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Sellers flipping clothes
For months I've been noticing clothing sold at good, low prices immediately relisted at double or more the price by another seller.
It's obviously free market/every person for themselves on ebay, but this is bad for buyers, and I wish ebay would come up with policies to modify or prevent it.
I try to keep track of buyers doing this so I can avoid buying from them. Ever. I suggest other buyers be alert to this.
I hope it's not great for sellers either--we see you.
56 comments
kh-light
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roccotacodad54
·6 months ago"For months I've been noticing clothing sold at good, low prices immediately relisted at double or more the price by another seller.
It's obviously free market/every person for themselves on ebay, but this is bad for buyers,"
It's not bad for buyers if they are the one buying "at good, low prices".
I do saved searches on items I desire and check my Email notifications on them twice daily. Once in the morning and once just before bedtime. I'm sure I have caught some of these listings before others had a chance at them and scored. I don't believe that makes it unfair, just me paying more attention. I don't sell but if I did it would be the same thing. The early bird gets the worm.........................
janet9988
·6 months ago@susanvaldo wrote: "For months I've been noticing clothing sold at good, low prices immediately relisted at double or more the price by another seller."
Just HOW do you know that information?
How do you know who the buyer even was?
How do you KNOW THAT buyer and THAT seller know each other?
couturehomecollection
·6 months agoThanks for your interesting post, @susanvaldo. As a dedicated buyer, I appreciate your astute observations. 💐
I see you have discovered the "lion's den" of the so-called "community" where newcomers are sure to get pounced on by the "regulars". Please don’t be discouraged and feel free to stay and post often. 😁 I think many of the sellers and others with clearly too much time on their hands here in the forum must enjoy seeing their own name, hearing their own voices, sharpening their cutting wit, enjoy ganging up with other regulars to bully and "correct" the unexpecting, and value gaining reputation points more than being gracious and helpful to others? I imagine if we could see the people behind the posts, we would not be impressed?
I too have witnessed your eagle eyed observations, but in different categories. I have seen fine ceramics and other antiques bought up for cheap and re-listed at exorbitant prices. Similarly, one can see "pickers" at thrift stores greedily grabbing as many items as they can meant for the poor and those getting cart fulls of items at Aldi to resale at their high priced gas station markets?
Greed has consequences for all of society and is destabilizing. So many young people cannot even afford a starter home and homelessness increases exponentially as developers focus on expensive, luxury markets. Many argue correctly that the inflation currently gouging us now is a consequence of greed. A groundwork study revealed 53% of inflation is caused by corporate profits.
Some may have misrepresented or stultified some of Adam Smith’s economic observations on the “free-market”. Smith was a moral philosopher , first and foremost. He distinguished between "rational self interest" and "greed" or "rapacity" which he viewed as a destructive vice. While Smith liked the "invisible hand" of the market, he was deeply suspicious of businessmen and "merchants." He warned that when wealthy interests get together, they often plot to raise prices or exploit the public.
He famously wrote: "People of the same trade seldom meet together... but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices."
We can see this has happened here. eBay sellers colluding and petitioning eBay (a quasi government) to satisfy their self-interests as well as eBay's own corporate / institutional greed have seriously degraded what was once an enjoyable venue and a much easier site to navigate.
Buyer’s are on the losing end in numerous ways. Besides the higher prices you mentioned, now one must know the incredibly complex "eBay bible", front to back (as many of the regulars have memorized), just to navigate the labyrinth in order not get ripped off, scammed, or risk making an expensive mistake. Buyers have to spend many extra hours looking through unwanted, sponsored ads and declining unwanted offers just to find the product they want. Buyers are forced into inflexible payment arrangements and not always able to combine ship with the autocratic, auto checkout. If buyers miss strict deadlines for filing claims they are scammed by eBay. For certain categories like trading cards, eBay has reduced the return request window to just 3 calendar days after delivery if the seller does not offer returns. Buyers lose the ability to leave feedback after 60 days. In long-term presale situations (e.g., items shipping months later), a buyer may lose both protection and feedback rights if the seller delays past these windows. Auto feedback and disappearing feedback further undermines the system and confuses buyers. Sellers have the discretion to decline cancellation requests. As of late 2024, eBay will remove negative feedback from buyers who complain about a declined cancellation. Rights under the Money Back Guarantee never apply to certain high-value or complex categories.
