How much should I pay for this?

[piratehugs]

There is a thing I want! It's a piece of memorabilia, it's pretty scarce but also there isn't a huge amount of demand for it. I would expect to buy it for about £15. I've just seen it advertised on eBay to buy now for £150!

Now, I have £150 and I really want the thing and I will treasure it. If they were all going for £150, that would be fine. But the thought of the seller chuckling over the ludicrous price he got for it makes me cross.

To make matters worse, I can see the seller owns a shop, and in the photo the bloody thing is clearly labelled as £90! So it's like he knows he's taking the piss totally.

So... do I:

A) Buy it for £150 and love it and make the poor struggling shopkeeper's day and he's probably saving up for his child's medical treatment or something?
B) Tell him he's a CF and offer him £15 which he will likely reject?
C) Ignore it and potentially never see one of these again in my lifetime?
D) Point out the price label and offer him £90?
E) Other

Thanks!

D, what have you got to lose?

@piratehugs

Ooooh he's declined my offer!

Aargh, disappointing. A shame he didn't make a counter-offer. I think you get three offers - it may be worth trying, say, £125.

Sounds like he is trying it on. I wouldn't go higher personally as you will always be reminded of the CF when you look at it.

C. No way would I pay £150 or even £90 for something that's only worth £15, that's crazy.
I'd say he's done you a favour by declining, you've got that money for something else now.

Sounds like he is trying it on.

Maybe he's on Mumsnet and is reading this thread with glee

He's declined your offer as he knows you're interested and is now waiting for a higher offer.

I'd not respond for a few hours, if you come back with a higher offer immediately, he'll know he can get you up to asking price.

Ring the shop in a couple of days direct and ask about p&p (with insurance), ask innocently if it's been in stock long, does he get more in regularly, you'll need to save up, only have £50 really...blah blah blah. What I'm saying is haggle direct, build a rapport and walk away if it doesn't suit. eBay fees are crazy these days a lot of shops will have a lower in-person price.

What it is? We might be able to find it cheaper for you.

@ssd

Jesus the dilemma

Must take you fucking hours going round tesco's

That was uncalled for. You wouldn't say that to somebody's face so don't do it online.

Maybe try £100? I hope that you get the thing OP!!

Could you say what the item is? Someone may be happy to sell it on here. Or could locate it.

If it's a BIN, he may have set a minimum value, and anything under that will be automatically rejected.

We can't say if it's overpriced as we don't know what it is. The fact that you can't find any other sales/ listings for the exact item would explain a higher price.

I've just clocked the dimensions of the Thing and it's quite considerably bigger than I thought - that's why he's charging so much. I've put in a higher offer. If he rejects that, I'll pay full price so hopefully he's not on MN.

Oops meant to do strike through

@amylou8

If it's on eBay for £150 it will cost them about £25 in fees to sell it. Then they have to post it. Depending on the weight and service used this is potentially another £15-20 to get it insured adequately. You then have to factor in the cost of returns, tax and vat which seller have to incorporate into their price. You're now not far off the £90 on the sticker. If there's a best offer make an offer for what you want to pay. If not send the seller a message asking if they'd consider X amount. Don't take the piss though or you'll probably get blocked and won't be able to buy it at all.

Come on, fees & postage does not cost £60

I posted a sodding PRAM system for £22!

when you've bought it, can you tell us what it is

Is anyone else wracking their brains to work out what the item is?

Is it a life sized TARDIS? :)

Give us a clue. How many letters and what do you use it for?

@TheBestCandidateByFar

Give us a clue. How many letters and what do you use it for?

Well why not pass the time that the seller keeps me on tenterhooks by playing a guessing game.

Six letters. You don't use it as such, unless looking, admiring, reminiscing etc count as using.

Poster?

Of what?

6 letters? so it IS a TARDIS :p

6 letters? Damn, that blows my Dalek theory out the window.

Yeah I loved the TARDIS answer; it fit the clue before I even gave it. £15 for one as big as my thumb, £150 for one that won't go through the front door. Only a non-working replica though, obviously.

But @purpledagger is right, it's a poster. I thought it was a press cutting but it's a proper big poster. (I won't tell you what's on it because I don't want my MN id to be linkable to my eBay id).

Anyway, happy to report that the seller has accepted my second offer, woo!