Way to go Justin.......... you deserve compensation for your time. No one's
twisting any arms to buy the books you buy on speculation.
Bob Danielson
75 TR6 - Current status at:
http://pages.cthome.net/BobD
-----Original Message-----
From: Justin Wagner <jmwagner@greenheart.com>
To: suhring@lancnews.infi.net <suhring@lancnews.infi.net>
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date: Sunday, March 08, 1998 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: Another BATCH of some GREAT workbooks!
>
>Scott...
>
>Think this one out... we're not talking about ONE book that I found
>while on vacation... I am scouting dozens of used bookstores... driving
>across the tangled web that is LOS ANGELES and southern California...in
>a quest for HAYNES and other manuals.
>
>After finding the right section in each store... I don't let a shelf or
>a stack go unchecked. I pick out the books of interest... pull out my
>checkbook... and shell out most of what is left in my checking
>account... to bring home a dozen books.
>
>I sit down... and write up full descriptions of the books... honest, and
>very descriptive... How long does this take?
>
>I then sort through dozens and dozens of responses and requests... I
>hold this book, I hold that book... I e-mail this person, I apologize to
>that person... I put this person on a hopeful waiting list... I request
>an address from this other person for the third time... I explain to
>another how to send the funds... I give another person further
>descriptions... I end up sitting in front of the computer for hours...
>
>Then I get the orders... and I weigh out the books that are requested..
>two to PA, one to Florida, 3 to ... . and go to the post office
>website... and, one by one, input the information and determine the
>costs of the various shipping methods... which I generally
>cut-and-paste... and inform the buyer of the varying costs of
>shipping... all EXACT...
>
>Then, when the buyers get back to me... and tell me how they want it
>sent... I pack up the books... two here... one there... I carefully
>pack them so they won't get damaged... Sometimes I have to wait a few
>days to get a response about their shipping address... or to get
>approval to send it a certain way... etc... I print up mailing
>labels... etc...
>
>Since I can not leave packages (in this area of L.A.) out to be picked
>up... and since I can not drop packages into mail drops (new postal
>regulations)... I generally have to go to the post office to ship these
>books...
>
>At the post office... when I find a parking space... I generally wait in
>a long line...
>
>Meanwhile... I have always sent the books before receiving payment...
>extending credit and trust to everyone on the newsgroup.... including
>people in South Africa and Ireland...
>
>Add to all this... some of these books do not come cheap... maybe at one
>bookstore the same book is $5.00 more... but I buy it anyways...
>
>YES, I mark the books up. And I've never failed to mention this fact.
>But I know what I think would be fair, what I would be willing to spend
>if I needed such a book, and what I think would leave me feeling GOOD
>about the seller, should I be in his/her shoes. And, of course, anyone
>that is unsatisfied could return the book for a refund.... though this
>has not happened yet.
>
>The most recent VERY RARE FACTORY manuals seem high... but I paid a lot
>for them... and I've heard of people auctioning such books... I've heard
>of the binder-type factory manuals going for $100.00...
>
>YES, I'm turning this into a hobby-business... Just like my gasket,
>another hobby-business. The gasket business does NOT make much
>money... If we were looking at how much I made per hour, it would be
>pathetic... and, in fact, it is still in the red. (but I push forward...
>and would LIKE to provide gaskets for other TR's...)...
>I enjoy used bookstores... and I enjoy Triumphs... and being involved
>with the group. If selling the books, at reasonable prices, makes me a
>few bucks for my efforts... I will not feel guilty about it. If the
>newsgroup looks upon my efforts as a purely commercial effort... and not
>as a service... I will stop immediately with any future scoutings...
>
>I have given away, traded, sold cheap a good number of Triumph parts.
>And I was glad to do it. But I did not have to do much "legwork" to
>make that happen... i had the parts in the garage... But If someone
>started to collect used parts... and sold them here... I'd be all for
>it... as long as they kept their prices fair... and had a fair return
>policy, etc... This is no different.
>
>I must admit, I do feel a bit offended by your post... but you have not
>been in my shoes... nor, apparently, the shoes of someone else making
>similar efforts.... I can see that you might be skeptical. I think it
>would have been better to have made your post to me directly, before
>laying me out before the group, but, perhaps this is something that
>needed to be addressed and is an issue on other's minds... I would like
>to hear from others in the group if you feel I am being unethical or
>that I am commercializing the group, etc.
>
>--Justin
>
>P.S. Thank you to those that have already commented in my defense.
>
>
>
> scott suhring wrote:
>>
>> Is this turning into a business that is being advertised over the list?
>> Note the cc:s this is going to. It's one thing to help each other out
>> with manual finds or searches, but it's another to start adding
>> "justifiable" mark-ups in costs. I picked up a book and offered to the
>> list
>> at cost plus SH. I live in PA and got it in Seattle. Should have added
>> the
>> overhead on that one! :-)
>>
>> Justin, please don't take this personally. I just tend to be cynical on
>> occassions (today being one).
>>
>> Scott Suhring
>> Elizabethtown, PA
>> '70 TR6
>>
>> Justin Wagner wrote:
>> >
>> > Okay everybody... I had the day off... so I did some more searching for
>> > manuals... and found some new and, actually pretty EXCITING finds.
>
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