This forum itself is a very sad 😢 reflection of what it once was when there were hundreds of brilliant and diverse posts daily by widely knowledgable members on a wide range of subjects. Now, it's stocked full of rude (and you are right, snarky) sellers who are more often than not, pure bullies. I'm sorry you and many other buyers have been treated in such a disrespectful way over the years. Honest, balanced discussion is a threat to those who seek to maintain control.
Greed and selfishness is the mother of our misery here in the forum and across the platform. I have watched buyer's rights and satisfaction decline steadily since the 1990's. And NO, we don’t have to leave, as some might wish haha 😂.
soh.maryl
·6 months agoYou see "pickers" at thrift stores "greedily" grabbing up things meant for the poor?
Are you implying that the only shoppers at the thrift stores are supposed to be folks who are low income or down on their luck?
Can you point me to a thrift store that limits their customers in that way?
couturehomecollection
·6 months agoThrift store prices have increased significantly in recent years, with some shoppers and analysts reporting average annual hikes of 15% to 25% across major chains. In some regions, the price of basics like t-shirts and jeans has reportedly doubled or tripled, reaching $30 to $50 in extreme cases. Nikes can sometimes be priced at $150. Does this hurt the poor? You bet it does! Also, pickers "clean out" the highest-quality, most durable goods, leaving only lower-quality "fast fashion" items for low-income buyers.
soh.maryl
·6 months agoThis will be my last post on this topic. You and I differ and that's okay.
Your earlier post implied that the only buyers at thrifts should be low income shoppers.
I disagreed. Have donated generously to thrifts almost all my adult life. I never saw thrifts as a shopping venue for only poor people. I saw them as selling goods and using the profits to help people.
pickapaper
·6 months ago@couturehomecollection wrote:
"large organizations like Goodwill have noticed a wealthier demographic shopping more frequently. In response, they have often replaced flat pricing (e.g., all jeans for $6) with tiered pricing based on brand and style, sometimes doubling or tripling costs."
Are you aware that Goodwill sells on eBay? They do because they know they can get a lot more money for some items than putting them out in the stores.
It would be interesting to know how they figured out that a "wealthier demographic" is shopping with them. They would have no way to know how much money a person has or how far in debt that person might be or anything about that person.
janet9988
·6 months agoPickers can be low income. I know of a few pickers that earn their grocery money by picking and reselling.
I also know of higher income people that love to shop at these places because that is how they can stay well off.
albertabrightalberta
·6 months agoThat sounds very snobbish. I too know people who'd never shop at a thrift store. Actually, the way some have put it, they'd "never be caught dead in a thrift store." (I don't have respect for people with such attitudes.)
@couturehomecollection If you're trying to sound philanthropic by not shopping at thrift stores and leaving merchandise for the needy, you're failing miserably.
Anyone can find items that fit their budget.
Although Goodwill helps people through sales, their mission is to "create opportunities for individuals to develop skills and advance in the workplace."
msha3839
·6 months agoInteresting monologue…as a buyer only, never considered myself to be on the loosing end..opposite..as a paying customer, I hold most of the cards..no need to navigate so called labyrinth, simply basic ability to learn how eBay works …most important thing is that buyers have a choice not to shop on eBay and choose different venue…
pastimpressions
·6 months agoAs the OP self-describes, they are strictly a buyer & not a seller.
Many, many moons ago I had a brief interaction with a co-worker.
