"Scalping"

[marcipolett0]

Is anyone aware that sellers are selling New items above retail? For example, it is common for sellers of books to purchase books at retail, only to sell them at a higher cost than retail. Any ideas????

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Internet marketplaces have many sellers who are trying to sell NEW items at more than retail.

Some are selling items which are not NEW,

Some are buying from other retailers and believe that if there are no lower prices on that marketplaces they can get their high prices.

Some are planning to order from another retailer if they get a buyer and it costs them nothing to list.

It is no surprise that some of them actually sell some items. The are people who do not know what anything should cost.

[slati_2013]

Hmmmm. I think you do not understand what eBay is all about. You discovery is like finding out there is gambling going on in a casino. 

[mam98031]

@marcipolett0 

There are MANY things selling on Ebay above their retail price, since the start of Ebay.  Same is true of other similar sites.

First you are Assuming sellers purchase items at full retail prices.  That would be very unusual and hard to make any money on most things purchased at full retail.  

I don't purchase ANY of my books at Full Retail.  And many of the books I sell are OOP [out of production], so whatever stock is floating around out there is all the stock there is.  Which will allow sellers to get a higher than retail price for the books.

Pricing for the most part on Ebay is what the Market will tolerate.  It's always been that wayl

On a side note, it isn't a good idea to start your Auctions out at prices that are LESS than your costs.  Not if your goal is to make a viable little business here.  Marking up your shipping to help cover the differences isn't good either.  

While you have been fortunate that your auctions get bid up so you aren't losing money on any one listing, but that day will change at some point and there is simply no good reason to risk it.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@marcipolett0 wrote:

Is anyone aware that sellers are selling New items above retail? For example, it is common for sellers of books to purchase books at retail, only to sell them at a higher cost than retail. Any ideas????

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It's completely legal! 

[sapphire_studio]

That's capitalism baby. If it's priced too high it won't sell. Don't waste your emotional energy on how other people price their items.

[simba6]

Prices in venues like this vary as the crow flies.  You can get a great buy or your clock cleaned.  Got to check prices in as many venues as you can to insure the best value.

[1786davycrockett]

@marcipolett0 

Since all of the OP's current listings are auction items, does the OP plan to cut off bids as soon as a potential buyer meets the current retail price on each item?

I have my doubts.

[chowpit36iw]

I don't think you invoked the emotional response you were hoping for. Think of every toy fad over the decades since eBay came online and sellers selling them far above retail. 

[reallynicestamps]

I had a seven year old the year that Cabbage Patch Dolls were The Thing.

She got hers for Christmas and I only paid the MSRP, but there were parents paying double or even triple because they hadn't started looking soon enough.

It wasn't even a matter of supply.

In her Grade Two picture that year every girl had a CPD posed on her lap.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@reallynicestamps wrote:

I had a seven year old the year that Cabbage Patch Dolls were The Thing.

She got hers for Christmas and I only paid the MSRP, but there were parents paying double or even triple because they hadn't started looking soon enough.

It wasn't even a matter of supply.

In her Grade Two picture that year every girl had a CPD posed on her lap.

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And that was in the early 80s (1983) -- pre-internet! People were buying and selling through the local newspaper want ads! 

[dirk12955]

I had a shop during the Beanie baby craze.    I would purchase any Beanie for $6.00 at one point.

$6.00 for any Beanie and $10.00 for any Beanie Bear which was OVER retail.

I sold them for $9.95 and $14.95 and traded thousands before dumping them.

Supply and demand and capitalism at its most extreme.  

[luckythewinner]

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@marcipolett0 wrote:

Is anyone aware that sellers are selling New items above retail? For example, it is common for sellers of books to purchase books at retail, only to sell them at a higher cost than retail. Any ideas????

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Sure.

It's a free country.

If you don't like the price then don't buy.

Buying an item and reselling at a higher price is how retail has worked for thousands of years. 

[ebeths_eclectic_collectibles]

Last fall certain ugg styles were promoted by influencers and nonexistent in stores. Yes, they were selling at a premium on Ebay

[rugerskick]

What about all the old stuff people mark as vintage or rare and sell for far more than it ever sold for new, twenty, forty to 50 years ago?  What's up with that?  How is that allowed?