used vs. new prices

[Ghost]

I've been noticing a lot of items on Amazon lately where the used listings are actually more expensive than some of the brand new ones! My question is.. is this the result of stupid buyers, or stupid sellers?

[jeffweico]

In many cases, it is due to counterfeit merchandise.

A lot of people sell their legitimate used items on Amazon. And there are a few sellers that sell counterfeit sets of DVD's, purchased in China for $30 - $40 each.

So, when you see a box set Amazon is selling for $199, and a used one is listed for $99, the counterfiet sellers go to $89 NEW to get the sale.

It is impossible for legitimate retailers to compete on the heavily counterfeited titles. The wholesale price of the $199 box set is probably close to $150. And people with a legitimate used set that cost $199 new don't want to sell their set for $50.

Amazon closes the counterfeiter's accounts, but new ones are always replacing them.

Of course, this is not true in EVERY case, but in many cases it is.

[123]

Originally Posted by jeffweico

In many cases, it is due to counterfeit merchandise.

A lot of people sell their legitimate used items on Amazon. And there are a few sellers that sell counterfeit sets of DVD's, purchased in China for $30 - $40 each.

So, when you see a box set Amazon is selling for $199, and a used one is listed for $99, the counterfiet sellers go to $89 NEW to get the sale.

It is impossible for legitimate retailers to compete on the heavily counterfeited titles. The wholesale price of the $199 box set is probably close to $150. And people with a legitimate used set that cost $199 new don't want to sell their set for $50.

Amazon closes the counterfeiter's accounts, but new ones are always replacing them.

Of course, this is not true in EVERY case, but in many cases it is.

Precisely, mostly due to counterfeits and there low cost of production .

[Ghost]

That's a good point, but I also see it with books a lot.

[jeffweico]

In the case of books, most sellers are managing HUGE inventories. They use a formula to calculate the price and don't really look at individual listings. As someone who sells books, I can tell you that trying to be the lowest price on everything you sell is a losing battle.

Also, you need to look at when the item is expected to ship. Sometimes, Amazon continues to list books they no longer stock. Their shipping time then estimates how may weeks it will take bfore the book is shipped. Sometimes, it even says they do not have any available copies but to go ahead and place the order, that they will not charge the credit card until it ships. So Amazon's NEW price may be an illusion.

[MrMondo]

For DVDs, I see this when an item that had been out of print is re-issued. The old copies were at a high price because of rarity and the sellers don't check their listings often enough to realize that they now have competition.

[newtools]

Another thought is the actuality that these sellers selling foofoos are using the used section to fly under the radar. As in the used items are ⊗⊗⊗⊗ also. This is used by many sellers. I have been around a bit and can tell you this is happening!!