Ebay game used prices versus Reality!

[camarokids]

We all love getting that great deal on ebay.

I for one have scored my fair share.

But, when someone scores a players bat on ebay for say only $20-$30, what does this do for someones perception of the players bat prices?

Especially if dealer X or Y sells the same bat for $75 or $100.

Do you think it would be like comparing apples to oranges?

For ebay prices usually (depending on player and the seller) don't compare to what game used dealers charge for their inventory.

Are some people leery of buying off ebay?

What do you think?

[sylbry]

Someone once said this and I believe it to be true. Ebay is wholesale, dealers are retail.

[ironmanfan]

Someone once said this and I believe it to be true. Ebay is wholesale, dealers are retail.

I don't necessarily buy this as being true. I do agree that eBay for the most part is a "buyers market," but I doubt that a memorabilia/card dealer could make money in the long run by buying off eBay and selling retail (shows, shop, etc). Keep in mind that the majority of their customers are eBay consumers as well.

[suave1477]

Camaro there are so many factors that play into this.

To start off it all depends on which way the wind is blowing that day.

I have had items listed at very fair prices and still offered 1/8th of what I had listed it for. Now don't get me wrong I am a very reasonable person and willing to work with my customer as much as possible to make them happy, but when your offering me 1/8th I have to just sit there and shake my head.

Then I have listed items that I figured would go no where and have been bid up 20 times what I expected.

To answer your question as far as value.
Ebay can hurt the value for a dealer as some people rely on Ebay as a guideline which it shouldn't be because it is not always an accurate overall market perspective - again it all comes down to how the wind blows that day.
Sometimes I am approached by buyers saying an item like mine (Item A) just sold for on ebay for $, can I buy yours for that amount? - It becomes frustrating because you have to explain to the person that you may not be able to go that low.

But we all have our ups and downs with ebay and other resources its just the name of the game.

[ziggy]

Maybe ebay is reality????? Something is worth only want someone wants to pay for it....I tend to go by ebay prices as to what the value of an items is.......If there are 10 game used jeff kent bats over period of time on ebay and they average to $150...that is probably a good measuring stick to see what it is worth.

[David]

Depends who are the sellers. A lot of people would be wiling to pay more for a bat from Rob Steinmetz than an unknown eBay seller, and there's good reason for the price differential.

Collectors generally pay more the more confident they are of what they will be receiving in the mail, and with a lot of eBay sellers you aren't sure what you're getting into.

[suave1477]

Ziggy well I wouldnt rely on what ebay as being a guideline.

Buyers go to ebay to hopefully get an item at lower cost.

It would be the same as any other retail item to be sold.
If I go to buy a Bed, Furniture, food, or anything else and the store has a sale or coupon for it. Does that automatically mean the item is of lower value now? NO it just means you are trying to get that item for lower then what it normally would sell for.

If 10 items sell for a low price on ebay is that a measuring stick? Sure it is, but it doesn't mean that it is written in stone.

[ahuff]

Suave,

To some extent you are correct, but also incorrect. My logic is this: If I want a mass produced item (lets say a CD) then I'll certainly shop around to see where I can get the best price. If my "market" of sellers has a range of prices from $9.99 to $17.99 then that is a pretty good idea of the value of that CD. Afterall, with an item as common as a CD, if they weren't selling for that amount they wouldn't have it priced there. That being said, it would take a pretty rare and remarkable CD to get me to pay $34.99.

In our area of items, it becomes much more difficult. That is to say that game used items have so many different variables that go into creating a market value. The amount of piling or wear on a jersey, the location and number of ball marks on a bat, the provenance associated with the item, if the item comes from a record game, and the list goes on and on.

In the example of 10 Jeff Kent bats. All we know is that the average is $150. Perhaps it would be better to know the range of value. Say the range is $125 to $190. It would be even better to know that the $125 bat either had unusual markings or no wear, while the $190 bat came with an MLB hologram (indicating game use) and had tons of wear. This is where I disagree with your statement. Let me state it this way "Would it be wise to ask $350 for a Jeff Kent bat?" Or "Would you pay $350 for a Jeff Kent bat, when you can find a similar bat for between $125 and $190." Certainly a seller can ask whatever they want, as the asking price isn't written in stone. But the truth is, a typical buyer (excepting an extraordinary item) is only going to pay what they can find a substitute item for. The value of the bat may not be written in stone, but it certainly is written in the wallet.

In real estate, transactions are deemed usable as market indicators if the item was offered on the open market, it was paid for in cash (or equal to cash), and both parties are knowledgable. In our hobby, I think it might be the last item that hurts the market value in ebay transactions. We have numbers of posts about people that got great deals on items because it was listed under the wrong category, had a limited description, or the person just didn't know what they had. In addition, I think that buyers tend to put additional authority behind an auction house, irregardless if the auction house has done due diligence. The good news is that that is where our forum helps inform potential buyers and sellers and to hold the game worn community to a higher standard.

[TNTtoys]

Using ebay as a "measuring stick" can be a bit dangerous. Some examples I am sure you're all familiar with --

1. Ebay seller doesn't quite know the value of what he has... he lists it at 25% of its real value as a buy-it-now. Next week, someone sells a similar one at its true value. If you average them together, that doesn't represent fair market value. No reputable store/dealer would have made such a mistake as to sell something that low in the first place.

2. Ebay seller's item is NOT GENUINE... yet it sells for half the value of a real one to someone unsuspecting... and it is thrown into the mix for the purpose of finding the true value of a real one. Real life example -- sporting goods dealer sells 10 of the same jersey, adds 1 fake to the rack, sells the lone fake to 1 customer at a bargain price. Ridiculous scenario.

3. Ebay seller lists item in wrong category and/or with misspellings. A real life example would be a sporting goods vendor taking his apparel and selling it at a toy store down the street. Would never happen in real life.

4. Two or more interested ebay users get into bidding war over an item they both "need" and jack the price up to 5X its value. Again, would never happen in the real world at a retail store.

I can go on & on.

My point -- ebay is a resource but take it with a grain of salt. It's often not reflective of the real world.

[BergerKing22784]

Darn I had a very long post but when I hit submit It told me I wasnt logged in and It was all lost.

To make a long story short of what i was saying without retyping all of my examples. I am only paying what I see items sell for on ebay give or take 10-20% because I know if I wait an item out I will find a similar item on ebay in due time.

Well nevermind I will modify my examples

Won Furcal bat on ebay for $99
Won Furcal bat on ebay for $99
Won Furcal bat on ebay for $99
Won Furcal bat on ebay for $99

yes I won 4 different ones.

Made a post on here the lowest prices I was offered one for was $150. I am not buying it for that price.

Chris Gomez bat won on ebay $20 and $30.

Offered one from a seller on here for $50 and one for $75.


Was sold 2 Marcus Giles game used jerseys on here for 225 for both, MLB authenticated! Great deal. Somone offered me one for $300. Told them about the deal they told me I was lieing.

2 Kevin Millwood GU brave jerseys average sale was $160 for each. Offered one for $300 and another for $400.




My question is who and where are you guys buying from that you can not get great deals like I do. I know I am not in the market for the superstar items so maybe thats why I feel sellers should not be insulted when someone tells them an item is not worth what they are trying to sell it for.


Sorry guys Chris Gomez GU bats are not worth 75 , they are worth the 20-30 bucks I paid for them on ebay.