Q&A: Second-Hand Dealer
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Second-Hand Dealer
Question
A dealer in second-hand books figures out, based on the customer, how much he’d be willing to pay for a certain book, and sets the price accordingly. Is there any problem with sending a shabby-looking messenger to buy a few books for me (including the book I actually want, though even the messenger wouldn’t know which one it is), so that he gives the usual low price? In my experience, the difference can be between 10–40 and 200–500.
Answer
In my opinion there is no problem with this at all, as long as he isn’t giving a low price as charity, but is simply squeezing less out of you.
Discussion on Answer
Same thing.
Thanks!!
By the way, I wouldn’t call it extortion. He doesn’t know the market price or value of what he’s selling. I’m not sure it’s even possible to say what the value is of a particular book that is no longer sold and is almost impossible to find. My problem is that he reads me completely, and through me he understands the value of the book, especially its value to me.