Author Topic: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware  (Read 77846 times)

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Offline Binge

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With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:44:46 »
I'm a pretty open and lenient guy when it comes to aftermarket trading/selling of my keycaps, but one thing that I've been made aware of recently is the circulation of some of my keys in the aftermarket passing through the same seller multiple times.

Now that seems a bit fishy, right?  It is and it stands to reason that there is a bit of false demand/price inflation going on.  Guys check your facts on the cost of my keys and don't let some asshat tell you that the aftermarket determines the value when even with supply and demand each one of my keys has a value.  I would like to let you all know how it works.

Buying from me directly is at wholesale price.

My keys start at $35 for opaque or semi-trans (uncolored bright white or amber clear), and $40 for optically clear (in clear only) and metal keys.

Each additional color shot or effect treatment I charge $5.

It's that simple.

A two color semi trans would retail for $40.

A 3 color with optically clear parts (not in basic clear) would be $45+($5x3) = $60

On another note I have designated retail affiliates.  Techkeys, The Key Company, and Massdrop.
  Info is out of date.  Revision below (5.25.18),


The values of these costs have become a matter of debate between 3rd parties, but due to changes in world markets and our own situation the pricing is more variable than in the past.  There are several considerations we've learned affect us in our past year of business as HWS.  Three of the most influential considerations are: Materials, Promotions, and Time.

Materials were covered briefly above, but beyond the keys we use a number of materials in authenticity, packaging, and pigmentation which vary in price to a degree where it affects us financially.   HWS reserves the right to charge based on the additional overhead expenses.  It takes significant time to create some of this content.  In 4x4 we learned that our original pricing model had serious flaws in keeping up with our pace of experimentation and the changes of markets external to keycaps. 

An example of unforseen costs is time it takes source products when a wholesaler's prices become significantly higher than they were the previous quarter.   The matter of business affordability conflicts with our visions for consumer availability and fair pricing a great deal when issues like this arise.

Promotion is an interesting subject because everything we do to promote or carry out a sale to satisfy a market takes a great deal of consideration which becomes a careful balance between cost, time, and the unknown behind customer reception.  Every time we try something new to stretch the limits it is a risk, and these factors are something we do not like to charge the customer for experiencing.  It's largely a cost we eat entirely with any profits which could go into savings.  It may be something we do less of in the future without a better plan of action.

Time is always a battle but even more so when working with some more advanced techniques.  There is an expense of time in carrying out a technique and an added cost to each failure to produce a finished product with the resources used during that time.  An example of this dilemma is making 40 keys.  To make these keys there are 4-5 steps taken and the total time it would take to make them with two people is 8-10 hours.  If 4 (10%) of those keys fail then the cost to the makers in time has increased 10% because less can be compensated through retail sales.  The price of our keys in the 4x4 sale was rather consistent and even discounted at various times, and yet each colorway had new considerations and different yield rates.

This revision has been difficult to make because I feel it confuses the issue which was once made very clear by the efforts of HWS.  I'd like to stress that what artists charge is an expression of how we value our materials/time in how much we value the customer.  There's a balance which needs to be struck to express appreciation from both sides for it to work, and I may have been mistaken in the past to put such simple labels on parts of the pricing structure.  In the past we hadn't done casting full time without the support of other income, and my concerns tended to lean toward doing right by the customers.  These observations and statements should not excuse any behavior but instead help people understand and consider the implications of price.  It's not always about market demand for business owners, and people not making the keys only real liability is buying the product to turn a profit.  There is no additional liability for people buying to collect, personally cherish, and support the work of the artist.

On another note I have designated retail affiliates.  ex. Techkeys or The Key Company.

They are able to sell my keys at prices on or slightly higher than my wholesale value.  The value of my keys is still basically set by this chart, and I do not expect this chart to disparage their pricing.  They have my blessings to charge what they will for the keycaps we have agreed to make public.  Please support us both when we have these endeavors.

I have a personal request to anyone who buys/sells/trades my keys and that is to either provide or ask for the actual value of the artisan.

