Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I would appreciate some guidance as I have put a lot of work in some of these books recently, and I certainly don't want to venture into areas that have few takers.
You can respond here, or privately. I appreciate it.
Next will be a book on Argentina commemorative stamps (no definitive stamps)..but then after, I am not sure where to go.
rrr...
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"but then after, I am not sure where to go."
rrraphy:- Welcome to my world.
Basically don't try and guage what to put up next or you end up going round in circles and find yourself standing outside in the garden shouting at the moon "Wibble, Wibble, Wibble".
I have tried every statistical and scientific theorum to try and work out what I should sell next. I have tried astrology, casting the runes, Tarot Cards and making sacrifices to Odin.
All to no avail!
However I may have found the secret, unfortunately I am going to keep it to myself, however it does involve a ginger cat, a World War II pilots flying helmet and a stick of celery!
Please for all our sakes keep your sanity!
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Hello Ian.
I realize that it often requires a (time dependent) fit between what people are working on at the time a book is activated, vs what material is being offered. The problem with what is going on in Approvals is that NO ONE seem to bother to look at the older books.
And the whole idea, we thought, was to have a library of material available on SOR older books, to look through when you work on a new area.
I always offer duplicates when I have them, so that a buyer will not disappointed if they arrive late.
But it seems most (or can I say all) Approval buyers purchase from new books and ignore the older books, even if some of these books have exactly the same variety of choices.
Greg or was it Siem commented some long time ago that if you retire a book, and re-offer the material that was left organized in a NEW book, it just sells like a new book! And this material gets picked up on the day you re-issue it.
This is fine and really easy to do if you don't organize your book. But if you add the year/cat numbers etc like I do, it is a lot of work again. Maybe I should try the strategy of relisting without gaps and without any on this extra information, and see how it will perform as a new book.
As a buyer, I understand the frustration of going through an approval book and finding the stamps you wanted are gone. But if a seller adds ample duplicates, there should be an incentive to look at books that seem depleted, but are not! It does not work that way!
Ahh the mystery of the rational mind.
Thanks for your tip.
"I have tried every statistical and scientific theorum to try and work out what I should sell next. I have tried astrology, casting the runes, Tarot Cards and making sacrifices to Odin.
All to no avail!"
I was going to try some of these approaches, so now I will follow your lead, and you are saving me time. Has anyone tried the Crystal Ball? Or consulting a psychic? Reading a Turkish cup of coffee remnants works too, I am told.
And by the way, a private message with your interest works, especially if you have bought from me before. Thanks to those who have done so. Otherwise, it is back to my collection, until the urge to get sell more duplicates hits me again. I find it really hard to do both, selling, and working on my collection at the same time.
Cheers.
rrr...
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Choosing the right approval books to create is just as hard as choosing the numbers in the lottery. I stopped guessing and just do things randomly and I do repeat things that do not sell and try again after a period of time.. Steve
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" I find it really hard to do both, selling, and working on my collection at the same time."
I mostly buy mixed lots at auction, take out what I want for my collection, put that aside and put the rest that I'm going to sell in another pile.
If I am preparing an Approval Book from an album or stockbook that has the stamps in order then the Book will be in order, if the stamps are coming out of an album or stockbook that is a hotch-potch then the Approval Book will be a hotch-potch.
I am retired so I try to do my "selling" work during the day and work on my own collection during the evening when "my good lady" is watching that horrible "Yes to the Dress" tv programme.
When I get fed up with that routine I reverse it and see to my collection during the day and "selling" work during the evening.
"Greg or was it Siem commented some long time ago that if you retire a book, and re-offer the material that was left organized in a NEW book, it just sells like a new book! And this material gets picked up on the day you re-issue it."
I find that to be true.
"NO ONE seem to bother to look at the older books."
In fact the "Life" of an Approval Book here is at most a couple of weeks and in some cases a couple of days, after that the book has little or no sales and the seller has stamps sitting on stocksheets doing nothing other than gathering dust so the seller is better de-activating the book and using the stocksheets to produce a new book.
I recognise that it was thought that having a "Library" of Approval Books would be a good idea but unfortunately us humans can't be bothered to look through a book where we think that 30% of the stuff is sold so all the "best" stamps have been sold and there are no "bargains" left!
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" But if a seller adds ample duplicates, there should be an incentive to look at books that seem depleted"
I just want to remind everyone that we only allow 3 of the same item in an approval book.
