eBay Excessive Pricing

sheepherder · 10-18-2013, 11:14 AM

This was brought to my attention last month, and I thought I'd share it...

I was pricing motorcycle ignition coils suitable for a 42 year old points & coil ignition [Honda, Yamaha, etc] system...They go for about $26 - $30 brand new...Yamaha still makes/uses them; Honda does not...

I found a set at an enthusiast/restoration site for $26 apiece, but noticed that a seller on eBay had the same coils listed for $559.00 each!!!

So, I emailed and asked why so much...Here's his explanation...Very interesting...

They're not actually $559.85...it's just a trick eBay sellers use. May sound strange, but here is why we temporarily raised the price:

EBay sellers have selling histories on each item they have - this particular item records all of our sales on this item from the past year or so. Many eBay sellers will temporarily raise their prices (by a large amount), in hopes that buyers will not buy their item during that time, usually because they are out of stock. This way, no one buys their item (hopefully!) and they do not have to cancel their ad. If a seller cancels or ends their ad, they lose their entire sales history. Sales histories of items are pretty important to many sellers, so you can see why they would rather raise their prices than to cancel their ad.

Once we get more coils in, we will be able to bring our prices back down, but right now we are out of stock. So hopefully that answers your question Just a little trick many eBay sellers use.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you, or if you have any other questions!

Thomas / CCP

lugerholsterrepair · 10-18-2013, 11:31 AM

Rich..Interesting.

Zorba · 10-18-2013, 01:15 PM

Whatever - I stopped selling on eBay years ago.

sheepherder · 10-18-2013, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zormpas

Whatever - I stopped selling on eBay years ago.

I posted threads on a couple motorcycle forums about my local Honda motorcycle dealer closing. There were dozens of replies, and from them it seems many smaller Honda dealers are having their franchise licenses withdrawn by American Honda Motor Company. Quite a few had/have multiple franchises, so they are selling their Honda parts inventory on eBay.

I have two 42 year old Honda motorcycles. eBay is the only place to find NOS parts at reasonable prices. Or even used old parts.

I purchased several used parts from eBay lately, and am considering listing some of the 'basket case' motorcycle parts that I've accumulated over the years.

Zorba · 10-18-2013, 03:28 PM

I still BUY on eBay, not as often as before, but it *is* the *ONLY* place to go to for a lot of stuff. I just don't like how they've made the whole selling experience hostile to the small seller.

And I'm *SO* over the auction thing - I try to find BIN items, if the price is reasonable, I hit the button.

Shadowsix · 10-18-2013, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zormpas

I still BUY on eBay, not as often as before, but it *is* the *ONLY* place to go to for a lot of stuff. I just don't like how they've made the whole selling experience hostile to the small seller.

And I'm *SO* over the auction thing - I try to find BIN items, if the price is reasonable, I hit the button.

I am exactly the same way about ebay. Especially only really dealing with reasonably priced "Buy it Now" listings anymore!

Patronen · 10-18-2013, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postino

I posted threads on a couple motorcycle forums about my local Honda motorcycle dealer closing. There were dozens of replies, and from them it seems many smaller Honda dealers are having their franchise licenses withdrawn by American Honda Motor Company. Quite a few had/have multiple franchises, so they are selling their Honda parts inventory on eBay.

I have two 42 year old Honda motorcycles. eBay is the only place to find NOS parts at reasonable prices. Or even used old parts.

I purchased several used parts from eBay lately, and am considering listing some of the 'basket case' motorcycle parts that I've accumulated over the years.

I haven't messed with bikes in awhile, but there use to be a guy named David Silver that may have been based in England that use to sell alot of obsolete Honda parts especially for the old CB's, quite a few years ago.

sheepherder · 10-18-2013, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patronen

I haven't messed with bikes in awhile, but there use to be a guy named David Silver that may have been based in England that use to sell alot of obsolete Honda parts especially for the old CB's, quite a few years ago.

