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.

[skinnyshrek]

yes i agree and the postage in Australia is ridiculous!

[papermoon.lady]

I find postage is too high sometimes, particularly from overseas, but it is not really the seller's fault. However, it does deter me from buying certain items.

As far as books are concerned, I mostly buy them at book sales, where you can find real bargains, although they are usually a bit too crowded... We also have a new shop here where all books are 5 dollars (new, even if the price on the book is over 30 dollars sometimes), and some are really good.

[phorum_junkie*]

When I want a book, I want it now!

Which is why I love my Kindle 😉

[thesoulyearns]

Depends what you're looking for. Still plenty of bargains to be found on eBay.

[the3coopers]

There are a couple of things at play. Firstly, eBay is encouraging Stores, and it's far cheaper to list for 30 days in a Store than 7 days as an Auction.

So, sellers can put up a high price and just wait it out - costs almost nothing (especially for media like books at 5c per month).

The "urgency" of the auction format is fading, and buyers are not bidding as much either - they want it Now Now Now!

That said, there is certainly a downward trend in prices of many categories. Technology stuff particularly - the cheapness of imports has really caused local sellers to have to smarten up or miss out completely.

Overall, I reckon the PROFIT in selling on Ebay has dropped considerably in recent years. Or put another way, I am working a lot harder to make the same profits, because I have to turn over about twice as much!

Therefore, like most sellers I am having to reassess the product ranges and find different items to sell. The only bargains from me are the stuff that was overpriced, where I am now marking it down by 25% per month until somebody eventually buys it.

[karenferndale]

All the things I have bought so far, except for one item, including mobile phones, have been less expensive than the stores.

Ebay sellers deserve to get a decent price and I don't think they have an inflated sense of worth.  I will say this however, since there is the chance of being ripped off on ebay, as you really are buying sight unseen, if the price was the SAME as the stores, you would not buy from ebay.

With Ebay you have to contend with postages costs, while with stores you don't.

[lyndal1838]

While you do not have to contend with postage costs at a B&M store you do have to factor in travel costs and time in going to the shops.

With ebay the trick is to factor the postage into the overall price you are prepared to pay.

[lane-ends]

Market place sets prices if they are too high they wont sell, if too cheap they will sell quickly and sellers will increse price until sale start to drop off

Many more buyers are buying for convenience rather than pure bargains.

[annies_fancy_dress]

I take it that you don't sell.

If you did, you might realise what a HARD slog it is to make a living selling these days. Not that it was EVER EASY.

It's not necessarily the seller's fault that prices are increasing while quality (often out of their control) is diminishing.

I'm finding many (if not most) of the items I have sold for years have suddenly gone downward in quality.

I've already started to change to different lines.

[c_mount]

A lot of Aussie sellers selling camera and video gear seem to think they can still get what they paid for them 6-7 years ago. Most a deluded.