Wrong to sell for a profit?

With the other thread here I thought I would start another that puts things into perspective.
If a person buys a scope from someone at a very good price and then decides to sell it for a profit because the price he paid was so low. Is this wrong? Does this make him a dealer?
Well, I think that everyone is guilty of doing something like this from time to time. I have purchased things very cheaply and them decided that I did not really need them and resold them, sometimes for a profit. I think that this is just human nature, to see a deal and buy it with the idea that later they might make a little off the transaction. I don't think this is a bad thing, as long as it is not done constantly to make a living, because then you are a dealer.
I know that some people go to NEAF with the express thought of buying to sell later to make up for purchases that were made for things they wanted. I am not sure this is wrong either! Everyone can not make it to NEAF. So if someone buys one item to sell and another to keep, I think that it is OK. Should he make a large profit? Well, I don't know where to place a ceiling on these things, do you?

Floyd:

It is clear that some Astromarters are making money by getting good deals somewhere and then selling them for a profit.

I think whether or not we do this is something that each of us needs to decide within ourselves.

I used to buy good quality bicycles at garage sales, fix them up and sell them for a profit. I might take a bike that cost someone, say, $500 ten years ago, buy it for, say, $35, work it over and sell it for $125. These days, I buy them, fix them up and then either just give them away or sell them for what I have invested.

The same is true when it comes to telescopes and astronomy equipment. I have to ask myself what is important to me, a few hundred dollars or feeling good about passing on my good fortune to someone else. These days, I fantasize about making money but in the end, someone will come along who could appreciate something I am not using and away it goes.

The other side of the coin is that there maybe a willing buyer who would be more than happy to pay the going rate and that would be good too. Last year I bought two RV-6's. The second one I paid $40 for and it is in quite good condition, better than the first from a cosmetic standpoint. I could "flip it" and make a few hundred and it would be in the hands of an appreciative new owner and I would have a few hundred in my pocket.

I think that is also a viable operating model, just one I currently do not choose to embrace.

Jon

Ultimately we must all confront our own demons. Personally, I will always attempt to trade only with those who in my estimation are honorable and fair, and will attempt to be the same. On Astromart or any other on-line swap/trade/buy/sell venues there is limited information to make those types of judgements. On rare occasions I have chastised those who either misrepresented their product or missed something of importance. Even then in my estimation the purchase was still within the realm of reason and no product was returned for refund. The Astromart community is quick to respond to questionable practices; witness one who planned to returned a damaged item that was clearly not the fault or responsibility of the seller. It is this attitude and responsibility of our members that endears me to Astromart and I hope that doesn't change. It is not always black or white and we debate those issues. Thank you for that.

I have bought and sold over 160 scopes in the last 30 years, and 1000's of eyep's and stuff.

I would say i am in the hole well over $30,000, the only scopes that paid off well for me were Unitrons! I have also made some money on eyep's, but i have lost alot more money than i ever made.

So i would call myself a bad dealer, dealers make money not lose it!

Chas