It was at the foundling stages of my "hands-on" business education.
Went something like this:
Employee A: "Look at all that money in the cash registers, this business makes so much money!"
Employee B: " You do know that's not all free and clear, right?"
Employee A: " Look at all the money they make. Too much. All I get is xyz. They are greedy!"
Employee B: " You do understand that there are inherent costs in running a business?"
Employee A: " Look at all that money. Tons of profit. That's not fair!"
Employee B: " You do understand that from what you see there in the registers, the business owners have to pay lease rent, utilities, insurance, supplies, fixtures, equipment, employee wages, on & on and then actually purchase goods at wholesale to sell at retail."
Employee A: " Huh, look at all that money in the cash registers, this business makes so much money!"
Employee B: " Yep, sure looks like a lot of money in the registers." (Shaking head as they walk away)
Funny how this half-century-ago occurrence rushed back to my memory induced by this thread.
Some people just will never "get it."
I am not here to judge formation, motivation or character. I question none of that.
For a person, any person, to deem a business transaction unethical or even immoral (I believe the operative word incessantly repeated in a rather libelous manner was "shady") because a seller has the audacity to make a margin of profit that does not conform to said persons' preconceived notion of what that margin should be (however detached from reason or reality it may be) is sadly misguided.
It is not, however, a new phenomenon.
soh.maryl
·6 months agoYou try to keep track of eBayers who buy clothing on eBay, then sell that clothing on eBay?
pickapaper
·6 months ago@susanvaldo
You obviously buy a lot of clothes and shop at a lot of different venues (judging from your feedback). Most of what you buy, you are happy with the product, the price, and the shipping and that is a great thing. I really don't understand your obsession with tracking sellers who (you think) buy things on eBay and resell them on eBay unless you are missing out on buying certain items because someone else beat you to it. Just curious, do you also try to track sellers who buy things on Amazon or Poshmark or Etsy or any of the other venues and resell them for a higher price on eBay (or vice versa)?
You came on here expecting commiseration and received none because what the sellers you so despise are doing is not wrong. MILLIONS of people buy all kinds of things online and turn around and resell them at a higher price online every day of the week.
annadryl
·6 months agoThis is just like the pre-Christmas Playstation "scalpers" gripe... except very odd that it's about clothes.
pastimpressions
·6 months agoA source is a source of course & I'll give you the answer that I endorse: "talk to Mr. Wholesaler!"
A product, any product, be it manufactured, grown, caught, cultivated, curated, processed, etc. etc. by very procedural necessity has passed through multiple levels of selling transactions to get from point A to point Me.
If a person can pay $69.99 per pound for King Crab Legs that started on the fishing boats in the Bering Straits for X per pound, sold to the wholesaler who sells to the retailer for Y per pound that sells it to John Q for GEEZ per pound...............and that is all "nothing to see here."
How am I supposed to get my Lederhosen in a twist because someone "buys lower & sells higher" utilizing one venue to pivot the sale/resale?
I think, for whatever perhaps understandable reason in the moment, the OP is thinking emotionally instead of rationally. Once they level off, they will see the folly in it.
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoYou're way too polite you don't get any helpful votes unless you're rude and snarky.
This was supposed to be a post to other buyers. I didn't know a bunch of sellers were lurking in here waiting to pounce on anyone who says something potentially negative about them.
soh.maryl
·6 months agoMaybe, but I would not count on rationality or common sense eventually kicking in.
simba6
·6 months agoIt's common to see the same items at different prices in venues like this. Clothing is seldom one of a kind. I suspect most if not all are not the same items. Just other sellers with the same kind of merchandise.
albertabrightalberta
·6 months ago@susanvaldo
Is this a case of sour grapes? I can think of 2 reasons why you're upset:
1. You're upset because other buyers searched for and bought the low priced items before you found those listings
2. You're upset because you hadn't thought of the "buy low, sell high" concept yourself
msha3839
·6 months agoJust reading your feedbacks left for sellers makes me dizzy…
soh.maryl
·6 months agoAlmost all of the OP's FB left for sellers are effusively positive and very flowery.