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"us humans can't be bothered to look through a book where we think that 30% of the stuff is sold so all the "best" stamps have been sold and there are no "bargains" left!"
Indeed..as Steve said, if you retire the book and move the material to a new book, it will almost always see sales pick up. (as long as you don't have all the sold stamps reminding you what you missed out on, us humans (ian) will not feel frustrated!)
Thanks Michael for reminding us. Yes a maximum of 3 duplicates, but I found out that 2 seem to be enough.
rrr...
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Another thing to remember. If you RETIRE one of your approval books, it will be removed from the system, and you will no longer be able to view the book. I would suggest INACTIVATING the book first. Buyers will not be able to view the book, but you can. Then, when you are certain that you no longer need the book, retire it.
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"I stopped guessing and just do things randomly"
I'm with Steve ("cardstamp") on this. I have tons of file folders with pages of stamps, envelopes of country/topic-sorted stamps, and boxes of random stamps (all still from my original "The Hoard" that brought me here 5 years ago). So I just grab something and start putting them in Approval Books and Auction Lots until I get bored of that country/topic, then move to something different.
Also, like Steve...
"I do repeat things that do not sell and try again after a period of time"
...usually just deeply discounting the price - which I find attracts way more action than just adding new material.
Then (again like Steve for heaven's sake!!!) anything still remaining goes into the Holocaust Stamps Project (Canada) bins.
My final thing (taking the lead of my buddy gggrrraphy/Ralph instead of Steve for a change)...
"I find it really hard to do both, selling, and working on my collection at the same time"
...is to work on my collection while simultaneously putting duplicates into Approval Pages/Auction Lots. I'm currently working on DDR which is a heck of a lot of work given how many stamps they issued...as you can see...
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The problem with what is going on in Approvals is that NO ONE seem to bother to look at the older books.
Not for me. Very often I revisit previous books (not everyone is happy of that) Sometimes I see only a few stamps of interest in a book. It is nor worth to purchase them as they do not cover the shipping cost. When finally the seller posts a new book with a good number of stamps meeting my needs, then I revisit all the books from that seller.
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"they do not cover the shipping cost. "
That is one of the major stumbling blocks for Buyers AND Sellers with low value stamps in the Approval Books.
It results in Buyers having to wait a long time for the stamps they've "purchased", possibly buying the same stamps from someone else and the Sellers having to hold these stamps for a long time wondering when/if the Buyer is going to buy anything else and if/when they are going to get paid.
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"It is nor worth to purchase them as they do not cover the shipping cost. When finally the seller posts a new book with a good number of stamps meeting my needs, then I revisit all the books from that seller."
Yes, that is what I do , it works Ok for me!
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"It results in Buyers having to wait a long time for the stamps they've "purchased", possibly buying the same stamps from someone else "
I used to have the problem of double buying, but it never stopped me from closing a deal (eventually) and paying...even if it takes time or if I end up with an unwanted duplicate.
Because memory fails with time, I now take the trouble of noting with a small stick on note, or piece of paper in my albums that the missing stamps is SOR purchased, so that I avoid double buying. It works!
Personally I try to have shipping costs under 10% of purchase price. The problem arises when sellers post just an occasional book, so it takes a long time to reach my critical mass. Eventually, if this does not happen, I will pay, and stop buying again from him/her, or I may ask privately for the cancellation of the few stamps bought. And if a seller, for whatever reason requests a payment, I will always try to accommodate.
The big difference here is that we are a Club, not a commercial business arena, so flexibility is paramount, and most often the seller does not have to manage hundred of orders which requires a different accounting and shipping discipline. I openly say (even if the rule may say differently), if you want to get paid in 3 days, go to ebay or hipstamp or elsewhere..this arena (especially Approval, with piece prices often under 10 cents) is not for you.
Let us face it, our rule was designed for Auctions, where piece prices are much higher (generally). (This was discussed when Approvals was being developed, and a decision was correctly made to just have one set of rules and one accounting system). A special policy for Approvals would complicate everything, so one rule applies even though the conditions are different.
For me, the unwritten rule is that sellers and buyers in a Club should be expected to be more flexible, and to talk directly to one another.
rrr,,,
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I wish people would read the rules before quoting them.
- Payment is due within 5 BUSINESS DAYS (Monday through Friday, excepting holidays) of receipt of an invoice from the seller. So, if a seller lets you build up purchases for 2 years, and then sends you an invoice. The payment due date starts from the date the invoice is sent.
