B & M Bookstore Prices: Why Are We So Shy?

booksfillmylife · Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 379 Location: Brooklyn

I stopped at Strand Bookstore in NY yesterday and I couldn't believe the prices they were asking for their books!

I saw a lot of psychology/technology books from the 50's that I would put up for about $9.99 on Ebay, praying that someone--just someone would bid.

Strand listed those same books from $20 -$50 and up!

Why can't Ebay buyers pay those prices for my books! I wish I could list such a book at $19.99 and get a bid

BFML

justonce · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 6:05 pm Post subject:

The Strand....I am seriously jealous......I consider it a premiere day if I can get to Powell's in Portland......

Yes, it would be nice, wouldn't it.....and it used to be true that one could actually expect such returns.....and, frankly, I am still at a loss as to why that expectation was dashed on eBay....but it has been.

I know there is glut, floor, deluge, whatever.....but those huge books stores are selling books at big prices and have plenty of customers.

I am beginning to think that eBay's strategy of attracting all of the big corporate listers is turning eBay into a discount house and buyers just won't pay good prices in a DCH.

What do you think?

Best, Franci
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HoldenRex · Joined: 30 Mar 2003 Posts: 546

The key word in your initial statement is asking. Just because a B&M store is asking $20-$50+ on these books doesn't mean that they are necessarily moving at that price.

This is a common misconception that I've seen at antique malls and flea markets - customers would walk in, see a price on a given item, then assume that that was the actual "selling" price. In fact, the item might be sitting there for months, sometimes even years, at that price (beware when you see price tags where the ink has faded - there's probably a reason why the item has been sitting for so long at that price).

I'm not saying they won't eventually get that price - after all, there's a reason why they are in that market position - but don't believe that every price you see in a used book or antiques store is the ultimate selling price of the item in question.

john

keziak · Joined: 04 Aug 2001 Posts: 3084

Some of those titles might bring $50 if you park on Amazon and wait long enough, assuming they haven't been lowballed there. Ebay is just not the same type of venue. I had a "Voices" ebay conference call tonight with one of the VP's of marketing and from his comments they either don't get this concept or don't want to get it. Very frustrating in light of the impending half.com demise. Way too many books won't go for that money just because you put it up in a 7-day auction.

keziak

justonce · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 8:55 pm Post subject:

Beth you are so brave to tell these folk at eBay the unvarished truth.

You are so right about the time constraint being one of the bugaboos on eBay. My experiment last year proves conclusively (for me at least ) that relists (up to six or seven times) will eventually result in a sale.....but it also costs 5 to 6 times the listing fee to get there. Given that Amazon looks not only reliable in terms of length of listing but cheap, especially if you have an account.

And speaking of Amazon.....does anyone ever use their auctions.....or are they just windowdressing. I noticed that if you have a Merchant account listing is free and relists unlimited.

Do you think that AZ auctions might perk up if Half is gone and eBay insists on eliminating all possibilities of the long term listing?

What do you think?

Best, Franci

P.S. Is is colder than a witch's *** here....expected to be 20 degrees here tonight, blistering northern winds out of the Frazier Valley in Canada and the power was out this morning. And the leaves are not even off the trees yet!!
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keziak · Joined: 04 Aug 2001 Posts: 3084

Franci -

You should have seen/heard me go! They also had the Stores guy, who is a perfectly nice young man but I could barely keep from gagging over his gung-ho store boosterism. What a cynic! From painful experience! But they just really really want to believe that everyone actually makes more money on ebay despite the fees. The other seller on the call [just two of us today] laconically informed them that he hasn't even listed on ebay in 2 weeks, and in the last 7 weeks ebay has represented 1% of his total sales. Ouch. For some reason that guy does a lot on half.

Amazon auctions are a ZERO.

Sorry to hear about your weather, especially with trick or treating coming up tomorrow! I guess it's better than the wildfires, though...

keziak

justonce · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:40 pm Post subject:

Well, that's depressing. I really think that one of the qualifications for anyone working at eBay is that they have to have an ongoing seller's account and maintain a 95% positive feedback with at least 15 sales per month or they don't have a job.

I think once Half goes, eBay may be in for a rude awakening.

I am going to stay ahead of this curve.

Actually, there is not any trick or treating in my neighborhood at all and the big deal here is the local Malls have big parties and gobs of candies at all of the stores. And the schools just go all out.....especially this year with the spooky day being on a Friday. And no rain on Halloween here is definitely a novelty.....usually all those cute costumes are soaked in short order.

Thanks for the info, Beth......best, Franci
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead

jenbustillo · Joined: 29 Apr 2002 Posts: 440

I remember one year where we had snow on Halloween. A rare occurrence for Seattle in October.

Jen

chihuahuarat · Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 220

The Strand's prices are high compared to what we can get on Ebay, but I always considered the Strand's prices to be reasonable as compared to most other "booksellers." Anyway, the Strand makes mistakes too. I knew this bookseller who had a shop on the top floor of the building across the street from the Strand, and every morning he'd keep watching for them to put out their $1.00 books on the street, and then he'd rush down. He just about made a living from their mistakes.

The Strand has a rare book department, too, detached from the main store on an upper floor. If you know your subject area, you can sometimes find bargains up there.

booksfillmylife · Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 379 Location: Brooklyn

Thanks for the upper floor tip!

I am another bookseller who peruses their dollar and yes, $.48 section for books to sell on ebay.

BFML

mindelec · Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 23