David Silver Spares is still in business. He bought up a lot of obsolete Honda inventory from dealers years ago. Prices are high, but if you can't get it anywhere else, he probably has it.

DavidJayUden · 10-18-2013, 04:53 PM

I sell on E-bay full time and have no idea what benefit there is to bumping prices up exhorbitantly rather than just stopping the listing when supplies run out. I stop items all the time. It may be more time consuming to re-list from scratch, but if you don't have it you certainly don't want to sell it.
dju

ithacaartist · 10-18-2013, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJayUden

I sell on E-bay full time and have no idea what benefit there is to bumping prices up exhorbitantly rather than just stopping the listing when supplies run out. I stop items all the time. It may be more time consuming to re-list from scratch, but if you don't have it you certainly don't want to sell it.
dju

I sold a few things on eBay some years ago, Once, in the beginning, when I couldn't figure out how to cancel a listing, I increased the price of a Hallmark doo-dad to a million dollars, to keep people from buying something I did not have any more. I got a little help from an eBay-er in closing it out, but in the meantime had a bunch of messages asking what was up with the high price...

Edward Tinker · 10-18-2013, 07:58 PM

I sell on ebay every now and then; they make it hard for sellers to make a profit

ebay is still a good place, just the people who own it suck

tudorbug · 10-19-2013, 09:49 AM

I started on Ebay in October 1997. It was owned by its originator and it was fun. It is not fun anymore.

David

sheepherder · 10-19-2013, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tudorbug

I started on Ebay in October 1997. It was owned by its originator and it was fun. It is not fun anymore.

David

Same is true for traderonline.com. I bought two cars through them back in '98 and again in '03. You plugged in what you wanted, and what states you wanted to look at ads in, and went from there.

That was fun. Now, traderonline.com is so complicated that it takes all the fun out of it...

Curly1 · 10-20-2013, 12:15 AM

I think I ran into this practice recently for an IPAD cable they were selling for $6.99 BIN then bumped it up to 49.99 when the posting was renewed.

They had sold over 1,000 at the 6.99 price before it was raised.

Found it again later for $6.99 but the 49.99 posting was still active.

sheepherder · 10-20-2013, 09:48 AM

The guy seemed friendly enough, and was concerned enough (in me as a possible/future customer?) in my question to enlighten me of this practice, but I don't quite understand who is keeping track of sales of this item: the seller, or eBay???

I don't see why eBay would care...And if it's the seller keeping track by use of eBay's records system, he's way more skilled than me in using the eBay history to keep track of any particular item...

Seems like a risky way to keep track of sales/inventory in either case...

I'm not a businessman...There must be more to this tracking business than I follow...

cirelaw · 10-20-2013, 10:26 AM

Ebay=mepay!!

mystical_tutor · 10-20-2013, 11:29 AM

My main hobby is collecting Magic: The Gathering cards. Ebay is a primary source of card and pains in the ...... Buyer Beware is the Loudest advice

Examples: 10000 for a crap card that we used to throw away.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181241337953...84.m1558.l2649

The beauty of this one is that there are probably hunderds of these that will be "found" is this one sells for even a faraction of the BIN.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MTG-Unreleas...p2047675.l2557

10-18-2013, 11:14 AM	#1
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	eBay Excessive Pricing This was brought to my attention last month, and I thought I'd share it... I was pricing motorcycle ignition coils suitable for a 42 year old points & coil ignition [Honda, Yamaha, etc] system...They go for about $26 - $30 brand new...Yamaha still makes/uses them; Honda does not... I found a set at an enthusiast/restoration site for $26 apiece, but noticed that a seller on eBay had the same coils listed for $559.00 each!!! So, I emailed and asked why so much...Here's his explanation...Very interesting... They're not actually $559.85...it's just a trick eBay sellers use. May sound strange, but here is why we temporarily raised the price: EBay sellers have selling histories on each item they have - this particular item records all of our sales on this item from the past year or so. Many eBay sellers will temporarily raise their prices (by a large amount), in hopes that buyers will not buy their item during that time, usually because they are out of stock. This way, no one buys their item (hopefully!) and they do not have to cancel their ad. If a seller cancels or ends their ad, they lose their entire sales history. Sales histories of items are pretty important to many sellers, so you can see why they would rather raise their prices than to cancel their ad. Once we get more coils in, we will be able to bring our prices back down, but right now we are out of stock. So hopefully that answers your question Just a little trick many eBay sellers use. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you, or if you have any other questions! Thomas / CCP __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter...

