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Isn't It Unethical To Overprice Used Gps?


vfrpilot

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If any of you have been following the posts in the last two days, you'll know I'm looking to upgrade.

 

Now, if there's one thing I enjoy about getting older (41), its the beauty of enhanced intuition - also useful in geocaching...

Anyway, I was browsing the GPS garage sale posts & noticed on TWO of the four posts I read that the units were highly over-priced.

 

One cacher was selling a used unit for 400.00 that I can get brand new, in the box, with software, including shipping to my front door for 309.00!

 

WHAT is the deal here?

 

Rather than spoil it - I sent both sellers a private e-mail with the links to according merchants with a "buddy-like" suggestion to maybe lower the price if they want to sell it??

 

Is it just me looking through rose colored glasses here or what?

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A couple of things might be happening here:

 

1) The owner honestly doesn't realize the price has fallen that much since they bought the unit at full retail at some store.

 

2) There might be some added accessories. In particular, if any maps are added that don't normally ship with the unit, that can make a major dent in the price difference.

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1) The owner honestly doesn't realize the price has fallen that much since they bought the unit at full retail at some store.

 

Ok, I guess I'll give ya that - but... uh,

 

2) There might be some added accessories. In particular, if any maps are added that don't normally ship with the unit, that can make a major dent in the price difference.

 

Naaa... nothing different, nothing extra - except a new one comes with a warranty -

 

Look, I want to look at it your way Gecko -

 

thats why I posted about it - but c'mon, two out of the 1st four [posts] I read -

 

it actually discouraged me a little from going further because if I were to buy "used" - I'd want to buy from someone in my interest circle, right?

 

No..... not like that tho :rolleyes:

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It also depends on were the seller is. Outside the US gps prices can be quite a bit higher. Things like import duties can increase the price and in some countries the dealers may be making a higher profit margin. And I would guess that in some other countries price fixing may be legal

 

Edit to add:

If I were to be buying a used GPS I would not pay more than 50% of the price for the unit new, but I will not buy a used GPS anyway.

Edited by JohnnyVegas
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I went over to the Garage sale to see if I could see what you were talking about. Didn't see it. (but didn't look all that long either) Some did seem high for used, but were still under GPSNOW's new price. Anyone who shops used and doesn't know the new price, well, that's their own fault. Not like anyone's twisting their arm to buy at that price.

 

You want to seen nuts, go visit eBay. Some of the bidding wars people get into.

Edited by GeckoGeek
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I think that is really no different than what a dealer does. At some places a new GPSr might cost $500 at another place it is only $400. It is up to the buyer to shop around. Same if you are buying used. It would be nice if everyone , new or used, sold at the lowest price. Ain't gonna happen.

 

 

Birdman

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My observation of these situations where people are asking more $ for their unwanted items, over the new price, is that the item tends to be "still for sale" long after the item has been discontinued by the manufacturer! :(

 

What usually happens is that the new purchase price keeps falling, by the time the seller has realised that his $400 GPSr, can be bought new for $309!! The new retail price is around $250 :rolleyes:

 

....technically making the $400 used GPSr now only worth $125!

 

You can get a new explorist XL for $315!!! :(

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I know for me, I have paintball as another passion and when I sell some equipment I get a ton of offers in those threads. However, every offer is usually way below the asking price. In this case I just ask a bit more so I can get something close to what I am looking for. I am working on selling a couple GPSrs here and have done the same thing but I guess the buyers here are not as aggressive...who knows.

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I went over to the Garage sale to see if I could see what you were talking about. Didn't see it. (but didn't look all that long either) Some did seem high for used, but were still under GPSNOW's new price. Anyone who shops used and doesn't know the new price, well, that's their own fault. Not like anyone's twisting their arm to buy at that price.

 

You want to seen nuts, go visit eBay. Some of the bidding wars people get into.

