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eBay As Popularity Meter
from the what-can't-it-do? dept
In the past, we've discussed how eBay has turned into a PR generating platform -- just put something odd or different up for sale, and wait for the press to come running. It looks like eBay also serves another unintended purpose for the press: it's a popularity meter. There are a number of stories out about how Sony misjudged demand for the new, slimmer PS2, as holiday shoppers are going to extreme lengths to snag the few PS2s available. However, in order to judge just how much demand there is for the rare PS2s, the press goes looking to eBay, noting that the selling price on eBay was well above the retail price. Next, we just need someone to create an automated price comparison system to monitor eBay prices vs. retail prices, and you could create a nice little map of what's really hot, and what's a complete dud.
Reader Comments
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What's really amazing
What's really amazing is that so much of what sells on ebay goes for over the retail price - especially once you figure in the absurd S&H charges that most sellers tack on*.
Ebay has become a one-stop shopping site for a lot of people who don't even bother to check other sites or stores before entering a bid, not even knowing they could have saved themselves money.
*I am personally fed up with people selling stuff on ebay at absurdly low prices and then charging absurdly high S&H prices. I feel that ebay needs to add the fixed S&H price into the initial bid so you can't sell a 60" HDTV starting at $0.99 and then charge $5999 shipping and handling.
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eBay Pulse
Mike, check out eBay's "Pulse" offering -- codified form of what you're pointing to (at least for items in the Head [vs. Tail]).
I wrote a bit about it here:
http://www.buzzhit.com/2004/11/ebays-next-chapter-pricing-authority.html
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