A person's trade value may increase due to rarity or what they had spent/traded to acquire a key.  I'm not an enemy of popular demand and pricing but I do strongly discourage blatant profiteering when there's someone out there who wants to put this on their keyboard and touch it or look at it fondly and actually keep it. 

Help your Hunger Works find a home they belong in.  Be kind to your fellow collectors, and above all remember the considerations the original artist made when pricing their work.

« Last Edit: Fri, 25 May 2018, 19:49:01 by Binge »
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Offline livingspeedbump

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:48:22 »
100% behind this  :thumb: Very good post.
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Offline Sneaky Potato

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:48:24 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

Offline Diokhan

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:48:39 »
You're a great guy binge!


Offline Scgmdx2

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:54:35 »
Great post binge, thanks for looking out man.

Offline theoriginal123123

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:55:01 »
Posts like these are sorely needed, good on ya Binge!

Offline suicidal_orange

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:56:06 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

But what about the poor stock keycap that get cast aside when a pretty artisan cap comes along?  Spare a tear for them :(
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Offline 3K

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:57:58 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

Pff among other caps...



Okay, to give an example.

My Marble SloFi is opaque (30$), and white / blue colored (5$ + 5$) - so it is worth 40$ unshipped?

Of course I'm not selling, just asking.

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Offline theoriginal123123

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:58:49 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

But what about the poor stock keycap that get cast aside when a pretty artisan cap comes along?  Spare a tear for them :(

Perhaps they already know that it is their destiny! Think of it this way, the happiness they bring to a new owner who gets their board! They say the brightest stars burn half as long right?

Offline Vittra

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 13:59:35 »
Thanks for this post Binge and for your continued transparency, if people have inquiries along this line elsewhere I'll be sure to direct them to this post.
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Offline mobbo

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 14:08:42 »
Great post Binge. People need to ground themselves and think about aftermarket pricing, especially on brand new caps. I've had insane offers on newer KK sales and on your caps as well and I've refused to sell, even at triple retail value.

If I wanted to make money I wouldn't be part of this cancerous hobby in the first place :P
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Offline toxicdrift

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 14:29:27 »
great post Binge, the information will help everyone  :thumb:
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Offline Binge

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 14:30:29 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

Pff among other caps...

Show Image


Okay, to give an example.

My Marble SloFi is opaque (30$), and white / blue colored (5$ + 5$) - so it is worth 40$ unshipped?

Of course I'm not selling, just asking.


There are 3 colors in that key so its retail would be $45
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Offline Pdub

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 14:40:18 »
<3

Offline cmadrid

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 14:58:15 »
Lies, my copper slo-fi is worth millions :O

Offline tigersharkdude

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 15:02:27 »
Lies, my copper slo-fi is worth millions :O

I regret to inform you that's it is worth it's weight in pennies :P

Offline demik

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 15:07:38 »
that's what happens when you're a punk and do **** in PMs.
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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 18:44:41 »
Thanks for the post Binge. I hope that this helps the aftermarket, because I have yet to be able to get one of your amazing designs :'(

Offline cmadrid

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 02 March 2016, 18:51:00 »
I still value my Binge caps as the same as any Bro Cap or Clack

Offline IMBoddy

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #20 on: Thu, 03 March 2016, 16:09:05 »
+ the shipping sometimes so around 6$ for the small flat rate box

Offline GenKaan

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 04 March 2016, 07:52:23 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

This! If its just being hoarded in a bag, inside of a boxes, inside of a drawers thats just like not walking your dog! Think I will sell my Orc at some point to someone suffering from Binge-less-ness :)
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Offline chroness

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 04 March 2016, 22:39:04 »
Well said. I can't help but think of all the sad, sad keycaps that are locked in a plastic bag inside a dark box somewhere, dreaming of standing tall and proud among the other keycaps and regularly being touched.

