I realize that BINs have been historically high, but I wonder what effect the Microsoft Cashback program has had on BIN prices. My sense is that as more and more sellers realized that buyers were getting cashback discounts, they began raising their prices even though the cashback wasn't coming out of their pockets - the thinking being that they could list it for more and still make a sale since the buyers would ultimately net out around market price after receiving their cashback.
I also wonder whether ebay has had the desired results after shifting to a more store oriented business. It seems to me that the more overpriced BINs you have, the more you have buyers contacting sellers and trying to make "off line" deals for which ebay ultimately gets no cut.
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