Don't pay over the odds...

student100

You probably all know this already... but it seems some people will pay way over the odds for something on eBay without even shopping around first.

I have just sold my first item on eBay; a DVD rewriter that I no longer needed. It was 1 year old and when I bought it new a year ago it cost £94 (I stated that in the listing). However since listing the item I discovered you can still buy exactly the same model, brand new and with full warranty and free delivery, from Amazon for £57.50 (didn't state that in the listing!).

I started the listing at £20 plus £10.50 postage (quite a heavy item, actual Royal Mail postage was £9.58 and the extra 92p was towards packaging costs etc.)
By the end of the 10 day listing my item was up to £41 (£51.50 including postage), way more than I would pay for the same item second hand!

Imagine my further surprise when the buyer told me he was going to pay by Postal Order, costing him £4.15 to buy, instead of PayPal which would have cost me money to receive!

So in total the buyer paid £55.15 for a secondhand version of something he could buy new for £57.50... What's even better is that I don't have to feel guilty about overcharging for an item since it was an auction...the buyer freely bid the amount he did!

I think the moral of the story is threefold:

• eBay is great for sellers if you attract buyers who don't know how to shop around.
• as an eBay buyer, find out what something would cost off-eBay before you bid!
• buyers, pay by PayPal (costs the seller) not Postal Order (costs you) where possible!

nightswimmer

student100 wrote:

You probably all know this already... but it seems some people will pay way over the odds for something on eBay without even shopping around first.

As a seller, can I just say that I object to this post.

Seriously, it's true what you say. I sold a toy before Christmas that I was expecting to maybe get £2 or £3 for, I ended up getting £15 + they had to pay another £5 p&p. You could buy the toy on the High street or on-line for £12.

jaffa30

The other side of the coin is

Things you expect to make good money just make the opening bid.

The Wonders Of Ebay.


Jaffa

nightswimmer

jaffa30 wrote:

The other side of the coin is

Things you expect to make good money just make the opening bid.

I suffer too much eBay guilt, because when I'm lucky enough to get a bargain like that, I always end up feeling like I have cheated the seller and should offer them more (and at the same time, when someone buys something from me at an overinflated price, I feel like I should give them a partial refund).

Do eBay provide counsellors for wrecks like me?

Nostromo

Madness, i think some people are just addicted to ebay and dont bother checking out online prices.Of course users of these forums always check prices first before buying on ebay :rotfl:

jaffa30

nightswimmer wrote:

I suffer too much eBay guilt, because when I'm lucky enough to get a bargain like that, I always end up feeling like I have cheated the seller and should offer them more (and at the same time, when someone buys something from me at an overinflated price, I feel like I should give them a partial refund).

Do eBay provide counsellors for wrecks like me?

I aint sure lol but if they do i could do with one also..


I know what you mean about buying it cheap , but if they are daft enough to start it at a stupid price .

I ve done that a few times lost on things when i first started selling, now i list everything for the least i will take for it.


Jaffa

:A I am saying nothing about peeps over paying for things :A

Kimberley

Well i bought a phone from ebay for the amount it sells elsewhere, i would not buy it for over the top prices, since coming on this site, i've learnt to shop around first. When i was looking for the item i bought, i saw many of the items having bids about £40 more then online, it's crazy...

motorguy

Kimberley wrote:

Well i bought a phone from ebay for the amount it sells elsewhere, i would not buy it for over the top prices, since coming on this site, i've learnt to shop around first. When i was looking for the item i bought, i saw many of the items having bids about £40 more then online, it's crazy...

yup, and there are people making a very comfortable living on ebay exploiting that!

Kimberley

Hmm also look at this price for a box I could give the highest bidder my same box for nothing, but i can't contact them as i've gone up to my limit, oh well they will find out the hard way.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6473203947&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

carrie483

Kimberley wrote:

Hmm also look at this price for a box I could give the highest bidder my same box for nothing, but i can't contact them as i've gone up to my limit, oh well they will find out the hard way.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6473203947&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Do you think these people realise its for a box

Carrie x

Kimberley

No they think it's for the phone, i've contacted all that i can, but i'm not allowed to anymore as i went up to my limit, but i did say to them i have the same box for free