Japanese High Prices on eBay

Jerryc41

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It seems to be tough for the Japanese to compete on eBay because their prices are so high. Here's a used Martin Iz tenor listed for $2,088 with free shipping. You can buy a new one here for $1,759. Lots of eBay prices on items from Japan are very high.

https://www.ebay.com/i/183676642336?ul_noapp=true
 
It seems to be tough for the Japanese to compete on eBay because their prices are so high. Here's a used Martin Iz tenor listed for $2,088 with free shipping. You can buy a new one here for $1,759. Lots of eBay prices on items from Japan are very high.

https://www.ebay.com/i/183676642336?ul_noapp=true

Shipping and handling could be a problem. I’m wondering if it’s a miscalculation in the conversion of yen.
 
It seems to be tough for the Japanese to compete on eBay because their prices are so high. Here's a used Martin Iz tenor listed for $2,088 with free shipping. You can buy a new one here for $1,759. Lots of eBay prices on items from Japan are very high.

https://www.ebay.com/i/183676642336?ul_noapp=true
Maybe it isn't that high in Japan. Different standards of living.
 
It seems to be tough for the Japanese to compete on eBay because their prices are so high. Here's a used Martin Iz tenor listed for $2,088 with free shipping. You can buy a new one here for $1,759. Lots of eBay prices on items from Japan are very high.

https://www.ebay.com/i/183676642336?ul_noapp=true

I’m guessing they are just brokering the instruments. The real instrument is probably in a shop for $1000 less and if you buy it through the auction they just go down the street, bay it, and ship it to you.

John
 
Hey Jerry! I've noticed the same thing....but, it's not all Japan. It's just one seller, "Future_Japan".

Their pricing is definitely on the high side. They currently have a used Martin S-O listed for $643.

I checked out their feedback as a seller and it doesn't appear that they've sold any ukes in the past 6 months.

So, it might just be wishful thinking. :)
 
I’m guessing they are just brokering the instruments. The real instrument is probably in a shop for $1000 less and if you buy it through the auction they just go down the street, bay it, and ship it to you.

John

That's and interesting take on it. I would not have thought of that.
 
I've noticed this for years... even back around 2005 when I first started checking out prices on Ebay for musical instruments coming from Japan. I think it's a reflection of their market prices and, in some cases, rolling in "free" shipping.

Incidentally, I sold a banjo once to a buyer in Japan...it was held up in Japanese customs for 3 weeks. Though I'd sold to customers in France, Sweden, England, Ireland, Germany and Spain as well, none waited more than a few days to clear customs in those countries.
 
Hey Jerry! I've noticed the same thing....but, it's not all Japan. It's just one seller, "Future_Japan".

Their pricing is definitely on the high side. They currently have a used Martin S-O listed for $643.

I checked out their feedback as a seller and it doesn't appear that they've sold any ukes in the past 6 months.

So, it might just be wishful thinking. :)

Interesting situation. Makes you wonder what's really going on.
 
Interesting situation. Makes you wonder what's really going on.
If you sell ukulele brand X for $100 & I offer the same uke at $500, I will eventually sell it. It may take me longer, but will you sell 5 ukes before I sell my one? Hmm....

Further, if a potential buyer wants a higher quality uke, on EBAY he can easily specify that he only wants to view ukes priced at over $400. Your uke won't even be seen. Mine will.

Some buyers equate higher prices with higher quality. The correlation, however, is far from perfect (as we all know)

A possible strategy: You offer to sell uke X for $500 but include "Or best offer". I offer $200. You accept. I'm happy -- I "saved" $300. You're happy -- you made $100 extra profit.

There are all kinds of retailing strategies. Perhaps the Japan sellers have a strategy or maybe they are clueless. The same is often true for buyers.
 
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It's not just ukuleles from Japan, there are at least a couple of sellers on eBay.uk that regularly post items at way over the "normal" selling price, but if you look at their selling histories via feedback they don't ever appear to sell these overpriced items!

My guess it's some kind of tax or money-laundering scam whereby a deal is made to "buy" a certain item at an exorbitant price, making it look like it's a valid transaction, but the real stuff being sold is something totally different! Money changes hands via PayPal or similar and no-one's ever the wiser!

Just a guess ... could just be kids fooling about!

YMMV ;)
 
I did once buy a high end guitar as a gift for someone from one of the overpriced Japanese sellers...but I offered about 2/3 of what they were asking and the offer was accepted, which made it cheaper than US prices. The downsides were the insanely long shipping time and customs clearance, and worry about the setup. Fortunately I lucked out and the setup was near perfect. I had a local luthier look at it just in case, and got his confirmation that it was ok. All in all though I don't think I would repeat the experience. I was on pins and needles when it got hung up in customs 2 weeks on top of the 2 weeks shipping time.
 
Actually it's the market prices for their country, it might seem to us that they have higher overhead getting instruments there and passing it to you. Makes no sense buying from another country as you pay for the shipping and taxes too.
 
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