Advice With Haggling - Really Would Appreciate Responses

[Juli]

I have been looking for a Steven Spielberg signed letter for some time now. I found one on eBay, but there are a couple problems. 1. It's in a frame and I don't like my autographed items framed (I was thinking of asking the seller if they can remove it from the frame before selling it to me) 2. It's super overpriced at nearly $5000 (a letter like this sells for between $250-$500).

However, the seller does have a "Best Offer" option. He wants $4,950.00 for it plus $79.95 shipping (which if I can get him to unframed it, would likely be much cheaper). I have been watching this item for several months now. Each month it doesn't sell (it's up for 30 days at a time), he re-lists it. One time two months ago he re-listed it for a Buy It Now price of $2,500 (and the Best Offer option was still available meaning he would go even lower). So this tells me he would be willing to go much lower than his current asking price of $5000.

Here is the listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/170743628217?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I am thinking of sending him a message asking him about having the item unframed, and what is the best he can do on the price.

But I need your advice, what is the best way to ask him so that he goes to his rock bottom price? I really don't want to pay more than $500 for this, but will pay $1000 if I absolutely have to since this letter has Schindler's List content which is the type of signed letter I most desire. (If you are wondering how an unemployed person can spend $1000 on this, it's because I got some money for my birthday and Christmas and recently sold a bunch of other items in my autograph collection for this purpose).

I also don't want to insult him by making him an offer of $500, so I know there must be a way to haggle that will get him to go to his lowest. I know many of you deal with haggling and eBay so I would appreciate any advice you have on how I should word my first message to him.

Thanks a lot. I would appreciate any advice or thoughts you have on this matter.

~ Juli

[paul waines]

Going from what you say Juli, I don't think he wants to sell it!!  I think he's one of those who just likes to see his stuff on the Inter-web...

Do send him an email, as asking costs nothing. Also ask why he thinks it's worth that much...  I don't think he'll take it out of the frame, he's probably paid a fair bit to have it framed.

[brude]

I agree with Paul.  I don't think he'll ever un-frame that display.
If I were you, I'd get some SCHINDLER'S LIST paper and see if T's wife Julie might be able to get it signed.
You never know...

[Juli]

SCHINDLER'S LIST paper and see if T's wife Julie might be able to get it signed.
You never know...

Spielberg doesn't sign anything Schindler's List. He said many times that he doesn't sign Schindler's List items because he doesn't want people to profit off the film due to it being about the Holocaust and its victims. That's why a letter is the next best thing. He has signed letters that mentioned Schindler or Schindler's List as I've seen a few of those sold in past auction results on a reputable autograph auction site (RR Auction). Unfortunately RR Auction no longer deals in these types of autographs (they now deal in movie people famous during 1950s or earlier), so there is no hope they'll have a Spielberg signed letter for sale in the future.

If you ever see a Schindler's List item (poster, DVD cover, photograph from film) signed by Spielberg it is a fake signature.

This guy on eBay is selling many other framed up autographs for more than ten times their value. He's selling everything autographed super expensive. I guess he hopes some idiot and pay a ton of money for something worth only a fraction of what he's charging. I've made this mistake before in my life. Now I try to be more careful. It's really too bad he's the only seller who has a Spielberg signed letter for sale. I've searched everywhere. This is the only Spielberg letter (which just so happens to have Schindler content) I see for sale currently. I've been looking for months and nothing new has popped up.

I would even settle for a Spielberg signed letter without Schindler content as long as it was on this same stationary with full signature but I can't even seem to locate any of those for sale either. They must be quite rare, but surprisingly only sell for between $250-$500 according to past auction results. My autograph price guide puts them at $250-$300. So I hate to pay much more than that for one, but because I want one so badly I would go $500 for a non-Schindler content letter, and $1000 (if I have to) for a Schindler content letter.

Thanks to those who replied, you have been helpful thus far.

~ Juli

[paul waines]

Don't be too keen Juli, you will only over pay, which is great for dealers as they will compare it to their items, and up goes the prices. The losers are the other collectors, if you get my drift...

I will keep an eye out for you.

[bondposters.com]

If you ever see a Schindler's List item (poster, DVD cover, photograph from film) signed by Spielberg it is a fake signature.

~ Juli

I must disagree with this comment because I have heard movie cast members making these sorts of statements only to watch them sign the very items they said they wouldn't. I can't think of any specific examples at the moment due to my head being done in with the dissertation I'm writing, but I assure you I am not fabricating this.

Oh, in fact, Sir Christopher Lee is one example - he once said he would never sign Dracula photos etc, yet I have a signed Dracula photo somewhere.

I suppose it's a case of if you're in the right place at the right time, then anything is possible.

Best,
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[Charlie]

Just always be able to walk away...  That is the key to any haggle....

[Juli]

I decided that I do not want this particular signed letter anymore as it is framed and if I were to buy it and unframe it I believe it may be/get damaged, so I don't want to chance it. I'd rather get a letter that was never framed.

~ Juli