Thread: Sales slow for machinery dealers…or self sabotage??

Originally Posted by variant22

I hadn't considered the human aspect of this. I am a cash buyer, they are a seller. I thought it couldn't be any easier.

I had some dealings with a dealer over the last 18 months. I purchased ton of gear (inc my J&S grinder) from this individual. I was reading his Ebay feedback a few days ago for a laugh. Someone had purchased an item and left a Neg. It read "Specs inaccurate. Wasn't delivered to right town. Poor communication". - Could not have said it better myself.

Yeah. Sorry I couldn't go by & see about getting the missing part of your grinder off of him, the timing just didn't work out. Besides he de-listed the surface plate.

I used to deal with one place in Sydney, gone now. He was a smart man. Bought a radial arm drill at auction on a Thursday for $150, sold it on Saturday for $400 to me. More than doubled his money in a couple days. He said he could have stripped it right down, cleaned & painted it, repaired the swiss cheese table etc etc and have 40 hours work into it. Then put it on the floor at say $1800 and wait maybe 9 months or more for a buyer at that much higher price point.

Or he could more than double his investment in 2 days and put the money back to work.

I think a lot of these so-called dealers are sitting on ancient stock they bought for peanuts and think they can get their price, if only they hang on long enough. All the time ignoring the opportunity cost of money that's not turning over. Not to mention machinery that doesn't sell because they can't even be bothered to return a call or email.

Pox on their types, I'll bid on their stuff when it goes on Gumtree, eBay or a Grays clearing auction.

PDW

Times change, there is a decided glut of manual machines coming onto the market at present, I think it will continue for a few more years, but larger machine tools ( too big for the hobby market) are a real steal at present, like the slideway grinders went for fraction of their value.

In 10 years time, we will look back on these times as the "Golden Age" of buying manual machine tools, when you could get a machine off Grays or Lockwoods for next to nothing. I think some of the so-called second hand dealers are really collectors in disguise, they seem to like buying more than they like selling.

I'm still looking for that Schaublin 135 all accessoried up and cheap as chips... I think I'll be waiting for a while.

Originally Posted by PDW

Yeah. Sorry I couldn't go by & see about getting the missing part of your grinder off of him, the timing just didn't work out. Besides he de-listed the surface plate.

That's no worries at all. I have a plan to make up the missing sheet metal piece. I think would rather do that than ever have to deal with him again. Besides you already hauled a ton of stuff back for me.

Originally Posted by PDW

I used to deal with one place in Sydney, gone now. He was a smart man. Bought a radial arm drill at auction on a Thursday for $150, sold it on Saturday for $400 to me. More than doubled his money in a couple days. He said he could have stripped it right down, cleaned & painted it, repaired the swiss cheese table etc etc and have 40 hours work into it. Then put it on the floor at say $1800 and wait maybe 9 months or more for a buyer at that much higher price point.

Or he could more than double his investment in 2 days and put the money back to work.

It makes so much sense to flip it and take the cash. I have a mate that has been selling a car for the best part of 2.5 years. Instead of dropping the price he is paying rego and insurance year after year. Waiting for a sucker is a false economy.

Originally Posted by PDW

Pox on their types, I'll bid on their stuff when it goes on Gumtree, eBay or a Grays clearing auction.

PDW

You and me both.

Originally Posted by RayG

I think some of the so-called second hand dealers are really collectors in disguise, they seem to like buying more than they like selling.

I think you nailed it Ray. Steptoe types.

Originally Posted by RayG

In 10 years time, we will look back on these times as the "Golden Age" of buying manual machine tools, when you could get a machine off Grays or Lockwoods for next to nothing.

Or like a Boley for a scratch more than nothing... - update: Headstock is currently torn down hunting for a noise (was the bearings). It took 6 weeks for the local supplier to get me the wrong spec bearings. Back to waiting...

Originally Posted by RayG

I think some of the so-called second hand dealers are really collectors in disguise, they seem to like buying more than they like selling.

I reckon you are onto something there..

Originally Posted by RayG

I'm still looking for that Schaublin 135 all accessoried up and cheap as chips... I think I'll be waiting for a while.

I saw one in the flesh. It had just sold for 7.5k. It looked in decent condition from a-far. The same place I missed out on a mint FP3 for 7k . If I spot another I will drop you a quiet PM

A lot of farm machinery dealers I have come across seem to be carved from the same rock!!!

Well glad to hear it is not just me having these experiences, but sad to hear it is the common place reality.

They obviously intend to make a predetermined amount of profit on the item; no matter how much it costs them. Have the same thing with a bandsaw locally. The bloke advertises it a 'must be sold' but refuses to budge on price. I made a couple of offers but he wasn't interested; just keeps advertising it for the high price.

I will just save my money up for a good euro made one.

Ken

Originally Posted by PDW

I think a lot of these so-called dealers are sitting on ancient stock they bought for peanuts and think they can get their price, if only they hang on long enough. All the time ignoring the opportunity cost of money that's not turning over. Not to mention machinery that doesn't sell because they can't even be bothered to return a call or email.

Pox on their types, I'll bid on their stuff when it goes on Gumtree, eBay or a Grays clearing auction. PDW

May the ATO, decide to do an audit on them. That'll scare them, did me.
Kryn

Originally Posted by Toggy

I made a couple of offers but he wasn't interested; just keeps advertising it for the high price.

That's one definition of insanity- doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time.
Blokes like him just end up wasting other people's time.

Who?? me or the seller.. For the same money I could buy a refurbished quality euro saw (admittedly only a 500mm unit). With the local older 24" ex industry used Wolfenden there is no guarantee as to the state of the tyres; and if they need replacing which is a possibly with the saw sitting in a red hot GV tin shed for a number of years; it would be close to $1000 as they would have to be sent to Adelaide for replacement.

The last sale at auction that I saw of an identical ex government owned saw made 1/3 the price of the local unit. My offer had been substantially more than the auction price.

Ken

Originally Posted by Toggy

Who?? me or the seller..

The seller. Unless your offers were all the same, in which case you're both insane!

Let's face it, most dealers have their hand on it. They will pay scrap value for an ageing machine and then try to sell it at half the price of a new one. There is no real logic behind it.

If something is worth the money it is well worth paying a reasonable dealer's price.

However, I have often gloated to others about how I picked up a machine that's worth $5k (from a dealer) for under $1k off Ebay or just from keeping an ear to the ground.

As mentioned, there is going to be a flood of cheap 3-phase gear over the next few years, as foreign competition and Worksafe histrionics push a lot of classic machinery into the bargain bin. Keep your eyes open, or they will get melted down to build a crappy Hyundai.