I have no idea why the BBC thinks that it is entertaining for viewers to watch an inordinate number of programmes where amateurs and dealers buy shit and sell it to someone. I had the misfortune to see the tail end of Bargain Hunt yesterday, and was dumbfounded. It seems that to appear in this programme you need to have the ability to lose money. Let's analyse some of the shit goings-n from yesterday.
A table was purchased for £125. Tim Wannacock got the auctioneer's views and they included an expectation of £50 - £80 as a sale price. It sold for £55 and so the team immediately made a loss of £70. Don't forget, that's without commission which have taken nearly another £10 from the deal. What a fuck-up.
Next, the two in the red team flogged a radio for £20 that cost them £15, so rather pathetic, eh? I then marvelled as the poker stand which set them back £36 was duly disposed of at auction for £28. Finally, the item bought by their dealer for £20 sold for £18. This brought their overall efforts to a loss of £75 from the buying and selling of four items. With commission that would have taken the actual loss to around £96.
The muppets on the blue team were next to show their skill. A silver cruet set was likely to go for £50 - £80, said the auctioneer, on what was obtained for £70. It in fact did go in that range, for £55, so a loss of £15. A teapot bought for £75 was valued at £30 - £50 and went for £40. I was seriously thinking, by this stage, that the only person worth listening to (and perhaps suitable for buying this fucking stuff in the first place) was the auctioneer!
The blue team faired no better with a large pot for which £150 was paid. The auctioneer indicated £50 - £70 and it went for £75. So, this was another £75 down the toilet. The dealer (smug twat Mark) bought some old light bulbs in a small box for a fiver, and they sold for £22, unbelievably. The end result, a £108 loss (with commission, it would have been £141, for fuck's sake).
The summing up led to some minor cheering because the reds lost less money, and Wannacock said goodbye.
What utter dross.
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I have long since dreamed of driving or walking past Dickinson in the High St, so I could wind down the window and shout "Oi oi! It's Bargain Cunt!" in true van-driver style (despite not owning a van) to see his reaction. Only the BBC could commission a show which celebrates the stupidity of buying at retail price, to sell on at trade/public auctions at a loss. And in the instances where they get a rare lucky win, or come out on top, as you correctly state they conveniently overlook the auction house commission, the time taken to scour flea-markets and attend auctions, travel costs or high risks and average ROIs which are, well, not actually a return on investment because more often they break even or lose money. I would love to take everyone actively involved in commissioning or producing this programme, take their life savings, property etc... and make them gamble it all (proportionally) on the "expert" (ie. arsehole) with his "bonus buy" and the pairs or red and blue numpties (adjusted for costs and commission). The emotions from fear of losing everything they value; based on a frivolous, arbitrary and flawed endeavour. Now that would be entertaining!
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