eBay

thebookhill · ‎06-12-2022

This never happened to me before Covid.

In the last year, I have encountered bait and switch at 3 different Friends of the library sales.

1. Advertised a $10 bag sale. Went there and was told they are selling the brand new (empty) FOL bags for $10 each, and were accepting "donations" for they books I wanted to buy. Tried to get them to say an acceptable donation price per book, but all I got was nudge nudge wink wink. And, I do mean they elbowed me, when they nudged nudged winked winked. I made an offer for what I had and was countered with 4-5 times more. I got the price to half way between. Left there feeling bruised.

2. Called before going. Yes, there is a media bag sale the day after the book bag sale. Arrived early, and there were only 4 of us buyers waiting to get in. Their place had mostly commons, but I felt I could still manage at least 2 bags, depending on the bag size. Went to the check out desk and ask for a bag. The woman said that there is no bag sale, that if you read the ad carefully you would know that there was no bag sale. I said I called and she said she answered every call about the sale and she told no one that there was a bag sale. Then, she said that it didn't mattered that since I was already there, she knew that I would buy stuff anyways. I had to ask her and her 6 helpers to get out of my way to get out the door and leave.

3. Yesterday. I had called on Friday, and yesterday, (Saturday June 11 2022) I drove 2 hours after paying $4.99 a gallon for gas to the latest Bait & Switch. I had arrived early, and was greeted warmly. The library was open and the sale would start in a half hour. Was told to go ahead and look but don't stack while I waited for the start of the sale. They had only commons, and even with very careful pulling I might not be able to fill a bag. Went back to the woman who had greeted me, and ask her what size bag. She is polite and all smiles, and says that they had decided not to have a bag sale and they were charging $1 a dvd and $2 a book. I told her the I had called to confirm that there was a bag sale just yesterday (Friday), and she countered with "Well, in that case, once I see what you have I'll take some off the final price." I told her that I had to go out to my truck for a while. I left.

Is this getting to be the new normal?

ckimodog · ‎06-12-2022

Did this occur on ebay or just locally?

thebookhill · ‎06-12-2022

Perhaps, my post wasn't clear?

Many sellers go to yard sales, estate sales, FOL sales, etc to buy items to sell on eBay.

eBay sellers used to talk about what happened while buying for resale.

I apologize for my posting if that is no longer the case.

maxine*j · ‎06-12-2022

I never encountered the exact situations you describe but, in general, yes, FOL sales have changed a lot in the past decade or so, in my experience, too.

I think it's partly because the pressure is really on for the sales to make money, as libraries have been hit with budget cuts. It used to be more casual, with the idea as mucn to get the shelves cleared and books into the hands of readers as to make money. Success was usually measured by how many books were gone, rather than how much money came in. I also remember when whatever was raised went for "extras" at the libraries, not operations.

I think it's partly because, in fact, fewer people want print books or DVDs, so the FOL sales are less well-attended than they used to be, and there's pressure to get more per item since fewer books will sell.

I think it's partly because libraries have necessarily turned their backs on print books for their patrons, concentrating on computer stations, e- and audio-books, community programming and events. That has left a fair number of FOL volunteers with the idea, evidently, that all print books are now "collectibles" and should fetch prices accordingly.

I could go on, but those are just a couple of observations.

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soh.maryl · ‎06-12-2022

Thank goodness, the FOL book sale at my local library is still conducted much as it has always been and I know this because I am a member of the Friends of the Library there.

People still buy books. Children's and cookbooks are especially good sellers. One woman buys literally bushels of books and ships to a mission in Africa, although, given the rise in shipping costs, not sure she still does that. There is another who looks for Bibles in various languages. I am one of the best customers for CDs. The sale does quite well. It coincides sometimes with various local festivals, and our library is across from the lake/park where most of the festivities take place.

thebookhill · ‎06-12-2022

I agree with all that you say. Libraries are having a rough time time financially.

I guess my real question got lost in my long post.

Here is the shorter version:

I see an ad for a library book sale. It says that on the last day they will have a bag sale for $x.xx
I call to check that they are really having a bag sale. The person who answers the phone tells me yes.
When I get to the sale, they are not having bag sale. They are charging full price.