- Sellers and buyers may mutually agree to alter the terms and conditions of any purchase. So, as long as both agree that they want to do "x" instead of what the rule says, that is between the buyer and seller. One (buyer or seller) cannot unilaterally change the terms of sale.
The rules are there to provide a platform how to buy and sell. The rules as can be seen are flexible enough to keep things friendly and club-like. In the event the two parties cannot work out an issue between themselves, the Auctioneer is there to help resolve the matter.
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" Sellers and buyers may mutually agree to alter the terms and conditions of any purchase. So, as long as both agree that they want to do "x" instead of what the rule says, that is between the buyer and seller. One (buyer or seller) cannot unilaterally change the terms of sale.
"
Yup that's the rule!
However there is a flaw within it.
In practice the seller has little option other than to agree to the buyers conditions and if the seller suggests otherwise then the buyer goes off in a huff.
I have said before on other threads that it can be extremely difficult to remember which buyer has which "deal" and the reaction from buyers if the seller accidentally sends an invoice outwith the "agreement" then *******.
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"...it can be extremely difficult to remember which buyer has which "deal"..."
Ian, as a
"Dave:- Why not use a pencil and a piece of paper to write down your bids and then you can check?"
Excellent advice!
Cheers, Dave.
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Dave:- as a dinosaur I have heard of pencil and paper but never used one.
All I have available is a piece of rock and an old bone as a chisel.
I am also loathe to leave my hillock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8
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I think you two have been hitting the grog today.
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Worse, I think Grog may sue, and based on the lump on his head, I don't blame a byte.
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Let him sue.
These are the lawyers I want on my side:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQWByMbBY8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSxTMrXbt4
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Think I'd go with Perry Mason myself.
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Nay Nay and thrice Nay!
Perry was too dour at least with Alan and Denny it would be FUN!
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
11 Sep 2020
02:00:05pm
I plan to continue with Approval Books for Middle East and Latin America/Caribbeans, (before branching elsewhere) but I am not really sure where to go next. In the past, books with definitive stamps have done poorly, and books in areas collected by just few collectors have depended on a good match between a member current needs and the material posted, or they just sit.
I would appreciate some guidance as I have put a lot of work in some of these books recently, and I certainly don't want to venture into areas that have few takers.
You can respond here, or privately. I appreciate it.
Next will be a book on Argentina commemorative stamps (no definitive stamps)..but then after, I am not sure where to go.
rrr...
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
"but then after, I am not sure where to go."
rrraphy:- Welcome to my world.
Basically don't try and guage what to put up next or you end up going round in circles and find yourself standing outside in the garden shouting at the moon "Wibble, Wibble, Wibble".
I have tried every statistical and scientific theorum to try and work out what I should sell next. I have tried astrology, casting the runes, Tarot Cards and making sacrifices to Odin.
All to no avail!
However I may have found the secret, unfortunately I am going to keep it to myself, however it does involve a ginger cat, a World War II pilots flying helmet and a stick of celery!
Please for all our sakes keep your sanity!
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
11 Sep 2020
03:26:37pm
re: Approval Books, what next?
Hello Ian.
I realize that it often requires a (time dependent) fit between what people are working on at the time a book is activated, vs what material is being offered. The problem with what is going on in Approvals is that NO ONE seem to bother to look at the older books.
And the whole idea, we thought, was to have a library of material available on SOR older books, to look through when you work on a new area.
I always offer duplicates when I have them, so that a buyer will not disappointed if they arrive late.
But it seems most (or can I say all) Approval buyers purchase from new books and ignore the older books, even if some of these books have exactly the same variety of choices.
Greg or was it Siem commented some long time ago that if you retire a book, and re-offer the material that was left organized in a NEW book, it just sells like a new book! And this material gets picked up on the day you re-issue it.
This is fine and really easy to do if you don't organize your book. But if you add the year/cat numbers etc like I do, it is a lot of work again. Maybe I should try the strategy of relisting without gaps and without any on this extra information, and see how it will perform as a new book.
As a buyer, I understand the frustration of going through an approval book and finding the stamps you wanted are gone. But if a seller adds ample duplicates, there should be an incentive to look at books that seem depleted, but are not! It does not work that way!
Ahh the mystery of the rational mind.
Thanks for your tip.
"I have tried every statistical and scientific theorum to try and work out what I should sell next. I have tried astrology, casting the runes, Tarot Cards and making sacrifices to Odin.
All to no avail!"
