Waaay overpriced books on amazon

[Seasider]

Can someone please remind me how some books on amazon can come with a list price of $600? I seem to remember there's some explanation of this phenomenon but can't recall the details.

[mamiof5]

I don't know, but have always wondered who would ever buy at those prices? I think I've seen some over $1000

[G5052]

Some sellers are set up for electronically "adjusted" prices for books that may be in short supply.

 

Years ago I saw a spelling book that I was shopping for priced at over $1000. It could be bought new from the publisher for $14.99.

[Seasider]

Some sellers are set up for electronically "adjusted" prices for books that may be in short supply.

 

Years ago I saw a spelling book that I was shopping for priced at over $1000. It could be bought new from the publisher for $14.99.

Okay that's what I seem to remember - automatic electronic adjustment. Thanks.

[Lanny]

Two reasons for this. Probably there are additional reasons. One is that sometimes the computerized pricing algorithms of 2 competing Amazon Marketplace Sellers will get into a price war against each other. If one lowers prices, the other follows suit. If one raises prices, the other follows. Sometimes books are listed for thousands of dollars because of that.  The other reason is that sometimes an Amazon Marketplace Seller is out of stock on a book, but wants to maintain their listing, so for example, they might change the price from $37.95 to $500.00..   When they have the book in stock, they adjust the price down to $37.95.

[Farrar]

It can get way out of hand sometimes:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2384102,00.asp

 

I've read other examples, this was just the first one that came up when I did a search.

[gardenmom5]

it's a place holder.

the 3rd party seller doesn't actually have a copy.  they hope to get a copy, but they want to keep their place in line. (I don't understand how it works, but that's what I've been told.)

[Seasider]

Thanks. Someone in my family cleaning off bookshelves was hopeful he had a thousand dollar book in his hands. I told him it was highly unlikely (it's something along the lines of the academic title - not a rare first edition of anything).

[Lanny]

Thanks. Someone in my family cleaning off bookshelves was hopeful he had a thousand dollar book in his hands. I told him it was highly unlikely (it's something along the lines of the academic title - not a rare first edition of anything).

 

 

Search for that book on Amazon. Frequently, especially for textbooks, you will see a link where you can click to see what Amazon will pay you for it. Actually, I think they pay for the shipping and give a credit to your Amazon account.  Some of the textbooks DD has finished with would have been worth sending to them, if we lived in the states. Most they only pay a few dollars for, but I have seen some up to $25 or $35 for Middle School textbooks as I recall.  We give ours away, to an Educator here, after DD finishes with them.  

[G5052]

Thanks. Someone in my family cleaning off bookshelves was hopeful he had a thousand dollar book in his hands. I told him it was highly unlikely (it's something along the lines of the academic title - not a rare first edition of anything).

 

Maybe things have changed, but I tried that game multiple times. Nope. Didn't move. One of them sat for over a year before I pulled it.

 

Having a "rare" book doesn't mean there's demand.

 

I'm not a big-time seller, but have sold an average of 30-50 books a year on Amazon, sometimes more. We're big readers, and to me, it's the easiest way to sell. 

 

Only TWICE did I make more than I bought it for. One was $30 more, and one was $10 more.

Edited March 19, 2016 by G5052