Why do people spend more on eBay than retail?

[Wag]

This doesn't make sense to me, especially on DVDs. On most of the items I want people ruin a perfectly good auction by bidding over retail. This happens on almost every item I want. This defeats the whole purpose of an auction.

If people have enough savy to search on eBay for what they want, why don't they do the same on the net? This happens way too often to be "fake" bidders.

 

[element]

Well it couldn't be because people are dumb. People can't possibly be that dumb...

Argue at will.

 

[Walleye]

i got both things off ebay for between 50% off and 80% off.

(before shipping)

 

[spaceman]

convenience?
the thrill of being a big winner!?

 

[madthumbs]

Building feedback (useful if they're a seller), lazy, can't find better price...

 

[EyeMWing]

Stupidity. I'm yet to pay more than $10 for any eBay item (Legacy hardware and knives own you).

Hell, I got a lot of 20 SB16 ISA's for ONE DOLLAH.

 

[Sepen]

Originally posted by: ncircle
convenience?
the thrill of being a big winner!?

Addicted, just like gambling?

 

[olds]

Because they are dumb and they think ebay = deal.

 

[abracadabra1]

Hell...I wonder the same thing.

Just a few months ago I was able to sell a DSL modem that costs ~$50 for $152. Don't ask me why the moron purchased it.

 

[Mallow]

I think people get caught up in the bidding experience and just forget what a reasonable price is.

 

[Squisher]

I see stuff all the time on ebay going for way over the going rate for the product. But, I have been known to snipe a few deals here and there, :evil:

It must be auction fever.

 

[Lonyo]

I got some speakers retail for the same price as they were on EBay (although the retail price I got them for was 50% of the usual selling price).

Hot deals are probably better than EBay, you get something new and have usually a warranty.

 

[Eli]

Not everybody does.

 

Originally posted by: Eli
Not everybody does.

Nice deal!

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Eli
Not everybody does.

Nice deal!

I thought so too. Although, the 8$ in shipping sours it a little more.. it's still pretty good.

Those bulbs go for about 6.50 each at Wal-Mart. Even with the shipping, they're $3.66 each.

I'm going to use them to replace all the bulbs in the house as they burn out.

Edit: Ooh.. $1.50 for insurance, too.

That brings them to $3.91 each.

 

[Eli]

On topic.. I think many people get caught up in the moment. I know when I bought on eBay a lot, I would. People would outbid you by a few bucks with like 5 minutes left, and you want the item.. so you raise it a few dollars more.. and it adds up.

Plus, I think people tend to focus on the actual selling price of the item, and don't factor in shipping in their mind. They just brush it off as a necessary expense.. like gas for if you had gotten the item at the store. You don't ever think about that.. it's easy for your mind to just disregard it for some reason.

 

[psianime]

People assume ebay is cheaper then retail.

 

[Eli]

Then again, I've bought very few retail-type products on eBay. I use it for hard to find items, which is is an absolute blessing for.

It's like the biggest garage sale in the world.

 

[dighn]

foolishness

 

[datdamkid]

most people on ebay that buy are always retarards they are to freaking lazy to go out and buy it so they bid over the retail price because they arent smart that they can get it for cheaper if the just sniper it and stuff like that sniper is a program that hits the auction at the last few secounds to the highest you want to bid so that most of the time you get the auction if you are lucky but most of the times i have used it, it worked great for me but i dont know where i found it so please dont ask me thanks

 

[DurocShark]

As a seller I'm glad they do it.

 

[TheShiz]

i usually find better deals for things at half.com

 

[jyates]

I think some people don't do much "shopping" and either they don't know or
don't care what they can get the item for elsewhere.

Maybe they are lazy and don't want to go "shopping" or maybe they get a thrill
out of getting something in their mailbox

I sold a game a few years back on Ebay that brought much more than what Walmart
sold it for and the person said they lived so far back in the sticks that they didn't
have any discount stores in their area so they bought lots of stuff on Ebay so it
was delivered to their home!

 

[Nyical]

Heh I have always wondered that also, but hey without them I wouldnt have made that 100.00 extra on that 15" LCD for a laptop I sold awhile back.

 

[kranky]

They don't live near large stores.
They aren't physically able to get out to stores or it is very difficult for them to do so.
They don't mind spending a few bucks more for the convenience of having it sent to their home.
They feel better buying from an established ebay seller with good feedback as opposed to a web site they never dealt with before.
They don't have credit cards and need to buy from someone who will take a check or money order.

There are plenty of good reasons. It certainly doesn't make them "retards".