Good luck with that....

[Lucky13]

At Amazon....glad that I've got it!

 

[fubar57]

Lordy...............

 

[Lucky13]

Sit at "only" £450 on Amazon....

 

[RW Mk. III]

I don't understand the business model with these books. Yes you have a commodity item. But is anyone actually spending that much on one of these books? I don't care how rich you are that's financially irresponsible. Seems like the seller is just guaranteeing they have to warehouse the thing for eternity. And that's paying rent for a deadbeat roommate.

Is there an algorithm kicking these numbers out or is it just sheer optimistic greed.

 

[Capt. Vick]

No deal. Crazy

 

[Hornchurch]

Is there an algorithm kicking these numbers out or........

'


I can tell you for an absolute certain 100% degree that, "Yes, that IS the case, for real" - ("Algorithm")

I know, from strange & almost bitter-experience - I've had it happen THREE times, this year alone......

There was a book that I wanted (I won't say which, as I'm still a few Volumes missing) = I kept tabs on it ('overwatch')

After a real heavy-spend (elsewhere), I thought...... "I'll have that next-week, as a new fiscal-month is commencing (for me).

Bookmarked it - Went back following-week (circa 5-6 days later) - Price had jumped from £4.85 plus P&P, to £44.85 ?

"Strange methinks" - "I mean, jumping from £4.85 to £44.85 = An EXACT 10 x times jump in price" (also noted by another family member

Cursed my luck (not having picked it up), BUT, having spent VERY heavily elsewhere - I wanted it "in" a bundle-deal.

Checked back TWICE - No change - Later again, No change. - 4th attempt = 1 month later & "Bingo", it was back down to £4.85

Given these series of books usually fetch about £25.00-£30.00, I knew I was doing well, but, the 'Algorithm' had also struck before.

Same on an AIRFIX AMRSTRONG WHITWORTH WHITLEY (1/72 kit) - Usually sub-£40.00, I watched 'em tumble, SLOWWWWWLY

Knowing "the game" (Algorithm), I waited & I waited & I waited...... Finally puled the trigger at £18.95 and bought TWO

It's happened yet again, this time on a book called 'Battle For Berlin' (Bombers) - Same $h!te as I related, earlier.

Again, another 'secondhand-book', that REALLY had zero-business loitering within the £40.00+ bracket (was £6.95 new)

Played "the usual" waiting-game, then, snagged it for around a 'fiver' *£5.50 plus

I've noticed that "This Game" (Algorithm), = ONLY seems to happen with/within the "Big Players" who trade online.

Wise to it now, but, like I say, only the big-boys engage in that strange & curious tactic.

As for the 'Mushroom-Models' Stranraer book, I bought it 'new' for around £8.00 - (At the time, an Ebay seller, good-repute)

In fact, I bought ALL of my "Kagero" & "Mushroom Models" books from him, as he clearly had links w/publishers.

Bought a shedload ; Books on the 'Folgore', but the two 'best' were "Consolidated Mess"(B.24) & the RAF Coastal B.17 Fortress books.

The two latter, were, again absolutely MINT/CRISP/Brand-spanking-new & ALL my "Kagero" books WERE Hermetically-sealed, too.

Sadly, (like SO many others of his ilk), Mark has "chucked in the towel" with Ebay - (they NEVER looked after 'sellers' anyhow)

Golden-pickings whilst they lasted, along with another vendor (since chucked-in the towel), £40.00 BNIB Badger 100-LG Airbrushes.

The latter, ironically, was a "KEY" (Locksmith) establishment, whom, presumably, bought bankrupt stock (?), but a God-send, nonetheless.

.

 

[Lucky13]

 

[Lucky13]

Oh dear....!

 

[SaparotRob]

 

[Luft.4]

One of the saddest aspects of this price gouging is that the author does not receive the extreme profits from these after market sales either...
But then again who is willing to put down a month car payments worth on a single book? A loose-loose.

 

[special ed]

Many aviation books, the main ones I look for, on Amazon will have listings in the absurd price range if one scroll down all entries for sale. The sellers wanting the unrealistic prices all seem to be based in Oregon, Washington State and California.

 

[AshleyPomeroy]

Is there an algorithm kicking these numbers out or is it just sheer optimistic greed.

