eBay "PUTTY" makes a putz of me!

Joe Sixpack on 28/10/2017 - 18:09

Spent some time hunting for stuff on eBay to make up the $50+ needed to use the 15% off PUTTY coupon. Finally made it, hit "BUY" and gloried in the discount.

Then by chance I found a link to an online tool shop (hint: it has the word 'Syndey' in it) and found I could have bought it all even cheaper with free shipping as well. Wasted time and wasted money buying on eBay, even with the 15% coupon.

Anyone else finding that eBay is not where you'll get the best prices, even with the discounts?

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Comments

  • NuclearWessels on 28/10/2017 - 18:18
    +2

    Well yeah, depending on the sale the sellers have to wear the discount cost so a lot of the prices get jacked. That's not to say there aren't great deals, because there are.. you just gotta do your research on the actual value of the item before buying (same as any retail really).

    • Joe Sixpack on 28/10/2017 - 18:27
      +1

      It's becoming too much like hard work. They give you a short 3-day window to use the discount, then prices are jacked, and then you find the goods are much cheaper elsewhere anyway! Case in point:

      Makita 3.6V screwdriver kit

      eBay best price with discount: $77 (most sellers have it over $100!)

      Price from Sydney Tools: $65 delivered
      Price from Get Tools Direct: $70 (local pickup available)

      I'm getting really sick of eBay….

      • NuclearWessels on 28/10/2017 - 19:11

        You definitely don't get the value for smaller purchases and it can be a hassle. I have used the sales for phones, TVs and laptops and have saved quite a bit though

  • Ryanek on 28/10/2017 - 18:32
    -5

    So you didn't get the best bargain and felt the need to post about it?

    • Joe Sixpack on 28/10/2017 - 18:33

      NO, I wondered if others are also finding that eBay is becoming a trap for the unwary.

      • Ryanek on 28/10/2017 - 18:33
        +2

        No one claims eBay is the cheapest. You still have to do your research.

        • Joe Sixpack on 28/10/2017 - 18:38

          But not only is it not the cheapest, but even with the biggest discounts (e.g. 15%) it's still more expensive than most onlines stores (in the tools game). As a long-time eBay user (20 years), I think that represents a change from what it was a couple of years ago, when it could be relied upon to be around the cheapest even without discounts.

          From now on, I'm going to do a lot of market research before using it again, and I suggest others do likewise.

        • Kangal on 28/10/2017 - 20:07
          +1

          @Joe Sixpack:

          Amazon is coming… fret not.

    • Joe Sixpack on 28/10/2017 - 20:33

      Thanks, I'll try this and report back on how it pans out.

      • Joe Sixpack on 28/10/2017 - 20:36

        Not an "approved competitor". Worthless guarantee. Sad.

  • JimmyF on 28/10/2017 - 20:40
    +1

    Anyone else finding that eBay is not where you'll get the best prices, even with the discounts?

    Yes…. ebay adds 11% (after GST now) in fees onto the seller for the item and POSTAGE costs. Plus paypal wants its cut of 2ish % as well. So kiss 13% of the price you pay goodbye to pay ebay/paypal.

    So for a place running their OWN website and web store, they can sell it cheaper for sure, as they only basically have the paypal overhead (plus the stores website fees etc, and setup cost)

  • Quantumcat on 28/10/2017 - 22:21
    +1

    The only way to do well out of these sales is to keep a list of things you want and have researched the prices already, so you know what is a good price. Then when the sale hits you can quickly see if there's anything at a good price to buy it.

  • Sage on 28/10/2017 - 23:29

    that's the price jacking we always rant about.

    • Diji1 on 29/10/2017 - 01:34

      One day the ACCC will step in. One day probably after it's put MSY out of business with fines even though MSY are usually cheapest.

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