First off, If you're not interested in Props, fine. But keep in mind that that is the passion/business of the majority of the members here. A lot of them make Extra money, or their main income is from selling things either here, or on Ebay, so When you attack Basic commerce you touch a nerve.
Second, I don't know any board where a Noob with 22 posts decides to Basically tell Members with Years, and post counts in the thousands, that their opinion, in your opinion thread, is wrong, and come across as arrogant in your tone ("Maybe, I don't know you"-that would be the point, get to know people before spreading your opinion like peanut butter in the ghetto) I frequent a board that if you had come across there the way you have here, you would have gotten this played on you-
and not the PG version either. We're talking a perceived lack of basic respect here.
Third, Here's a hypothetical situation: You go to the pawn shop with Martha Washington's breast pump. They call in their expert who verifys it's the real deal, and estimates that at auction you COULD get $5,000.00 for it.
They ask if you want to pawn or sell, you say sell. What do you want for it, You say "Well he said $5,000 so I want $5,000"
Ok, that was 5k best scenario at auction. Which the next auction may be 6 months up the road in your area. You have to pay an auction Broker fee, this broker fee must be paid whether your item sells or not. if your item does sell for over that amount, you will pay additional fees up to 20% of what it sells for. If you do not have a written certified Appraisal with you for your top end starting point, they will bring in their appraiser. Their appraiser may say it's only worth $3,000 and start the auction lower than you anticipated, bringing in Less, or you may be subject to the crowds whim, and not even get a bid at the starting price, and you go home Breast Pump in hand, and out the broker fee.
So, Rick now has you wanting 5k for this, he has 2 things in mind, what can HE realistically resell it for, 90+% of the time it won't be anywhere near the top end, best case Scenario of an auction, realistically, slash 25% of the value off the top, bringing it down to $3750 (I'm being generous here); Second, how fast can he resell it? If it's something like Elvis' Belt Buckle, it will go fast, so you are offered more.
Martha's breast pump, will probably sit and gather dust for a while, so He's going to offer less, because it is going to take up precious counter space, and has an eclectic to say the least, market. So he offers $1500. Now he figures he MAY get $2500 for it (not $3750), but in reality will let it go for $2200 giving him a profit of $700 to $1000, NOT the perceived Profit of $3500 of $1500 on a $5000 item.
That's not Slimy, That's not Sleezeball, that's making a fair offer based on several factors, the least of which is Rabid unemployment and a crap economy making everybody suffer financially. Buy, Sell, Loan Has been around since Biblical times, these guys are actually pretty fair, watch Hardcore Pawn on TRU for something of what a Real Pawn shop is like.
I took in some Custom made, all Silver and Semi-Precious stone jewelry, that I had the original $800 receipt for the set. The guy said "Yeah, silver isn't doing well...." (it's tripled in value to over $15 an ounce in the last 8 years), I could give you $50 for it. THAT is Reality, and THAT is Sleazy.
We don't hate you here, we don't expect you to Kowtow either, but coming on like a bull in a china shop before getting to know some of the characters here, isn't the best idea either.