This! If its just being hoarded in a bag, inside of a boxes, inside of a drawers thats just like not walking your dog! Think I will sell my Orc at some point to someone suffering from Binge-less-ness :)

Oh my. Binge-less-ness is a common syndrome! Quite the epidemic really. Anyways, I just want to say this is incredibly well said binge! Getting artisans is incredibly difficult, but it bothers me when people win just to resell - not because they want the cap themself.
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Offline ntw

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #23 on: Wed, 09 March 2016, 09:57:43 »
all the artisans should start doing this!! it's make its crystal clear to buyers and traders what are the expected price that they should be paying :thumb:
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Offline FLFisherman

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #24 on: Wed, 09 March 2016, 10:00:52 »
all the artisans should start doing this!! it's make its crystal clear to buyers and traders what are the expected price that they should be paying :thumb:

KeyKollectiv has up all prices from previous sales on their forum thread and BroCaps has (as of the Monster Mash sale) begun leaving up prices for the caps. Even Binge has his archive on his original website with prices of all items. It's a very useful policy, but it does take a bit of work, especially if the maker is busy, or has lots of designs (like Clack).

Offline romevi

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #25 on: Wed, 09 March 2016, 10:11:09 »
all the artisans should start doing this!! it's make its crystal clear to buyers and traders what are the expected price that they should be paying :thumb:

KeyKollectiv has up all prices from previous sales on their forum thread and BroCaps has (as of the Monster Mash sale) begun leaving up prices for the caps. Even Binge has his archive on his original website with prices of all items. It's a very useful policy, but it does take a bit of work, especially if the maker is busy, or has lots of designs (like Clack).

Clack is one that has some of the fewest designs.

Offline FLFisherman

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #26 on: Wed, 09 March 2016, 10:12:34 »
all the artisans should start doing this!! it's make its crystal clear to buyers and traders what are the expected price that they should be paying :thumb:

KeyKollectiv has up all prices from previous sales on their forum thread and BroCaps has (as of the Monster Mash sale) begun leaving up prices for the caps. Even Binge has his archive on his original website with prices of all items. It's a very useful policy, but it does take a bit of work, especially if the maker is busy, or has lots of designs (like Clack).

Clack is one that has some of the fewest designs.

I should rephrase that. Clack has a lot of colorways, and each one was sold at a different price. His prices also increase slightly per iteration of cap (his original skulls cost $18, now they're up to about $45-50). Stuff like that.

Offline Vittra

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #27 on: Wed, 09 March 2016, 10:13:47 »
Keep in mind he also sells caps of varying quality, which adds some diversification.
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Offline romevi

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #28 on: Wed, 09 March 2016, 10:13:59 »
all the artisans should start doing this!! it's make its crystal clear to buyers and traders what are the expected price that they should be paying :thumb:

KeyKollectiv has up all prices from previous sales on their forum thread and BroCaps has (as of the Monster Mash sale) begun leaving up prices for the caps. Even Binge has his archive on his original website with prices of all items. It's a very useful policy, but it does take a bit of work, especially if the maker is busy, or has lots of designs (like Clack).

Clack is one that has some of the fewest designs.

I should rephrase that. Clack has a lot of colorways, and each one was sold at a different price. His prices also increase slightly per iteration of cap (his original skulls cost $18, now they're up to about $45-50). Stuff like that.

Ah, okay!

Offline GreyAmbience

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #29 on: Mon, 11 April 2016, 20:35:05 »
This, I think, is the only correct way to act as a manufacturer, but if I may, let me play Devils advocate for a moment.

Artisan keycaps are very much a niche market, with just a handful of people worldwide interested in it.
As it is with any kind of collectors marked, be it stamps, cars or coins, the more rare and popular items will be a much higher value than more common ones even though they are made of the same materials and of the same quality.
Copies will be regarded as utter trash and unholy, even though the are exactly the same thing.
 
One of the things that makes the artisan marked exiting and interesting is the fact that some keys are really hard to obtain and you can't just go order them on Ebay. That in it self will raise the price of the items, that is how the world has worked since ancient times.
And that is the soul reason that people are so invested and interested in these little gems. It's just human nature.
In reality they are worthless. You can't eat them, you can't use them as a tool, there's nothing gained from having it. It's pure decoration and aesthetics. A kings crown has no value in a world with no food. But that's exactly why I love this marked. I love the face my wife makes when I tell her I saw a clickclack on sale for $850

I have huge respect for people who sell at resell price (that helped me get started!) but if I could just go out and order a brobot in the colorway I wanted I would not appreciate it no way near as much as when I finally get it from trading or saving up enough to buy one.