Dizzy? The OP isn't the only buyer who leaves such elaborate feedback.
msha3839
·6 months agoElaborate? 🤧…OP defends her point of view by attacking others, you included…well, waste of time to argue about something that way above average comprehension…
soh.maryl
·6 months agoThank you for your reply. You remarked about the feedback this person leaves. Again, other than being rather elaborate and flowery, I don't understand what's wrong with it, but then maybe it's because if an issue that's way above my average comprehension.
msha3839
·6 months agoAgain, OP’s feedback maybe “ elaborate and flowery “ based on your point of view, but I read between the lines and analyze it on different level..force of habit..😈
soh.maryl
·6 months agoCan you explain what "different level" can be used to analyze FB?
Not questioning your statement, just trying to learn a little more about evaluating feedback.
Thank you.
pickapaper
·6 months ago@susanvaldo wrote: "For months I've been noticing clothing sold at good, low prices immediately relisted at double or more the price by another seller." "I suggest other buyers be alert to this.
I hope it's not great for sellers either--we see you."
I'm having a hard time understanding why you have spent months watching for clothing items to sell and then checking to see if someone else is selling "the same one" for a higher price? (And you actually don't know that it is the exact same one.) There are millions of clothing items on eBay; I can't imagine spending all that time trying to keep track of things like you are doing. What exactly are you gaining from all this, other than making that list of sellers you don't want to buy from?
Actually, I have a feeling that a lot of sellers on here who sell clothing items will add you to their blocked buyer list so you won't have to worry about buying from them.
msha3839
·6 months agoDon’t even try to understand why OP does it…🤯..
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoPlease, I hope they do. I don't want to give money to scammers like you. Why are you even on this board to defend your shady dishonest practices? Please block me now, go back to the sellers board and whine about buyers.
tobaccocardyahoo
·6 months agoAs a general rule, I do not buy where I sell.
That is because sales history and prices are tracked, and some buyers check sales history and waste my time sending unsolicited lowball offers.
soh.maryl
·6 months agoIsn't that the reason that many eBayers have both a selling ID and a buying ID as well as perhaps a posting ID?
jonathanbrightlight
·6 months agoIndeed, I know of some who have said they have at least 7 IDs, several of which are for selling and others for buying and/or posting. I’ve even suspected some have multiple posting ids on these boards.
kibble-net
·6 months agoSome sellers prefer to move more volume at a lower profit per sale. That's their prerogative.
Some sellers are comfortable waiting for a sale with larger profits. That's also their prerogative.
It's not ebay or anyone's business to police things that are resold, because the First Sale Doctrine is a thing.
sfau
·6 months agoHow do you know they are not using it or it did not fit? Also, if you buy a lot you may not like everything in it....
dirk12955
·6 months agoISn't buying for $1.00 and selling for $2.00 the simple
definition of the "Free enterprise system"
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoDid you read my post? I said that already. You're not helping your sales by defending yourself. This is the buyers part of the board. Why are you even here? I think I should go into the sellers forum and **bleep** about you scamming people.
bonanza125
·6 months agoOnce you purchase an item you can do whatever you want with it. A buyer can sell the item they purchase on Ebay for a profit on Ebay if they choose to as long as it meets the guidelines of Ebay and the person is willing to pay the fees. This is call business. Ebay will never stop buyers from purchasing even if they purchase for flipping. How is it not great for sellers? Seller puts item up for sale. Seller gets exactly what they want. So seller gets money they were looking for and Ebay gets paid fees from sale. Win-Win-Win for seller, buyer and Ebay. If you personally choose to not buy from a reseller that is fine but please note majority of the sellers on Ebay and in business all flip to make a profit. This is not a yard sale.
