Overpriced cards on ebay -- Are they part of a tax scam?

pgellis · #1 12-30-2011, 09:43 PM

Again, a little Business 101...............

I used to work at a Liquor Store at night when I was starting my own business......people would come in all the time and say, "I can't believe the owner is getting $20 for a 30 pack of Miller Lite, he is getting $20 every time someone buys a 30 pack, and $15 for a bottle of Merlot, etc., etc."

Well that is just plain wrong. People forget that the owner has to pay for that 30 pack....it is not free. He has to pay for that bottle of wine. It is not free. He also has to pay for me to sell it to his customers (as a cashier), he has to pay rent, electicity, insurance, etc., etc. The owner is a close friend of mine and told me that he "might" make $1.00 after everything is paid for on that 30 pack of beer.............

I own my own business and people will say such dumb things as "can't you do better on that price? I mean you are going to make $15 on that item?"

No, I'm not going to make $15 on that item.......I first have to pay for it, then you have to pay for shipping (which is very expensive today), then pay for my rent, insurance, telephone, advertising, yellow pages, internet, office supplies, and time to customize it........and then maybe I make a buck or two........

Please try to understand what your small, local businesses are up against!

paul · #2 12-30-2011, 09:50 PM

Phil,

I don't think any of us are slamming small businesses. I certainly wasn't. I was just trying to figure out why some people offer the same cards on ebay month after month at many times full retail price, without ever selling them. Just seems wierd. I know they have lots of expenses, but that's all the more reason why they should be conducting legitimate auctions rather than having starting bids that are much higher than full retail price.

Paul

HRBAKER · #3 12-30-2011, 09:54 PM

They don't have ALL of the same type of expenses your typical "brick and mortar" small businesses they are talking about here have. Ebay enables them by keeping the listing fees low.

pgellis · #4 12-30-2011, 09:59 PM

Paul,

No harm. I know you aren't slamming "most" small businesses. I am just a bit touchy when it comes to running a legitimate small business. Most people just don't get how difficult it is............

As for eBay, I really don't see a tax angle, but then again, I sleep well at night knowing that I pay my "FAIR SHARE" of taxes with my business.

I don't know why some sellers don't come down on prices......my personal guess is that they aren't really sellers, but collectors and will sell their cards if they get a crazy price. I love my cards....would I sell them? NO.....but if you give me 3X - 5X what I paid for them, then..................Maybe?

Phil

batsballsbases · #5 12-30-2011, 10:22 PM

Phil,
I understand your feelings as a small business owner myself for the last 35years I can tell you there were many a day I just wanted to pack it in.
But in my reference to the one seller that was mentioned here it seems to me to be rather foolish to continue to put up the same item (in this case I will use a pin as example) at 3-5 times value for over 5 years,I know because the psa tag is the same one. And yes Scott even after emailing a more that fair price for an offer be told "I cant do that". No other reason just I cant seems to me to be a very bad business pratice. So you would rather continue to pay the relisting fee for 5 years, turning no profit,because for what ever reason you paid to much,or you just never have any intention to sell it. And this is not just on one item its on hundreds of items,to me that makes no sense. But I guess the logic is a homerun is better that a single!

ctownboy · #6 12-30-2011, 10:42 PM

But, here is the thing, they are NOT paying a listing fee right now.

From 12/27 - 12/29, eBay has had FREE LISTING DAYS, no matter how many items you want to list.

For me, I get 50 free listings a month and then I have to pay a small fee for each listing above 50. I was getting close this month and then I got an E mail from eBay telling me that I could list however many things I wanted, FOR FREE, during those three days.

So, my guess is, these "dealers" who refuse to lower their prices just wait for these free listing days and then they list their museum pieces and hope that somebody flush with cash decides they want to overpay for something.

David

buymycards · #7 12-31-2011, 07:49 AM

Even if the listing fees are free, it still costs money to keep these items in your ebay store month after month. I pay $50 per month for the store, plus a nickel per item every month. Most of my stuff is low end, and most of my stuff is "buy it now or best offer". I normally accept any offer that is 50% or more of my BIN price. I wan't to keep turning over my inventory, because even at a nickle per month per item, if I have 800 items listed, it adds up. When I sell an item I pay 12% of the selling price, plus the paypal fee.

It does pay to make offers on items that interest you. Yes, you do run across some sellers who act like jerks when you make an offer, but you also run into some nice people who are willing to work with you. I have been watching an item for the last 3-4 months but I didn't want to pay the BIN price of $225. Yesterday I made an offer of $150, and the offer was accepted.

Don't let the jerks keep you away from the BIN's. There are still some good deals out there.

Rick

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