how does ebay sellers make money?

[ilikeguns40]

Name another place most Buyers check when they want a particular product they literally can't find online, anywhere else. That's why Sellers are willing to pay such very high fees. eBay is currently the biggest and only place they can get noticed by massive numbers of potential Buyers.

Good point

 

[ABTOMAT]

I've been on eBay since 1998, both as a buyer and as a seller. There's a lot I could say about the experience but most of it's surprisingly positive. The real complaints I have are more about macro stuff, like business model directions rather than fees or whatever. And yeah, it's the only practical game in town if you're dealing with anything out of the ordinary.

 

[jtr1962]

Name another place most Buyers check when they want a particular product they literally can't find online, anywhere else. That's why Sellers are willing to pay such very high fees. eBay is currently the biggest and only place they can get noticed by massive numbers of potential Buyers.

Ebay and Amazon are the first places I check if I want something. If I can wait for it to be shipped from China, then I'll also check AliExpress.

I've gotten several bike lights with built-in time remaining displays for $12 to $20. The electronics, including the LEDs, probably cost $2. The extruded case and optics maybe another $1. The two batteries (usually lower capacity 18650s around 2000 to 2600 mAh) likely $1. Add assembly costs. Likely under $5 to make, maybe far less. The supply chains are usually from the manufacturer direct to eBay/Amazon/AliExpress sellers who buy in large quantities. With 20% markup maybe they're paying $6. They make a decent profit after fees selling them for even $15 or $20.

Before China got involved making stuff a similar product made in the US, selling in retail stores, probably would have been upwards of $50. At one time I was designing myself a similar bike light. I never had time to finish it. Once I saw the China lights I figured why even bother? Mine won't do anything theirs can't. Maybe eventually I'll upgrade the LEDs and batteries. ~600 lumens from a pair of lights, decent beam pattern. I'd probably like a CCT closer to 5000K (instead of ~7000K), and higher CRI, but for now they do the job.

When I was in the bicycle business I had an opportunity to buy carbon fiber Trek frames that ran $1100 each here in the US for $50ea (shipped) if I bought 500. Probably fakes, but never-the-less it showed me just how inexpensive goods from that country can be.

Most likely fakes. I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. A cheap steel frame, maybe a weld will fail eventually but even then it might be something like a chain stay, or the down tube weld to the bottom bracket holder. Not a catastrophic failure. Both things happened to me. I got home fine. In fact, I rode my Raleigh for years with a failed chain stay weld. I connected the ends with a steel bracket and stainless steel hose clamp.

Carbon fiber though is another animal. Carbon fiber frames often just shatter when they fail. That's far more likely with a cheap frame.