It is not possible to put a lit on this kind of rare collector items prices and if you actually did I think you would destroy the part of this world that makes it exciting.


On that note, if anyone want to sell me a brobot v2 for $60 or less, I'll paint your name and hang it on my wall.
« Last Edit: Mon, 11 April 2016, 20:39:04 by GreyAmbience »

Offline swangful

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #30 on: Fri, 13 January 2017, 02:07:49 »
Hi binge!

How much should I be paying for photochromic otters?

Thanks, I have someone saying they are selling for 200-300 at the moment...which is out of my budget unfortunately :(

Offline suicidal_orange

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #31 on: Fri, 13 January 2017, 02:43:51 »
Hi binge!

How much should I be paying for photochromic otters?

Thanks, I have someone saying they are selling for 200-300 at the moment...which is out of my budget unfortunately :(

The sale cost $70 to enter and there were no customs fees for international people, anyone charging more than that is taking advantage of unfortunate people like you who didn't get in and, in my personal opinion, should be banned from all artisan sales for life.

I can understand some people selling them straight away as you couldn't pick a colour, but while the capitalist ideal that they bought something so can do what they want with it is true it's putting increasing numbers of caps in the hands of rich hoarders out of reach of us normal folk :(

Remeber there will always be another sale - don't go broke!
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Offline Overchecken8

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #32 on: Fri, 13 January 2017, 07:43:20 »
Hi binge!

How much should I be paying for photochromic otters?

Thanks, I have someone saying they are selling for 200-300 at the moment...which is out of my budget unfortunately :(
I found one for $100 and I think that's the most I'd be willing to pay. It's starting to look like everyone is selling for around that $200-300 range though since one just sold for $225 today on mechmarket.

Offline romevi

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #33 on: Fri, 13 January 2017, 08:29:27 »
Hi binge!

How much should I be paying for photochromic otters?

Thanks, I have someone saying they are selling for 200-300 at the moment...which is out of my budget unfortunately :(
I found one for $100 and I think that's the most I'd be willing to pay. It's starting to look like everyone is selling for around that $200-300 range though since one just sold for $225 today on mechmarket.

 :eek:

Offline swangful

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #34 on: Fri, 13 January 2017, 11:53:02 »
Hi binge!

How much should I be paying for photochromic otters?

Thanks, I have someone saying they are selling for 200-300 at the moment...which is out of my budget unfortunately :(

The sale cost $70 to enter and there were no customs fees for international people, anyone charging more than that is taking advantage of unfortunate people like you who didn't get in and, in my personal opinion, should be banned from all artisan sales for life.

I can understand some people selling them straight away as you couldn't pick a colour, but while the capitalist ideal that they bought something so can do what they want with it is true it's putting increasing numbers of caps in the hands of rich hoarders out of reach of us normal folk :(

Remeber there will always be another sale - don't go broke!

Thank you for the in depth reply!
I'm new to the whole MK/artisan world so its been quite a learning experience.

I'll wait! :D

Offline Binge

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #35 on: Fri, 13 January 2017, 21:07:55 »
Hi binge!

How much should I be paying for photochromic otters?

Thanks, I have someone saying they are selling for 200-300 at the moment...which is out of my budget unfortunately :(

The sale cost $70 to enter and there were no customs fees for international people, anyone charging more than that is taking advantage of unfortunate people like you who didn't get in and, in my personal opinion, should be banned from all artisan sales for life.

I can understand some people selling them straight away as you couldn't pick a colour, but while the capitalist ideal that they bought something so can do what they want with it is true it's putting increasing numbers of caps in the hands of rich hoarders out of reach of us normal folk :(

Remeber there will always be another sale - don't go broke!

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Offline Theconejo

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #36 on: Sun, 02 April 2017, 23:17:25 »
Hey I'm about to trade my geomancy orc for a zealios otter. Trader says "Also, the Zealios Otter doesn't have an authenticity card since it was from round 1 of the photochromic sale."

