Beyondthebreach wrote:Have any of you ever noticed how the sellers on Abe, Amazon and Ebay (stores) have formed a kind of "unspoken" price fixing ring? That is, when a book is semi-rare or very desirable to a small group of people, they set the price astronomically high and all the other sellers fall in line.
TheHistorian wrote:When I occasionally stumble across something good, I just let it fly in an open auction. I have generally been happy with my results, but I'd rather have a good price now than a great price later. Has anyone done any studies of auction vs. fixed priced? I would think inertia/auction frenzy would eke out a bit more money in the end, but I have no data to support that..
red_dawn wrote:Probably most of the members of this forum canvas eBay several times a week scouting for deals...
red_dawn wrote:A little perspective is in order. With the caveat that, yes, RPG prices are often too high on the non-eBay sites, it is important to remember that eBay ~is~ an auction site.Probably most of the members of this forum canvas eBay several times a week scouting for deals, and are educated as to identifying good vs. bad deals, and timing bids, etc. But most important for getting the best deals on eBay is Being There. You gotta be willing to spend the time, 'cause the best deals require a bit of searching and sifting. And the best deals literally come-and-go. You have to Be There constantly.Quoting eBay prices, and stating them as "the going rate" is a bit disingenuous. The going rate is whatever buyers and sellers agree on in any given venue. Ebay -- if you understand it, and spend time there -- is one of the cheapest venues there is.It would be kinda like an auto wholesalers forum, where members troll auto auctions, and snap up deals like a 2006 Ford Mustang for $4995. The members may even bandy about this price as "the going rate." But any Joe Schmoe who ambles into a Ford dealership, telling the salesman that $4995 for last year's Mustang is "the going rate" is gonna get laughed out the door.
bclarkie wrote: Did someone say strawman?
red_dawn wrote:Can't dispute the message?Attack the messenger...
bclarkie wrote:No, your post was bullshit, flat out. Comparing someone who gets a happens to get lucky deal anywhere versus what happens on EBay and the real world everyday is bullshit. Not much more response needed than that.