can you justify the price for this item?

Keneu Luca · December 24, 2009

I'm not saying the price is too high. I'm not saying the price is too low.

I'm simply asking - Can you justify the price for this item?

Does anyone know if there is something that makes this shoulder cushion particularly unique, other than what meets the eye?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ARRIFLEX-SHOULDER-CUSH...=item2557f2f2f7

Matt Pacini · December 24, 2009

The value or cost of ANYTHING, is based on what someone is willing to pay for it.

That's just how it works.

We've certainly seen that reality in real estate in the last several years, to offer up one good example.

It's worth what people are willing to pay for it - not what it 'was' worth, or what the materials cost, etc.

People are so used to seeing consumer items priced at certain prices, that you look at something like this, and think "what the hell? There's no more material in this thing than there is for a CD player or whatever that costs $45 at WalMart" blah blah blah.

Many things influence prices, but in the end, it's the cost to produce it, and it's the supply and demand that govern the cost.

Rarely is it 'greed', of the sellers, because you can't arbitrarily set a price, because people simply WILL NOT pay more for something than they personally think it's worth.

(The exception to this, being anything the government supplies, because it charges you it's price BY LAW, therefore under the threat of imprisonment. That's why defining government 'freebies' and entitlements as 'choices' etc., is absurd... It's like if WalMart had an army and a police force to MAKE you buy their products at whatever they decide they want to charge... but don't get me started!)

That CD player at WalMart (or whatever) could be one of tens of millions that were manufactured, thereby bringing the price down of each unit.

Camera shoulder pads probably are made in batches of hundreds, bringing their manufacture cost closer to prototype or hand-made costs, which can easily be greater by factors of 100's of percents!

This is to say nothing of the distribution and advertising costs, which vary greatly, and are completely different for different types of markets.

Comparing 'one-off" specialty items like this, to mass produced items is folly.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Matt Pacini

David Rakoczy · December 25, 2009

That item will NEVER sell for that price. :lol:

Merry Christmas everyone!

Keneu Luca · December 25, 2009

The value or cost of ANYTHING, is based on what someone is willing to pay for it.
That's just how it works.

We've certainly seen that reality in real estate in the last several years, to offer up one good example.

It's worth what people are willing to pay for it - not what it 'was' worth, or what the materials cost, etc.

You are describing one of MANY philosophies concerning economics and the buying and selling of goods. You are describing a "buyer's market" where the buyer often has the leverage to dictate value / worth / price. There are many situations that can easily become a "seller's market" where the seller has more $ control.

But even those 2 opposing philosophies when applied are not exclusive in determining price and negotiation. There is too much to discuss and it really goes beyond the question of my thread.

Material possessions can often be based on much more than what someone is willing to pay. For example there may be emotional worth. And regardless of whatever someone else is willing to pay, we all hold many of our possessions to a very high value that most or perhaps no person would be willing to pay.

I do not determine the value of most of my possessions based on what someone else thinks. There may be some examples where your point is accurate, but not as a whole.

My question was can you justify the price for this item? I realize since the seller is not on here, perhaps nobody can. And that's fine. But maybe someone would be able to take a crack at it. :) Perhaps a different question could be "If you owned this item and you were going to list it on ebay, what would you start the bid at and about what might you expect to get without getting ripped-off or ripping the buyer off? Surely there is a difference between selling the item for one penny versus ten thousand dollars.

That item will NEVER sell for that price. :lol:

Merry Christmas everyone!

And Merry Christmas to you too :)

Tom Jensen · December 25, 2009

Supply and demand. This item is in short supply. If you want one, you'll buy it.

Satsuki Murashige · December 25, 2009

Well, it's $100 for the pad. And $400 for the Arri logo.

Tom Jensen · December 25, 2009

Well, it's $100 for the pad. And $400 for the Arri logo.

:lol: You can always make your own and make your own logo. For some reason this reminds me when the 535 first came out. There was a big showing at the Universal Hilton and they handed out this brochure of a 535 in the hand held mode. The camera is a beast to begin with and they had a giant hand held block battery attached to the camera. To this day I have never actually seen one. I don't think they quite took off.

Chris Keth · December 31, 2009

That's clearly $445 better than this. :ph34r:

:lol: You can always make your own and make your own logo. For some reason this reminds me when the 535 first came out. There was a big showing at the Universal Hilton and they handed out this brochure of a 535 in the hand held mode. The camera is a beast to begin with and they had a giant hand held block battery attached to the camera. To this day I have never actually seen one. I don't think they quite took off.

I can't even imagine someone wanting to do that. Arri was silly for even suggesting it. Some operators now bitch about doing a lot of handheld with arricams. After it gets old and they keep doing it I usually start lifting the camera to their shoulder and saying, "man up!" :lol:

Edited December 31, 2009 by Chris Keth