First let me say I like the guys at Screen Used. They and Prop Store of London are the two big players in direct sale movie props. But when you take consignments from customers and set the price at whatever the consignor wants, you get people who set unrealistic prices and it makes the company look bad.
This is the problem with asking $ 7500 for a Quark costume that typically sells for $ 2,000 (the highest IAW ever got for a Quark is $ 2,126). It is just insane. You can see it here. Ultimately, the only person who would pay that is some poor Star Trek fan who doesn't know better. And then he will find out he got taken and it will sour him on the hobby.
There needs to be a point where a consignment prop store like Screen Used knows the value of a prop or costume and prices it accordingly. Frankly, if this consignor asked me to offer this costume at anything over $ 3,000, I would say no thanks. It just isn't worth it.
I just dealt with this with a Star Trek Prop Forum member who bought costumes from Miami Sci Fi at outrageous prices and is now trying to sell them. He now knows he overpaid but what can he do?
Now before anyone gives me the "Well he should have done his homework" line, let me tell you that always pisses me off. You hear that from long time prop collectors. No one wants to share any info. It is every man for himself. Exactly how do you do homework when you don't know anything about the hobby?
It is the duty of EVERYONE in this hobby to protect newbies, share information and look out for each other. That is what this blog has helped do, that is what everyone on the Star Trek Forum does for each other all the time (and why it is the best group of people in the prop hobby).
So, while I like the guys at Screen Used, I got to say this costume at this price is just ridiculous. And just so you have a point of reference, Captain's costumes go around $ 5,000.
Alec