Pricing
How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores?
Its like going to a flee market and paying more than walmart for an item that was purchased at walmart!
88 comments
How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores?
Its like going to a flee market and paying more than walmart for an item that was purchased at walmart!
pennpicker
·1 year agoGoodwill had a used mini slow cooker/warmer I was thinking of buying to keep gesso warm until realizing it was cheaper brand new at Walmart. Definitely not giving their junk away around here.
Pawn shop guys in Sarasota mentioned they were pumping promotional rates on eBay (as it costs them nothing) to make their stuff on Amazon look even cheaper when peeps searched Google for the lowest price.
All I know is I used to buy many new things here pre-Covid but they are simply cheaper elsewhere now ever since the whole promoted advertising shtick took effect here.
pennpicker
·1 year agoDid look on eBay within the past two days for men's shorts because Bealls (my local department store) has some pretty good deals right now. Found at least three dozen comparable items here on eBay and not one of them came even close to being competitively priced.
mam98031
·1 year ago@snow2hi2c
Blanket statements are rarely correct. And since Ebay consists of 18+ million active sellers and about 2 billion active listings, what you stated is highly unlikely to be true.
With that said, it will also depend on the product being sold. Flee market times are often used items. Used items, depending on demand can fetch a price higher than retail when they were new.
Some new items will do the same thing. It is supply and demand. Around Christmas time, toy pricing goes crazy around here because the supply doesn't meet the demand on some toys.
It is a buyer's responsibility to check to make sure whatever you are considering purchasing that it is for a price you are willing to pay. If it isn't, the answer is simple, just move on until you locate what you desire for a price that is reasonable to you.
theteamsetguy
·1 year ago@snow2hi2c ,
What's the deal with all of the OPs never coming back? Especially when many others have taken their valuable time to answer their question or give helpful advice?
albertabrightalberta
·1 year agoIt doesn't surprise me when OPs don't respond when they didn't hear what they'd hoped to hear. But still, people replied and if nothing else, @snow2hi2c should thank those who answered and could even say s/he agrees to disagree.
toomuchstuffagain35
·1 year agoSo, just out of curiosity, what are the items that the prices have you riled up about?
Are they items that are discontinued and hard to get in store?
compscrap
·1 year agodrive to the store and buy it then. I know I wouldn't care one bit how much my item was some place else. Its for sale at the price I need for it. If some one wants my item delivered to them then they pay my price.
My cost determines what my price needs to be. not some one else's cost.
farmalljr
·1 year agoSo what's 20 cents a gallon? Well I can tell you what 10 cents a gallon is. I track my fuel for my business, and buy where I get a 10 cent a gallon discount. It saved me about 600 bucks last year. If you buy a tank a month, probably insignificant. If you fill up every other day, it's a LOT.
You eat a whale one bite at a time. Small figures add up over time. People that are not mindful of what they spend, are either crazy rich (VERY rarely) or are broke and don't know why (most often). That's not a slam on anyone. Reasonable people do not just throw money away they don't have to. Unfortunately there are not that many reasonable people left.
When sellers buy packaging materials, that's a good example of how most of them are watching pennies because of the volume they ship. They look for deals. They buy bulk to save money too.
It's the same reason I will go to Costco and buy hamburger by the case, to save money. 95/5 costco burger is cheaper than ANY local stores, even when they have a sale, and their burger is 80/20 at best. "Pennies" add up to dollars. Convenience only makes sense when the cost difference is very small. So what if I go into Costco and spend 600 bucks on burger? Had I bought it locally where it's "convenient" I would spend at least 150 more. Buyers here are not usually a lot different. Some will spend any price, but having the great economy we are saddled with over the last 2-3 years, I think those days are long gone now.
krazzykats
·1 year agoI'm almost 70, I don't drive much anymore if I can help it, maybe a couple hundred miles a month, so I don't need the .10 cents a gallon savings that I might have to drive 20 miles for. Doesn't make economic sense.
Same thing if I need a jar of mayonnaise right now, I'm going to pay a higher price but not spend a lot of time getting it waiting in a long checkout line plus driving to a big box store.
I value my time, and rather spend a bit more, so I can do less.... lol!