I remember this classic article from 2011:

Amazon’s $23,698,655.93 book about flies

In which a man noticed that a textbook on flies had risen in price to $2,198,177.95 on Amazon's marketplace. With a second copy at $1,730,045.91. His conclusion was that the chap selling the book for $2m didn't actually have it in stock - their plan was to fulfil the order by purchasing it from the other seller. The price had spiralled because the other seller was using an algorithm to undercut the competition, while the first guy was using an algorithm to add a little percentage on top of the average price (on the assumption that buyers would choose them based on their higher feedback score).

In the example at the top of this page, SerendipityBooksLtd doesn't actually have a copy of Supermarine Walrus and Stranraer. If you buy the book from them they'll place an order with Paper Cavalier Ltd and have it shipped to your address. They'll make a profit of 3p, but that's 3p for literally no work whatsoever, multiplied by however many tens of thousands of books they list.

 

[Sabrejet]

If you wait a few months the prices will be at normal levels: I've seen it many times and I'm not sure why it happens.

 

[MiTasol]

'


I can tell you for an absolute certain 100% degree that, "Yes, that IS the case, for real" - ("Algorithm")

I know, from strange & almost bitter-experience - I've had it happen THREE times, this year alone......

There was a book that I wanted (I won't say which, as I'm still a few Volumes missing) = I kept tabs on it ('overwatch')

After a real heavy-spend (elsewhere), I thought...... "I'll have that next-week, as a new fiscal-month is commencing (for me).

Bookmarked it - Went back following-week (circa 5-6 days later) - Price had jumped from £4.85 plus P&P, to £44.85 ?

"Strange methinks" - "I mean, jumping from £4.85 to £44.85 = An EXACT 10 x times jump in price" (also noted by another family member

Cursed my luck (not having picked it up), BUT, having spent VERY heavily elsewhere - I wanted it "in" a bundle-deal.

Checked back TWICE - No change - Later again, No change. - 4th attempt = 1 month later & "Bingo", it was back down to £4.85

Given these series of books usually fetch about £25.00-£30.00, I knew I was doing well, but, the 'Algorithm' had also struck before.

Same on an AIRFIX AMRSTRONG WHITWORTH WHITLEY (1/72 kit) - Usually sub-£40.00, I watched 'em tumble, SLOWWWWWLY

Knowing "the game" (Algorithm), I waited & I waited & I waited...... Finally puled the trigger at £18.95 and bought TWO

It's happened yet again, this time on a book called 'Battle For Berlin' (Bombers) - Same $h!te as I related, earlier.

Again, another 'secondhand-book', that REALLY had zero-business loitering within the £40.00+ bracket (was £6.95 new)

Played "the usual" waiting-game, then, snagged it for around a 'fiver' *£5.50 plus

I've noticed that "This Game" (Algorithm), = ONLY seems to happen with/within the "Big Players" who trade online.

Wise to it now, but, like I say, only the big-boys engage in that strange & curious tactic.

As for the 'Mushroom-Models' Stranraer book, I bought it 'new' for around £8.00 - (At the time, an Ebay seller, good-repute)

In fact, I bought ALL of my "Kagero" & "Mushroom Models" books from him, as he clearly had links w/publishers.

Bought a shedload ; Books on the 'Folgore', but the two 'best' were "Consolidated Mess"(B.24) & the RAF Coastal B.17 Fortress books.

The two latter, were, again absolutely MINT/CRISP/Brand-spanking-new & ALL my "Kagero" books WERE Hermetically-sealed, too.

Sadly, (like SO many others of his ilk), Mark has "chucked in the towel" with Ebay - (they NEVER looked after 'sellers' anyhow)

Golden-pickings whilst they lasted, along with another vendor (since chucked-in the towel), £40.00 BNIB Badger 100-LG Airbrushes.

The latter, ironically, was a "KEY" (Locksmith) establishment, whom, presumably, bought bankrupt stock (?), but a God-send, nonetheless.

.

That is why I always use www.bookfinder.com when looking for books. It is not unusual to find new books cheaper than used - by a wide margin.

With amazon I have both AU and US accounts and it is often cheaper to buy through the US account.