Over pricing Items.

[wilhar_6586]

Earlier I posted my thoughts on overpricing of items on EBAY. I failed to read the rules governing Naming.  I apologize for that. My post was promptly removed.  My only point is before you Buy an item, (Especially Guitars)  that has a fixed price, (no Bidding, or Best offer) Do yourself a favor. Research the item before you commit to buying it. Sometimes you'll be surprised at how much money you'll save. Sometimes you can save well over a thousand dollars, and get a lot more benefits then can be offered from an eBay seller.. Just because it's being sold on EBAY doesn't mean it's always a good deal. Maybe even most of the time it is, but not always. make your purchase experience a happy one, not a regretful one. Sometimes It just Buggs me bad! to see Overpricing. Makes me feel that somebody going to get taken advantage of. Sorry again for my previous post. Hopefully this time I won't get Canceled.

[dnasilver]

The problem is we cannot buy from the manufacturer. They sell it to a wholesaler who sells it to a distributor who sells it to the store where we can finally buy it. Every step adds dollars to the manufactured item. But we do understand the point you are making.

[maxine*j]

First,  I don't know if you're talking about asking prices or sold prices.  There's a big difference. 

Second, it's none of your concern how anyone else spends his money.  People have all sorts of reasons, and sometimes no reasons at all, for what they do with their money.  Some people buy over-priced stuff just so they can brag about how much they spent. 

Third, there is no moral issue here because this is an item which no one actually needs and, further, there is positively no coercion involved in the sale.

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[coolections]

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@yuzuha wrote:

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No one is getting "burned" if the person is WILLINGLY paying that price. 

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Tell that to the thousands of people who end up either not paying or returning the item.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@wilhar_6586 wrote:

OK would you spend $1,500 more for something off eBay then what it actually costs in a store, with a 100% money bake guarantee and lifetime warrantee? I'm not talking Chicken soup, apples & oranges or even cherry pie. I'm talking about Price gouging, and not eBay's definition of price gouging either. I'm talking about what's honorable and what is not.

thank you for your comment.

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It's not "price gouging." It's capitalism. Who's to say what's "honorable?"

Not everyone has the availability of B&M stores and not all stores or online retailers ship to every country, every state or even every neighborhood. Perhaps a buyer has a disability and is unable to purchase except for online and many are happy to have the personal service they get when buying from an ebay seller. 

Some items are discontinued, sold out or not available for whatever reason and if the seller has one and a buyer wants it badly enough, they will find each other and both sides will be happy.

Who are you to say it's unfair, ripping someone off, cheating or gouging? 

If you don't like a price or a seller, hit the back button and find another. 

[creativecrisis]

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@wilhar_6586 wrote:

... what Prompted me to write this post is a totally different deal all together. If something is being sold on eBay at prices 50 to 100 percent higher than what the item actually costs at the manufacture or in a name brand store that is commonly in stock, then there is something amiss here. 

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I'm confused. Are you saying that because a thing is being sold on eBay, there should be some control on the price? 

Since eBay itself doesn't sell anything, and prices are set by the thousands of individual sellers who list things here, I think maybe you should expect to see prices all over the place. There are rip-offs here as well as bargains.

[sakic92710]

Prices are all over the place on this site!  Who is to say what is overpriced??  I see something selling for $270 or $25.  What an extreme difference!   Why does 1 sell so high & the other so cheap when they look to be the exact same item?  I sold mine for $100.  I was selling high or low?   lol  I see a brand new sports card selling for $135 with bids.  I cannot see another that sold for over $100.  Even see one listed for $100 or best offer.  Why not buy that one instead of pay $135?  Don't expect anyone to understand humans & how they spend their money.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

@wilhar_6586 

We are never the least expensive option (unless everything else has sold out/by accident) and rarely the most expensive.

We offer amazing customer service, expert packing, quick shipping with sturdy packaging and no-hassle returns.

As a Seller, we get repeat Buyers because of the above - we are consistent and predictable and honor our products. 

Feel free to buy from our competitors with 1 pix, mis-represented items, slow shipping, carpy packaging, zero follow-up and a stated NO RETURNS policy.

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This X1000.  

There is nothing immoral, unfair or wrong with what you describe.  No one is forcing anyone to purchase.   I sell in a category where pricing generally has a wide range for the same item.  It's not unusual for me to sell something for $100 that someone else sold for $5.99.   Do I feel bad?  Nope, not for a second.  

My buyers know the level of quality & service they receive from me & they are willing to pay a bit more to get it.  Part of my pricing is that you are paying for no surprises in your mailbox, you're paying for my 20+ years of expertise, for my costs incurred in cleaning &/or repairing items, for the 8-12 photos in natural light, not a blurry black blob from taken from across the room, for my full descriptions, not an automated 1 liner from my cell, for items that are packaged carefully & safely, not balled up & stuffed into a too-small paper envelope with no protection.   All that takes time & time is money.  