10-18-2013, 11:31 AM	#2
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,775 Thanks: 4,995 Thanked 3,133 Times in 1,439 Posts	Rich..Interesting. __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

10-20-2013, 12:15 AM	#14
Curly1 User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,247 Thanks: 125 Thanked 717 Times in 374 Posts	I think I ran into this practice recently for an IPAD cable they were selling for $6.99 BIN then bumped it up to 49.99 when the posting was renewed. They had sold over 1,000 at the 6.99 price before it was raised. Found it again later for $6.99 but the 49.99 posting was still active. __________________ Laugh hard and often. Gary

10-20-2013, 09:48 AM	#15
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	The guy seemed friendly enough, and was concerned enough (in me as a possible/future customer?) in my question to enlighten me of this practice, but I don't quite understand who is keeping track of sales of this item: the seller, or eBay??? I don't see why eBay would care...And if it's the seller keeping track by use of eBay's records system, he's way more skilled than me in using the eBay history to keep track of any particular item... Seems like a risky way to keep track of sales/inventory in either case... I'm not a businessman...There must be more to this tracking business than I follow... Attached Thumbnails __________________ I like my coffee the way I like my women... ...Cold and bitter... Last edited by sheepherder; 09-13-2016 at 12:40 PM.

10-18-2013, 01:15 PM	#3
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	Whatever - I stopped selling on eBay years ago.

10-18-2013, 03:28 PM	#5
Zorba User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Merritt Island, Fl Posts: 952 Thanks: 777 Thanked 528 Times in 290 Posts	I still BUY on eBay, not as often as before, but it is the ONLY place to go to for a lot of stuff. I just don't like how they've made the whole selling experience hostile to the small seller. And I'm SO over the auction thing - I try to find BIN items, if the price is reasonable, I hit the button.

10-18-2013, 04:53 PM	#9
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	I sell on E-bay full time and have no idea what benefit there is to bumping prices up exhorbitantly rather than just stopping the listing when supplies run out. I stop items all the time. It may be more time consuming to re-list from scratch, but if you don't have it you certainly don't want to sell it. dju

10-18-2013, 07:58 PM	#11
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,966 Thanks: 2,066 Thanked 4,595 Times in 2,116 Posts	I sell on ebay every now and then; they make it hard for sellers to make a profit ebay is still a good place, just the people who own it suck

10-19-2013, 09:49 AM	#12
tudorbug Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 387 Thanks: 0 Thanked 40 Times in 29 Posts	I started on Ebay in October 1997. It was owned by its originator and it was fun. It is not fun anymore. David

10-20-2013, 10:26 AM	#16
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	Ebay=mepay!!

10-20-2013, 11:29 AM	#17
mystical_tutor User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 230 Thanks: 32 Thanked 39 Times in 25 Posts	My main hobby is collecting Magic: The Gathering cards. Ebay is a primary source of card and pains in the ...... Buyer Beware is the Loudest advice Examples: 10000 for a crap card that we used to throw away. http://www.ebay.com/itm/181241337953...84.m1558.l2649 The beauty of this one is that there are probably hunderds of these that will be "found" is this one sells for even a faraction of the BIN. http://www.ebay.com/itm/MTG-Unreleas...p2047675.l2557