Power Sellers Unite

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

I have noticed something that happens every now and again. This has happened right from the start since I started selling on Amazon.

I go to list an item. A CD for example. I see 5 other copies of the exact same CD. Only one of them is in the top "Like New" condition mine is in. I decide to price my copy depending on several factors. I often will price $1.00 lower than the other one exactly like mine unless that other seller is outside of the US, or has poor feedback rating. Then I will price mine slightly higher than they did.

If other seller with same great rating as I decides to lower their price to beat my price sometimes I will aslo lower mine, and sometimes I will let them have that lower price. This depends on how many other sellers have the item (at any condition). If the item is common, I will lower mine again, if the item appears rare, I will stick to my original price figuring that I will get my price eventually if the item is uncommon at Amazon.

I review my prices every three months. If an item has been listed for a year with no takers, I might lower my price regardless of who else is selling or what their asking price is. Sometimes I leave price alone, other times drop it again. This is often based on how many of the same title are now being offered, and feedback of those other sellers, and distance of location of the other sellers - as I already stated.

Here is what is interesting, and quite odd to me. If there are four other sellers of a given item, all with decent feedback, and all located in the US, and priced are between $10 and $15 dollars for the item, my price is going to be right in that ball park, say $12.99 or $12.49. If there are no other sellers of this item at all at any price, my price for one CD is based on how old is is, condition of disc and case/inserts, and if it is an import or a US pressing. An import in Like New condition, pressing before 1989, say a 1986 pressing from Norway or Finland with no other sellers is going to be priced in the $49.99 to $59.99 range.

Here is what is happening, I do my price updates based on this criteria, and when the item (a rare import from Norway) finally sells for $12.99 I notice that there are no other sellers of this item. This is off because I would never price this low on a rare import for the 80s in this condition if there are no other sellers of the given item.

So Amazon is expecting me to believe that every other copy of this CD sold before mine did? My 100% rating, my "LIKE NEW" condition, and my conpetitive pricing resulted in my copy selling last. Amazon is telling me that my item was the last one to sell out of four of five copies of this item?????

Why would my copy be the last one to sell, and for only for $12.99??? If I was the only one listing it, then it would certainly not be $12.99, it should be (as already said) $49.99 to $59.99 easy.

I believe that Amazon is sometimes tossing in dummy listings in order to push sellers into under pricing their goods. This has happened to me a few too many times now. I price at $12.99 due to competing listings, and then when my item sells I am the only one, the last one offered, no others available, or only one is now left and it was way higher than mine. NO WAY MINE WAS THE LAST ONE TO SELL!!!

Every three months or so I review pricing of every item, all 700 to 800 items I have up. I make sure that if an item is priced too low, I raise it, if too high (and has been up a while), I lower it. Mostly I like to leave prices as they are. Now I know to leave all items at what I think they are worth, and only consider lowering prices every six months or less, not every three months. Otherwise you are competing with dummy (fake) listings.

Has anyone else noticed this? :x

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17240 Location: Texas

Dummy listing? :shock: Sounds like something ebay would do. :lol:

Sure fire way to find out would be to purchase one of these items to make sure they are actually in stock and or real.
I shop on amazon regularly and have noticed a lot of price comparissons going on, ie used, good condition, new. Many times the prices are far ranging along with shipping costs.

Schistosomiasis · Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 192

It's possible that the other sellers sell on multiple venues, and their items sold somewhere other than Amazon. It wouldn't make sense for Amazon to trick you into lowering your price, as it would decrease the amount of their commission.

cohibastore.com · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 4908

1 - It would not be in Amazons best interests for you to sell low, its costs them extra fees

2 - I have several competitors, some monitor prices daily, some like you infrequently. All sell on other venues making the absence of other listings for an item impossible to determine.

3 - I would monitor your prices more often, especially on items where the Amazon inventory system says you are "low price" to make sure you are not too low.

CS