posted on March 19, 2001 04:08:44 PM new
In the last week I've noticed that Amazon has reduced their price considerably of some books I am selling in the Marketplace. One H/C book they were selling new for 19.98 and now it has been reduced to 5.99. Virtually everyone in the Marketplace is selling them for 10 and higher and frankly I will be better off parking them on half.com for that price. The video was selling for 29.99 and has now been reduced to 21.98. I dont believe that the H/C is coming out with a paperback version. I know supply and demand are factors and prices fluctuate but for Amazon to start selling them that cheap is more like remainder house prices.
posted on March 19, 2001 05:48:08 PM new
I browsed through Amazon today, and for the life of me don't understand why one would choose the marketplace over half. Half charges 15 percent, the marketplace charges 15 plus 99 cents. Both accept the payments for you, and half is easier to find.
What is preferable about the marketplace that I am missing?
posted on March 19, 2001 06:11:46 PM new
There are pluses and minuses to using both. But when it comes to sales and profits, Amazon wins hands down. I have roughly the same amount of books on half.com as I do Amazon and my profits on Amazon are roughly 3 times what they are on half.com. I pay $40 a month so I don't have to pay the .99.
posted on March 19, 2001 09:09:20 PM new
I noticed the lower prices myself. What a pain...
At least they could email us that the price has changed on something that we have a listing on.
posted on March 20, 2001 12:28:05 AM new
well--I'm pissed. I had this OOP art book that I've been selling for $80.00--I've got about 10 of them . Amazon & BN have suddenly got hold of a stash of them and are selling them for $30.00 .
I don't know where they got them from ---the publisher said they had no plans to reprint it--and they had none warehoused
posted on March 20, 2001 03:05:51 AM new
The reason to use both sites is because your buyers aren't necessarily going to know about half.com. Or they want a picture and a blurb, who knows? Marketplace has the visibility.
I've been dabbling in the remainder market, and noticing an aggressive presence on both sites by the big names. That of course drops prices down or results in 50+ copies on half. It's a real trick to find a book that isn't already saturated, buy it, get it in the house, and list before the remainder house itself puts it up there!
I did notice that Amazon itself discounted a certain recent "in the news" hardcover, but the price was still well above what I got my second-hand copies for [2 of them] and I made a nice little profit anyway.
Buying cheap is my answer, and some weeks it feels like there are no good books to find..other weeks I hurt my back hauling them home!
Troy Wolverton here at CNET News.com. I'm following up on these reports of Marketplace sellers being affected by Amazon lowering its prices on some books and videos
I'd love to talk with you if you've been affected by this. Please contact me by posting here or emailing me at [email protected].
