8 Oct
2005
8 Oct
'05
2:27 p.m.
This does bring up a question I've been wondering
as to the mindset of a
scrapper/surplus dealer (in general, not a specific one), perhaps someone
here can posit an explanation. I've seen a fair number of situations where a
dealer/scrapper offers an item (not necessarily on ebay) for a price far
above the going price. You offer them an amount above going prices, and far
above scrap value... but even that is significantly less than their initial
price. They refuse, and the item goes to the melting pot. I know for a fact
that they are getting much less money in the melting pot than I was
offering. I've seen this more than just once or twice. If I was in their
position, I'd take double the melting pot money. I don't get it.
One reason is that the "melting pot" is such an easy, established
solution. These days, with the enviroNazis out there, most scrapmen really
do not want to deal with people they do not know that well, for fear of a
problem down the road (and in some cases, the problem has been years down
the road). Sending the scrap off to China is very easy, and frankly,
environmental restrictions on shipping things kind of go away when the
scrap is set to leave the country. Plus, the Chinese do pay well.
William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org