Price undercutting?

[chesapeakevariety]

What's with the sudden outbreak of price undercutting lately? I must have at least a dozen books where my price is $15-$20 or higher, yet someone has come in (often multiple sellers) with their copy at some ridiculous price like $5. For the most part its mostly different sellers, although I have noticed one in particular that seems to make it a habit. It's a problem I've always dealt with in the 8 years or so that I've been a bookseller, but right now its about the worst I've ever seen it. Maybe it's larger sellers who sell in such volume that they don't care about profit margins as much? Regardless, it's incredibly agitating.

[the-cabin-club]

there are basicly two types of sellers on eBay

those who sell for profit

and those who sell to get ride of unwanted 'stuff'

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the 'guy' who is just selling his unwanted stuff

is always going to sell his items for less

he dosen't  care -

he just wants to get rid of it

so why would you compete with him price wise?

I simply wait him out

I let him sell his item/s for unmarket value

then  I list mine...

---------------------------------

now...

as for the person selling body jewlery

if you see that the competition is too tough

do like you did

with your brick and morter store

close it -

or in this case stop selling it

and move onto another product

there is no reason to ask why they can sell it for less

the answer is that they are

so move onto something new and different

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in the 25 years I've been in business

I first started out as a FLORIST and GIFT SHOP

when sales slowed

I changed my stores to COUNTRY FURNITURE SHOPS

which became COFFEE BARS (during the early coffee craze)

and then finnally  (I obtained liquor licenses and turned them over to) NIGHT CLUBS

which I was able to sell

and retire at 45!

and all this in the toughest - most competative market - NEW YORK CITY

so trust believe me when I tell you

you need to be flexable - and CHANGE with the times

otherwise you'll end up like so many other businesses - C-L-O-S-E-D

BEST OF LUCK!

[easyintheislands]

If you are insinuating that betterworldbooks is not selling for profit, you are mistaken. They can undercut prices because they get their books for next to nothing. They misrepresent themselves as charitable and profit well from it. You will never be able to wait them out, since they have an endless supply provided by well intentioned library groups. Do not be misled into thinking that they are selling primarily to "get rid of it."

[thenewt646]

"Many book sellers use computer programs (or pricing services) that change the price as needed so their book is always the lowest."

Yup it's true that they do this.

[texasbusybees2]

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@easyintheislands wrote:

Here is how it works:

Someone starts a "non-profit" company. All non-profit means is that there is no money left over after expenses, which may very well include big salaries and high rolling expenses. Make this company "charitable", and they get the non-profit halo from the gullible. It doesn't matter how much goes to charity, quite often just pennies on the dollar. In the book business, Friends Of The Library organizations are contacted by these faux charaties and offered boxes delivered and picked up full with the books left after a sale. For this they get paid a few cents per pound but hey, the books are gone, and of course it helps the less fortunate (yeah-right). Often, The Friends don't even get paid their pennies promptly. Now the books appear here at vastly discounted prices. Want a few examples?

betterworldbooks

thriftbooks

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Betterworld states on their website that they are a profit making company, IOW's, not a non-profit. (Hard to find that info, but it's there.)   However, they're "touting" or the spiel they've given over the years to libraries, universities, etc. is that they have several charities, Books for Africa is a big one, that get funded by the sales of books.  The libraries, and other groups get the wrong ideas in their heads, like thinking that BWB is a non-profit and BWB doesn't do anything to correct that notion.

[tpique1]

The best thing to do, if the other guy is selling the books for $5, then buy THEIR books! Treat them as a wholesale purchase and then repackage and upsell their product at the ACTUAL market value! If they want to undercut, then buy them out of business. Take them out of the loop entirely. And if they're also offering free shipping? C'mon son. You've just handed me my next sale! Do this in addition to your usual wholesale purchsing and that guy will begin to see his profits drop very quickly. He may have a larger inventory, but he's not going to dictate the market value of THAT item - I will!