ebay

iamjoesgurl

I was looking for an update card for my parents' GPS tonight on ebay and found some that seemed pretty cheap compared to what you'd pay in a store.  Then I started thinking about other things that are bought new on ebay (like Coach purses for example).  How do you think these stores/sellers can sell things so much more cheaply than prices in the stores?  Do you think there are a lot of stolen goods out there on ebay?

RyansBelovedBride

I don't know if there's a lot of stolen goods on ebaby, but yes, I'm sure there is some.

I know that my father is the manager in one store of a very small chain of grocery stores (9) and one way they save money is by buying the excess shipment of the larger chains. I think this is what overstock.com does too, or at least how they got their name. So, if for example Publix (a large chain here in the south) orders 3 pallets each for 200 of its stores, and the truck that delivers it to a nearby store ends up having an extra two pallets either from their own error or because the store doesn't have room for it or whatever, it's much easier for them to sell that overstock to my dad's store at a reduced price, because the major chains aren't going to bother to negotiate for just two pallets of the product.  Dad's store got it at a reduced rate so they could either sell it at the same price and get a higher profit margin, or at the same profit margin and attract more customers. They go with the latter, and consequently my dad's store is the only grocery store in his area for which the local Walmart refuses to match ads.  (Not all the goods they get are done this way, just the great sales. They're a normal grocery store, not a discount place.)

It's possible that the ebay sellers have a similar relationship with manufacturers, shipment people, or someone.

Also, they might buy it wholesale without any discount, but just charge a cheaper profit margin (especially since they don't have to worry about theft).

OR if they're just an individual, not an ebay store, they might have bought the product, realized they didnt' want it, and are selling it on ebay to get some of their money back.  That probably happens a lot.

naomikb

I expect stolen goods are some percentage... but I expect that rip-offs/counterfeit items are more common.  Many shoppers don't know they are getting a fake product, or just don't care.  If I bought a Coach purse on Ebay, I would 100% expect that it was a fake.

For other products that are harder to counterfeit (like GPS parts), I think they buy wholesale and don't have the overhead of a brick and mortar store to deal with so can sell things more cheaply.  As a consumer though it's often not cheaper by the time you pay for shipping/customs (depending on the dimensions/weight of the item), so although I often browse Ebay I rarely buy.

mrandmrsbrist

My grandparents, who just retired a year ago, have started selling antiques on E-bay. They find them at yard sales, second hand stores, estate sales, etc for very cheap (a couple of dollars) and then are able to sell them for anywhere from $20 to $100. And most of the time, they are still selling the antique for less than it's worth.

ElisabethJoanne

Maybe it's fake or stolen. Maybe I'm naive. But I think lots is still people that bought something and never used it. That's how the listings for lots of the handbags are written - flighty, fashion-conscious women now trying to make back some of the money. And it's usually between 2/3 and 3/4 of retail, so these aren't quite too-good-to-be-true prices. They're only slightly below really good sale prices.

I've been stalking ebay for my wedding dress, and some are clueless individuals cleaning out their closets. Some are brick-and-mortar salons selling samples that no one's tried on in years, or gowns that were ordered and never picked up. There are a few people running small businesses out of their homes. They buy up dresses from salons that are closing, and probably stalk the better consignment shops, etc., for good deals.

mattycam

I think what helps keep prices low are knock offs!