Do people really buy new ereaders off Ebay?

CallOfCth'reader · 04-06-2011, 07:46 PM

I took a quick look in Ebay's ereader category tonight, and was a little surprised at the number of people trying to sell (specifically) Kindles at prices higher than Amazon's. Wi-fi models were offered at £139.99 (£111 from Amazon), and 3G models at £189.99 (£152 from Amazon)! Are there really people other there stupid enough to pay those prices?

I also find it amazing that people pay greater-than-new prices for second hand items in auctions, such as a current auction for a wi-fi Kindle that stands at £104 (inc P&P) with 8 hours left on the bidding.

Mario1up · 04-06-2011, 07:51 PM

Perhaps those are U.S. prices? In the U.S., a Kindle 3 Wifi is $139 and with 3G is $189.

CallOfCth'reader · 04-06-2011, 07:56 PM

Nope, UK based seller, selling in UK pounds.

JeremyR · 04-06-2011, 07:59 PM

Sellers on eBay take Paypal. Amazon doesn't.

Mario1up · 04-06-2011, 08:04 PM

Then maybe they're just horribly confused. :P Although, I did look on there, and some are priced the same with free shipping (which would be good if you wanted to use paypal). That just makes sense. But I saw one auction for a wifi-only Kindle at $199, instead of $139. That's a 30% increase in price. I have no idea why somebody would buy that off eBay, especially from an individual seller, not a large, well-known company.

faithbw · 04-06-2011, 08:11 PM

I guess the sellers would sell for a higher price because eBay charges a commission? As for the people who buy, I would guess they want to use PayPal instead of using a credit card. Or maybe a particular e-reader is really hard to find where they live, so they buy it off of eBay at a premium.

elcreative · 04-06-2011, 08:34 PM

Perhaps they're signed, limited collector's editions...

tubemonkey · 04-06-2011, 11:24 PM

I don't do eBay; I don't do PayPal. Never did; never will.

Sawduster · 04-07-2011, 09:00 AM

Auction syndrome? I've seen and watched used items on Ebay list for more than new and receive mutiple bids with high shipping costs.

DixieGal · 04-07-2011, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawduster

Auction syndrome? I've seen and watched used items on Ebay list for more than new and receive mutiple bids with high shipping costs.

Interesting. That would explain my behavior with desirable rock specimens. I go stark raving mad for unusual jaspers especially.

Poppaea · 04-07-2011, 09:46 AM

There a countries where you can't buy these readers from their manufacturer. For example there is no B&N outside the US and they do not ship overseas as easy. If I were to buy a Nook I would do so on ebay for sure.

Willing to pay a little more for something you wouldn't get otherwise does not make you "stupid" as the OP so charmingly said. But judging other people like this without the slightest bit of common sense does. At least IMO.

jbcohen · 04-07-2011, 09:57 AM

My own conjecture:

1) Ebay can command a premium over the open market price for readers simply becuase they are ebay and their popular, howmany times do you see your friends and show them your latest purchase and brag, I bought it from overstock.com or I bought it from KMart, no your are more likely to do that becuase you bought it on ebay.

2) Never under estimate the stupidity of the consumer, some are willing to pay extra high prices becuase they think that eaby is the only web store out there. Don't laugh I met someone who thought this was the fact.

3) Some like the idea of an auction and it doesn't ocurr to them that you could end up paying more at an auction then you would open market.

avantman42 · 04-07-2011, 10:07 AM

I don't know why people do it, but I'm not particularly surprised that it happens. My father-in-law wanted a GPS, and I suggested that he buy the same model that I had, since I knew it would do exactly what he wanted and was within his budget.

He bought a second hand, older model by the same manufacturer from e-bay for the same price that mine cost. In use, it's identical to mine, but doesn't have an SD card slot, has a monochrome screen and less accurate sensor. I don't know why he did it, but can only think that he assumed it was a bargain because it was on e-bay.

jbcohen · 04-07-2011, 10:31 AM

Psobilities avantman:

1) Did not understand that what he bought was an older model;
2) Does not understand that new models have more advanced technology;
3) Understands that what he bought is an older model but has a distaste for all "new fangled" things and the older model is older therefore not "new fangled".

RainingLemur · 04-07-2011, 10:40 AM

Maybe some people are just overly familiar with shopping on eBay and are in a small town where it's not possible to find e-readers locally. They could find these things on Amazon, or any other number of retailers, but they choose eBay for ease of use. And now their garage is full of crap they got from bid-sniping

Mom was this way. Rather than look at regular online stores, she would prowl eBay for everything. Luckily, she didn't get hosed with many (if any) of her purchases, and got relatively good deals.