(Eat more chicken! I buy Costco rotisserie chickens, debone them, package up the meat and freeze.)
fbusoni
·1 year ago@krazzykats
Good for you! I am 65 and am now firmly in the "I-will-do-whatever-the-hell-I-want-even-if-it-costs-another $50" mode of thinking. ðŸ˜
krazzykats
·1 year agoOkay, I understand savings, but what is money for? I think to spend. LOL!
I'm not excessively spending, but I do like little luxuries and that's what money is for. 🤑
mam98031
·1 year agoUnfortunately more things are going to be on the "little luxuries" list in the coming months.
For one, I love bananas, but we don't grow them to my knowledge in the US. So clearly their prices are going to go up a bit. I actually really enjoy all kinds of fresh fruits and vegies that we don't have enough here in the US or we don't grow here in the US to meet the consumer needs.
Then there is my coffee. That too will become a luxury if we aren't careful.
stephenmorgan
·1 year agoBananas are grown in several places in the US. Ponce de Leon brought bananas to Florida in the early 1500’s.
mam98031
·1 year agoNot to the point they can supply the entire US needs. There are many things we get imported that we don't produce enough here in the US to fill the needs for the items. Not all foreign trade should be created equally as there are serious differences between some products.
Coffee from Hawaii is an option. But they don't produce enough, nor could they, to supply the need in the US.
pikabo-icu
·1 year agoBananas can be and have been grown in more than a dozen states.
US Coffee is a little bit different and is only gown in California, Hawai'i, and Puerto Rico
inhawaii
·1 year agoSellers can ask whatever they want for their goods and buyers can either buy or not buy.
What a crazy concept. LOL
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
krazzykats
·1 year agoI value customer service and convenience more than higher prices like Guri explained.
I will pay more if I am treated well, am able to purchase what I need easily & quickly all without standing/waiting in line.
And what is .20 more a gallon? A fight to the death over a gas pump or pull in across the street get what you need and get back on the road quickly. Some things are simply not worth shopping around for a few cents less, waste of time imho.
Some of us will pay the higher price and pull into the empty station that might also clean my windows off. 😎
á“šá˜á—¢
soh.maryl
·1 year agoRespectfully, where can one find a gas station that might also clean your windows off?
stephenmorgan
·1 year agoLast time I purchased gas in Mexico at a Filling Station, about 18 months ago, they still will clean you windows, check your oil and put in you gas.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoSo, Mexico, 18 months ago?
Thank you.
stephenmorgan
·1 year agoYep, 18 months ago. But they still do it.
At their larger gas station it seems like there is an attendant for each gas pump. The only waiting is for your turn to get gas. The attendants are right to you as soon as your at the pump.
It is like this in many South America countries also.
Something I have noticed in the US is that at certain gas stations there are signs posted that read if you need help with pumping you gas to press the call button or honk your horn.
bennotbill
·1 year agoThat takes me back as it's been decades since there's been any attendants at UK pumps. I still remember stopping at one busy station. I initially put that down to their special reduced price. But I knew that was the wrong assumption when my attendant appeared. A pretty young woman in a bikini.
I should add that when I eventually looked around I could see it was an "equal opportunities" garage, as woman drivers were being served by an equally pretty young man in budgie smugglers.
krazzykats
·1 year ago😎
From 2023
Oregon drivers are now allowed to pump their own fuel after state lifts ban dating back to 1951 | CNN
soh.maryl
·1 year agoThank you for your reply. Am looking for this service a little closer to home, NE Ohio.
bandrhome
·1 year agoI miss the days where you can get your gas pumped! LOL We have none around where I live anymore. Id pay extra for the gas and tip too!
gurlcat
·1 year agoFrom the way things appear to be going, it won't be too long before people are nostalgic for back when it was possible to have your purchases rung up in stores, and not just grocery stores but every kind.
gurlcat
·1 year agoDo you mean to tell us a deep-blue commie libtard state actually mandates that fuel corporations offer jobs in local communities? ðŸ˜
But actually I'm curious about this: that bill says the gas stations cannot charge more for full service, so when you talked about paying more for window cleaning service, is that what explains the actual difference you observe in prices at your local stations? Like you can get full service (pumping only) at all stations for the same price, but the ones with a higher per-gallon rate also offer (free) window cleaning?
krazzykats
·1 year agoNo, prices are the same whether you pump it yourself or full service.