E-bay was brought up in another thread. THat is the worst place in the world to buy a used GPS and try to get it for a good price. Just for kicks I book marked a used legend C so that I could see the final bid. It sold for $179.00 what a deal, you can buy them new for about $200.00. And to think on e-bay they call it the winning bid :rolleyes:

Like PT Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute"

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You can't let it get to you....

 

I know - you're right. :(

 

If there is a willing seller and a willing buyer it can't be unethical

 

I guess threre are different ways of looking at it....

 

If I, myself found out someone with relevant knowledge sold me something used that I could buy for less BRAND NEW with a warranty , I would be a little upset - but I guess you're right, If someone is willing, why not take the money, right.......... :grin:

 

maybe I'm just over-thinkin' it - :grin:

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I do think there are a lot of folks selling used merchandise in today's wire world that have unrealistic expectations. Like people selling used furniture for 80% of it's new value or people selling bikes and computers who hope to 'get out of it what I have into it'. With the internet you can have hundreds or thousands of people see your merchandise and you only have to have one person agree to your price to be successful. I always take the other side of the fence. In lots of ways (when dealing with elatively small amounts of money) my time is more important than my money. I'd rather get rid of something in a day or two for 25% less than have to deal with lots of time and prospective buyers. The only advice I'd give to someone looking to get a good deal is to give up on being in a hurry. If you need it now you'll probably pay more than you need to.

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Unethical? Unsportsmanlike? Don't take things so personally. It's what the market will bear.

 

A possibility that hasn't been mentioned yet is that perhaps the seller(s) are in no hurry to get rid of the unit(s). Maybe their significant other wants them to sell it, or maybe he really likes the unit but doesn't use it much. If someone is willing to pay top dollar for it, he'll sell, but otherwise he's perfectly happy to keep the unit, perhaps as a spare. There's nothing unethical or unsportsmanlike about that. If you aren't willing to pay that price, don't. But it's the seller's option to ask what he is willing to sell it for.

 

It would be like my vehicle. I drive a 1989 Toyota 4WD van. It has 330,000 miles on it. But it's also fully loaded, in immaculate condition, runs great, and everything works. It's been places that 90% of the 4wd SUVs on the road will never ever see, and will continue to surprise alot of people with where I can and do take it. And it's my baby! What's it worth? About $2000 max. What would I sell it for? Nothing less than $7000. Is that unethical of me? No, it simply means that I have no intention of selling it, but if someone is willing to pay me that much, well then...

 

Now obviously, the GPS owner(s) in question do at least have some intention of selling, but again, maybe they're not "gung ho" about letting it go. If you want the unit, make an offer you feel is fair. If the seller is unwilling to go that low, move on and keep looking.

 

If the seller want's to move it faster, he'll lower the proce accordingly. If not, well then, that's his decision.

Edited by 4x4van
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Sometimes I admit it is frustrating to see used units priced too high. It's not uncommon for me to see used items sold on ebay for more than I can buy them for new somewhere else online.

 

It's also hard for the seller to take such a huge loss usually. If you think about it, a customer locally here (no one in town has the "x" units yet) goes and buys a 76cs for $500, not knowning that he can buy them online for nearly $350, so he decides to sell it in 2 months what is a fair used price $250 at best.... it's hard to swallow a 50% loss in 8 weeks. Digital cameras are the same way, the only plus is that while those things drop very quickly prices of the new units do as well. For example I sold a 5mp digital camera that cost me $800 in 2002 for $250, a huge loss, but I was able to buy a new 5mp camera with more zoom, vibration reduction, better image quality and performance for $400, so while I lost a lot of resale value, it only cost me $150 to upgrade to a much better unit.

 

But I think in the end as others have said it's what the market will bear, I think the best sellers will try to name a fair price, but again everyone has a different idea of fair. Some sellers don't know what you can buy them for online as well. You can already order a 76csx for about $450 online if you look around. It also depends on if the seller is in a hurry, or motivated to sell, condition of the unit, accessories etc. It's just as frustrating to sellers I'm sure to list something at what you feel is a fair price, say $200 and get bombarded with emails asking if you will sell the unit for $75.

