Overpriced

[bsal6160]

Has anyone else noticed how items on Ebay appear to be getting more expensive these days. I think a lot of sellers now have an over-inflated sense of value of the items they are trying to sell. Its almost at the point where its cheaper, if not the same price, to buy it from a main stream shop nowadays.

[*sparklz*]

You might find a lot of sellers on ebay are running a business and like a B&M store they also have overheads that are to be factored into their sale price.

A lot of people can not just go to the shops as they are in remote areas so ebay or any online shopping is the easiest and best option for them.

[ausfast]

Not sure what type of products you're referring to but I find it still to be much cheaper on eBay than B&M stores... for most products I look into.

Are you talking about branded goods?

[digital*ghost]

Has anyone else noticed how items on Ebay appear to be getting more expensive these days. I think a lot of sellers now have an over-inflated sense of value of the items they are trying to sell. Its almost at the point where its cheaper, if not the same price, to buy it from a main stream shop nowadays.

If the items are at similar prices elsewhere, I don't think it's possible that the sellers on eBay have an over-inflated sense of value...unless you're suggesting that because it's on eBay, it's worth less than what you'd pay somewhere else?

True enough, it was once a case of 'get it cheaper on eBay', but eBay seems to want to move away from the image of cheap / discount / clearance, they want to be a global online shopping mall and real shopping malls are aware of and competing with eBay now, so it's not just a case of eBay getting more expensive, but B&M retail getting a little cheaper, too.

Plus, it's a bit of a viscious cycle I suppose...people are spending less, other things are costing more, which often means sellers can't afford to offer larger discounts because the volume of sales still won't absorb it if they do.

[patchoo78]

I noticed the opposite.. A lot of the items I'm looking at are quite cheap but the postage was extortionate

[ausfast]

I noticed the opposite.. A lot of the items I'm looking at are quite cheap but the postage was extortionate

Yes exactly... I find that postage prices are the one of the major contributing factors in making online shopping in australia too expensive. Australia Post has a monopoly for postal services so they keep increasing their prices of their services.

At times I feel like I am a subsidiary department of Australia Post. They seems to get a large chunk of my turnover leaving me with little profit.

[davewil1964]

I notice that dropshipper TRSs can land brand new books in country for the same price I can sell a used one.

I still sell the odd one though.

Maybe proper descriptions and in-country service count for something.

[patchoo78]

I would be more likely to buy a book from Aus.. When I want a book, I want it now! Other stuff can wait

[lyndal1838]

I buy books from whatever source that I can get it cheapest. I have found from experience that often books arrive from overseas quicker than they arrive from Aussie sellers in the same city as I am in.

I recently bought a book from a non ebay seller in the UK, and 2 books from ebay sellers in Sydney...all Free Postage, all books in stock, ready for immediate dispatch.  The UK purchase arrived several days before the local purchases.

BTW, the local purchases were from the ebay stores of major book retailers and they were cheaper (and free postage) than walking into the store and buying.

Is it any wonder that people buy on-line instead of travelling to a store.

[bluecaramello]

I agree with you, prices have increased and it also seems that some of the quality has gone down the toilet to, but so has retail stuff particulary in the region i live in.

It makes me wonder that i myself have started to not buy stuff regardless of the price because the quality is s*!t, i have done that a lot lately and i know others that are doing the same, eventually this is going to have a hug impact on the enconomy as i'd rather keep my money in my pocket then waste it on cheap,nasty, crap imported junk.