When I first moved to Oregon from California 🤣 , I was practically yelled at for trying to pump my own gas the first time. I could have been actually cited...lol!
But I still like the Full Service here...especially during the rain. ðŸˆ
Oregon originally created the full service for jobs. It created jobs in local communities.
And, btw, just so everyone knows, I live in the Red part of Oregon (State of Jefferson that never became.). Portland has the population counts and so controls the entire state.
Read up on the State of Jefferson, very interesting...
krazzykats
·1 year agoI missed the window cleaning comment. Yes, they will come out and start cleaning your windows or ask you. If they do, it's free, but I always tip $1.00.
I don't have to touch any dirty thing or get out of my car in a gas station so that's all good for me.
johnrj1226
·1 year agoSelf Service when the way of the Doo Doo bird. Traveled by car in 42 of the 50 states at least with 2 over night stays and always filled up the real car before turning it to the rental company - all at a self. Looks like South Oregon had to make a law to get the old way - helped the employment rate in that state.
Here is an atrticle on the transformation - self serve and full service station were around for a long while - full service was a bit hire per gal.
Remote Access Self-Service
In 1964, inventor Herb Timms designed a new system allowing an attendant inside the gas station building to activate the fuel dispensers outside. This was the first step in gas stations and convenience stores going hand in hand like they do today! Stores would suddenly have the option of selling gas without an additional cost in labor. Expansion of this system was slow, primarily due to restrictions in most states that forbid customers from pumping their own gas due to fire safety. However, by 1981 All but New Jersey and Oregon changed their laws to allow self-service gas dispensers. Even following these changes, it was still slow progress in terms of the adoption of self-service pumps since the equipment was costly. It also brought in a need for qualified gas pump repair since the equipment was more complex. It was well into the 1990s before self-service gas stations became the norm.
In 1973, a gas station right here in Texas, Abilene, to be exact, invented the first pay-at-pump technology. This became extremely popular, with 13% of convenience stores offering this option by 1994. Just eight years later, that number jumped to 80%! Today, it is more or less expected that you will be able to pay at the pump. It's almost unthinkable for most gas station customers that they would be unable to pump gas themselves and then pay for it right at the pump. Many of our gas pump repair service calls relate to ensuring these services stay available to consumers at all times!
toomuchstuffagain35
·1 year agoInteresting factoid. Australia has still to upgrade to pay at the pump gas stations.
johnrj1226
·1 year agoGuess that why they are called Down Under or Too much influence from their motherland where all new residential construction looks the same as the old place except the drain pipes are built inside the apartment/homes. Visited London and Dunstable area - 100 miles or so from there in the late '70s . One can enjoy the sound of a toilet flushing as it traveled down an outside drain pipe of an old apartment building. But on the brighter side they all seem to have a Rolls Royce parked out in the front under cover(where the horses were stabled back in the day and some in the alleys (aka mews) lots of visitors/residents from the crude oil rich countries). Lots of History there - enjoyed my stay.
But their New Years Celebration is the Best Ever. Watch it at 8 am ET on !2/31 on the US tube with a Virgin screwdriver or Virgin Blood Mary with a celery stick and lots of pepper on top. Doing it for eons.
gurlcat
·1 year agoRespectfully, what was your reason for asking this? At first it only appeared to be a playful poke at Krazzy's assertion that full service fueling options still exist anywhere, and are therefore a legitimate example of when paying more might be worthwhile.
But now that she's shown that to be a real consumer option where she lives .... you want her to be ... your .... researcher for full service fueling options where you live????
krazzykats
·1 year agoThe article said only Oregon and New Jersey have full service, so not sure @soh.maryl wants to drive from Ohio to New Jersey for full service...lol!
