Pardon my cynicism but listing 10 posters in bulk with a value, say, of $10 each, might raise a bid of $100, which would give HA $19.50 in buyers' premium. Listing them separately and attracting bids of around $10 each gives HA buyers' premium of $190. So is the decision really to benefit the buyers?
Tommy On Sat, Jun 18, 2016 at 3:12 PM, Smith, Grey - 1367 <gre...@ha.com> wrote: > Sorry for the delay in responding. I’ve been preparing my July catalog so > my time on MOPO has been reduced. I think that many of the answers that > you’ve read from some MOPO members here are indeed correct. Heritage made > the decision to raise its minimum Buyer’s Premium on lots selling below > $100 which, by the way, I argued against, but which the executive team > believed necessary due to our expense structure. > > > > Frankly, to believe that we have little expense involved in selling these > posters other than just “listing material” is a bit naïve. Heritage employs > roughly 500 personnel in over ten cities with showrooms and overhead in the > US, Europe and Asia. We have 30 web programmers and IT staff alone, along > with accounting, photography, legal, marketing, etc. Saying this was done > out of greed is again unfair; Heritage did it so that it could continue to > offer lower priced lots singly rather than in bulk without losing money on > them. > > > > Posters selling for less than $100 are limited in each weekly, but some of > our buyers really appreciate being able to buy just the posters they want > rather than having to buy groups. And I think nearly all of our consignors > prefer to sell their posters either singly or in the smallest groups > possible. Of course any consignors who prefer not having the $19 come into > play with their lots can ask us to group-lot any posters we think might > sell for less than $100, and we will happily do so. > > > > The buyer’s premium, as stated well by David, is indeed prominently > displayed whenever you wish to make a bid or to raise a bid. There is > nothing deceptive nor mysterious about that, in my opinion, and as stated > so well by Rich, it is the buyer’s choice to accept or not. > > > > I don’t believe I have more to say concerning this and for those who feel > it is an undue increase or financial burden to them, I regret that, because > I do care very much about my buyers (and consignors). > > > > But again, the bottom line is that it was the only way Heritage management > could justify our continuing to offer posters valued under $100, without > automatically auctioning them in bulk lots that would bring at least $100 > hammer per lot. > > > > > > > > *From:* MoPo List [mailto:mopo-l@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU] *On Behalf Of *filip > de volder > *Sent:* Saturday, June 18, 2016 6:52 AM > *To:* MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU > *Subject:* Re: [MOPO] Heritage charges > > > > exactely Tommy , it's like they're taking some insurance but it gets paid > by the buyer > > so if others bid besides you and it goes just over what heritage fixes > then you'll be paying less then winning the poster just under that fixed > line and getting taxed 19$ ? > > If Bruce can run auctions the way he does with everything starting at 1$ > and continually keep his business growing then i think the only word here > with this 19$ policy is greed , i guess heritage suffers from the ebay > syndrome , keep on pushing to see how far it bends without snapping in your > face > > > > filip > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2016 23:07:08 +0100 > From: tommymb...@gmail.com > Subject: Re: [MOPO] Heritage charges > To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU > > Sorry, but that's missing the point. HA do not have to sell posters for > low amounts, they are choosing to do it, and then asking the buyer to pay > for their decision. If I want to sell a poster for $10 I don't say the > poster will cost you $10 but I also want a further $19 for my trouble.I > could try selling it for a fixed price of $29 but if that is way above its > market value who is going to buy it? Anyway, I have bought and own the > poster and hope someone else might want it, unlike HA who have no outlay > other than the cost of listing the item. They are attracting consignors > with low value posters because they know that even if the consignor only > makes a few cents they will still make quite big bucks. No reason why they > shouldn't, indeed, just as there is no reason why the collector should > avoid such one-sided business practice. And, as I said before, the silence > from HA on this forum is quite deafening. > > > > Tommy > > > > On Fri, Jun 17, 2016 at 10:39 PM, Kirby McDaniel <ki...@movieart.com> > wrote: > > David is correct. Who wants to work for NOTHING? > > > > Thanks, David. > > > > Kirby McDaniel > > > > > > On Jun 17, 2016, at 4:37 PM, David <shadow....@gmail.com > <shadow....@gmail.com>> wrote: > > > > Have read all comments I guess the overriding point is going to be one of > cost. Like everyone, it costs the same to handle a $200 poster as it does a > $20 and so rather than turn away business at the bottom end HA are are > simply going to charge you for it - why shouldn't they? How many dealers > sell posters for a $1, and are happy to do so? > > I bet there is very few, most would not even bother stocking a $1 poster > let alone selling one. Try selling a poster on eBay for $1 - by the time > eBay take their slice of the action, the cost of materials, your time > what's left for you? > For others who sell via their websites you probably already know you can > set a minimum purchase value on the shopping cart - if you have set one > then what's the difference between you and HA? > It's expensive to sell stuff cheap. > > > David > > > > Tommy Barr wrote on 16/06/2016 7:21 PM: > > Just noticed that from this weekend Heritage Auctions is charging a > minimum buyer's commission of $19, an increase of 36%. I just wonder how > they justify that? > > > > Tommy > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
