spazmodeus
|
posted on March 17, 2001 12:56:16 PM
A lot of books I've checked out lately at half.com are selling for list price or above.
I thought the idea was to sell books at half the list price or below?
I know half.com has always had some books listed in their "above half" section -- a distinction noted in the search results when you happened across one. But the list-price-or-higher books I'm seeing now are not classified as "above half." They're in the regular listings.
Has something changed? Was the half-price sales philosophy just an introductory gimmick?
|
escandyo
|
posted on March 17, 2001 01:42:02 PM
Yes, Half is still half, mostly below. I've got about $400 in inventory there, with most of it less than half. The only time I might list above is if I have the only copy available, or it is a slightly different issue (like first edition, always noted.)
|
spazmodeus
|
posted on March 17, 2001 02:43:45 PM
From what I've seen, the books being priced higher than half (significantly higher) have been listed in just the last month or so. Maybe some sellers are getting cocky.
|
Zazzie
|
posted on March 17, 2001 02:59:25 PM
Half.com changed the policy about only listing things at half their retail price many months ago--you're behind the times SPAZ--so none of those sellers are being cocky. Below is the Half.com policy regarding pricing
http://www.half.com/help/index.cfm?helpsection=pricing
'Pricing Structure
Selling an item at Half.com is very easy. Until recently, a Seller could enter
any price they wished - as long as it was less than half-off the original list
price. Many of you told us this pricing structure limited the the selection of
items you could buy and sell. Due to this feedback, we now allow Sellers to list items above half price in each category.
Our hope is that expanding the pricing to include items over half price will increase the selection of listings, especially with newly released and hard-to-find items. Items listed for half-price or less will continue to be featured on Half.com, but the addition of items over half-price should provide a more robust selection for Buyers to choose from.
In an effort to help you price your product competitively, Half.com will provide you with a suggested selling price. The suggested selling price for an item is calculated as a percentage of the best on-line retail price for a new copy of the item, depending on the quality of the item.
It is important to note that listing items at over half-pricemay cause them to sell more slowly than more competitively priced
items.
|
spazmodeus
|
posted on March 17, 2001 03:11:21 PM
So it was a gimmick.
The name of the site's a lie, then. Bait and switch, is all I can say.
|
Zazzie
|
posted on March 17, 2001 03:22:04 PM
Spin it however you want---but at least you don't have to least a book that sold in 1975 for $1.50 retail for 75 cents anymore.
|
spazmodeus
|
posted on March 17, 2001 03:41:14 PM
No, and apparently you can also list books that sold in 1988 for $10 for $15-17. If this is the future direction of half.com, I may as well just stick to the well-established second hand sites I've been using for a few years now. Too bad. It was nice while it lasted.
|
Zazzie
|
posted on March 17, 2001 03:54:29 PM
You going off the deep end again Spaz----I get lots and lots of bargains from Half...but I buy most of them to resell.
But last week I supplied a 15 member reading club with hard cover copies of their title for 1/3 the retail price. and that 1/3 included the shipping
[ edited by Zazzie on Mar 17, 2001 03:56 PM ]
|
nowwhat
|
posted on March 17, 2001 03:55:49 PM
The problem I have with the higher pricing is the lack of information given. If I'm going to pay a high price for a book I want to know something about it. Not all editions are created equal. I need accurate information, not comments like "I ship fast". I need to know if the book has a dust jacket, etc. I think many half.com sellers haven't got a clue. That's where I think the problem is.
|
Zazzie
|
posted on March 17, 2001 03:59:59 PM
I bought a paperback book from Half.com for $20.00--out of print--published in the seventies. But the sweet thing about it is I resold it for $125.00 (but not on Half)
[ edited by Zazzie on Mar 17, 2001 04:00 PM ]
|
spazmodeus
|
posted on March 17, 2001 04:05:15 PM
I buy for resale too. At first I despised half.com, but I figured heck, it's not going away and eBay keeps putting the link at the bottom of my search result pages, so maybe I should take something back and make half.com work in my favor.
The higher prices on half.com bite into my resale profit, so that's why it irks me, LOL.
|
escandyo
|
posted on March 17, 2001 04:29:29 PM
Good gried, Zazzie! Mind telling us what it was, so I can look for copies in the neightborhood? I PROMISE I'll let you buy them all! Never saw the day I got more than $10 out of a paperback, unless it was crafts or gardening!
|
Zazzie
|
posted on March 17, 2001 04:31:17 PM
I think having a Pre-order list and a Wish List is important if you buying for resale or for your own collection.
Then if someone lists they see your pre-order and may decide to sell at the price you are wanting to spend---but if they go higher you will see it on your wish list and then can determine if you will pay more
|
Zazzie
|
posted on March 17, 2001 04:32:07 PM
If I told you I would have to kill you 
edited to add a winkie face
[ edited by Zazzie on Mar 17, 2001 04:32 PM ]
|
escandyo
|
posted on March 17, 2001 04:34:29 PM
O.K. KILL me with kindness, I'm DYING to know...
|
wbbell
|
posted on March 17, 2001 10:15:46 PM
spazmodeus, I'm pretty sure that the "above half" feature came into being AFTER half.com was acquired by the evil empire ...
I agree that it does seem sort of pointless to allow over half items. That practice was definitely not within the original intent of half.com. Unfortunately, all signs of the olden days have been conveniently big-brothered off of half.com...
|
suz23
|
posted on March 18, 2001 09:18:20 AM
hi Escandyo: that's how I got hooked on auction selling. Selling off my oop paperback romances for $ 40.00 us! ( that's a lot of money for a canadian) when the price on the cover said $ 1.00! So if you really wanted to know what kind of paperbacks sell for a high price just look on ebay under any heading!!!However, I can't tell you how many times I burn myself thinking this is a great deal and lol I paid more than the item was worth but then I am not quite as good as you zazzie and I keep telling all my friends who then start selling too! Suz23 here but lovebooks everywhere else as well as lovebooks etc etc like 123 lovebooks2 etc. etc. etc. etc.!!
|