I was going to try some of these approaches, so now I will follow your lead, and you are saving me time. Has anyone tried the Crystal Ball? Or consulting a psychic? Reading a Turkish cup of coffee remnants works too, I am told.
And by the way, a private message with your interest works, especially if you have bought from me before. Thanks to those who have done so. Otherwise, it is back to my collection, until the urge to get sell more duplicates hits me again. I find it really hard to do both, selling, and working on my collection at the same time.
Cheers.
rrr...
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
Choosing the right approval books to create is just as hard as choosing the numbers in the lottery. I stopped guessing and just do things randomly and I do repeat things that do not sell and try again after a period of time.. Steve
3 Members
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
" I find it really hard to do both, selling, and working on my collection at the same time."
I mostly buy mixed lots at auction, take out what I want for my collection, put that aside and put the rest that I'm going to sell in another pile.
If I am preparing an Approval Book from an album or stockbook that has the stamps in order then the Book will be in order, if the stamps are coming out of an album or stockbook that is a hotch-potch then the Approval Book will be a hotch-potch.
I am retired so I try to do my "selling" work during the day and work on my own collection during the evening when "my good lady" is watching that horrible "Yes to the Dress" tv programme.
When I get fed up with that routine I reverse it and see to my collection during the day and "selling" work during the evening.
"Greg or was it Siem commented some long time ago that if you retire a book, and re-offer the material that was left organized in a NEW book, it just sells like a new book! And this material gets picked up on the day you re-issue it."
I find that to be true.
"NO ONE seem to bother to look at the older books."
In fact the "Life" of an Approval Book here is at most a couple of weeks and in some cases a couple of days, after that the book has little or no sales and the seller has stamps sitting on stocksheets doing nothing other than gathering dust so the seller is better de-activating the book and using the stocksheets to produce a new book.
I recognise that it was thought that having a "Library" of Approval Books would be a good idea but unfortunately us humans can't be bothered to look through a book where we think that 30% of the stuff is sold so all the "best" stamps have been sold and there are no "bargains" left!
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re: Approval Books, what next?
" But if a seller adds ample duplicates, there should be an incentive to look at books that seem depleted"
I just want to remind everyone that we only allow 3 of the same item in an approval book.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
12 Sep 2020
02:23:02pm
re: Approval Books, what next?
"us humans can't be bothered to look through a book where we think that 30% of the stuff is sold so all the "best" stamps have been sold and there are no "bargains" left!"
Indeed..as Steve said, if you retire the book and move the material to a new book, it will almost always see sales pick up. (as long as you don't have all the sold stamps reminding you what you missed out on, us humans (ian) will not feel frustrated!)
Thanks Michael for reminding us. Yes a maximum of 3 duplicates, but I found out that 2 seem to be enough.
rrr...
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re: Approval Books, what next?
Another thing to remember. If you RETIRE one of your approval books, it will be removed from the system, and you will no longer be able to view the book. I would suggest INACTIVATING the book first. Buyers will not be able to view the book, but you can. Then, when you are certain that you no longer need the book, retire it.
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re: Approval Books, what next?
"I stopped guessing and just do things randomly"
I'm with Steve ("cardstamp") on this. I have tons of file folders with pages of stamps, envelopes of country/topic-sorted stamps, and boxes of random stamps (all still from my original "The Hoard" that brought me here 5 years ago). So I just grab something and start putting them in Approval Books and Auction Lots until I get bored of that country/topic, then move to something different.
Also, like Steve...
"I do repeat things that do not sell and try again after a period of time"
...usually just deeply discounting the price - which I find attracts way more action than just adding new material.
Then (again like Steve for heaven's sake!!!) anything still remaining goes into the Holocaust Stamps Project (Canada) bins.
My final thing (taking the lead of my buddy gggrrraphy/Ralph instead of Steve for a change)...
"I find it really hard to do both, selling, and working on my collection at the same time"
...is to work on my collection while simultaneously putting duplicates into Approval Pages/Auction Lots. I'm currently working on DDR which is a heck of a lot of work given how many stamps they issued...as you can see...
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12:22:47pm
Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
The problem with what is going on in Approvals is that NO ONE seem to bother to look at the older books.
Not for me. Very often I revisit previous books (not everyone is happy of that) Sometimes I see only a few stamps of interest in a book. It is nor worth to purchase them as they do not cover the shipping cost. When finally the seller posts a new book with a good number of stamps meeting my needs, then I revisit all the books from that seller.
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like this post.
