Pricing

[snow2hi2c]

How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores? 

Its like going to a flee market and paying more than walmart for an item that was purchased at walmart! 

[stephenmorgan]

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@snow2hi2c wrote:

How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores? 

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How is it that two retailers near each other charge different prices?

[iamalwaysright]

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@snow2hi2c wrote:

How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores? 

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Two words: Pokemon cards.

*mic drop*

[williammm2]

I agree. I know many people, that when they shop online, they only look at Ebay and Amazon. It's like they don't even know there are other options...

[chapeau-noir]

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@iamalwaysright wrote:

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@snow2hi2c wrote:

How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores? 

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Two words: Pokemon cards.

*mic drop*

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Huh?

[johnrj1226]

I've very  often have found that a gallon of milk or a 6 pack of the  same beer have different prices at all the different stores in our  neighborhood.  And  gasoline  is different to - what is going on???

 Ya' find  that Ford dealer just 10 miles apart  have different prices too for some model, same features same with  Same thing with chicken eggs.

Simple answer - The USA is a "Free Market Economy" - been that way for eons.  Some countries the  Governments control prices - not a good thing with no completion.

[fbusoni]

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@snow2hi2c wrote:

How is it that ebay sellers want to charge more for items than retail stores? 

Its like going to a flee market and paying more than walmart for an item that was purchased at walmart! 

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@snow2hi2c 

One foul phenomenon that I do not think has been mentioned are those sellers who drop ship.

There was one on here yesterday complaining in essay form about eBay; meantime he was selling items for up to $50 more than they could be purchased at AMZ (which was his source).

Then there is this:  items that are sold in retail stores in quantity, and a buyer on eBay wants only one.  I had a buyer who wanted to purchase a single porcelain coffee mug from me, but my listing was for a brand new set of four.   If I broke up the set of four, the price for the single mug was going to go up in price (significantly), and the buyer was ok with that (she even thought that she got a bargain).  

I ended up selling all four individually for far more than I would have sold them as a set.  

This method of selling also is quite common, for example, in flatware, bone china, etc.. 

PS: I did enjoy your Freudian slip -- "flee market."  

[jg.mason]

Say there are two gas stations one on each side of the street. One is selling their gas for 20 cents a gallon more than the other. Why do I see people buying gas at the gas station that is more expensive?

[fbusoni]

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@jg.mason wrote:

Say there are two gas stations one on each side of the street. One is selling their gas for 20 cents a gallon more than the other. Why do I see people buying gas at the gas station that is more expensive?

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@jg.mason 

Because the nearest U-turn is five miles up the road?

[jg.mason]

🤣Or the coffees better?

[varebelrose]

Items like that are likely being sold by drop shippers. It costs more than Walmart because when you order it here, the seller orders it from walmart/amazon/lowes/temu/etc., adds 10-20% profit margin on it, and has it shipped to you. That is why new, consumer type items are best purchased by doing a search for the best price, not just looking at any one website.

[aldet_4021]

This is so true, and I think the key is efficiency. For vintage items, I'm always aware that when someone buys something from me for $20, there's a potential that one of their vintage-buying friends will scoff at it and say "You got ripped off, I see those at garage sales for $1." But realistically, the "cost" of driving to 18 garage sales, 7 thrift stores, 3 estate sales, etc. to find the $1 item, in terms of time, gas, hassle, etc. is $50 at least. So purchasing my item with a few clicks is more efficient, cost effective, and cheaper, and it just shows up on their doorstep. No muss, no fuss. 

[iamalwaysright]

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@jg.mason wrote:

Say there are two gas stations one on each side of the street. One is selling their gas for 20 cents a gallon more than the other. Why do I see people buying gas at the gas station that is more expensive?

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I once asked a friend why she always does this (buying the more expensive gas of two adjacent gas stations), or even my wife who buys the gas across the street from her work at a whopping 60 cents/gal higher than another gas station (same brand of gas) literally on her way closer to home.

They both answered the same, “I don’t know”. So it’s likely they weren’t thinking and just acting on impulse or don’t really care about the price.

[pickapaper]

I remember a thread a while back (sorry, I don't remember all the details so I am paraphrasing a bit), from a buyer who was complaining that a baking dish that Aldi's was selling for whatever amount it was, was being sold on eBay for two to three times that amount.  She was not happy about it, and was complaining profusely that it was price gouging.   Turns out that she wanted one of the baking dishes really badly but all of the Aldi's were sold out of it so the only place it was available was on line at inflated prices.  She thought it terribly unfair because she couldn't get one at Aldi's price.   

I always call this the "I've got it and you don't and if you want it badly enough, you will have to pay my price for it" syndrome.

[luckythewinner]

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@fbusoni wrote:

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@jg.mason wrote:

Say there are two gas stations one on each side of the street. One is selling their gas for 20 cents a gallon more than the other. Why do I see people buying gas at the gas station that is more expensive?

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@jg.mason 

Because the nearest U-turn is five miles up the road?

Or the coffees better?

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• Or they go there out of habit
• Or they have a rewards card
• Or their parents always went there and told them it was better
• Or they perceive one as more trustworthy
• Or they perceive one as being low quality
• Or one has  car wash and the other doesn't
• Or one has free air
• Or one has better bathrooms
• Or their spouse said "no, go there!"

etc.

[gurlcat]

I wonder if we're remembering the same thread. -There was one about an Aldi's item, but I vaguely remember it being a bread maker, and I'm picturing it red for some reason, ha. 

Anyway the OP was utterly rippin' hellcats about how much higher it was selling on eBay than at Aldi's.  I can't remember if she just obseved this fact, or if she wanted one and found out her local Aldi's ran out of stock before she could buy one.  I feel like it was a very entertaining thread overall.  🤣

Anyway a brand new Aldi's just opened in my neighborhood less than a month ago.  I think I'll check them out!!