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·1 year agoI will happily buy all your Action Comics #1 for 10 cents each
gloryglorygifts
·1 year agoAside from all the great answers you already received, don't forget that online sellers also pad their prices and offer free shipping to customers. That's a nice optic. Customers will pay more for free shipping and the convenience of having it delivered to their door.
fbusoni
·1 year ago@gloryglorygifts
I think that this may well be one of the more important determinants. There are millions of shoppers who are at the stage of life where they simply do not have to worry about saving $15 or even $25 and they will gladly spend that extra money if they do not have to make a special trip somewhere to get whatever it is that they need.
gloryglorygifts
·1 year agoI know I'm one of them. I haven't been in a supermarket in years!!
simba6
·1 year agoPrices in venues like this vary as the crow flies. You can find some great buys or get your clock cleaned. It just underscores the need to check and compare prices in as many places as you can to insure the best value for your money.
No single retailed will the the best price on every item every time.
soh.maryl
·1 year agoAs you are well aware, I am sure, sellers on eBay, or anywhere else for that matter, can charge whatever they want for anything they are selling. I have a set of red plastic measuring spoons that I bought at Dollar Tree for $1.25 plus tax. I can list them on eBay for $10 if I want to, nothing to stop me. Potential buyers on eBay as well as anywhere else need to shop carefully and compare prices. If they don't want to do that, and they take me up on that deal, whose fault is that? And, if they DO actually sell at that price, I am free to return to Dollar Tree and buy up all they have to sell here.
pickapaper
·1 year ago@gurlcat
You are correct; it was a Crofton bread maker.
Buyer beware! - The eBay Community
gurlcat
·1 year agoHa YESSSS! Thanks so much for finding it, I'm literally going to reread the whole thing now. Oh my word, what a delightful post, how she starts with the passive "It has been noticed ...." and ends with "shameful!" ... it's just ..... oh man, chef's kiss!!!
BTW when I replied before, I even thought I remembered the $25/150 amounts exactly, but didn't say it because I thought "Could it really be that much of a hike?" -Yeppers, it was!
pickapaper
·1 year ago@gurlcat
Yes, it was a good read. (regarding the details: I'm old; I CRS anymore.🤣)
pickapaper
·1 year agoI remember a thread a while back (sorry, I don't remember all the details so I am paraphrasing a bit), from a buyer who was complaining that a baking dish that Aldi's was selling for whatever amount it was, was being sold on eBay for two to three times that amount. She was not happy about it, and was complaining profusely that it was price gouging. Turns out that she wanted one of the baking dishes really badly but all of the Aldi's were sold out of it so the only place it was available was on line at inflated prices. She thought it terribly unfair because she couldn't get one at Aldi's price.
I always call this the "I've got it and you don't and if you want it badly enough, you will have to pay my price for it" syndrome.
gurlcat
·1 year agoI wonder if we're remembering the same thread. -There was one about an Aldi's item, but I vaguely remember it being a bread maker, and I'm picturing it red for some reason, ha.
Anyway the OP was utterly rippin' hellcats about how much higher it was selling on eBay than at Aldi's. I can't remember if she just obseved this fact, or if she wanted one and found out her local Aldi's ran out of stock before she could buy one. I feel like it was a very entertaining thread overall. 🤣
Anyway a brand new Aldi's just opened in my neighborhood less than a month ago. I think I'll check them out!!
varebelrose
·1 year agoItems like that are likely being sold by drop shippers. It costs more than Walmart because when you order it here, the seller orders it from walmart/amazon/lowes/temu/etc., adds 10-20% profit margin on it, and has it shipped to you. That is why new, consumer type items are best purchased by doing a search for the best price, not just looking at any one website.
jg.mason
·1 year agoSay there are two gas stations one on each side of the street. One is selling their gas for 20 cents a gallon more than the other. Why do I see people buying gas at the gas station that is more expensive?
fbusoni
·1 year ago@jg.mason
Because the nearest U-turn is five miles up the road?
jg.mason
·1 year ago🤣Or the coffees better?
luckythewinner
·1 year agoetc.
toomuchstuffagain35
·1 year agoIr they don't like the people who run the other one?
There's a lot of folks who refuse to buy from say AMZ or Wmart on principle.
Of course they're also the ones who give negative FB when it arrives in an AMZ or WM box.
bandrhome
·1 year agoOh good, so I can weed those ones out with my photographic I may used recycled packaging from Amazon, etc. haha.
gurlcat
·1 year agoIt's very obvious when an Amazon box was simply recycled by a real eBay seller. For one thing I'm guessing you don't use a box 6 times too large for the item you're shipping.
toomuchstuffagain35
·1 year agoYep that's what ebay tape and stickers are for.
