Re: So eBays a good judging ground huh?
Let's remember that comparing ebay to a swap meet is like comparing apples to oranges.
On ebay, all interested parties get to view the part and then mull over what it's worth to them for a week or more...and this includes folks from all over the globe.
At a swap meet the first fellow who comes along and thinks the asking price for a given part is fair takes it with him and walks. Other interested parties may never know the part was there or they may even end up buying the same part at a markup just a few hours later...or in a few days on ebay.
Ebay always takes the highest offer...a swap meet takes the first reasonable offer. Either you have a big wallet and use ebay, or hit the swap meet early and hope for good luck.
Let's not forget ebay is also enjoyed at all hours from the comfort of your home, and swap meets are enjoyed at 5:00 am hundreds of miles from your home in all sorts of weather. Ebay is free to browse, and lunch is is the fridge...swap meets aren't free to get to or get in, and the meals there aren't either.
Personally I think it's a trade off...you can invest the effort getting yourself to the swap, being the first one through the gates, and having lots of cash in hand....then being fortunate enough to actually locate the part you've been looking for before anyone else does and you find yourself a bargain. Either that or you sit at home on your duff and pay what the market will bear, but do whatever else you want that day too.
At the end of the day, they both have their ups and downs...but I'll agree when swap meet sellers quote ebay prices as justification for sticking to a ridiculous figure...I tell 'em put it on ebay then and stop wasting both of our time. If I wanted to pay ebay prices I'd do it from the comfort of my home...and for that I expect to pay a markup.
I'm just afraid we're soon going to see the day where folks will grow tired of lugging rare parts all over the country to get lowballed by buyers and other vendors looking to find bargains when they can simply flip their items on ebay and never once have to pack or unpack a trailer. The swaps will dry up indefinitely, and everything will be sold to the highest bidder. Let's remember it's not free or easy for swap meet vendors to get their wares there either. Take the good with the bad, both swap meets and ebay are like tools in a box, you just need to know when to use the right one.
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