Exact same product, cheaper price, but never sells. Why?

[macman4623]

Hi,

So I sell some toner. Due to the price, and the large variance in shipping costs, free shipping isn't really a good idea. (Charge $20 w/free shipping, make $8 if someone buys in within 400 miles, someone in CA buys it, lose money).

I've been trying to sell this toner cart for several years. I have ended and reslisted it, sponsored it, had free shipping, charged shipping (shipping cost you see if about the max it can be for anyone in the country).

It WILL NOT SELL. Look at the top listing. The price with shipping is MORE than I'm charging, and its located in the same state. Its almost getting to the point of: Whats wrong with this venue and what tricks do  I have to do to get it to sell without losing money on it? I have some other printer stuff that sells almost every day at prices higher than mine - and yet never sells.

 

[titipeo]

Here is my though, maybe potential buyers feel this is a bait and switch, cheap price but high shipping, they may question the quality of the toner, as opposed to the competitor, which is pricing it at a reasonable amount. Have you though of offering yours at $22.25 or @$21.75 with free shipping? try to match or undercut your competition. 

[macman4623]

I've tried a lot of things, even free shipping, but never seems to sell.

[macman4623]

I had a new idea. I made free shipping, and best offer, but then mentioned in the listing that I probably won't budge on the price if you aren't somewhat near to my shipping location. 

[ittybitnot]

I had a new idea. I made free shipping, and best offer, but then mentioned in the listing that I probably won't budge on the price if you aren't somewhat near to my shipping location. 

@macman4623 

That might not work out since a buyer can select ANY address when making the payment.  They just might decide to ship it to their grandmother ten states away. 

[luckythewinner]

The listing that sells has a different UPC code listed in the item specifics than yours. A search using just his UPC code turns up twice as many listings as your UPC code. 

His lsiting also has more item specifics, and much better pictures that show the UPC code.  Also, many listings for that cartridge seem to have "645A" in the title, but yours does not.  

[macman4623]

That does help. I had 2 UPCs in the listing, one that was right, and another that must have gotten moved from a template.

The 645A is the newer revised part number. I was always just searching for "C9703A" and forgot that others may be searching for the revised number.

[macman4623]

Whoops, 645A is for the "C9730A", not the "C9703A" that I'm selling. Apparently its a big goof that is all over the place and the toner is not going to work out if they are buying it.

Turns out mine is actually 121A. 

[transamcc]

It really does not matter........If they are HP oem cartridges manufactured more than 48 months prior to sale, it has less than 10% chance of working anyway. They will NOT KEEP FOREVER. 36 to 50 months is the shelf life whether or not it has been opened!! I purchased 8 "NOS " HP laserjet cartridges on ebay in one year. The best one printed 47 pages before failing. 6 were dead on arrival, and one printed 6 pages . I am now 1200 pages into a newly remanufactured aftermarket cartridge and going strong.   I am retired from 36 years of computer repair!

[macman4623]

"They will NOT KEEP FOREVER."

My printer I print labels with is a Compaq Pagemarq 15 from 1992. (its actually got an Ethernet jack if you can believe that) I replace the cartridge about every 3-4 years (I print around 2,500 labels a year). Typically doesn't run out of toner, it just starts streaking. The toner it uses was made back in the 90's. 

I made a lot of money over the years selling surplus toner. A lot of it was 5-10 years old. Rarely had any complaints. Been finding less and less surplus toner - really unsure what the change is.