Professionalism can be part of what you pay for & part of what some buyers value.   I am the same way as a buyer, I'd rather pay a bit more & know that it will be right, rather than saving a few nickels or $100.   In fact, I'm researching an item right now that Costco has for $200, but the 1 & 2 star reviews show a pattern of an inferior product, so I'll pay the $600 for the competitor product, that won't break in a year.  

Some sellers appeal to those looking for service & professionalism, other sellers want to be the cheapest, neither is wrong, they just appeal to different buyers.  Your guitar seller may be offering a level of professionalism, knowledge, packaging, etc. that exceeds the average seller & prices accordingly.  

BTW, I hear CONSTANTLY from buyers who tell me, I can get this cheaper at WM or the mfr website.  Well, believe me, there's a reason they are taking the time to write me & ask me to match Walmart's price & it's always b/c the item in that color & size is NOT avail on the website or the store.  

Not only is it not immoral, but it is pretty much the entire basis of Capitalism.  

[downunder-61]

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eBay is not for everyone.........

[wilhar_6586]

What your talking about is Apples and Oranges. I can't believe what I've said can be so easily misconstrued. So I'll try to made this as clear and simple as I possibly can.  If your attempting to take a guitar that the brand new cost of it is the everyday purchase price is $2,399. One that can be purchase any day of the week, direct from the maker himself, then turn around and attempt to sell it for $3,799.99 That's Just not right. I don't care what you say or how you say it, it's just not right. Only a fool would buy it. But then again, a fool and his money soon parts, isn't that what they say. I call it pure unadulterated Greed! pure and simple. Where's the honesty and integrity in that. Good Lord, No wonder our America is circling the drain of the toilet.   

[wilhar_6586]

And it's none of your concern how I feel about dishonesty and lack of integrity. Nor is it any of your concern how I express my feelings. If you don't like it then, don't read it.....  

[wilhar_6586]

Your Wrong!!!! The very thing I'm talking about can only be bought from the manufacture because they don't sell wholesale to stores. That's why they can offer nice quality equipment for lees than their counterparts sell their products in stores. They have no middle men.

[wilhar_6586]

Then you would never sell that Item to anyone with a brain would you. I've already said a fool and his money soon parts. sounds like that is what some are counting on.

[theteamsetguy]

Let’s say I buy a guitar from the manufacturer you are talking about for $2399.99. For whatever reason a few months later I don’t want it anymore and want to sell it. Depending on category the item falls under eBay charges up 15% of the selling price, shipping, and sales tax. If I don’t want to lose money selling it. I would have to list it for $3299.00 to break even. ($495.00 eBay fees, $100.00 shipping fees with insurance to buyer, $200.00 sales tax when I bought it, and $100.00 shipping when I bought it)

I not trying rip anyone off. Just trying to get what I paid for it. I might not get it but am I wrong for trying?

[katzrul15]

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@wilhar_6586 wrote:

Then you would never sell that Item to anyone with a brain would you. I've already said a fool and his money soon parts. sounds like that is what some are counting on.

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I prefer to call them something else.

So I buy a case of a particular lego set from a wholesaler.  I am "free" to list it for MSRP and AFTER FEES make a small profit, should I so desire.   

However, once this Lego set is "retired", OOS, not readily "available" from Lego and/or not to be found on a B&M shelf - I am still "free" to sell that Lego set for any amount I want.  And I do.  

Is that greedy?  No.  I have to have the foresight to order it, pay for it, list it, store it in a warehouse or ship it to FBA and WAIT MY TURN.  Which, I gladly do.  AND hope I am right and it will sell out......

For instance - today, we sold 4 lego sets thru FBA for $189.99 + free shipping.  These are $49.99 sets MSRP that we have about $26 per in each.  I bought them last October - 48 of them - we are down to 2 left.  I will help you with the math:

24 to a case, 48 units total @ $26 ea wholesale cost (rounded up) = $1248

We have sold a total of 46 units so far since October.  We sold 8 over the holidays at $219 + free shipping

We have now sold 38 units @189.99 + free shipping  - Total gross as of 2/14 = $8971.62 and I have still have 2 to sell.

You call it whatever you want.  Supply and demand (Econ 101) in full tilt action that I will continue to take all the way to the bank.

ETA:  You MAKE your money when you buy the widget to re-sell at some point.  You have no idea what any Seller's price point acquisition is, except yours.    All the Best.

[wilhar_6586]

I totally get what you are saying but it has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm saying. There is no supply and demand issues on this item I'm talking about. I'm talking about a person who buys a readily available Item, turns around and tries to convince people that it's worth 1,500 to 2,500 more than it's actually worth. It has nothing to do with supply and demand and everything to do with Honesty and Integrity. I know exactly what the Item costs because I just purchased one a couple of weeks ago, and I darn sure did not pay 1500 to 2500 over the dealers cost.  My entire point in beginning of this post was just to advise people to do their research before they make a purchase in order that they may have an accurate understanding of the value of the item they're looking at. Nothing More. But it sure seems that most of those commenting on this post Darn sure don't  want that to happen. They bounce all over the place but ignore the point. But whatever, I thank you for your post.