Ah, Ron....

RANT WARNING

You need to understand the essential difference between a "Flea Market"
and a Hamfest or Radio Meet. Fleas are just that. Locations where
mostly crap is redistributed amongst a few, and mostly Chinese Junque
is sold at no-better-than- Cosco or Sam's Club prices, but somehow the
appeal is the 'story' and perceived bargain vs. the actual reality.
Those that do it "professionally" (NOT ALL, mind) are in many ways the
cockroaches of society inhabiting the dark corners and hiding under
filth to avoid paying taxes and to skim from society without paying any
freight. I once was present when the State Police together with the FBI
and quite a number of local police groups raided the Pennsauken (NJ)
Drive-In flea-market. They focused _only_ on the 'professional'
dealers, some 90% of which (a line of handcuffed mostly-men that
stretched over 100 yards, shoulder-to-shoulder) were selling all/some
of the above: Stolen goods (Wonder where that "Sears Craftsman" or
Still-in-the-Clamshell Channel Lock or Klein or Mac or Snap-On comes
from?), knock-off goods, illegal goods (baby clothes not fire-treated,
recalled tools and/or appliances), mislabeled goods (made in USA...
NOT), pirated goods and so forth. And the Feds were there for the
Tax-Evasion stuff as well as the across-state-lines stuff. The 20% of
the dealers that were in it for the weekend, cleaning out the attic and
the like were entirely ignored. Very damned little of it any more has
anything to do with "recycling" used goods. Yard sales and garage
sales, church bazaars and such are about the last refuge for that kind
of thing. But keep in mind that every time one buys something stolen or
a return or a recall or a torn-cover paperback at a flea, one is quite
directly taking someone's job away, usually right here in the good old
USA. Who gets sued if a recalled defective Craftsman or Stanley or
Klein or Channel Lock Tool sold at a fleamarket hurts someone? The
"vendor" that stole it and resold it? Not hardly. And whose prices
_all_ go up as a result? Ours. And is it Chinese manufacturers that go
out of business due to overhead costs? Nope. But, very damned few of us
think about this stuff when we see that tempting tool on the table.
"We" figure we can buy it at the flea, then take it back to Sears if it
breaks.... GOOD thinking.

On the other hand, there are "shows" dedicated to certain hobbies. My
approach to a 'timed' show (opens X and closes Y) is to not sell
_ANYTHING_ except as-marked before the show opens. I tell people that I
will negotiate price one hour (1hr) after the show opens officially,
but not until then. Period. And when someone askes me what is my
"dealer price" I add 20% automatically. But that is *just* me. Once
upon a time, one dealer at Kutztown, very early on when it was a 1/2
day affair was all over me as I was unloading. And as this individual
would easily have made three of me (no kidding, and I am 6'-3", at
220lbs) it was annoying to say the least. He was picking stuff up,
pulling stuff out of boxes, turning stuff over (and leaving it) and
such. All the while pattering on how ridiculous my prices were. At the
time, I had sprained an ankle and was using a blackthorn stick just
after sitting or driving until I loosened up. I actually had to raise
it and call for witnesses before this particular jackass moved on. At
the end of the day, I drove home with a full pocket and an empty
vehicle. His load was still with him, literally and figuratively. I
will not say that my raising a very loud stink to get him off my stuff
had anything to do with that, but I would like to think so. I had a
'pot' to support the hobby for another year. It has pretty much been
that way ever since. I cover my costs, and turn over my radios keeping
fewer and fewer, but nicer and nicer radios, and
fewer-but-very-much-nicer audio systems.

So, it is all in accordance with how one behaves, how one sees the
world and how lady luck sees you. I have found as many bargains in the
last 30 minutes of a flea market as getting there before set-up. Mostly
I am buying for my own use and pleasure, resale is at best a tertiary
concern even if that... This is a HOBBY for me, the moment I feel I am
becoming predatory, buying for resale or otherwise treating it like a
business, I take a deep breath and walk away. THAT IS ONLY ME. Others
are free to behave as they see fit. But I want to be able to look any
of my buyers in the eye years later and get a smile in return.

END RANT


Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA