Done trying to deal with sellers on ebay

[Snapolit1]

I hear you, and I am sure I've fallen in love with cards and overpaid on BIN. But month after month I see the same Ruth cards just get listed and relisted and relisted and relisted. Odd. Some chewed up SGC 10 listed for more than a 50 just sold for last month. Just seems like a bizarre way to do business.

[vintagetoppsguy]

707 Sports Cards is one of the worst. He puts a date stamp watermark on all his images. Here is one from 2008...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1910-T206-ML...l3nyvclslHWafQ

If he would just price his cards reasonably, he would make less profit margin, but his overall profit would be much greater because he would turn over his inventory quicker. How do some people stay in business? I really don't get it. I wonder how much he's paid in re-list fees over the 8 years this card has been on eBay?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

707 Sports Cards is one of the worst. He puts a date stamp watermark on all his images. Here is one from 2008...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1910-T206-ML...l3nyvclslHWafQ

If he would just price his cards reasonably, he would make less profit margin, but his overall profit would be much greater because he would turn over his inventory quicker. How do some people stay in business? I really don't get it. I wonder how much he's paid in re-list fees over the 8 years this card has been on eBay?

With due respect, I have heard Levi and Jimmy are doing just fine in this world, and probably don't need advice. I am SURE they understand the relationship between price and sales, for example.

[Rich Klein]

Levi and Jimmy are doing just fine. They have no financial need to rush through their inventory

Rich

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Levi and Jimmy are doing just fine. They have no financial need to rush through their inventory

Rich

....and they often have hard to find cards. No issues with Levi other than having to haggle over prices.

Z

[Joshchisox08]

Yeah the PSA 2 commons for T206s. Listed $50 and above. Sometimes over $100. I often wonder what in the world the seller is thinking on some of those prices.

Regardless if 707 and Dean's are doing well for themselves, I can't imagine they make much off of eBay. Their strategy must be to taunt buyers until they have to pay their price.

[Beastmode]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Levi and Jimmy are doing just fine. They have no financial need to rush through their inventory

Rich

Clearly

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

With due respect, I have heard Levi and Jimmy are doing just fine in this world, and probably don't need advice. I am SURE they understand the relationship between price and sales, for example.

Do you seriously think it's good marketing to have anything in your inventory for 8 years? 8 years!!! This was one example of many. Look through their inventory, many cards they've had for several years

In any other business, these guys are idiots. Ever see a house (average house because we'we talking average cards) set on the market 8 years? Ever see a car sit at a dealership for 8 years? Where, please tell me where else in the world, people hold onto inventory for 8 years (I'm not talking something obscure, I'm talking something that can be found readily available).

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Do you seriously think it's good marketing to have anything in your inventory for 8 years? 8 years!!! This was one example of many. Look through their inventory, many cards they've had for several years

In any other business, these guys are idiots. Ever see a house (average house because we'we talking average cards) set on the market 8 years? Ever see a car sit at a dealership for 8 years? Where, please tell me where else in the world, people hold onto inventory for 8 years (I'm not talking something obscure, I'm talking something that can be found readily available).

It doesn't matter. I am telling you, they have done fabulously well in cards. They know exactly what they are doing. If they needed or wanted to generate more cash flow, they would.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Do you seriously think it's good marketing to have anything in your inventory for 8 years? 8 years!!! This was one example of many. Look through their inventory, many cards they've had for several years

In any other business, these guys are idiots. Ever see a house (average house because we'we talking average cards) set on the market 8 years? Ever see a car sit at a dealership for 8 years? Where, please tell me where else in the world, people hold onto inventory for 8 years (I'm not talking something obscure, I'm talking something that can be found readily available).

really not much of a cost holding a card for years......storage is real easy too...not like cars...but i dig your house comparison...

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

really not much of a cost holding a card for years......storage is real easy too...not like cars...but i dig your house comparison...

Cost or relisting it over 8 years?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Cost or relisting it over 8 years?

Ebay offers plenty of free listings. I think that is part of the problem, no cost to keep listing over priced items for many sellers.

[pokerplyr80]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

With due respect, I have heard Levi and Jimmy are doing just fine in this world, and probably don't need advice. I am SURE they understand the relationship between price and sales, for example.

If I remember correctly I clicked on Levi's 52 topps registry set and saw a PSA 10 52 Mantle. I have to agree with Peter here if those guys nended to sell quickly they could. They seem like they're doing fine to me.

[Luke]

I agree that ebay is filled with overpriced BINs. Just want to play devil's advocate.

I sell on ebay using BINs, and I try to have fair prices. One problem with selling things at market prices is that people quickly buy up your best inventory. Whenever I get a chance to buy a nice group of cards, the best stuff (Cobbs, Mattys, Youngs etc) gets bought up pretty quick, and my inventory starts looking less and less appealing until I have my next opportunity to add new stuff.

There is definitely some (though hard to quantify) value to maintaining quality inventory. Is it enough value to make up for not turning your inventory over, and paying ebay to list the same Ruth card for years? Not to me, but I can imagine that some sellers might have reasons why it makes sense for them.

[egbeachley]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

707 Sports Cards is one of the worst. He puts a date stamp watermark on all his images. Here is one from 2008...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1910-T206-ML...l3nyvclslHWafQ

If he would just price his cards reasonably, he would make less profit margin, but his overall profit would be much greater because he would turn over his inventory quicker. How do some people stay in business? I really don't get it. I wonder how much he's paid in re-list fees over the 8 years this card has been on eBay?

I disagree. High margin at low sales = low margin at high sales. Except it's more work to mail more packages and once they sell their inventory it's hard to replenish at reasonable prices (i.e. if you think he can restock at below market prices then just go to the same place to buy what you want). This way he can sit back and relax while selling 5 cards per week and make the same profit as selling 200 cards at market prices, then still know he has 195 more cards in inventory to do the same thing the following week, after week, after week.

It sucks for buyers but anyone who has overpaid for a BIN has enabled this to happen. Nobody else is to blame.