They do use some boxes that happen to be the perfect size for what I'm shipping sometimes.
gurlcat
·1 year agoEven if it's just plain packing tape OVER the Amazon tape, it's clear that the original seal was already broken. If that doesn't give it away there's the lack of the "gift" receipt that Amazon autogenerates for packages going to a different address from that of the purchaser (which in this case is the dog manure fake eBay seller).
fbusoni
·1 year ago@gurlcat
I hope I am not imperiling myself by using old Amazon boxes when I ship items I have sold on eBay... sometimes those boxes are the perfect size.
gurlcat
·1 year agoNot imperiling at all. You don't even sell new items do you?
gurlcat
·1 year agoDanm right. If I mindfully pay more to buy on eBay BECAUSE I don't want to buy from Amazon, and it turns out that my money still went to them plus a profit for the fake "eBay seller" who thought they were being slick by hoodwinking me, they can an enjoy their fresh shiny neg, AND being reported to eBay.
iamalwaysright
·1 year agoI once asked a friend why she always does this (buying the more expensive gas of two adjacent gas stations), or even my wife who buys the gas across the street from her work at a whopping 60 cents/gal higher than another gas station (same brand of gas) literally on her way closer to home.
They both answered the same, “I don’t knowâ€. So it’s likely they weren’t thinking and just acting on impulse or don’t really care about the price.
gurlcat
·1 year agoOoo have I got an answer for that, although it's not about the gas prices.
There are 2 convenience stores side-by-side on the main street near me that always have the SAME gas prices, but I always go to 'this' one and not 'that' one. Why? Well after a couple years of going to both, I realized 'that' one always (I mean ALWAYS) has sketchy people hanging out, both inside and outside, often aggressively panhandling, or just behaving in loud and obnoxious ways that make me feel like, "Okay this is where the CCTV footage would start showing, in the news story about whatever happens next". 🤣 Also 'that' one is rather grimy and the clerk is behind bulletproof glass, whereas 'this' one is decorated with antique gas station paraphernalia and the sweet old men who work there are also co-owners, and they man the register with no apparent protection.
One day I asked one of them, gesturing to the place next door, "How come I never see you having the riff-raff like I always see over there?" -He said, "Our beer, wine and cigarettes are higher." That explained everything, immediately. I don't drink or smoke, so I never would have noticed that before, in fact the only reason I might go inside is for snacks, but I have no idea how those prices compare because I don't consume them daily like a smoker or alcoholic.
And I have no idea which of these 2 stores makes more money overall, quite possibly 'that' one, but also possibly the owners of 'this' one don't care, as long as they're making 'enough.' From the way this old dude had his answer immediately ready, I'd say it was a conscious choice to "filter" their customer base. -For gas-only customers (with the ability to pay at the pump) it makes sense to compete on price, lock-step. But for people coming inside, it might make sense to attract only the kind of customers you want to deal with, and not the ones you don't. Besides, the ones willing to pay more might make up the $ difference in lost sales from more customers choosing the cheaper option overall. -I think you've talked about this @fbusoni .
And this concept is absolutely applicable on eBay too. Just think of how many times the buyers who talked you into giving them a deal turned right around gave you trouble later, whereas the ones who quietly paid your asking price never made a peep of trouble afterward. -Those are probably the same people who avoid Walmart, LOL.
fbusoni
·1 year ago@gurlcat
Indeed... it's too bad we cannot apply those same principles to those who respond here in these forums. 😉
johnrj1226
·1 year agoConvenience - they got money to burn - but will complain every thing is too expensencive or don't get paid enough.
johnrj1226
·1 year agoWhen creating a listing a eBay peddler needs to satisfy at least these 5 reason - your listing is your best sales person - you only have a few seconds to make a shopper and a total stranger to stop and view your product(s).
in IBMs 6 week "Summit" sales training program it is stressed that sales people have 3 minutes or less to turn a high dollar proposal in to an order - if they can't the order went to some one else. .