04-06-2011, 07:46 PM	#1
CallOfCth'reader Cultist Posts: 195 Karma: 8624438 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS 505, Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo, Kobo Forma, Kindle DX	Do people really buy new ereaders off Ebay? I took a quick look in Ebay's ereader category tonight, and was a little surprised at the number of people trying to sell (specifically) Kindles at prices higher than Amazon's. Wi-fi models were offered at £139.99 (£111 from Amazon), and 3G models at £189.99 (£152 from Amazon)! Are there really people other there stupid enough to pay those prices? I also find it amazing that people pay greater-than-new prices for second hand items in auctions, such as a current auction for a wi-fi Kindle that stands at £104 (inc P&P) with 8 hours left on the bidding.

04-06-2011, 08:04 PM	#5
Mario1up Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 374 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle 3/G	Then maybe they're just horribly confused. :P Although, I did look on there, and some are priced the same with free shipping (which would be good if you wanted to use paypal). That just makes sense. But I saw one auction for a wifi-only Kindle at $199, instead of $139. That's a 30% increase in price. I have no idea why somebody would buy that off eBay, especially from an individual seller, not a large, well-known company. Last edited by Mario1up; 04-06-2011 at 08:18 PM.

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04-06-2011, 07:51 PM	#2
Mario1up Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 374 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle 3/G	Perhaps those are U.S. prices? In the U.S., a Kindle 3 Wifi is $139 and with 3G is $189.

04-06-2011, 07:56 PM	#3
CallOfCth'reader Cultist Posts: 195 Karma: 8624438 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS 505, Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo, Kobo Forma, Kindle DX	Nope, UK based seller, selling in UK pounds.

04-06-2011, 07:59 PM	#4
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Sellers on eBay take Paypal. Amazon doesn't.

04-06-2011, 08:11 PM	#6
faithbw Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1526148 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: A place where the sun always shines Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Mini 2	I guess the sellers would sell for a higher price because eBay charges a commission? As for the people who buy, I would guess they want to use PayPal instead of using a credit card. Or maybe a particular e-reader is really hard to find where they live, so they buy it off of eBay at a premium.

04-06-2011, 08:34 PM	#7
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	Perhaps they're signed, limited collector's editions...

04-06-2011, 11:24 PM	#8
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,533 Karma: 158154604 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	I don't do eBay; I don't do PayPal. Never did; never will.

04-07-2011, 09:00 AM	#9
Sawduster Member Posts: 14 Karma: 60 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3	Auction syndrome? I've seen and watched used items on Ebay list for more than new and receive mutiple bids with high shipping costs.

04-07-2011, 09:46 AM	#11
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,536 Karma: 19491715 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra 2	There a countries where you can't buy these readers from their manufacturer. For example there is no B&N outside the US and they do not ship overseas as easy. If I were to buy a Nook I would do so on ebay for sure. Willing to pay a little more for something you wouldn't get otherwise does not make you "stupid" as the OP so charmingly said. But judging other people like this without the slightest bit of common sense does. At least IMO.

04-07-2011, 09:57 AM	#12
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	My own conjecture: 1) Ebay can command a premium over the open market price for readers simply becuase they are ebay and their popular, howmany times do you see your friends and show them your latest purchase and brag, I bought it from overstock.com or I bought it from KMart, no your are more likely to do that becuase you bought it on ebay. 2) Never under estimate the stupidity of the consumer, some are willing to pay extra high prices becuase they think that eaby is the only web store out there. Don't laugh I met someone who thought this was the fact. 3) Some like the idea of an auction and it doesn't ocurr to them that you could end up paying more at an auction then you would open market.

04-07-2011, 10:07 AM	#13
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I don't know why people do it, but I'm not particularly surprised that it happens. My father-in-law wanted a GPS, and I suggested that he buy the same model that I had, since I knew it would do exactly what he wanted and was within his budget. He bought a second hand, older model by the same manufacturer from e-bay for the same price that mine cost. In use, it's identical to mine, but doesn't have an SD card slot, has a monochrome screen and less accurate sensor. I don't know why he did it, but can only think that he assumed it was a bargain because it was on e-bay.

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04-07-2011, 10:31 AM	#14
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Psobilities avantman: 1) Did not understand that what he bought was an older model; 2) Does not understand that new models have more advanced technology; 3) Understands that what he bought is an older model but has a distaste for all "new fangled" things and the older model is older therefore not "new fangled".

04-07-2011, 10:40 AM	#15
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Maybe some people are just overly familiar with shopping on eBay and are in a small town where it's not possible to find e-readers locally. They could find these things on Amazon, or any other number of retailers, but they choose eBay for ease of use. And now their garage is full of crap they got from bid-sniping Mom was this way. Rather than look at regular online stores, she would prowl eBay for everything. Luckily, she didn't get hosed with many (if any) of her purchases, and got relatively good deals.