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
"they do not cover the shipping cost. "
That is one of the major stumbling blocks for Buyers AND Sellers with low value stamps in the Approval Books.
It results in Buyers having to wait a long time for the stamps they've "purchased", possibly buying the same stamps from someone else and the Sellers having to hold these stamps for a long time wondering when/if the Buyer is going to buy anything else and if/when they are going to get paid.
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re: Approval Books, what next?
"It is nor worth to purchase them as they do not cover the shipping cost. When finally the seller posts a new book with a good number of stamps meeting my needs, then I revisit all the books from that seller."
Yes, that is what I do , it works Ok for me!
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
14 Sep 2020
01:30:38pm
re: Approval Books, what next?
"It results in Buyers having to wait a long time for the stamps they've "purchased", possibly buying the same stamps from someone else "
I used to have the problem of double buying, but it never stopped me from closing a deal (eventually) and paying...even if it takes time or if I end up with an unwanted duplicate.
Because memory fails with time, I now take the trouble of noting with a small stick on note, or piece of paper in my albums that the missing stamps is SOR purchased, so that I avoid double buying. It works!
Personally I try to have shipping costs under 10% of purchase price. The problem arises when sellers post just an occasional book, so it takes a long time to reach my critical mass. Eventually, if this does not happen, I will pay, and stop buying again from him/her, or I may ask privately for the cancellation of the few stamps bought. And if a seller, for whatever reason requests a payment, I will always try to accommodate.
The big difference here is that we are a Club, not a commercial business arena, so flexibility is paramount, and most often the seller does not have to manage hundred of orders which requires a different accounting and shipping discipline. I openly say (even if the rule may say differently), if you want to get paid in 3 days, go to ebay or hipstamp or elsewhere..this arena (especially Approval, with piece prices often under 10 cents) is not for you.
Let us face it, our rule was designed for Auctions, where piece prices are much higher (generally). (This was discussed when Approvals was being developed, and a decision was correctly made to just have one set of rules and one accounting system). A special policy for Approvals would complicate everything, so one rule applies even though the conditions are different.
For me, the unwritten rule is that sellers and buyers in a Club should be expected to be more flexible, and to talk directly to one another.
rrr,,,
Login to Like
this post
re: Approval Books, what next?
I wish people would read the rules before quoting them.
- Payment is due within 5 BUSINESS DAYS (Monday through Friday, excepting holidays) of receipt of an invoice from the seller. So, if a seller lets you build up purchases for 2 years, and then sends you an invoice. The payment due date starts from the date the invoice is sent.
- Sellers and buyers may mutually agree to alter the terms and conditions of any purchase. So, as long as both agree that they want to do "x" instead of what the rule says, that is between the buyer and seller. One (buyer or seller) cannot unilaterally change the terms of sale.
The rules are there to provide a platform how to buy and sell. The rules as can be seen are flexible enough to keep things friendly and club-like. In the event the two parties cannot work out an issue between themselves, the Auctioneer is there to help resolve the matter.
Login to Like
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
" Sellers and buyers may mutually agree to alter the terms and conditions of any purchase. So, as long as both agree that they want to do "x" instead of what the rule says, that is between the buyer and seller. One (buyer or seller) cannot unilaterally change the terms of sale.
"
Yup that's the rule!
However there is a flaw within it.
In practice the seller has little option other than to agree to the buyers conditions and if the seller suggests otherwise then the buyer goes off in a huff.
I have said before on other threads that it can be extremely difficult to remember which buyer has which "deal" and the reaction from buyers if the seller accidentally sends an invoice outwith the "agreement" then *******.
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this post
re: Approval Books, what next?
"...it can be extremely difficult to remember which buyer has which "deal"..."
Ian, as a
"Dave:- Why not use a pencil and a piece of paper to write down your bids and then you can check?"
Excellent advice!
Cheers, Dave.
1 Member
likes this post.
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
Dave:- as a dinosaur I have heard of pencil and paper but never used one.
All I have available is a piece of rock and an old bone as a chisel.
I am also loathe to leave my hillock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8
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re: Approval Books, what next?
I think you two have been hitting the grog today.
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Auctions
re: Approval Books, what next?
Worse, I think Grog may sue, and based on the lump on his head, I don't blame a byte.
1 Member
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Auctions - Approvals
re: Approval Books, what next?
Let him sue.
These are the lawyers I want on my side:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQWByMbBY8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSxTMrXbt4
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re: Approval Books, what next?
Think I'd go with Perry Mason myself.
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