Pricing - Where is the Reality?

[no_zero369]

Background:  Have been looking for a soundbar for a TV.  Shopping around and see a wide range of prices.  I have identified one model and have been searching using that model number alone to avoid cross comparison issues.

Observation:  Prices on eBay are WAY off the chart.

Question:  Are sellers that clueless or greedy and are buyers that uninformed?

So started looking for the sound bar late last year, so after BF deals.  Right now I can buy the soundbar from Amazon and Target (perhaps Walmart too) for about $79.  That is brand new, factory sealed box.

So searching on eBay right now [ and this is typical of what I have seen ] I find 127 on offer.  Sort by lowest price.

First 60 are remote controls or power supplies. That leaves 62

Below the price Target offers ($79) there are only 9 on offer!  Huh?  Thought eBay was the place for low price?

Problem is that a majority of those 9 are "refurbished", New(other), or Pre-Owned

-  of the pre-owned or New (other) listings most are missing something: the remote, cables or power supply.

-  not sure it makes sense to buy pre-owned electronics?

-  descriptions are sparse, thin or non existent.

-  oh and several sellers have such terrible feedback that buying from them would be a considerable risk.

So on offer are 53 soundbars that are priced ABOVE what one can find online or source locally!  Prices range from the $80s up to $188!

What is going on?  Are sellers that greedy?  Are buyers that clueless?

[7606dennis]

The reality is that the seller is the one that gets to set the price and the buyer is the one that gets to decide if they want to buy it.

You have probably heard it said that everyone wants something for nothing.  Of course, you may also remember having heard it said that you get what you pay for.  So gather as much data as you can about the item and weigh it carefully before making your purchasing decision.

[mudshark61369]

@no_zero369,

  "Right now I can buy the soundbar from Amazon and Target (perhaps Walmart too) for about $79.  That is brand new, factory sealed box".

Of course you can probably find it for less from retailers who buy thousands of units to stock their stores with. They pay less so you pay less, but they still make their markup goal on the sale.

 "Huh?  Thought eBay was the place for low price? ... What is going on?  Are sellers that greedy?  Are buyers that clueless"?

Where did you get the idea ebay was the place for low price?  Sometimes ebay sellers do have lower prices than can be found locally or on other sites.  The other sites have differing prices as well. Making a profit is not being greedy, it is the way business works. None of the online sites would be in business if all they did was break even.

[southernsun-56]

The seller probably bought it for $79, are they not allowed to make a profit?

Bottom feeders really have ruined this place...

[no_zero369]

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@southernsun-56 wrote:
The seller probably bought it for $79, are they not allowed to make a profit?

Bottom feeders really have ruined this place...

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Huh?  Are you calling me a bottom feeder?  SERIOUSLY?

I have nothing against anyone making a profit.  The sellers selling at $79 are apparently making a profit.

But why would any fully informed buyer pay a premium?  Why pay $99, or $188, when all things are equal and one can purchase at $79?   If I can get it shipped to me by a Big Box store or Mega Online retailer or pick it up locally while running errands, why would I pay MORE for the item? 

Often I will pay a premium at a local store for the simple fact that I value the customer service: advice in helping select the right item, in spite of what I think I might need.   But when I have done my own research and decided on an item, then I am shopping on price & delivery.     Why do I need to apologize for being an informed consumer and exhibiting economic behaviors?

[no_zero369]

@mudshark61369

I respect your posts and contributions too much, so don't take this as contrary.

But I have to respond, kinda of tongue-in-cheek to this:

Where did you get the idea ebay was the place for low price?

er, um, ah..... FROM EBAY!   

Seems like we are constantly bombarded by messages (lowest price! price guarantee, etc), that after numerous repeats, have the effect of driving the "impression" that was given.

[southernsun-56]

You want it cheap, go where it's cheap. Dont whine about sellers needing to make a profit.

[no_zero369]

Just joined the community today?  LOL!

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@no_zero369 wrote:

Question:  Are sellers that clueless or greedy Sometimes yes and are buyers that uninformed? Sometimes yes

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Sellers can set any price they want for an item. Not all sellers have business sense. Not all sellers sell for a living and don't care if they're competitive. Some sellers are greedy.  Some sellers are truly clueless.

Same with buyers. Some come to Ebay without shopping around and comparing prices, because they think Ebay always has the lowest price, which is far from the truth.

Ebay is and always has been caveat emptor - buyer beware.  If a buyer is price sensitive, they need to window shop before buying.

[no_zero369]

All good points SST, and I agree.

I guess I am shocked by the depth/breath of sellers of this item that are above other easily identifiable & viable options.

Here I sit ready willing and able to buy on eBay, with money burning a hole in my pocket, but no seller is in the realm of competitive.  That certainly is their prerogative.  Not sure how long I should wait or if I should wait at all or vote my dollars elsewhere.

It is certainly an interesting dynamic.

btw - when I sell, I do research other venues, other similar items on offer on eBay and eBay's solds before setting a price.

[redline_auto_llc]

Here's a question, have you looked at sold listings? There's a big difference between the price that is being asked and the price that is being paid. I can go list a Civic headlight for $1,000, does that mean it will sell? Absolutely not. The price that is being asked is completely irrelevant.

[hillbillymedia]

I `m not understanding the dilemma here. If someone buys an item for $79 they obviously can`t sell it at a profit on ebay for the same $79.

[eburtonlab]

@no_zero369

Here I sit ready willing and able to buy on eBay, with money burning a hole in my pocket, but no seller is in the realm of competitive. 

If the prices on eBay fall in a range above and below the average price, what will happen is that the items priced below the average will be bought quickly and disappear, and the items priced above will stick around unsold. If a buyer doesn't spot the low-priced items during the brief time they are available, (or fails to check all the sold listings) that buyer may get a distorted view of the price since only the overpriced items that haven't sold are easy to see. But you have checked the sold listings, and that apparently does not explain the price difference here.

One other reason why Target and Amazon might have a lower price is if the price has changed recently. Perhaps there is a new model available, and the manufacturer is phasing out the old model and dropping the suggested retail price. Retailers have an incentive to track prices and make changes quickly, since they will potentially be selling lots of units. An eBay seller may have only one or two of that particular item acquired long ago and then listed on eBay, and may not be actively following MSR price changes.

This can work both ways; if the price rises at Amazon and Target, slow-to-react eBay sellers may be offering bargain prices for the savvy buyers who notice the change in price elsewhere.

[creekcoyote]

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@hillbillymedia wrote:

I `m not understanding the dilemma here. If someone buys an item for $79 they obviously can`t sell it at a profit on ebay for the same $79.

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But that doesn't seem to register with some buyers. 

When I was running a small B&M store, we had to PAY, for a re-saleable product, at the same price the local hardware store ( part of a chain) was selling the exact  same item.  Because we were such a low volume store, we could not get the price break that the chain store was able to get. 

[no_zero369]

FWIW - not every post here is a problem that needs a solution.  Sometimes, just an observation seeking intelligent discussion.