Buying Pipes on Auction for Immediate Resale?

[B18]

I did/do it. If i see a high grade pipe sold for a few euros I would buy it refurbish it and resell it. I once bought a Dunhill for 5Euros and resold it for 95.

I also buy new pipes of which are under the market price and if I decide to sell it used i could still get my money out of it. For example, i bought 2 New (but old) Balleby smooth pipes for 400Euro each and i could resell it (used) for 400-500 euros.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Yeah I don’t buy anything to flick off unless I feel comfortable about getting 3x the price I paid for it or it comes as part of a lot where there is something I like, essentially paying for the lot and meaning I get desired pipe for free

 

[ChuckMijo]

I never sold any pipes. However I believe if you’re fairly good at restoring them, and you know what your looking at I think you can make a buck. I’m in a situation now, waiting for it to be delivered. Made a offer on a pipe, I knew he didn’t know what he had. The photos were bad, but enough of it was their and I could date it, tell its condition, which looks really good. I know the pipe would sell 6 or 7 times what I paid for it to the right buyer. However I will smoke it and enjoy it.

 

[brut666]

I never sold any pipes. However I believe if you’re fairly good at restoring them, and you know what your looking at I think you can make a buck. I’m in a situation now, waiting for it to be delivered. Made a offer on a pipe, I knew he didn’t know what he had. The photos were bad, but enough of it was their and I could date it, tell its condition, which looks really good. I know the pipe would sell 6 or 7 times what I paid for it to the right buyer. However I will smoke it and enjoy it.

And what was said pipe, intrigued now ?

 

[Ahi Ka]

And what was said pipe, intrigued now ?

Oh he just got an MM corncob for $1 that’s all

 

[greeneyes]

The irony (?) is that the pipes will

And what was said pipe, intrigued now ?

I'll tell after the auction closes. I wouldn't want to drive up competition for any forum members (and in particular some good friends of mine) who might actually have the pipe on their radar.

 

[anotherbob]

I don't know, but I don't think there is anything dishonest, if that is a practice. It might suck if you were wanting to buy that pipe, but there is no set value to any pipe. Sometimes guys will get all butthurt is someone posts a Dunhill for more than they "think" it's worth, and the guy doesn't accept an offer for less. I've seen that on here before. But, really, if someone puts a CornCob up on ebay for $500, they probably won't sell it, but it is their right to do so.

the old saying is something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. The flip side is the idiot that gets a buyers guide and gets all bent out of shape because no one is willing to pay the premium it's listed as. Sure you got something worth half a million good luck finding a sucke..I mean buyer who has half a million to burn and a want for what you got. Then there is the crew of people that understands not grading. Mint means nothing wrong with it. Yeah you found a rare comic that grandpa kept in a bucket of water it ain't worth that much man.

 

[anotherbob]

Yeh, people still go to Mexico and load up on cheap goods, and then resell them here for more. I think this was the whole business model for places like Pier One and some other high end places.

especially cocaine. People apparently use that model on that product.

 

[GlassMan]

I’ve never sold a pipe, but of the 3 vehicles I’ve owned/sold (on my 4th now) I’ve made money on every single one. Buy for a dollar, sell for two. If I saw a perfect castello ending on eBay in 2 minutes for WAY under value, I’d snatch it and potentially try to resell it. I’m also a big fan of capitalism.

 

[trubka2]

A lot of people on ebay do this. Shoot, I've seen a couple that even recycle the original seller's photos. I don't have any particular feeling about that one way or another (except that I definitely wouldn't want to hang out with the kind of tiresome person who gets off on that kind of thing). Far more common is seeing a nice deal on ebay for a pipe in so-so condition, and then seeing that same pipe "restored" in the SPC estate listings a couple weeks later. Knowing their valuation formula, even these are mostly traded in at a loss, from what I've seen.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I once saw a guy pay $200 for a lot of 12 pipes only to put it up for sale the next week - using same pics - and only get $52. Made me chuckle

 

[ChuckMijo]

Wow

I once saw a guy pay $200 for a lot of 12 pipes only to put it up for sale the next week - using same pics - and only get $52. Made me chuckle

Wow you got burned!!! I sold you that lot

 

[Ahi Ka]

Wow
Wow you got burned!!!

Fortunately this wasn’t me. I was interested enough to follow it but not bid beyond 30.

 

[ChuckMijo]

Most of those lot pipes are dreck. Nobody wanted them 25 years ago, let alone now. I think the right pipe, at the right price. I almost love non pipe sellers. It can be hit or miss. But some of these people have true gems and don’t know it. If you can catch it quick enough before someone else’s catches it and know what your looking at, sometimes you can do really well, sometimes not. It’s a fun hunt. I enjoy that the most I think.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Most of those lot pipes are dreck. Nobody wanted them 25 years ago, let alone now. I think the right pipe, at the right price. I almost love non pipe sellers. It can be hit or miss. But some of these people have true gems and don’t know it. If you can catch it quick enough before someone else’s catches it and know what your looking at, sometimes you can do really well, sometimes not. It’s a fun hunt. I enjoy that the most I think.

Totally agree with that. I also learnt along the way that not every bargain is worth it. Sometimes it’s better to just hold your funds for the right one. I’ve only ever purchased one lot of pipes and I paid more for it than the rest of my entire collection combined, but that’s a story for another day.

 

[wyfbane]

It would seem foolish to me unless you recognized for having value but was so poorly listed by a guy with no real reputation for selling such an item. Maybe then you might get a pipe cheap enough to make a profit after offsetting for eBay fees for sale. But I don't think so.

Exactly this^

 

[jpmcwjr]

I'd be very surprised if anyone but a real pro has ever made real money at buying and selling pipes. Sure, it's great to learn when our fellows make a killing on some pipes.

 

[Papamique]

Just the deficit of eBay fees+PayPal fees+ taxes would require almost a 20% margin to break even. Buying pipe lots in a local estate sale will profit much more than trying to flip on eBay I would think.

 

[GlassMan]

I have seen a few come up on the “OfferUp” app which is like a more hip Craigslist. Almost got a dunhill bruyere for like $90.

 

[greeneyes]

I hope the set, a cased pair of Barlings, found a good home with one of you ? the auction ended just this morning.