Retailers Want to Stop Internet Resellers
Retailers are trying to control the growing practice of shoppers buying merchandise at their stores, and then selling the items on eBay at a higher price.What is happening is that some eBay sellers will shop final clearance racks where they can find merchandise priced often below the retailer's cost. If the price is low enough, they will buy it in bulk, markup the price, and then put it up for auction on Internet sites such as eBay.
According to DailyIndia.com, retailers such as Gymboree are taking steps to control this trend. The popular kid's chain store now sets a limit of how many items of an identical product can be purchased at a time. A five-piece limit is set to discourage those shoppers who are really eBay resellers.
USA Today reported that Coach Inc., a leather goods maker known for its pricey handbags, sends letters to customers who they find selling their merchandise on eBay. The letter tells the customers that they may no longer shop at the Coach stores.
A recent example of resellers making large profits from items purchased in local stores was a designer bag by Anya Hindmarch, which was purchased in stores such as Whole Foods Market for $15 then sold on eBay by resellers for up to $450.
This kind of news can be disinheriting for bargain shoppers looking to Internet auction sites to find good deals. If resellers are hitting the sales racks and buying up all the good deals, it means less selection for legitimate shoppers. It is also an example of why it helps to shop the stores and check prices before buying blindly at an auction. The real deal may be right at our backdoor.
Comments
That shows how mean and greedy people are.People don’t have a heart anymore.
I don’t think it shows that anybody is mean. It does show that there are people who are basically doing “personal shopping” for those that don’t want to leave their house to shop. They are taking a risk - that someone will buy their item for more than they did. There isn’t anything wrong with that - and it definitely isn’t MEAN. If the stores don’t like it, they should hire someone to put their clearance items on ebay for them - then the profits stay with the store.
There are plenty of people willing to pay more for something that is delivered to their door, if they don’t have to brave the elements/traffic themselves. If someone is willing to pay $450 for a purse that cost someone else $15 - who cares? Does that make antique stores mean? I’m sure the items they sell for $1000s weren’t purchased for that much…
Corporate America is sewing the seeds of its own destruction. Free enterprise would be dead if Big Bucks had its way. No wonder jobs have been lost by the millions OUT of America.I resent to lousy corporate leadership that allows Toyota (we own 2 and the cars are great)to outsell our car makers. America needs to wake up before we are down the tube. Start by impeaching Blunderbush.
If the store wants their clearance items so bad, then why are they on clearance to begin with? If somebody wants to grab up the clearance items and resell them, that is their business. It is greed on the part of Corporate America- they can’t stand the thought of someone selling their items for a higher price than they can. Like Lydia says- antique shops sell their stuff for much more than than the original purchase price. Same thing.
I LOVE THIS!! THESE STORES CAN BUY THINGS FROM CHINA’S SWEAT SHOPS FOR PENNIES AND CHARGE US CONSUMERS AN ARM AND A LEGG AND THEN GET ANGRY WHEN THEY ARE BEAT AT THERE OWN GAME.. THIS IS A RIOT I CAN’T EVEN BELIEVE IT! AND COACH?? YOU CAN GO TO MARSHALLS AND BUY A COACH BAG FOR A QUARTER OF THE PRICE OF EVEN AN OUTLET. PEOPLE ARE GETTING SMART AND THESE STORES ARE LOSING AT THERE OWN GAME AND NOW ARE CRYING ABOUT IT?? IT’S CALLED FREEDOM PEOPLE!!
IT IS CALLED SUPPLY AND DEMAND AND IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY IN EVERY STORE… I CAN SEE SELLING ELMO FOR 400 DOLLARS BUT IF PEOPLE ARE BUYING THEN THAT’S THERE ISSUE.. WHO CARES?? I THINK MOST ARE JEALOUS THAT THEY DON’T HAVE THE “EYE” FOR WHAT TO BUY AND RE-SELL, IT IS AN ART!! GOOD FOR THOSE WHO CAN MAKE A PROFIT AS I WOULD RATHER GIVE IT TO THE STAY AT HOME MOM THAN WALFART!!
As an Ebay seller myself my opinion that is Coach is imposing an outrageous “policy” on re-sellers of their products. Hey, the reseller legitimately went to the store, purchased the item and paid sales tax. What’s the problem? They just cleared their racks to make room for the new products AND did it quicker than waiting for individuals to buy the items 1 by 1. If these items being resold are not the counterfeit fakes and are the genuine products then there is no “crime” committed. This is free enterprise, how can they do this? Coach should try to be more competitive in their pricing so people will flock to their stores. Oh- maybe they are worried the sheep won’t buy thier overpriced products if they do not over charge the group that buys them!
How hilarious that stores are crying about their own clearance policies! Imagine a store upset that its clearance items are actually (gasp!) being SOLD! In this great country we have something called “free enterprise,” and each store can charge what they want, and we, the consumers, can buy WHERE we want (that means on eBay if we choose to). If Coach doesn’t like free enterprise, then they can move their stores to a country where the government regulates everything. I prefer free enterprise, thank you.
What if you buy this stuff to donate to the homeless shelters? Why do they care if they put it on clearance in the first place. Just another corporate america controlling the little people.
Sounds like they should hire these spart folks.
Sally Gee
I believe that once you buy something it is yours to do with as you please!
I have to say that many stores don’t really count resold stuff on e-bay as a viable competition. If they are purchased through the store at a clearance price, then the products are last season’s stuff and aren’t worth as much. Plus, if resellers purchase things cheap at a store SO CAN WE! It’s amazing to think that the e-bayers stay in business.
Just another reason why I would never buy a new item on E bay. E bay has gone down hill for many years now and is such a rip off. As for buying a Coach bag at any price, you can have it.
Coach nor any other retailer should be concerned with what we do with the products we buy, it is ridiculous.. whats next checking garage sales to make sure that their are no clearance items for sale at a larger profit than the store made? INSANE? yes.. hum..