eBay prices are craaazy!

[Galactica]

There are a LOT of sellers on ebay right now (for lots of collector things) that are listing items for ridiculously high prices.

The reason is that it is a lot cheaper now to list non-auction items on ebay (every time I have gone to list something it was FREE - so I think that promotion is on a lot) 

So sellers list their stuff for the max they want for it because it is no skin off their nose if the item doesn't sell, and there is always a chance some poor sucker will be willing to overpay...

[plushroo]

Yeah, I'm seeing less good deals and more over priced re selling in the past year alone. I understand ebay and paypal fees factor into some of the higher prices, but seeing a UK common pony listed for $50 it a bit much. The lots are less common so getting a good deal is harder.

[Shaiyeh]

Also, I've noticed, the shipping prices sometimes are horrendous many times. "for gas and packaging" has always been a thingI guess, but when shipping gets up to $30 for ONE g1 BABY, I'm like naah, calm down. seriously.

[Icey]

I got back into collecting MLP after 10 years of not buying any. I am kind of shocked at some of the prices, but I try to buy smart. I also try to buy from board members because I found that some people on Ebay are nondescript and you can end up with a crappy pony if you are not careful.

[ValeofSpring]

Yes, there are lots and lots of crazy prices on eBay, though as others have said looking at sold auctions is much more enlightening as to the true nature of the market.

I wish more sellers were comfortable with starting auctions low and letting the market do its thing. I think you have to be a pretty knowledgeable pony seller to do this well, but here's an example: I offered a very nice lot of ponies (probably 30 of them) with a starting bid of maybe $29.99 and a BIN of $100. The BIN ended once the first bid was placed on the auction. Fourteen bids later, my lot ended at $163. Whereas many people just kind of glance over high BINs, think "too much money!" and move on, starting low enticed more interest and ultimately made me more money.

That said, I wish more sellers would start low and trust that if CF Peachy with a haircut and marker stains is really worth $125, then she will get there

[otocolobus_manul]

I've seen MIB Diamond Roses go for upward of 2 or 3 hundred dollars. MIB ponies in particular on eBay seem to suffer from inflation.

[brighteyes]

There are definitely times when I see something go for what I think is an absolutely crazy prize on eBay.  It gets discouraging because I feel like, how can I consider paying 50$ for just one pony, and not even an incredibly rare one at that.  Then you feel like you have to hurry and complete sets before prices go even higher.... 

But I think it's cyclical and I'm hoping once G4 is less of a fad prices will decrease into more sane levels.  Fingers crossed!

[Taffeta]

I have the problem with GSP shipping making a good deal on bid price a rip off including Pitney Bowes cut. That and the fact many good deal bid prices are accompanied by nasty seller comments telling foreign people to go away as shipping there is too much effort. There was a moc recently I would have bought but for that. It did not sell. I know someone here would help but I won't pay two shipping costs for a lazy seller, so there it is. About 30% of decent priced items are debarred bidders outside of own country with even more fleeced on gsp.

Exchange rates have to be factored in though. Selling a pony for $3 in the UK is less than half a bus fair, then minus fees and you end up in the red. $5 is pushing it as a day ticket on bus here is around $6 and so it goes on. A situation that does not help either buyer or seller, since most sellers wont sell at a loss.

Mind you Trickles for $123 last night was a bit much o.o. someone must really have wanted her o.o. since none of her setmates went even half that.

[Artemesia's Garden]

So, I've been browsing the pre-1990s pony category a lot since I got back into collecting to get a grasp on who I want and where the prices are at.

So crazy! Re-release Butterscotch (2006 Re-release) for £26 almost, that's more than I think I paid for the set of 3 new! Is she really worth that much now? :o
That's just an example. And then we have ponies with normal prices ofc, which is nice to see. But I reacted on nss truly and cuppie as well, I remember I sold my Cupcake a couple years back (mint condition) for around £90, now they're close to £200! Did their value increase that much?
And I've seen crazy prices on Mimic as well.

Help me, did prices generally go up like crazy much, or is it just eBay being eBay? I feel sooo out of the loop

Hi, I have a deflocked Truly for sale if you're interested. I did a good job, there are more details in the link in my sig.  Genuine NSS Truly and Cupcake are pretty rare as far as I know, they don't come up that often so I can understand the prices being high. G1 do seem to have gone up in price in general since I started collecting.

I think as others have said, some people do chance their luck on ebay and write very high listings, or perhaps that's just what the pony is worth to them?

someone must really have wanted her o.o. since none of her setmates went even half that.

I think that's a very important point - that the buying price is what the pony is worth to the buyer at the time so it could be anything really. The selling price is also what the pony is worth to the seller at the time so again, it could be anything really.

There are some domestic sellers that start their auctions low since they don't really understand about issues of condition and availability, then there are the more regular sellers (many of them are also members on here) who price higher for good descriptions and a reliable service etc. but they are also more reasonable than some sellers because they want to move a good flow of stock.  I've kept some of the very high listings in my watch list before and seen them stay there on repeat for many months unsold, I agree that this is a function of ebay pricing structures - if 20 free listings are free on repeat then eventually someone might cave in!

[Shaiyeh]

Artemisia Floc - thanks for the offer, but I'm not looking for Truly or Cuppie (was just surprised to see Cuppie's price so much higher than wehn I sold mine!). Thanks though (she's absolutely gorgeous, just checked your sales thread, you have indeed done a good job deflocking her! so wonderfully white!)
Yes, they are rare, so I, too, understand the prices (though living in Sweden, you can actually find them in 2nd hand shops etc, if you're lucky. I found mine at a kindergarten I worked at some years ago, and I got it in exchange for some play-condition ponies).

Taffeta - of course, exchange rates and PP fees and such are of course to be counted in, but I mean, when the shipping is 3x the price it should be(AND 3x the price of the pony), or more?
When I ship things out, I always pick days I have to go close to a PO anyway (like when doing groceries or whatever), so it's no extra cost. Maybe that's just me. (I understand tho if you sell literally HEAPS and have to take the car just for that.)


Brighteyes - agree!

[Taffeta]

I can identify with the postage being too high, as I said before.

I have taken to using tracking on most my auctions now which puts things up but although I use Royal Mail's site I always refund if it is over. I won't take profit on shipping, it seems dishonest to me.Trouble sellers have if they use gsp is they have no control over the price of shipping to the buyer.

I don't charge for transport, packaging or any of those things...I can just see how sometimes it happens.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Artemisia Floc - thanks for the offer, but I'm not looking for Truly or Cuppie (was just surprised to see Cuppie's price so much higher than wehn I sold mine!). Thanks though (she's absolutely gorgeous, just checked your sales thread, you have indeed done a good job deflocking her! so wonderfully white!)

Hay, thanks Shaiyeh!