[cidman911]

I like to stick to trading instead of selling when I can. More often than not I'll find someone with something we both mutually have and the exchange didn't cost either of us double/triple "eBay value" prices.

The bottom line is if you don't like a price, you shouldn't pay for it. I got irritated when people had Black Widow on eBay with a $60-75 tag and an "Or Best Offer" option and NOBODY....N.O.B.O.D.Y. wanted anything less than $55 as a counteroffer. Two sellers gave me the "LOL...You have to do better than that!" in the message box when I offered someone $40-45 shipped. I eventually got it for retail but dealing with people like that sucks.

I grew up in a flea market 'haggle em down' sports memorabilia environment so I'm never one to pay crazy prices when there's someone, somewhere selling it for cheaper or willing to trade for it.

I currently went through a situation where some one wanted a rare figure I had, and I wanted his Spider-Hulk. We didn't come to agreement because he saw his toy going for $200 on eBay and my toy going for $100. I made my case for the dude because he showed sincere interest in it and I offered him extra things on top of the figure but in the end the 'eBay value' mentality kicks in with a lot of people. It's irritating but there's not much I can do to convince you your item weighs in as much imaginary gold as mine.

There's certain items I'm willing to pay a nice chunk of change for like Spider-Hulk, Build A Figure Sentinels, Sinister 6 Pack Spidey set and when I check online it seems that prices always just keep going up, up, up.

I'm just here to collect the figures I love and not get ripped off in the process. $80 is a lot of money TO ME...if it's not a big deal to those people who payed $80, well then good for them but it makes for that nasty, greedy domino effect where one sold for $80 on eBay and sellers cling on to the hope they'll sell another for that much and it stayed that way for weeks until recently. I hope everyone that gets what they want eventually.

The beauty in collecting is keeping your eyes open and asking people is something for trade or for sale. I have a buddy on Twitter and I saw him tweet pictures of his shoe collection...I had no ides he had Michael Jordan Upper Deck Pro Shots figures just collecting dust. I made him an offer and we worked something out. If I had stuck to eBay prices I would have paid out the @#$#%& for them.