 

Dealers are no better, for instance I've asked a few places in town about the new garmin "x" units that use memory cards and every sales guy I've asked has said they have not heard anything about a new unit coming out(I know this isn't true because a buddy works at one of the stores and gets product updates and has been aware of it for some time). So is it really any better for a store to try and mislead a customer to buy a 76cs for their $500 "on sale" price? Another store's hunting dept. manager who's corporate website specifically says their stores will price match internet sites, flat out told me they have never done that and would not do it. After a letter to the corporate office, the store manager assures me that "mistake" will not happen again.

 

If you think gps units are bad, try camera lenses. This is one that really blows my mind. High end camera lenses used without warranty, as a mater of rule not exception get 90% of their new cost, if not more. Why people pay $1000 for a used lens with no warranty they can buy one new with warranty from a dealer for $1150 I have no idea, but it happens all the time.

 

I think in the end, good/great deals will come along if you are patient and willing to shop around. As I'm sure is true of sellers, if you are patient you can probably get a higher price for your gps it just may take longer to sell.

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eBay can be good or bad. Often it's the SHIPPING that is insane. People want $10 or $20 to ship a 6 oz. item. It amazes me that people pay that kind of shipping.

 

On the other hand, I bought a brand new, in the box, GPSMAP 76CS on eBay last August for under $400 - delivered to my door. And yes, Garmin covered it under warranty when I later broke it. At the time that was one heck of a deal. You just have to use your head when you buy things no matter where you buy them.

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Yeah you have to watch the shipping, however it is getting more expensive. I sold a nikon 5700 consumer camera with some accessories, send USPS priority with $300 worth of insurance and it cost me $15.30 to ship. It was in a box I suppose a little bigger than a shoebox and was only 4.5lbs because it had a lot of accessories in it, but it was still more than I thought it would be, it broke down to $10 for shipping and $5 for insurance.

 

So while everyone is familar with thier $4 priority mail costs, if you add insurance and a package that is a little heavy it adds up. Insurance is the killer with usps, it costs more than the shipping most of the time. If you can get away with using one of thier free boxes where you can put anything in it for $3.95 that's great, but a little bigger or heavier box gets expensive in a hurry.

 

Also a lot of times shippers use like the ups store quotes, that place is a HUGE rip off. I was quoted $80 to send in two camera lenses 2nd day to canon with $2000 worth of insurance. I guess where they get you is the insurance, the shipping rates are similar as if you go to your local UPS counter, but their insurance rates are sky high, also if they don't package it for you at the UPS Store they will charge you insurance but it's only against loss, not damage, so then you have to spend the extra $ to have them package it too. The same package sent at the ups counter was about $20 to send.

 

Some are using it to pad the costs of fees for using paypal etc. and they know a lot of people do not check the shipping costs, though now if listed some ebay searches will list what the shipping is next to the auction price.

 

I know I ran across a camera on ebay where the seller wanted $45 to ship it and $30 to insure it for $75 of shipping, I'm sure whoever bought that was less than happy.

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I've asked a few places in town about the new garmin "x" units that use memory cards and every sales guy I've asked has said they have not heard anything about a new unit coming out(I know this isn't true because a buddy works at one of the stores and gets product updates and has been aware of it for some time).

Well, there is a very good chance they did not know about them. At the job I left 3 years ago I was the GPS buyer. I was buying for a retailer with three stores. I can think of maybe two employees out of those three stores that kept up with GPS technology and what was new or about to be released. This was true for most of the depts in the store. Being I was on the buying team and going to shows were products may be displayed as much as a year before they got into stores I had access to this information, the sales staff did not.

 

Now if an employee would ask me if anything new was on the way I would tell them what I new.

 

You really should not assume that they know about the new X versions from Garmin.

 

As a matter of fact I have am going to be seeing a new item in flashlights on Feb. 11th in Las Vegas. The manufacture will not tell me anything about it utill then, but they have made an appointment with me to see it then. My guess is there will be a press release at about that time.

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