Is this getting to be the new normal?
Or, did I just go to 3 bad sales?

maxine*j · ‎06-12-2022

@thebookhill wrote:
I agree with all that you say. Libraries are having a rough time time financially.

I guess my real question got lost in my long post.

Here is the shorter version:
I see an ad for a library book sale. It says that on the last day they will have a bag sale for $x.xx
I call to check that they are really having a bag sale. The person who answers the phone tells me yes.
When I get to the sale, they are not having bag sale. They are charging full price.

Is this getting to be the new normal?
Or, did I just go to 3 bad sales?

Well, I am sorry that I could not answer your real question except to say, as I did, that I have not encountered that. Therefore, I have no way to know if it's "the new normal" or not.

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mrdutch1001 · ‎06-12-2022

Sorry to dampen the atmosphere here, but I believe these forums are for eBay related problems/issues/discussions of situations pertaining to selling on eBay...

Not sure if there is a chitchat forum anymore for what you have posted, but that would be where you would need to post anything non-eBay related.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎06-12-2022

@thebookhill Well, it isn't the new normal at my local library. I haven't had time to get to too many other library sales lately, but those I've been to all honored their discounts. And in some cases provided previously unannounced deals. Most (not all) library sales are run by volunteers, and a lot depends on who is actually running the sale the day you are there. I suspect you just ran into some bad luck....I don't think that you encountered the "new normal." But like I say, I haven't been to a huge number recently.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎06-12-2022

@mrdutch1001 Isn't sourcing inventory part of the selling business?

This is a seller asking about changes he is worried about related to sourcing. MANY ebay sellers source at Library Book sales. In fact, my local library just had a sale, and our "Friends Members Only Preview" was primarily composed of resellers (who paid for an annual membership at the door).

maxine*j · ‎06-12-2022

@soh.maryl wrote:
Thank goodness, the FOL book sale at my local library is still conducted much as it has always been and I know this because I am a member of the Friends of the Library there.
People still buy books. Children's and cookbooks are especially good sellers. One woman buys literally bushels of books and ships to a mission in Africa, although, given the rise in shipping costs, not sure she still does that. There is another who looks for Bibles in various languages. I am one of the best customers for CDs. The sale does quite well. It coincides sometimes with various local festivals, and our library is across from the lake/park where most of the festivities take place.

I'm glad to hear that. My library will accept as donations only "new or like-new bestsellers from 2020 and later, and new or like-new DVDs." That's it. And those things go immediately onto the sales carts.

With every renovation and rearrangement, shelving for print books has been eliminated to accomodate more computer stations and more room for events. It now has half, or less than half, of the print books it used to carry.

Since I'm still a print book reader, I don't use the library now. I do not feel welcome, for one thing, because I'm not there as a "participant" in one of their endless events / programs / social get-togethers. And I have my own computers, so I don't need theirs. No, I'm just there to browse around the print books, and that's evidently become weird to the younger generation now in charge.

And my late husband and I used to be donors, as well as patrons.

Things change.

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titipeo · ‎06-12-2022

Are these places that you've gone before, or new ones, and you have not experienced their way of doing FOL.

Certainly bait and switch, if bag is listed on the flyer, maybe point that out, but if nothing is mentioned, guess you don't have a foot to stand. Just because someone confirmed it on the phone, is not necessarily truthful, as sometimes those answering the phone may not know the scope of event, and may just tell you what you want to hear to get you to come in.

maxine*j · ‎06-12-2022

@mrdutch1001 wrote:
Sorry to dampen the atmosphere here, but I believe these forums are for eBay related problems/issues/discussions of situations pertaining to selling on eBay...
Not sure if there is a chitchat forum anymore for what you have posted, but that would be where you would need to post anything non-eBay related.

Well, then report it to the mods, if you believe it to be "inappropriate content." I'm not an arbiter of that, myself.

=

thebookhill · ‎06-12-2022

All 3 advertised on the web, and each had the listing on their individual library's website, and I had called to confirm that the sale was still happening.

These were places that I had never been to before.

And, I will not be going back to them.

I do admit that I did not print out the webpage.