I'm kind of wondering if anyone else notices this, or even cares.

I periodically get off Ebay and check Brian's Toys and Jeff's Collectible Empire just to see what's available. Without fail , every item marked "SOLD" is priced way under market. I mean by 1/2 or more. Am I the only one who sees this as poor form? I mean am I supposed to really believe that Brian's Toys sold a Harbert ESB Yoda for $249.99 and Jeff's sold an AFA sealed Early Bird Envelope for $999?

It's a tactic, and I get that, but I see that and it just turns me off to dealing with the site. As an aside, if I do deal with them, I'm offering low amounts since they seem to sell at these crazy low prices. The last piece is that people will see those prices and feel your price is high is you have one, thereby skewing the market.

In the grand scheme of things it's minor, but for whatever reason it gets my goat.

A Harbert Yoda for $250!!

That's insane!

I think one think that Jeff can certainly benefit from is removing all his sold items it does clog up the page a tad

Dark Sith Lord wrote:

A Harbert Yoda for $250!!

That's insane!

Here's two examples , one from each site I mentioned. Just to be 100% clear, I'm not taking a shot at either site. It's just the tactic, and it's a widely used one.

Early Bird Sealed Envelope for $999.99

http://www.jeffscollectableempire.com/999-99-star-wars-afa-70-early-bird-certificate-vintage-ew-afa-16448234/

Harbert Yoda for $249.99

http://www.brianstoys.com/Product/SV3CFHYODA/Vintage_Carded_Foreign_Harbert_Yoda_C-6_-_Actual_Photo.aspx


The intention is for people to say "Wow, they have great prices on these, so the rest of the pricing must be competitive too", but I think most people see this for what it is, a sales tactic.

However if I decide tomorrow to sell my Harbert Yoda for fair market value (say conservatively $2000) then I took like a madman compared to Brian's Toys.

DarthBerizing wrote:

Dark Sith Lord wrote:

A Harbert Yoda for $250!!

That's insane!

Here's two examples , one from each site I mentioned. Just to be 100% clear, I'm not taking a shot at either site. It's just the tactic, and it's a widely used one.

Early Bird Sealed Envelope for $999.99

http://www.jeffscollectableempire.com/999-99-star-wars-afa-70-early-bird-certificate-vintage-ew-afa-16448234/

Harbert Yoda for $249.99

http://www.brianstoys.com/Product/SV3CFHYODA/Vintage_Carded_Foreign_Harbert_Yoda_C-6_-_Actual_Photo.aspx


The intention is for people to say "Wow, they have great prices on these, so the rest of the pricing must be competitive too", but I think most people see this for what it is, a sales tactic.

However if I decide tomorrow to sell my Harbert Yoda for fair market value (say conservatively $2000) then I took like a madman compared to Brian's Toys.

Well just to let you know, I sold it for $750.00 on ebay not 999.99 as I was trying to get on the website. There is no tactics here my friend, as this is not what I do for a living, but just a extention of my hobby and to help my sister in law (who does and amazing job) always have a job.

Dec 5 11:41:51 STAR WARS AFA 70 EARLY BIRD CERTIFICATE - VINTAGE (e/w) 230892668072 Final Value Fee* $47.50
jduran238 Best Offer price: $750.00 (Fixed Price)

Above is my account showing it sold as the link is to old now.

I leave all my old items on my website to let people look through as you were doing just to see what we sell, as I have done this on many other websites over the years myself.

Brian may do this but not me as I have been collecting and selling longer than Brian has been selling items and I have no reason to act as if I had something and sold it for what we did not.

I have had this business going since 2009 and I have never turned a profit yet, but it pays for me to go all over the US to many conventions and enjoy my hobby as well as I can.

If anyone ever wants to know anything about me or my business or my collection just send me a pm or email and I will help you out.

Thanks Jeff

Jeff

I appreciate the reply. Like I said, I wasn't taking a shot at your site. When you run on multiple sites, I can see how these things can happen. You had a MISB Imperial Cruiser for $199 but it really sold for almost $250 on Ebay. I guess it would be unreasonable to change the price on your site to reflect a selling price on EBay.

Since you're in the business, do you think I'm off base that sites do make the sold items look more attractive? I think if you look at the Harbert Yoda, it's a prime example.

I know you're into more than SW , is this something you see in other toy lines?

DarthBerizing wrote:

Jeff

I appreciate the reply. Like I said, I wasn't taking a shot at your site. When you run on multiple sites, I can see how these things can happen. You had a MISB Imperial Cruiser for $199 but it really sold for almost $250 on Ebay. I guess it would be unreasonable to change the price on your site to reflect a selling price on EBay.

Since you're in the business, do you think I'm off base that sites do make the sold items look more attractive? I think if you look at the Harbert Yoda, it's a prime example.

I know you're into more than SW , is this something you see in other toy lines?

Hello John, I do feel that it could be used to attract people back to the site more often checking to see if they could be the next to find a great deal, but I do not feel many go out of there way to do this.

Thanks Jeff

Hi Jeff, not to take this thread off topic, but since you guys are discussing the sold items still On your website, would it be possible to put them in a seperate section, i like the idea to keep them up as reference, but to be honest its disturbing to browse through your items with all the sold items in between. Last time i allready gave up at page 2.
I like to browse for certain items (mainly SW logo moc), but don't like it, if i then need to go through alot of ESB, ROTJ and sold items.

Stargeezer wrote:

Hi Jeff, not to take this thread off topic, but since you guys are discussing the sold items still On your website, would it be possible to put them in a seperate section, i like the idea to keep them up as reference, but to be honest its disturbing to browse through your items with all the sold items in between. Last time i allready gave up at page 2.
I like to browse for certain items (mainly SW logo moc), but don't like it, if i then need to go through alot of ESB, ROTJ and sold items.

I will be getting the website in much better working ability by the end of the summer.

Thanks Jeff

First off, Hi Jeff, nice site, I lokk forward to having a proper browse.

Quote :

Hi Jeff, not to take this thread off topic, but since you guys are discussing the sold items still On your website, would it be possible to put them in a seperate section, i like the idea to keep them up as reference, but to be honest its disturbing to browse through your items with all the sold items in between. Last time i allready gave up at page 2.
I like to browse for certain items (mainly SW logo moc), but don't like it, if i then need to go through alot of ESB, ROTJ and sold items.

To me this is a great idea, I know in the past with Brians toy's it becomes pretty frustrating trawling through pages and pages of 'sold' items, but at the same time interesting to see and a valuable source for reference, especially given the fantastic quality of photo's on both sites. I'm with the Geezer on this one, love the pic's but a seperate section would be great, don't get me wrong though I appreciated that constantly updating a huge site would be an arse.

Either way great site's' on all counts!