Yeah eBay selling is not the same as IBM stuff - but some of the key consumers need needs to be consider - in your listing and your eBay "report cards" - FB and buyer comments
A customers time is very import and how you satisfy the buyers needs is key. I often buy items at higher prices - because I need it now and don't wish to take time to ask a seller if they can comply as replies may not come for a couple or more business days. All consumers do not think a like.
fbusoni
·1 year ago@snow2hi2c
One foul phenomenon that I do not think has been mentioned are those sellers who drop ship.
There was one on here yesterday complaining in essay form about eBay; meantime he was selling items for up to $50 more than they could be purchased at AMZ (which was his source).
Then there is this: items that are sold in retail stores in quantity, and a buyer on eBay wants only one. I had a buyer who wanted to purchase a single porcelain coffee mug from me, but my listing was for a brand new set of four. If I broke up the set of four, the price for the single mug was going to go up in price (significantly), and the buyer was ok with that (she even thought that she got a bargain).
I ended up selling all four individually for far more than I would have sold them as a set.
This method of selling also is quite common, for example, in flatware, bone china, etc..
PS: I did enjoy your Freudian slip -- "flee market."
johnrj1226
·1 year agoI've very often have found that a gallon of milk or a 6 pack of the same beer have different prices at all the different stores in our neighborhood. And gasoline is different to - what is going on???
Ya' find that Ford dealer just 10 miles apart have different prices too for some model, same features same with Same thing with chicken eggs.
Simple answer - The USA is a "Free Market Economy" - been that way for eons. Some countries the Governments control prices - not a good thing with no completion.
iamalwaysright
·1 year agoTwo words: Pokemon cards.
*mic drop*
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoHuh?
stephenmorgan
·1 year agoHow is it that two retailers near each other charge different prices?
janet9988
·1 year agoWhy does it even matter?
Buyers can buy from ANY seller at WHATEVER price they wish!
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@snow2hi2c
I think many sellers are hoping buyers are ignorant and don't compare prices.
I recently saw two sellers listing a set of used books for a lot more than I could get them new from an online retailer. Clueless buyers can be great for business.
williammm2
·1 year agoI agree. I know many people, that when they shop online, they only look at Ebay and Amazon. It's like they don't even know there are other options...
funfactorychannel
·1 year agoI sell retail items up higher than retail stores
I sell retail items lower than retail stores
I sell items priced at 1.99 in 1980s a lot higher
I sell items priced at 20 in 2025 for 10 now.
Nothing is set in stone in a free market. a seller shouldn't be stuck in one pricing mindset.
Some sellers price to near bottom to sell super fast but stuck in never ending cycle of finding deals and burnout.
Some sellers price so high but selling a few items make up the price
Some have a balance inventory of both.
Some are Big Box Retailers
Some are Small Businesses
eBay has a wide variety of all types of sellers
So really cannot group everyone as the same.
luckythewinner
·1 year agoHow is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores?
Because it is a free country, and no one is dictating prices.
Its like going to a flee market and paying more than walmart for an item that was purchased at walmart!
The world is full of examples of people who make bad purchasing decisions.
If I have 100 widgets, I could list them all for $1 each, and hope that 100 people are willing to buy them all. If they do, I have to pack 100 items, ship 100 packages and afterward I have no inventory.
Or, I can list 1 of them for $100, and hope that 1 person buys it. If they do, I only have to pack 1 item and ship 1 package and afterward I still have 99 items in inventory.
eburtonlab
·1 year agoHow is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores?
Many items on eBay are available for a wide range of prices.
Some prices are too-good-to-be-true; those are scams.
Some prices are great deals; they tend to be purchased quickly and disappear.
Some prices are OK, and those items may be bought if there are no better deals available.
Some prices are higher than average; those listings tend to stick around until the seller lowers the price.
Some prices are ridiculously high; often that means the item is out of stock and the seller has raised the price high enough that no one will buy rather than ending the listing and losing the past sale history. If the item becomes available again, the seller will lower the price.
Some prices are high because the seller has unrealistic expectations of profit, and refuses to lower the price or to "lose money". Those items will be listed forever until the seller finally gives up.
