Ebay call market?

[Dragonfly]

Is it just me or is the market really sucking for air right now.  A ton of calls on there and either no bidding or very cheap bids being placed on calls.  Do you think its because ebay's (no personal checks and stuff, no ivory and etc...) rules have kept people from bidding there and upset people or is the market for calls just way down?  Wow, I have some calls I'd like to move but don't want to looking at ebay.---Jason

[Bulldogmikey]

Jason money is tight for sure, But the known call builders are doing OK. Plus eBay has gotten to be a pain with the payments. Not totally sure which is the most contributing factor.

Mike

[wiltznucs]

Is it just me or is the market really sucking for air right now.  A ton of calls on there and either no bidding or very cheap bids being placed on calls.  Do you think its because ebay's (no personal checks and stuff, no ivory and etc...) rules have kept people from bidding there and upset people or is the market for calls just way down?  Wow, I have some calls I'd like to move but don't want to looking at ebay.---Jason

Jason, just my opinion but I believe that what we're seeing is what the stock market refers to as a "correction".  Lets be honest, there was a point in time where any average guy who made his first trumpet or box call could fetch $150 or more for it.  Originality suffered and it seemed everyone made a Turpin trumpet or a Cost style box.  The prices got outlandish for so many calls, particularly from contemporary call makers.  This is still the case... I'll even implicate myself as perpetuating the problem with my buying habits for some time there.  The call makers should bear some of the blame, as the truth is when the money was coming they made as many calls as they could.  In many cases flooding the market with their own calls.  Turkey calls like any other commodity are subject to the laws of supply and demand..

There are a lot of calls out there that will never be "worth" more than we paid for them.  And there are a lot of calls that aren't worth what we paid.  There will always be a value to honest, original, and good quality work.  Things will bounce back and it will be those elite makers and antique calls that recover first.

[letinmfly]

Good points Chad.  Lets not forget that the economy also sucks and that people just don't have the money to spend right now.  Luxury dollars are always the first to take a hit.  When/if the economy recovers and people have those extra few recreational dollars to spend, ebay will be a gold mine for both sellers and buyers again.

[Dragonfly]

You guys make good points and some I have also considered.  However, I keep watching to see where the market is  don't see it(the market) bouncing back anytime soon, do you?  I also wonder how the current market is going to affect quality new comers as call makers and their product(s) value.  Seems some good call makers will even take  losses on their work and thats tough I'm sure.  Heck, maybe some call makers will eventually have to stop building as it may not be worth their time and efforts???  I hope rebound isn't too far off.

[GR8CALLS]

 Jason

 During times like we are experiencing, people put off purchasing unessential items and focus on the essential ones....sorry to say, but things like turkey calls fall into the unessential catagory.

Bill

[wiltznucs]

You guys make good points and some I have also considered.  However, I keep watching to see where the market is  don't see it(the market) bouncing back anytime soon, do you?  I also wonder how the current market is going to affect quality new comers as call makers and their product(s) value.  Seems some good call makers will even take  losses on their work and thats tough I'm sure.  Heck, maybe some call makers will eventually have to stop building as it may not be worth their time and efforts???  I hope rebound isn't too far off.

The economic principle of "value" is defined by how much an item is worth in exchange for services or money.  One of the unique features of "value" is that it is determined by the buyer and not the seller.  Quite simply the "value" of an item is what you or I is willing to pay.  If we dont like the price we'll surely buy from someone else.  After all, purchasing an item is usually an elective decision.  Thus, if a seller is asking more than the buyer can afford or is willing to pay then they run the risk of not selling many items.  Its only when the seller places the appropriate "value" on their item that they create and sustain sales.  When sales are slow one must reevaluate the value of the item, and from time to time the seller must either create a better product or lower prices.  Or they can simply quit making the product.  The sour economy has magnified this effect ten fold, I feel badly for the new maker but their timing couldnt have been worse.

[Dragonfly]

Chad,
    You hit the nail on the head in your last couple sentences.  Thanks guys for your insight, I was curious as to what other thought on the subject.

Bill,
    BTW, what do you mean calls aren't essentials???   I thought they were like taking vitamins

[GR8CALLS]

Jason

LOL.........hardly! I suspect, you may have an old call or two laying around, that you can use this year w/out going out to by a new one...

 

Bill

[labman]

Jason- it may simply be the fact that you can buy a brand new call right from the maker, cheaper than you can off of eBay.  When I call the maker, I'm OK waiting a couple months to get the call in the wood I want, with an ivory mouthpiece too 

[wiltznucs]

Jason- it may simply be the fact that you can buy a brand new call right from the maker, cheaper than you can off of eBay.  When I call the maker, I'm OK waiting a couple months to get the call in the wood I want, with an ivory mouthpiece too 

I agree with you on this and I too prefer this route.  But there are a number of calls on E-Bay that are selling for far less than what the maker charges.

[Dragonfly]

Jason,
    Nice to see you over here.  Your point is quite possibly a valid one.  But its definately more than that and most likely spot on with what Chad mentioned.---Jason

[turkey stew]

Jason money is tight for sure, But the known call builders are doing OK. Plus eBay has gotten to be a pain with the payments. Not totally sure which is the most contributing factor.

Mike

[Dragonfly]

I know its next to impossible to say but when do you see the market rebounding back (when calls will start to move with some regularity & fair price values)??  Soon, a few years, ten years???  I don't see it coming back any time soon.

[gaswamp]

yeah I have noticed that calls listed on Ebay have dropped.

this one went cheap
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120536236722&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT