A Yikes Ebay Listing I Ran Across

Both of these have Make Offer available so the seller doesn't appear to know the approximate actual value and chose currently to list with a very high buy it now price to catch attention with make offer to get a feel for its value rather than do an auction either on ebay or another like heritage auctions/great collections to see if they perhaps can get more than what its likely actually worth.

Generally keep in mind that any price shown is simply an asking price as well so many of these listings may never sell at the listed price (Exactly Hondo). This regularly gives people wrong impression on values when they go only by listed prices and dont have other methods to check a value. Its usually best to check sold listings for actual prices such as if you are casually looking for things to buy, Or if you sell often you can try terapeak to research product for actual prices and what competitors sell things for. Great when you also want to know what is good to list and at what prices they sell for.

Yes there are high value items sold legit on ebay as well, depends on the product as to the best option where to put it in front of the right buyers.

However a seller can ask whatever they want to get, it doesn't mean the item is worth anywhere near the asking price, unless it actually sells in a legit sale to a buyer.

In this case they are really just hoping, more than seriously thinking they will get their asking prices.

Just looking for offers.

It's an extremely effective selling technique used by tons of sellers and has been for years. I have no idea why people get their panties all in a bunch over it. Most wouldn't put a ridiculous price if ebay didn't force them to put a price at all.... which they do. ebay should just let people run "make offer" listings with no BIN, makes no sense.

People flock to Kohl's where they triple the retail price and give you 50% off but this is apparently the end of the World.

Fees are pretty much irrelevant here. The many sellers that use this method know it's an unrealistic price but if they want to collect offers for a week they have to do it.

Still, I wonder what would happen if someone DID "buy it now". The seller would then be on the hook for fees, and if the person actually PAID for the bill, there would then be INCOME TAXES involved. Is it really worth the risk of putting these nutty listings out there?

Agree with bobby131313.

Going further, I suspect most would agree that a 'numismatic pricing control board' to certify and approve seller prices set on ebay wouldn't be a good idea. The marketplace--warts and all--tends to sort things out. As always, buyer beware.

Be careful what you wish for. Do you really want someone else telling you what you're allowed to ask for your things? I sure don't.