Does ebay buy items at lower prices in order to sell them at higher prices later?

[katzrul15]

E-Bay doesn't sell anything.   The site is comprised of 3rd party sellers - very different platform than the behemoth.

[bearswatching]

eBay doesn’t buy or sell anything. 

[onefootflipper]

Ebay themselves? No, Ebay doesn't buy anything.

Do Ebay users do that? Certainly. 

I bought dozens of Foil 8th Edition Shivan Dragons and Nightmares back when they were a few bucks figuring that since the 7th edition versions skyrocketed in price then the 8th edition ones would eventually do the same. They have since done so. 

And sometimes I just look through the listings of things for auction and am able to win things that I can immediately relist for more money and sell.

[mtgraves7984]

eBay doesn't buy or sell. eBay sellers try to buy low and sell higher, though.

[drkurl2 · Accepted solution]

thank you for your answer. unless the item will double in value or something. you will barely make any money on ebay, especially if this will involve holding the item. with tax and ebays cut, you must sell the item with at least a 40% over what you paid to make any meaningful gain. add to that all the time spent monitoring the items

[pburn]

---

@drkurl2 wrote:

thank you for your answer. unless the item will double in value or something. you will barely make any money on ebay, especially if this will involve holding the item. with tax and ebays cut, you must sell the item with at least a 40% over what you paid to make any meaningful gain. add to that all the time spent monitoring the items

---

I suspect @onefootflipper knows what s/he is doing. I also suppose s/he is fully aware of eBay's selling-fee structure.

If you have educated yourself on the nuances of selling on this platform, perhaps you could make this practice work for you, too.

If this does not sound like it would be complementary to your business model, don't do it.

[richardwillardcollection]

Of course this is a complete fantasy beyond the realm of normal thinking.

[sakic92710]

Sellers can list & hope for 20-25% profit, at best but then, after the items stagnant here for months or longer, we only hope for our money back.

[onefootflipper]

---

@pburn wrote:

---

@drkurl2 wrote:

thank you for your answer. unless the item will double in value or something. you will barely make any money on ebay, especially if this will involve holding the item. with tax and ebays cut, you must sell the item with at least a 40% over what you paid to make any meaningful gain. add to that all the time spent monitoring the items

---

I suspect @onefootflipper knows what s/he is doing. I also suppose s/he is fully aware of eBay's selling-fee structure.

If you have educated yourself on the nuances of selling on this platform, perhaps you could make this practice work for you, too.

If this does not sound like it would be complementary to your business model, don't do it.

---

Yes, I specialize in trading cards in general and I am absolutely an expert in the subcategory of Magic the Gathering cards. I will buy and part out lots of all sorts of cards, but Magic cards are the only ones I know well enough to buy single cards online and be very sure I can resell them for more later. 

Now anyone can get lucky just finding something listed for $20 that regularly sells for $100. However that is so labor intensive that I don't do it. I buy lots and I will search out specific items (cards) that I believe will appreciate greatly in price in the future. Even then I only speculate in what I consider to be the safest gaming card categories, which is Magic the Gathering from 1993-1995 era, and foil (Shiny) Magic the Gathering cards from 2012 or older. The first category is is because no reprints will ever replace the original and the second category is because those cards are much, much rarer than most collectors understand and all of them eventually spike in price.

I am sure there are other opportunities in other areas that people may be experts in, but I only speculate in relatively safe areas that I am an expert in. Otherwise I do what most other sellers do, buy stuff whenever I can, mostly not from ebay and then sell it on ebay for more.

[soh.maryl]

eBay doesn't buy anything at any price.  

[katzrul15]

You gave yourself the solution on a question that made no sense to begin with?  🙄

Welcome to Monday on the Boards....

[fab_finds4u]

Why in da squat do op's mark their own replies as solved? 

Why ask if they already know the answer that trips their trigger, lol, their own post!?!

[little.font.lord.leroy]

In the old days, in the used goods stores (antiques, collectibles) you wanted a 4X mark up for what you bought, because of the time involved in finding items  and then, like you said, stocking, but also cleaning and keeping shop hours. Now, people buy from eBay and sell that same item on eBay (called dirtying your nest) and do it without leaving their home. 

Some sellers do it as a hobby and are happy with a meager profit above what they spent (40%, say) which doesn't pay  much for their time (if they punched a time clock every time they got on the computer or packaged an item for sale or went to a thrift shop). Sadly, as a career, many would make more money per hour working part time as a  cashier at Home Depot.

[katzrul15]

---

@fab_finds4u wrote:

Why in da squat do op's mark their own replies as solved? 

Why ask if they already know the answer that trips their trigger, lol, their own post!?!

---

Exactly.

Have never understood why an OP has the ability to mark their post as the solution to begin with.  They should remove that feature.....lol