Is there legitimacy here?

Offline Binge

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #37 on: Mon, 03 April 2017, 13:59:32 »
Hey I'm about to trade my geomancy orc for a zealios otter. Trader says "Also, the Zealios Otter doesn't have an authenticity card since it was from round 1 of the photochromic sale."

Is there legitimacy here?

Authenticity cards were only ever made for the end of R2, we have plans to produce ones for original owners of R1 and R2 photochromic keycaps, but we need to get a system in place.  The cost of the authenticity cards has already exhausted any donations we have received for getting the photochromic sale authenticated because I'm bad at math.
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Offline Theconejo

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #38 on: Mon, 03 April 2017, 14:10:52 »
Hey I'm about to trade my geomancy orc for a zealios otter. Trader says "Also, the Zealios Otter doesn't have an authenticity card since it was from round 1 of the photochromic sale."

Is there legitimacy here?

Authenticity cards were only ever made for the end of R2, we have plans to produce ones for original owners of R1 and R2 photochromic keycaps, but we need to get a system in place.  The cost of the authenticity cards has already exhausted any donations we have received for getting the photochromic sale authenticated because I'm bad at math.

Oh ok. After posting on here and further investigations, it seems the guy is stand up person. I can't wait to see this otter. Also, pm'd.

Offline beehatch

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #39 on: Tue, 04 April 2017, 12:32:17 »
Hey I'm about to trade my geomancy orc for a zealios otter. Trader says "Also, the Zealios Otter doesn't have an authenticity card since it was from round 1 of the photochromic sale."

Is there legitimacy here?

Authenticity cards were only ever made for the end of R2, we have plans to produce ones for original owners of R1 and R2 photochromic keycaps, but we need to get a system in place.  The cost of the authenticity cards has already exhausted any donations we have received for getting the photochromic sale authenticated because I'm bad at math.

Simply including the actual authenticity card, with the colorway name and yours, is probably sufficient. I imagine it would significantly lower cost/time if you didn't have to spend money on the fujifilm.

Offline breusch91

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #40 on: Tue, 04 April 2017, 21:23:57 »
Hey I'm about to trade my geomancy orc for a zealios otter. Trader says "Also, the Zealios Otter doesn't have an authenticity card since it was from round 1 of the photochromic sale."

Is there legitimacy here?

Authenticity cards were only ever made for the end of R2, we have plans to produce ones for original owners of R1 and R2 photochromic keycaps, but we need to get a system in place.  The cost of the authenticity cards has already exhausted any donations we have received for getting the photochromic sale authenticated because I'm bad at math.

 but then where would I get pictures of awesome dogs????

Simply including the actual authenticity card, with the colorway name and yours, is probably sufficient. I imagine it would significantly lower cost/time if you didn't have to spend money on the fujifilm.

Offline BSmith333

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #41 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 15:38:18 »
I don't know how people can sell caps for so much more than they were originally sold for. I get that to each person that a certain cap would be considered rare and valuable but it just feels so dirty to make a profit off of someone else's work.

Offline fatpolomanjr

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #42 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 15:48:12 »
According to R_bb murderface reapers have been going for $450+ and Dwok Keywoks for $650 and up. I don't even know where these crazy ass prices come from.
Some guys keep on saying they believe in Jesus, and keep doing a lot of shameful things.
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Offline Waateva

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #43 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 16:38:52 »
According to R_bb murderface reapers have been going for $450+ and Dwok Keywoks for $650 and up. I don't even know where these crazy ass prices come from.

I don't think I've ever seen a Reaper v1 go for less than $300, nor a Keywok for less than $450.  Add rarity and/or desirable colorways on top of that and I can definitely see those numbers being true, even if it's ridiculous.
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Offline fatpolomanjr

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #44 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 17:05:57 »
I mean, I'm used to $200+ brobots and $300-$400 kosmonauvts and clacks. You see those sell all the time for those prices. What I don't get, is where does all this aftermarket stuff happen for things that no one is ever selling? Like V1 Reapers and Keywoks. If it was a regular thing on mechmarket or gh classifieds I'd understand. Hell maybe even purchase if I wanted the colorway bad enough ($1000 Hungrkey anyone? To be honest I'd rather that amount go straight to Binge for his awesome work).
Some guys keep on saying they believe in Jesus, and keep doing a lot of shameful things.
Current GH Classified Post (LF Arcade Floor, Garbield and CYM Otter and Keyng)

Offline Joey Quinn

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #45 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 17:23:34 »
($1000 Hungrkey anyone? To be honest I'd rather that amount go straight to Binge for his awesome work).

