when she goes to vote (hopefully it arrives by then)  It will be her way to honour Ruth Ginsberg.

I always find it fun when I hear what happens to some of the sold  items.

[musicyouneed]

I sell CD's and at one time I would send off email to the customer telling them item was sent and a little about the CD.  I got all sorts of stories back and I found them very interesting.

Dan Gibson - Solitudes CD (nature sounds with music)  Most have bought quite a few

• Buyer stated that she has a farm and the music and nature sounds quiet the animals.
• Buyer stated that she works in a near death hospice and the music is wonderful for the patients there
• Buyer stated that she plays them for her kindergarten class to calm them down.
• Buyer stated she runs a wilderness cabin resort in Ontario and buys the CD's to put in the cabins.

Andre Rieu CD's

• Buyer buys them for her autistic son, apparently he loves the music and it has such a positive affect on him. 

I have many more like that but just can't remember them at the moment. 

[triber]

The sale I was most excited about was a hand painted face of a British Beefeater from the tower of London in the UK. I was born and grew up in England. I was so thrilled when an actual Beefeater from the tower bought it.

[rcrawford34]

A Number of years ago  I used to specialize in Vintage Toy Trains. Lionel, American Flyer Marx etc

Had a man come out and look at what I had but did not buy at first.

I knew he was a major collector but knew I had to break the ice with him before he would buy from me.

I was very fortunate and bought a original Lionel Girls Train (1956). The Girls Train is considered by many one of the Holy Grails   of collecting

A Pink Engine and Tender with Pastel Rolling Stock. It was produced for girls but bombed  Girls wanted their Fathers and Brothers Trains not something pink. As a result not a lot available.  

I had his number and phoned him on it. He flipped and wanted it big time

I sold him it at a fraction of it's going price. It was a steal. There was a Method to my Madness doing this. I knew if I hooked him he would become a great customer and he did 

We became good friends  and for the next 10 years he bought every toy train I bought.  

About 5 years later visiting him he brought that train up and said "You know if you had sold me that train for Full Price I would have bought it but most likely would not have bought another one from you".  I said "I know"

He looked at me confused and I asked him if he knew how much he had spent with me after this one and told him.  He started laughing saying that was brilliant. Again I said I know. May have lost out on that one price wise but paid off  over the years 

He loved Toy Trains  and collected for about 12 years then decided to sell them Called me told what he was doing and said " I want you to have first Dibs.   You can work on buying from the best back,  others had to start with the lower priced ones. Over the next 5 or 6 months I bought  about 60% of his collection

One of the silliest transactions I did with him was on a American Flyer set. Saw it at a Auction  had a price in mind to go to. Bid and got it for way under what I was prepared to go on it . Took it to him and he paid top dollar.

About 3 months later went to the same auction and lo and behold that same set was sitting there. He had traded it and the guy put it up again.  Bid and got it again,  again  for a great price  Still under what I was going to go on it at first.  Took it to him he laughed asked my how much and bought it again. Fast forward to him selling the Collection I bought it back again and sold it to another fellow for Top Dollar.   

On those deals  I ended up getting about  triple what the set was worth all told. 

Next collection he went for were Lead Soldiers. Over 6 or 7 years found him a number of them Same deal he bought all of them. When he gave them up I again got first dibs and bought about 75% of his collection

Then he did something unforgivable  He started Collecting Military.   I knew nothing about that field  and lost him as a collector

We stayed good friends and I used to curse him for doing that  *chuckle

weavers

[ricarmic]

This reminds me of another interesting aspect of collectors.

Because I've been doing this 42 years now, I too have started seeing my own stuff in the estate lots I get from auction houses. 

It amazes me how many times I see my stuff untouched! They never did anything with it after they got it except add it to the accumulation!

The most striking example I remember is a fellow that purchased 1000s of $$$ of stuff over the course of years, most shipments were in bankers boxes $500 - $1000 each. 

I was recently contacted by a fellow seller dealing with his estate asking if I wanted to buy it back, advising that it was still all as received in the UNOPENED bankers boxes. This happened over years, so he just got them and never opened them. I do remember when I was on the phone with him, he would ask me questions about stuff he received in earlier shipments that I thought were odd questions. I also remember him telling me he hadn't opened the box yet when I questioned that because he was very worried someone would steal the stamps. Apparently that fear prompted them never being opened!

[femmefan1946]

I'm constantly amazed when DH buys a philatelic estate, how often there are a decade or more of Canada Post Philatelic Service envelopes unopened included.

Sometimes the late owner has thousands of dollars worth, never looked at.

[rcrawford34]

I have mentioned this here before.

About 20 years ago I had a American Dealer come into the store and bought everything I had except my Postcards and my Trains

A great deal  He purchased about 700 items

Shipped these to the U.S . 

That's where it became  a nightmare for a few months.   Shipped by UPS   they misplaced the stock in transit.   Then to make it better the Bank lost the cheque.   Took months to resolve. UPS found the stock it was in a truck that went  to Seattle first then was to go to Reno.   They switched trucks in Seattle and did not transfer my stock into it.  It sat in their parking lot until they used the vehicle again.   The bank never found the cheque. My buyer finally cancelled it and sent me a Bank Transfer instead. That was done within 30 minutes of cancelling the cheque and I had the money a hour later. He was great about it did not feel I had done anything wrong and knew it was others mistakes

A Very Very stressful time 

After thought that's that. Wrong!  The customer was to pay all expenses including duty.  Got a call from the U.S.  saying it was not paid  and they demanded full payment from me Explained  he was supposed to pay that. A No Go at first they threatened me with legal action.   OH BOY!

Talking to them asked if they had the invoice they said yes and I said read it.  On the top of the invoice it was clearly stated who was to pay all expenses.  They asked for time to figure it out and called me the next day saying he paid. My customer called me after saying he had been waiting for that invoice

People wonder why I got premature Grey Hair

Fast forward a few months I was doing a Antique Toy Show.   About 80 pieces I had sold showed up at it  and people tried to get me to buy them back not knowing I had sold them a few months before

This man outfitted Restaurants etc and that's what the stock was for.  The items he did not use he sold off and they made their way back to Canada

weavers