Because of all that, prices of active listings tends to skew higher than market prices in many cases. For a better idea of market prices, look at price information shown in the Research tab of seller hub to see what prices items have actually sold for.
toysaver
·1 year agoSupply and demand? Retail prices are only relevant for items that are in stock. In the world at whole most commercial items are out of stock rather than in stock. I have jeans I purchased 20 years ago that to replace I'd have to shop the resale market. Today's fast paced manufacturing is done in limited runs giving specific items a huge opportunity to become scarce and worth more than the original price.
gurlcat
·1 year agoSay a kid wants a certain action figure for their birthday and it's not available for shipping from Walmart, nor is it at the local Walmart store. The parents could drive to more locations to check, but they find it worth paying a few bucks more for definite availability and delivered to their door.
Or say someone gave you an eBay gift card and there's something you want more than anything else, available at both Walmart and on eBay, and it's a few bucks more on eBay but your gift card will cover the total.
aldet_4021
·1 year agoThis is so true, and I think the key is efficiency. For vintage items, I'm always aware that when someone buys something from me for $20, there's a potential that one of their vintage-buying friends will scoff at it and say "You got ripped off, I see those at garage sales for $1." But realistically, the "cost" of driving to 18 garage sales, 7 thrift stores, 3 estate sales, etc. to find the $1 item, in terms of time, gas, hassle, etc. is $50 at least. So purchasing my item with a few clicks is more efficient, cost effective, and cheaper, and it just shows up on their doorstep. No muss, no fuss.
chevymontecarlo88
·1 year agoThis was brought up (was off topic) in another thread recently in regard to Goodwill stores.
$3-$5 items that can be found at your local dollar store for about a buck.
Sometimes eBayers get caught with inventory that was hot at one time (and no longer is) or the manufacture/store has discontinued the item and lowered the price.
Hard to say but you can always send them a message and ask them why.
mamacassidy
·1 year agoOr maybe it's more like Doordash..
You pay the extra for the convenience of shopping online and having it delivered to your door instead of having to leave the house 🙂
farmalljr
·1 year agoMaybe you haven't heard, but most shopping these days includes FREE delivery/shipping. Walmart will, I know that, And you don't even have to have a membership. Most all places I shop online offer free shipping, and I do use that. So pricing high because it has to be shipped, doesn't really make a good excuse.
I know what you were getting at, but the OP makes a good, relevant point. A LOT of things on this platform are jacked up prices and then sellers wonder where the sales went. It's not hard to price shop the internet with Google, and many people do it. There are literally millions of items across this platform not selling, and will not sell. Too many sellers think it's standard practice to buy a $1 item and list it for $100, even though others will list them more reasonably priced. Been a thing since there was an eBay. Most sellers just have not moved out of the stone age though.
Sellers can't blame eBay for that. eBay may set the fees and rules, but they do not set your prices, which is the key factor a buyer will use to decide IF they are even willing to buy a given item. Sellers can be their own worse enemy in that regard. Makes you wonder how many buyers just never even look here anymore because of crazy pricing. Very few things do I come here to look to buy anymore. Between having run into too many bad sellers, or pricing being ridiculously out of whack, it's not really my preferred platform.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoeBay Sellers are not a uniform group. There are many types of people who sell on eBay for many reasons, with many different levels of experience, with many different products. Some of them know how to price effectively and choose to, some know how but choose not to for whatever reasons, some don't know how. Some have ulterior motives and are looking to either scam people or launder money or other illegal activities, but most sellers are honest, just maybe not skilled.
tarotfindsandmore
·1 year agoCosting more than retail isn't always about pricing ineffectively. Many items that are available to buyers in one country or region aren't available to people in other countries. Resellers have to pay eBay fees, so their prices often reflect their cost of goods plus fees (and other expenses such as "free shipping").
Unlike Amazon, many of eBay's sellers are not interested in competing with retailers. The analogy of Wal-Mart to flea market isn't applicable as many people who shop on eBay are coming here for specialty items or things that are just plain unavailable wherever they are.
jonathanbrightlight
·1 year agoYep, I just already said a lot, so I didn't get into the details. You're correct, costing more than a local store doesn't mean it isn't priced effectively, even if it truly is the exact same item. eBay is a worldwide venue.
tarotfindsandmore
·1 year agoApologies, that was mostly intended to support your post and expand on it for the OP. You're a hundred percent correct in the points you raised.
tarotfindsandmore
·1 year agoIf the item is available for less at a retail store, that's where you should buy it.