Trying to dissuade flipping is why Hungrs are priced the way they are now, the average price is around $300 and the sales are fcfs without warning on the HWS website store.
People in the 1980s, in general, were clearly just better than we are now in every measurable way.

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Offline btctopre

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #46 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 17:30:48 »
What I don't get, is where does all this aftermarket stuff happen for things that no one is ever selling?
bulk of the poop now happens on the ctrlalt slack community, where users are free to run things like private auctions (which aren't possible on gh/mm, and allow you to have some control over the buyer compared to ebay) and where it's a little easier to engage one/multiple parties in a trade/sale discussion.

in general, you also get a lot of pm offers on any site if you ever show that you have anything valuable/in-demand (which i'm sure some people succumb to).

Offline JaccoW

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #47 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 17:31:12 »
I mean, I'm used to $200+ brobots and $300-$400 kosmonauvts and clacks. You see those sell all the time for those prices. What I don't get, is where does all this aftermarket stuff happen for things that no one is ever selling? Like V1 Reapers and Keywoks. If it was a regular thing on mechmarket or gh classifieds I'd understand. Hell maybe even purchase if I wanted the colorway bad enough ($1000 Hungrkey anyone? To be honest I'd rather that amount go straight to Binge for his awesome work).
It really depends on what people are willing to pay and eBay comes in handy some times. Geekhack nor Mechmarket allow auctions (anymore) but either you set an insane price and people pay it or you put it on an auction site and see what happens. I'm not saying it is right but seeing how bidding wars can drive people a little crazy it gets very tempting to sell caps on there.

Incidentally a keycap that was originally $40 will be gone in minutes on here if you sell it for $80 and might just net you $150-200 on eBay if it is rare and the right people bid on it.

I basically sell artisans at retail (check my FS thread for a history) but what about keys that were a surprise or are known to be one of a kind? I have some Nubbinator caps and a BroBot that are really rare but not all of them are that sought after because people simply don't know them.

However, what if I did auction them off and split the profits with the original creator? Win/win right?
It would still be profiteering off his work and making the aftermarket that much more expensive to get into to for other people.

In the end I realised I just really enjoyed photographing artisan keycaps, hold onto them for a while, and then sell the ones I didn't have a home for.
But that's different for everyone.
in general, you also get a lot of pm offers on any site if you ever show that you have anything valuable/in-demand (which i'm sure some people succumb to).
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Offline Joey Quinn

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #48 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 18:19:53 »
in general, you also get a lot of pm offers on any site if you ever show that you have anything valuable/in-demand (which i'm sure some people succumb to).
This.

I've had unsolicited offers for caps where I don't respond so after a day the other member decides I must be having an auction and decides to keep out bidding themselves. I usually let it go on for a while before telling them that the price is $15k (the price of a semester of school for me) and to take it or leave it. I've yet to get a response back after the $15k pm  :))
People in the 1980s, in general, were clearly just better than we are now in every measurable way.

The dumber the reason the more it must be done

Offline Zanduby

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Re: With regards to the aftermarket - Buyers/Traders Beware
« Reply #49 on: Wed, 05 April 2017, 20:05:25 »
in general, you also get a lot of pm offers on any site if you ever show that you have anything valuable/in-demand (which i'm sure some people succumb to).
This.

I've had unsolicited offers for caps where I don't respond so after a day the other member decides I must be having an auction and decides to keep out bidding themselves. I usually let it go on for a while before telling them that the price is $15k (the price of a semester of school for me) and to take it or leave it. I've yet to get a response back after the $15k pm  :))

I'm totally going to guess we have the same person pm'ing us. I should tell them that price as well.