A recent discussion of eBay in the open thread had me revisit the site I tend to forget exists. Admittedly, the times I’ve used eBay have mostly been to purchase Caran D’ache metal pens, which are priced on average $8 to $10 cheaper than the suggested Canadian retail price.
The thought of bidding on a gift card had never crossed my mind until one of the rotating welcoming screens suggested it as a viable option. For some smart bidders, as shown below, you can walk away with over $80 in savings.
For others, the apparent goal of bidding, and hence winning, is to pay a premium fee over and above the allocated amount on the card. When that option isn’t available, the objective is to save no more than a nickel. Let’s peruse the eBayers’ version of “math is hard,” shall we?
I love entertainment so much, I’m willing to forgo up to 6 songs, 1 to 3 games, 1 movie, or two television episodes.
Um, no thanks, “Buy It Now” option for a guaranteed $10 in savings. Like a conditioned mouse for a psychological project, I’m going to keep clicking on “Place bid.”
With the added cost of eBay fees and/or PayPal fees, I’ve saved nothing.
Oh, thank God, the bidding is still open for another hour. I may be able to snag this deal for $7.
Hey guys, I’ve saved 90 cents, which means I can walk away with Costco’s best-selling product, toilet paper, for even less! I should go into business. Oh, wait, did I not take notice of the $1.95 shipping fee?
I like to pretend I’m European and pay higher fees for my gasoline.
Now unto the sellers. While the bulk of eBay merchants are trying to offload cards with a reasonable “Buy it Now” option, others are, well, impressive in their take-no-prisoners quest for profits.
Why do I get the feeling that “People of Walmart” will consider this a steal?
At least the shipping is free.
