Amazon sales

[BigBallinStalin]

The big-time sellers of Am_azon use some program/whatever which automatically lowers the price of their wares a cent or so below the lowest price in order to keep their products first in the Used list.

I have an idea. Suppose we all want a lot of cheap books which usually go for high prices. If one of us could offer a book for sale at a ridiculously low price, we'd probably have to wait an hour or so, and I wonder if the programs of the other sellers would automatically lower the prices of their books to beat that ridiculously low price.

Now, they may have set some minimum, so that this may not work--but since many books sell for 0.01 + 3.99 ("shipping"), then there may be some chance where we can lower the prices of books going for $10 or maybe even more. (From personal observation, the prices of books up to $90 are ruled by this automated program--whatever it's called. I've kept playing with the price, and it's dropped by $20. I'm debating with myself if I could get it to $10, buy the competitor's book(s), then resale it at a higher price).


What do you think?

[AndyDufresne]

I like the idea. I was actually just looking at a book that was .01 and 3.99 shipping...


--Andy

[Gilligan]

The big-time sellers of Am_azon use some program/whatever which automatically lowers the price of their wares a cent or so below the lowest price in order to keep their products first in the Used list.

I have an idea. Suppose we all want a lot of cheap books which usually go for high prices. If one of us could offer a book for sale at a ridiculously low price, we'd probably have to wait an hour or so, and I wonder if the programs of the other sellers would automatically lower the prices of their books to beat that ridiculously low price.

Now, they may have set some minimum, so that this may not work--but since many books sell for 0.01 + 3.99 ("shipping"), then there may be some chance where we can lower the prices of books going for $10 or maybe even more. (From personal observation, the prices of books up to $90 are ruled by this automated program--whatever it's called. I've kept playing with the price, and it's dropped by $20. I'm debating with myself if I could get it to $10, buy the competitor's book(s), then resale it at a higher price).


What do you think?

Interesting hypothesis. I would think that there's a minimum price built into the system to prevent this from happening, right?

[rishaed]

It would be entreupreneurship on BBS's part if it wasn't. Not illegal so go for it

[BigBallinStalin]

The big-time sellers of Am_azon use some program/whatever which automatically lowers the price of their wares a cent or so below the lowest price in order to keep their products first in the Used list.

I have an idea. Suppose we all want a lot of cheap books which usually go for high prices. If one of us could offer a book for sale at a ridiculously low price, we'd probably have to wait an hour or so, and I wonder if the programs of the other sellers would automatically lower the prices of their books to beat that ridiculously low price.

Now, they may have set some minimum, so that this may not work--but since many books sell for 0.01 + 3.99 ("shipping"), then there may be some chance where we can lower the prices of books going for $10 or maybe even more. (From personal observation, the prices of books up to $90 are ruled by this automated program--whatever it's called. I've kept playing with the price, and it's dropped by $20. I'm debating with myself if I could get it to $10, buy the competitor's book(s), then resale it at a higher price).


What do you think?

Interesting hypothesis. I would think that there's a minimum price built into the system to prevent this from happening, right?

Right, but I wonder if (a) they took the time to do so--since they're human and all, and (b) how low is it, and would it be worth it anyway?

Where would one set a minimum? It would likely be at least the price for which they paid to obtain the book... For this one book, I dropped the price $20, and they quickly responded. I got this book for free, so I don't care how low the price goes. But for them? Who knows.

I was hoping someone here knew someone who designs such programs.

[Gilligan]

The big-time sellers of Am_azon use some program/whatever which automatically lowers the price of their wares a cent or so below the lowest price in order to keep their products first in the Used list.

I have an idea. Suppose we all want a lot of cheap books which usually go for high prices. If one of us could offer a book for sale at a ridiculously low price, we'd probably have to wait an hour or so, and I wonder if the programs of the other sellers would automatically lower the prices of their books to beat that ridiculously low price.

Now, they may have set some minimum, so that this may not work--but since many books sell for 0.01 + 3.99 ("shipping"), then there may be some chance where we can lower the prices of books going for $10 or maybe even more. (From personal observation, the prices of books up to $90 are ruled by this automated program--whatever it's called. I've kept playing with the price, and it's dropped by $20. I'm debating with myself if I could get it to $10, buy the competitor's book(s), then resale it at a higher price).


What do you think?

Interesting hypothesis. I would think that there's a minimum price built into the system to prevent this from happening, right?

Right, but I wonder if (a) they took the time to do so--since they're human and all, and (b) how low is it, and would it be worth it anyway?

Where would one set a minimum? It would likely be at least the price for which they paid to obtain the book... For this one book, I dropped the price $20, and they quickly responded. I got this book for free, so I don't care how low the price goes. But for them? Who knows.

I was hoping someone here knew someone who designs such programs.

One other point. Is it from the LOWEST used value, or perhaps some sort of average or mathematical formula that derives what price to place? I would think it's a bit more complicated than just "Beat the lowest price, the end".

[BigBallinStalin]

Yeah, good point. I'll keep playing with it, but I have seen a lowest price of $5.00, while the upper end remains at $40.00 (since they didn't lower their price--or something weird's going on). All used books, quality difference not that great, many going at $5-$6.

[DoomYoshi]

BBS, I really don't care to buy republished Wikipedia articles, no matter how low you drop the price.

[muy_thaiguy]

I like the idea. I was actually just looking at a book that was .01 and 3.99 shipping...


--Andy

Reminds of me of when my firend ordered a katana online, a pretty nice one at that. He paid $5 for it, but shipping and handling was about $120.

[nietzsche]

yes! and while we are at it, we should invent a new sport, and we would get riiiiiiiiiiiichhhhhhhhh

what about a combination of basketball and baseball an soccer??

[thegreekdog]

It's a great idea, but I think someone is (or someones are) already doing this. I see a lot of extremely cheap books on Amazon fairly regularly.

[Funkyterrance]

Just hope no one buys your ultra cheap books before the bots catch wind of them, especially if you don't own the books you are trying to get for cheap lol.