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Crazy eBay prices! Am I missing something

jxpjxp Posts: 550
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in Mobile Phones #1
I 'm looking to get a new Virgin pay as you go phone. I had decided on getting a Nokia 6300 and looked around at prices. Phones 4 U was best at £70.

I then looked on eBay to see if I could get a bargain. 6300s on eBay were generally going for over £80 and BuyItNow prices were approx £90 - £120. I realise some of these phones are unlocked but you can get a PAYG phone for another network and unlock it for a total of £80.

Can anyone explain why the eBay prices are so high? Surely buying from Phones 4 U with poor customer service is better than spending £10 more to get it second hand with no customer service?

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    TalizmanTalizman Posts: 2,899
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    #2
    It's because most (not all) ebayers these days are money-grabbing idiots with no idea of what to ask for phones.
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    popppopp Posts: 548
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    #3
    i often compare prices with items i buy from argos or currys with the prices on ebay, and like you say the prices are sometimes more expensive. makes you wonder what muppets buy these more expensive items, maybe its the fact that they get them delivered and do not have the hassle of buying from shops.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,055
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    #4
    Are the phones on eBay PAYG or contract phones, remember that a new phone SIM free usually costs over £100 at the very least.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 112
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    #5
    £69.99 on Orange @ Dial-A-Phone as well http://************/2jghd8

    Robert
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,994
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    #6
    ebay isnt always the cheapest option. people just buy stuff off there cus they think its gonna be the cheapest - i know, ive done it myself
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    Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    #7
    I never just buy stuff off of Ebay, as a lot of the time I look on Amazon etc and find I can actually get it cheaper there (and actually from Amazon and not the sellers).

    I think some people just belive Ebay is going to be the cheapest and not even bothing to look elsewhere.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 253
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    #8
    but from sometimes we get faulty or fake items from auction sites
    coz all the sellers are not genuine
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    AppleseedAppleseed Posts: 3,827
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    #9
    Talizman wrote: »
    It's because most (not all) ebayers these days are money-grabbing idiots with no idea of what to ask for phones.

    I agree, plus most people who visit Ebay assume they are getting a bargain and don't bother checking out the prices of new kit!
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    LEPLEP Posts: 1,237
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    #10
    Its strange as Ive seen on Ebay that the Iphone is more expensive to buy than going to an Apple store and buying it yourself. Its free to unlock as you only need to download some software off the net.
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    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    #11
    LEP wrote: »
    Its strange as Ive seen on Ebay that the Iphone is more expensive to buy than going to an Apple store and buying it yourself. Its free to unlock as you only need to download some software off the net.


    Remember your not just paying the winning bid on Ebay. Throw in postage @ £5.00 - sometimes £10. You may have Pay Pal fees on top of that, if using that method.

    And they are talking about removing the negative feedback comments. So how do you know you are dealing with an honest seller?

    I reported a seller two weeks ago. The phone they were selling was 0.99 and the postage from within the UK was £30. Under Ebay rules you can't charge excessive postage. The listing got removed.
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    Oblido2007Oblido2007 Posts: 1,470
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    #12
    tn2000 wrote: »
    Remember your not just paying the winning bid on Ebay. Throw in postage @ £5.00 - sometimes £10. You may have Pay Pal fees on top of that, if using that method.

    And they are talking about removing the negative feedback comments. So how do you know you are dealing with an honest seller?

    I reported a seller two weeks ago. The phone they were selling was 0.99 and the postage from within the UK was £30. Under Ebay rules you can't charge excessive postage. The listing got removed.

    You only pay Paypal fees when your receiving money, not when you are buying something.

    And eBay are only removing the negative feedback options from the sellers, not the buyers. So basically sellers won't be allowed to leave negative feedback.
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    derbyshire duckderbyshire duck Posts: 14,867
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    #13
    i think people get carried away when bidding wonting to win even when it costs them more than in a shop:confused:
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    prkingprking Posts: 9,793
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    #14
    derbyshire duck wrote: »
    i think people get carried away when bidding wonting to win even when it costs them more than in a shop:confused:

    I think that is exactly it. The focus is on winning the item not the price. That's why people use these programmes that bid at the last minute. The best option is always to bid what you think the item is worth, so what if some numpty wins by paying too much?
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    magikmaxmagikmax Posts: 796
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    #15
    Of course, thinking about it from a different perspective, if any of you have a bunch of old mobiles lying around the house, you can usually make a bit of money off them on eBay.

    I recently got over £20 for an ancient Nokia 7110 (the Matrix phone), and £80 for a Sony Ericsson k800i that was around 9 months old.

    I notice that old nokias, 8310, 8210 etc. go for about £20, so it would be well worth digging your old handsets out if you've got any.
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    Steve_runnerSteve_runner Posts: 528
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    #16
    magikmax wrote: »
    Of course, thinking about it from a different perspective, if any of you have a bunch of old mobiles lying around the house, you can usually make a bit of money off them on eBay.

    I recently got over £20 for an ancient Nokia 7110 (the Matrix phone), and £80 for a Sony Ericsson k800i that was around 9 months old.

    I notice that old nokias, 8310, 8210 etc. go for about £20, so it would be well worth digging your old handsets out if you've got any.


    Instead of putting them on Ebay, why not donate them to Oxfam and help someone else.

    Just a thought..

    Oxfam Mobile Phone Recycling
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    AppleseedAppleseed Posts: 3,827
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    #17
    tn2000 wrote: »

    I reported a seller two weeks ago. The phone they were selling was 0.99 and the postage from within the UK was £30. Under Ebay rules you can't charge excessive postage. The listing got removed.

    You should have called his bluff and said you'd go and collect the phone instead of him bothering to send it!
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    paulj48paulj48 Posts: 1,122
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    #18
    I buy stuff from Ebay just because I've got money in my Paypal account that I dont want transfering to my bank account.
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