Why are so many things on Ebay even more expensive then what the item would be brand new from the store?

I was searching for a Motorola MA1 Wireless Android Auto which is $80 brand new in a store, but on Ebay they are anywhere from $100 to $200. Even if it is pre-owned. It seems impossible that anyone is ever going to buy this so what is the purpose of these listings?

  • jcit878@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    ebay is where you go for aliexpress junk that you might find from a local seller instead if you need it sooner. that’s about it. once in a Bluemoon a sale coincides with prices not being jacked and you can get a slight bargain (in the last year I managed to get a Bass at a good price and some bike tyres) but other than that just cheap junk is all it’s good for

    • debounced@kbin.run
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      1 year ago

      meh, it still has some use. my dog tore up the plastic housing on garage door sensors out of boredom and there was no way i was calling a local place to quote out parts for a 14 year old opener… found the same pair of sensors (albeit used) on ebay for $25. a little dog proofing later and bingo bango, back in business. but usually it’s my last resort for obscure stuff that i can’t find anywhere else and i have to be really desperate.

      • Nougat@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Used and NOS motorcycle and car parts are good to find on ebay, too. There is no reason to ever buy anything new from ebay, really.

        • debounced@kbin.run
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          1 year ago

          100% agree, it’s also how I keep my 98 Camry alive outside the occasional trip to the junkyard.

            • nexussapphire@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              Exciting as in maybe maybe it’ll die on me next week or maybe it’ll die on me next year right!

              That was just too much excitement for me when I owned a cougar so I got a honda. I loved replacing a fuel pump two to four times a year though.

              • limelight79@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                If it was a 1999-2002 Cougar, they actually did fix the issue with the fuel pump. Obviously any mechanical part can still wear out, or course, but the frequent failures of the variable speed pump that was in the returnless Cougars were addressed, and few problems with them have been reported since.

                • nexussapphire@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  It was a long time ago, I was a teen and I could barely afford the cost of towing the car let alone being stranded about an hour away from home. I’m glad they figured it out but you know what they say, buy once cry once.

                  I’ll only buy cars proven reliable and long lasting because I’d rather keep my car’s for a very long time and spend less on maintenance.

                  • limelight79@lemm.ee
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                    1 year ago

                    I, uh, still have my '99 Cougar. :) Bought it new. I don’t drive it on a daily basis, though, and haven’t for a long time. But it runs well!

    • Thetimefarm@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      This is really only applicable to buying new things on ebay. Last gen electronics are the only thing I buy new on ebay but even then good deals are pretty rare. At this point if you want a good deal you need to go back 2 generations usually. I saved around $800 on my macbook pro by buying a 2021 model NIB on ebay a few months ago. Asahi linux only runs on m1 anyway so that was my prefered processor over m2/3 anyway.

      At least with apple, the warranty only starts when the product is activated, so as long as the original plastic wrap is still on it you will get the full factory warranty.