fandomhigh | Freelance Treasure Hunting, Monday, Period 5, Class #6

"Good afternoon, everyone," Vala greeted the students as they entered, possibly eyeing Karal and Dean a little oddly, "and welcome to our second to last class. We'll be continuing our efforts to learn how to resell your acquired merchandise. Assuming that your identification and authentication go properly, it will be your job to get the best price you can for your item--whether it's in money, goods, or services that you need."

"Today's class will have two parts: First, I'd like to know what you would think would be important qualities for a, uh, resale merchant to have, and how you would be able to tell that he, she, or it is reputable." Vala, of course, was very equal opportunity. "Second, I would like for you to break up into pairs and try to sell an item of your choice--one of you will be the seller, and the other the purchaser. Obviously, sellers, you want to get as much as you can for your item--you almost worked very hard to get it, after all. Purchasers, you don't want to part with anything more than you have to."

"Have fun!"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What would you look for (or not want to find) in your ~~fence~~ resale merchant?

"Sincerity," was Turtle's answer. She continued with a wry smirk, "Even if they don't mean it. A good seller will always make you feel like you have their customer's happiness in mind, even if they are just pushing for a bigger sale. It helps to actually care, you know, but not everyone does. So they have to be good actors about it. However, any good seller should care about the happiness of their customers, because if their customer is more than satisfied with your service and the product you push, they will be more inclined to return for future business. Which is very important."

She could go on for hours, but she politely settled back with a beaming smile, figuring two cents was enough for the conversation right now.

"And if they're not sincere? Or if they couldn't care less, but you've heard good things? Do you deal with them anyway?"

After a moment of thought, Turtle said, "If they couldn't care less, I don't see how people could be saying good things about their business. Unless those people were possibly lying or in cahoots with the merchant in question..."

"Not to sound like your typical completely shallow teenage girl," Carmela says. "But personal grooming should be taken in to consideration. I mean, if someone can't even take care of *themselves*, how's a buyer supposed to believe that whatever they're being sold is of good quality?"

"That's actually an interesting point," Vala nodded, "But is that the first thing you look for?"

"Not being someone my brother would associate with," Evie said glumly.

"Oh? What's wrong with your brother's associates? In your eyes, what makes them untrustworthy?" She asked.

Evie frowned, then said, "Mostly that he's been arrested just for being around them, so I suppose, specifically-- they're already known to the authorities," she said, thinking out loud.

"No evil laughs," Gavin said without thinking. "Other than that, any information on how reputable he is and if he or she has been known to sell faulty merchandise in the past."

"And if you have no information? Then what do you use to make your decision?"

"Uh." He had no idea. "Faith?"

"A good reputation," Karal said thoughtfully. "With other sellers and buyers, or with the guild, if there is one. Secrets can't be kept for long, so if someone is dishonest, or a cheat, others will know."

"And how would you go about this information, if you're new to the planet, or area?" Vala was definitely looking at Karal funny. It wasn't often you heard about someone falling asleep in the middle of...things.

She was looking at him oddly, but he didn't think it was such a terrible idea. "If there is a guild, then the hall will be easy to find, and part of their role is to give such information. If not, then approach other sellers first. Subtly sound them out about their competition, or failing that, conversation at the local tavern, or gathering place, might also yield it."

"Gullibility," Eve said. "But not complete gullibility. Just to the point where they're dumb enough to believe whatever load of crap you feed them but not so dumb they don't know how to sell your items properly."

"Sounds like a fine line. How do you determine that they're where you want them to be?"

Re: Discussion

blackmagic-eve.livejournal.com - 2007-06-18 16:50 (UTC) - Expand

"Someone who is open to negotiation. Especially for... hard to get items."

Vala nodded in approval, "And what else do you look for, other than a willingness to negotiate?"

cantjossme.livejournal.com - 2007-06-18 17:21 (UTC) - Expand

John might've been avoiding looking at Vala after the message he got from her on Friday. "Um, I'd pay attention to the merchant's eyes and body language to determine if they're trustworthy. Just because you agree on a deal, doesn't mean the merchant's gonna go along with it in the end."

Vala wasn't sure what the evasion from Sheppard was about, but whatever, she guessed. "That's an important realization. What do you do if you decide that individual isn't trustworthy?"

missed-the-gate.livejournal.com - 2007-06-18 17:11 (UTC) - Expand

"If the person is being to agreeable and is willing to pay a lot of money, I'm going to get very suspicious, very fast."

"A reputation for trustworthiness," Dean said immediately. "Not necessarily honesty because that could get you in trouble if you're dealing with something a little dodgy, but that they're going to hold to any deal they make and aren't going to try and doublecross you and shoot you when your back is turned."

"Contacts that you can research out. If I am going to part with something this important, I damn well want to know that he'll know how to handle my items withiut destroying them."

Rikku considered. "I think I want someone who knows their stuff. Maybe they won't always give you the best price, sure, but they will know how to store it and resell it and not get you in trouble with the authorities. Someone experienced who drives a hard bargain might end up being a better deal, in the long run, if you can get a good working relationship with them. If there's trust on both sides they might give you tip-offs and leads, and you might cut deals, and you'll still have to watch for them to rip you off, but just the standard merchant level, not anything worse."