Korean Job Discussion Forums

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

I remember that guy selling A4 sized posters for 10,000won each.

That was a riot.

CPT · Joined: 25 Mar 2007

The only way something is really a "rip off" is if it isn't what they say it is, is broken, defective, etc.

Other than that, it's up to the buyer and seller to determine the price. The seller wants to get as much money as they can for their item, and the buyer wants to pay as little as possible for it. If the seller stays firm on their high price, the buyer can either pay it, or not. If the buyer offers less than what the seller wants, the seller can either take the money, or keep what they are selling. Supply and demand, all that jazz.

HapKi · Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Location: TALL BUILDING-SEOUL

Also, we are living in Korea, where certain things and brand names are not readily available. The comforts of home can drive up a price to some people. That pencil may have been a hard to find American brand. Same with the plunger..

flakfizer · Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:10 am Post subject:

I don't understand the people that make a big a deal about what others are trying to sell. WHy not get some money for it? If it's worth having, it's worth buying. Don't they have garage sales where these people come from? If you don't want the item or think the prices are too high, why throw a fit? Just don't buy it. It's just weird hearing people who come here looking to buy stuff, who then rip on people for selling stuff they don't want to buy or at prices they don't like. Too bad. Don't like it? Buy new stuff. I've bought and sold stuff here at Dave's and I've had only good experiences.

hepcat · Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Location: Daegu

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Is there one they can give it to, or for my next part, can't they leave it for the next person? The world needs less of people selling pencils and soap and more of the people leaving the basic necessities for the next person.

Also, I have had three jobs in EFL, and two of the jobs came with apartments with nothing in them. Leave the soap for the next person, you don't need the 2000 won. I leave everything I can for the next person. I guess 99% of the time it is just plain selfish and many people have come here with little money. And if you do need the money, you have a major problem with money (we are making too much even with major external factors for someone to need 2000 won).

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

While I agree with the comments about not selling toilet brushes (yuk) and leaving things behind for the next teacher... charging something may make it easier to shift than trying to give it away. Or maybe I am biased as currently giving away pretty much everything I have and am having endless hassles with time wasters.

Leaves me thinking that free stuff isn't always respected as much as something you have to pay for, (even a nominal amount). (BTW- no problems giving things to friends but advertising really brings the strange people out of the woodwork!)

drygoodslvc · Joined: 09 Jul 2007

I think there's also a major psychological process happening here, particularly with people who seem to be selling every little thing, that goes beyond collecting pennies.

Some people may view selling everything as a symbolic way of leaving nothing of themslves behind in Korea (or wherever). Not to say that someone has alot of himself/herself invested in a toilet plunger. Only that selling all this stuff, even the little things, gives this psychological feeling of starting fresh, completely new, sort of like being re-invented.

Whatever it's faults, I wouldn't be surprised if this has something to do with some, not all, of the examples given here.

Another possibility might be that they feel that the school did very little in helping them get set up in the apartment with basic things. So, to exact revenge, they decide to leave nothing in return, selling everything that the school didn't give, even a half used bottle of Drano or cleaning sponge (or, more appropriately, book case, table, lamp, clothes drying rack).

ucfvgirl · Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Location: Bundang

I am leaving soon and I am planning to put together a bunch of my little things into lots to sell. (cleaning stuff for example) I have accumulated a ton of stuff over the last two years that I really don't need now, but I did need when I first got here. If you needed it at one time, you can bet someone else will need it too. And when they see a photo of it, they say to themselves: Gee I could use that.

As for leaving it behind, well, the new teacher for my school is not going to be living in my apartment. And she's been living here in Korea for the past three years anyway. So, I am sure she doesn't NEED anything that I have. So why not try and sell it? Of course there are certain things that should be FREE, but I remember that I spent a bit of money getting settled into my apartment when I first got here and if I can recoup a bit of that, I would be happy. I am not expecting to make a fortune, but anything is better than nothing, right? If you price it right, within reason, someone will buy it.

xenok · Joined: 03 Mar 2007

i personally don't like to sell anything below 10K won because otherwise i don't feel it's worth my time to go see the buyer and make the exchange (i'm not saying the buyer is not worth my time, i'm just saying the whole hassle of making a sale is not worth it).

however, one must remember what Adam Smith said/wrote. the fact that books or whatever being sold for 2K/3K means that there is a market for it. there are people (maybe not that many, but some that do) who actually buy those things at that price. i'm included in that group as well. granted i only made the trip because i was buying several books at a cheap price and not one.

also, there are some cases where people just put up stuff to see if it'll move, price be damned. in my case, when i put my love hina manga up for sale, it really was a bookshelf clearing move (expect more stuff from my bookshelf to appear hear too like comics and a D&D manual). i didn't really expect it to sell since i didn't think there was much of an english manga reading community here but i have a sale pending. you never know sometimes.

i would say just let them be. if they want to invest the time and effort to selling a small item for 2K/3K, that's their prerogative.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

dubulicious · Joined: 14 Oct 2006 Location: near Itaewon, Seoul

I would like someone to be helpful to me and leave some things I could use but I can see another viewpoint.
How do you know that leaving your stuff is not going to burden the next person? Some people want to move in and not have anyone else's old things at the place. The person who thinks they are being helpful by leaving the stuff is then placing a burden on the new guy to clean it all out. The new guy might end up throwing it away instead of finding willing people to take it. If there is a way to get in contact with the next person and ask, that would be wonderful. At my place (not under school contract) I cannot leave anything behind. It will have to be empty for the new people. At my old place (under school contract), I had to pay to have big chairs disposed of that were left at the place by previous tenants. Their condition was beyond the line of selling/giving them away on Dave's. Did the previous tenants think they were being helpful by leaving them? Maybe.

jay-shi · Joined: 09 May 2004 Location: On tour

Yeah, selling anything under 10k won is not worth the trouble.

Give it away. I did. http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=89829 .

Karma goes a long way.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

flakfizer · Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:55 am Post subject:

Hmm. More and more the reason being given here for not selling smaller items is because, "I wouldn't do it. I would just leave it for the next guy or give it away." So what? Everyone is supposed to do what some guy on the Net says he does? To each his own. There is no harm being done unless items being sold are being misrepresented.