Evaluating an item

[mayf-166]

Just starting to sell and am baffled at disparities in prices on a particular item. In this instance, it's a Ty beanie baby 'kuku', which on ebay shows valuations ranging from $50 up to 5,000. When I view same item on Amazon, the prices range from $1 up, but many for 5,6 dollars. I just don't understand the differences. Help, anyone!

[chapeau-noir]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

On AddAll ,which conglomerates dozens of booksellers and which I use for comps, I've noticed that when a relatively common paperback has an insanely high asking price It is usually on Amazon.

One reason may be placeholding, but I think fat fingers and typos are equally likely.

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I suspect that's there, too.  But for instance, I was looking for a copy (good to very good) of Alexander Pope's early prose.  On Alibris (pre-Amazon ownership) there was a copy for $450.  ABE had a copy for about $400, Amazon had a copy for about that price.  I hunted around on eBay and jumped on one for $25, which I thought was a more realistic price from what I know about books.  I have no idea if those other two sellers were dreaming or were just hopefully throwing jello at a wall. 

[anjie234]

Hi there!  I know exactly what you mean.

I think there's something a bit 'fishy' going on with those beanies that sell

for  thousands of dollars.  Many times if you look at the name of the seller, it will

show zero for feedback ratings, AND if you go look at their sold listings, there's only

one!  (as if they are a brand new seller and only sold that ONE item). It's weird. 

I'm thinking maybe they are trying to 'set precedence' so to speak. I don't really know.

Also, the whole "ERRORS on Tags" thing...   It's all a bunch of **bleep**! I researched this

extensively! (and was pretty sad about it too!  lol).  Here's the deal...  

There ARE some errors that the TY company made on tags, BUT those errors were

printed on THOUSANDS of tags, therefore they are not unique or special or rare.

Then there's the hang tags that go through 1st through 5th generation...  None of 

them actually make any beanie more valuable than another (1st gens are just older!).

There are a few beanies that are worth some money (not anywhere near $1,000's),

and they truly are rare.

Hope that helps a little.  Anjela

[luckythewinner]

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@mayf-166 wrote:

Just starting to sell and am baffled at disparities in prices on a particular item.

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Setting your own prices is one of the benefits of living in a democracy. 

That aside ... 

Sellers have many reasons for setting high prices on an item, either temporarily or permanently. Some of those reasons have nothing to do with actually expecting to sell the item at that price. 

[1tuna]

this is a very good example of something that sells in a tight range.in your example above it can easily be seen that there are no real sales at around the $12 mark.  that tells me that this particular BB is going for less than $12.

if opportunities to get this beanie baby are being passd on at 12 then it does not have much upside.

 with fast reserach it can be determined that the market is under 12 for this item and supply is plentiful