Cecilia S.

Yeah, Mike, it is the same here... we can't use the roof, either.

(Here it's raccoons, there it's possums. Or is it opossum?? I never know...)

ArchaicArcane

The basic rate for a service here is about $80. When I advertise a machine, I always make note of the fact that I'm selling it for less than the price of a service.

This doesn't work. I still get idi.... uhm.. cheapskates wanting to pay pennies for it. I can easily justify the price though.
I paid money to buy it
I put parts into it so it would work for you without hassle
I spent 4 hours removing bunny familys, spiders, nicotine and things I couldn't identify, so you didn't have to.

I always just tell them no, and why. Some will come back and say OK, I'll pay what you're asking, some I will never hear from again. They really don't get that they don't have the bargaining power if they don't show up first.

ETA: At the end of the day, I don't want to "support" a lowballer anyway. They're always the most demanding customers.

I've had better luck servicing machines for people, because they've bonded with the machine and have assigned a "value" to it.

In 1890, Oscar Wilde said “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” It's still true today. It may be even worse.

Which part of Southern AB? I have family in Granum and Calgary and I love the Crowsnest pass...
We're about 20 minutes North of Edmonton.

ggenovez

People don't understand the value they're getting with the old sewing machines. Also, most people just don't sew.

Why would you spend $150 if you can buy a new one for 120 and it has multiple stitches. Besides you might use it 5 times in the next 10 years.

It doesn't make sense until you realize the new ones are so cheap you can't use them more than a couple of times.

There a reason whey people used to spend ~$2000 in today's money for a sewing machine.

manicmike

I did get an Indian couple come look at my '50s HC 15 clone and I knew he'd make me a stupid offer, simply because he's Indian. He was very likeable so I just held my ground and he smiled and paid what I wanted. That was just "par for the course" though, and I don't get many "lowballers" making stupid offers. Nearly every machine I've sold couldn't have gone to a better home: They were all going to be used to sew, not stand in a corner and look nice.

The bonding thing is huge: The first machine I sold was to a young girl (around 22). It was a back clamping redeye treadle. She loved it the moment she saw it and bought it on the spot, full price!

Oscar was a wise man. I laugh when people ask what a machine is worth. It's worth what someone is willing to pay. In the case of sewing machines it's much less than it used to be, so all of them are bargains.

Cecilia, it's possums in Australia and yes they get into the roof.

Mornigstar

Funny, my son lives in Calgary but drives big truck for a company out of Edmonton. Have lots of relatives out there but don't see them .

JoannaGoanna

What about totally changing the colour and adding go-fast stripe etc to old singers. A bit like this: http://www.keelersales.com/servlet/Detail?no=786
Personally I think it's sacrilegious, but I can't deny that the hot pink one looks pretty, well, hot.
The $900 price tag is appealing from a restoring point of view, but I wonder who buys these?

Candace

People that want them.

ArchaicArcane

Oh! I get tons of lowballers, they're all via email though. They don't even come out to lowball. My reply lately is that they should try purchasing a machine and going to have it serviced. Most of the machines I sell do go to sewing homes. I know this because in probably 2 of 3 situations, I have to teach them to use the machine and the basics of sewing.

I've said that to people. I'll have a couple listed sometimes (usually one Singer and one clone) and they'll ask me which one they should get. I tell them to come over and pick the one they bond with. 9 times out of 10, it's not the one they came here intending to look at.

manicmike

They're possibly just dealers who make similar offers to a hundred other people with the hope of getting one bite. I've had a few people (probably two) do that with me. Usually they send an email making a stupid offer then "reply if you're interested". I don't get annoyed, just don't reply.
Strangely the last two machines I've sold to men who want the machines for their wives as surprise b'day presents. Both had looked at the ad, called me, driven here, picked up the machine. The men had bonded with the machines! I shouldn't be surprised at that

ArchaicArcane

You might be right that some of them are dealers.

I wonder if any of those husbands were murdered on or shortly after their wives birthdays? I know, other than the little FW, there would have been a murder in this house as recently as 3 years ago if DH had given me a sewing machine. Of course, I did have that therapy worthy sewing machine incident when I was 10 which would have contributed to my possibly only slightly inappropriate reaction.