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoWhy are you here? You're not a buyer. You're a seller trying to defend yourself
mamacassidy
·6 months agoI list my items at a price I'm comfortable selling them for.
If someone wants to buy my items at my price and then re-sell them at a higher price, I say more power to them!
As far as ebay goes, they want as many sales as possible. If they can get the same item sold over and over again and make fees off of each sale, why would they stop that?
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoWhy are you on this forum? This just proves my point. I'm posting as a buyer to talk to other buyers but no, it's flooded with sellers defending themselves.
mamacassidy
·6 months ago@susanvaldo wrote: "Why are you on this forum? This just proves my point. I'm posting as a buyer to talk to other buyers but no, it's flooded with sellers defending themselves."
I am here because I like to help buyers understand how ebay works. In this case, I explained that re-selling is a vital part of the ebay platform, with both sellers and ebay making money from it.
I'm not defending any practice because there is nothing to defend. Re-selling is literally what ebay was built on.
monroe67
·6 months agoAnother way these eBay Community Forums work is that . . . . .
A few sellers find their Best Buddies on them.
campanaelia
·6 months agoIf you see the clothing at good, low prices, why didn't you buy it immediately first?
You snooze, you lose!
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoDo you normally impulsively buy stuff without thinking about it? Maybe you have a problem
soh.maryl
·6 months agoHow/why is this "bad for buyers"?
I see a shirt listed for $5 plus tax and shipping.
I offer $4.50. Seller accepts. I pay. I get the shirt.
I then search and see that this shirt is selling for between $12-15.
I list it for $15. I am offered $14. I accept. She pays. I ship the shirt.
Where is the "bad" part?
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoYou wouldn't know, would you since you're a seller trying to defend your shady practices.
soh.maryl
·6 months agoYou don't know a single thing about me, but you assume I am a seller.
Have not been a seller since about 2015 or so.
When I post here, regardless of whether I sell or buy, eBay does not keep me from expressing my POV.
kathiec
·6 months ago@susanvaldo
EBay has absolutely no legal basis to dictate what price a seller sets for their goods, except on essential goods during times of national emergencies. None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. If someone finds a bargain and turns around and sells it for a profit it's called capitalism. I have no problem with sellers making a profit. Everyone has to make a living, and selling on eBay isn't a particularly easy way to do it.
But a side note to sellers: this is why it's good business practice to have separate IDs for buying and selling.
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoWait to miss the point totally since when did this form get flooded by sellers trying to defend their shady practices
kathiec
·6 months agoActually I haven't sold in more than a decade. I've been a buyer on eBay for 29 years. And no, the sellers' practices aren't shady, you just don't agree with them. So you keep your little lists if that's what makes you happy, and discount other opinions as "sellers trying to defend their shady practices". In fact you have no idea how many of those posting are sellers.
janet9988
·6 months agoSo you never sell anything you previously bought?
Perhaps the government should come up with a law that prevents anyone from selling anything they bought.
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoNope, unlike you, that's not why I'm here I'm here to purchase you're here to sell and defend yourself
soh.maryl
·6 months agoStill waiting to understand what "shady practices" are involved here.
Doesn't every single retailer buy low and sell high?
If you're a seller (didn't check), isn't that what you do?
wastingtime101
·6 months agoBuyers have just as much opportunity to buy it at a low price as resellers. How is a reseller purchasing it then listing at a higher price worse than someone else buying it and keeping it? With the reseller you get a second chance at grabbing the item.
Also, how do you know it's the same exact item? Clothing is plentiful and it's easy to find the same piece from multiple sellers.
I don't understand how this is bad for buyers.
susanvaldo
OP6 months agoOf course you don't. And I know it's the same. Care if you believe me, I see posting here is a total waste of time because it's just a bunch of sellers defending themselves. Your practice is shady and I hope you lose money
msha3839
·6 months agoWow…One more rocket scientist…🤧