Seller boosts prices when vouchers start

[mark.wooba]

An Item was increased in price $10 at the same time that an eBay $20 (off $100 minimum spend) voucher was offered. Seller covered his part of the discount with a price increase, so actually gave no discount. This is sharp practice, illegal in normal retail trade. I unfortunately fell for it and bought it, then saw that his feedback showed others paid $10 less before voucher started. What can one do about this?

[kopenhagen5]

Almost impossible to prove DG and thankfully so.

It would be a shame to drag an innocent party (due to coincidence) through a Spanish inquisition. 

[kopenhagen5]

As DG mentions, there is no point for a seller to do so, they would probably sell more leaving it at the normal price as eBay picks up the tab on the discount.

[digital*ghost]

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@kopenhagen5 wrote:

Almost impossible to prove DG and thankfully so.

It would be a shame to drag an innocent party (due to coincidence) through a Spanish inquisition. 

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Impossible to prove on maybe one or two coincidences, and would almost assuredly be a coincidence if the price remained at the higher amount regardless of promotions.

I suppose I presumed there was more reason for creating the thread than the price being cheaper before a voucher became available (such as a dinstinctive pattern of raising prices when vouchers are available, and lowering them again when they expire). 

[imastawka]

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@kopenhagen5 wrote:

Almost impossible to prove DG and thankfully so.

It would be a shame to drag an innocent party (due to coincidence) through a Spanish inquisition. 

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I still hold that any seller can put their price up any time they want.

He may have paid more for new stock.

Or..................................

just cos he could.

[springyzone]

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@mark.wooba wrote:

An Item was increased in price $10 at the same time that an eBay $20 (off $100 minimum spend) voucher was offered. Seller covered his part of the discount with a price increase, so actually gave no discount. This is sharp practice, illegal in normal retail trade. I unfortunately fell for it and bought it, then saw that his feedback showed others paid $10 less before voucher started. What can one do about this?

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I'd be disappointed too.

What I would do is watch the price of the same item now the voucher discount is over. If it reverts to the lower price, you'll know the seller was capitalising.

If it stays the same, maybe it was a price rise.

Since ebay picks up the tab for voucher discounts, you would think sellers could leave things alone as they still get their full price.

Can I suggest though that if it is a new, branded item you are after that you google it in 'shopping', don't limit yourself to ebay.

I'm finding on a lot of everyday items, I can get the same thing significantly cheaper from online stores. I've been spending a small fortune online lately (birthday season) but very little of it on ebay.

[lm-entertainment]

personally, i think you're just penny-pinching. the only person who is at fault here is you. if you're having a whinge about the fact that you paid more for an item than you wish you did - then learn from it, move on and don't make the mistake next time. don't blame the seller. it's a bit like going to a physical store, buying an item and seeing it cheaper in a catalogue the next week - or seeing that it's on sale at the same store the next week. you can't whinge about it. 

if you didn't want to pay the price, don't buy the item - it's that simple. i know you realised the discount issue after the purchase, but really, it's beside the point - you were willing to pay the price it was sold at to begin with. 

[springyzone]

The way I see it is if Mark is to be judged as penny pinching, then a seller who ups the price only while people are getting a voucher discount is penny pinching too. Mind you, I don't know if that is the case with this seller, it depends on whether the price reverts to the lower price later.

We've all had the experience of buying an item somewhere, only to find it was cheaper at a different store or that it came on sale next week at the same store. Most of us shrug and know that's just life. But somehow it feels different if it seems as if a seller is manipulating things so they get the benefit of a consumer voucher.

[tazzieterror]

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the only person who is at fault here is you.

More 'blame the victim' bs. The bottom line here is that we have a seller who seems to be boosting prices during voucher season. I admit, with a voucher in hand that was only valid for a few hours, I jumped the gun on this purchase, but that does not change the fact that this grub seller is gaming the system (and so are many others, according to reports at ozbargain). I should have gone to Amazon UK, where the item is selling for £45 (AU$78) delivered (in the UK) versus the $155 I was charged on eBay. That's why I CANNOT WAIT for Amazon to arrive here and sweep away the scum and profiteers.

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What a hilarious reply! 😄

eBay basically handed you $20 to spend on whatever you like, yet somehow you think you're a "victim"!?

The entire internet is available to reasearch the cheapest price of just about anything...it generally only takes seconds to find the lowest prices if you absolutely must pay as little as possible, and are willing to wait on overseas shipping.

"Victims" are those who are abused by their partners, or fleeing from persecultion, or killed by religious extremists.  Your first-world problem doesn't qualify you.

[mark.wooba]

There are many sorts of victims, including people who are subject to predatory "because I can" price increases when vouchers are issued.

[tazzieterror]

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@mark.wooba wrote:

There are many sorts of victims, including people who are subject to predatory "because I can" price increases when vouchers are issued.

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You're mixing up "understand" and "disagree".  I completely undertand your view, and totally disagree with it.

You have not been preyed upon; you are not a victim.

eBay have been giving out voucher codes and discount codes regularly for a long time now, on a near weekly basis.  Some are targeted to particular members, some are available to everyone.  

You claimed, "we have a seller who seems to be boosting prices during voucher season" yet stated in an earlier comment "Price was the same for months before voucher started" for the item you purchased - doesn't sound like they've been boosting to me.