Photo Village having a laugh?

[jlw]

I noticed this listing on eBay from Photo Village:

Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5

Note the starting bid: $445.

Since Photo Village is an RFF sponsor, I clicked their handy link; sure enough, they've got the 50/1.5 Nokton for sale from stock at an advertised price of $339.

So what do you suppose is going on? Do you pay a $106 surcharge (or more) for the thrill of bidding on eBay rather than buying at a listed price? Have chrome Noktons suddenly become hugely more expensive than black ones? (Gandy still seems to list both at the same price.)

Or are the guys at Photo Village just having a bit of fun with the eBay community? Then again, I notice they haven't gotten any bids yet...

 

[Huck Finn]

Just amazing! I hope it was a typo, but the same price appears in a couple of places on the page. They don't say whether its used or new. I assume it's new, but if that's the case, why only 30 days on the warranty? And if it's a demo, then the price is even more outrageous. Will wonders never cease?

 

[jlw]

Maybe somebody at Photo Village is using eBay to research his graduate thesis in psycho-economics.

 

[richard_l]

There are a lot of suckers out there, but it probably generates bad karma to take advantage of them, and it would likely be bad for business in the long run. It has to be a mistake, I hope.

 

[hiwatt]

...this kind of outrageous offers on lenses are getting more and more common on the bay, especially from some sellers in Europe (arsenal to name just one). These "ultra-titanium-power-sellers" probably pay almost nothing to list their scams, so why not? If they get a fool with cash to burn every now and then, it pays off. This way the bay gets less and less attractive....
This kind of things makes me wonder: what's the real value of a lens? And I don't mean what you're willing to pay, but: is an expensive lens like a pair of designer jeans (worth $10, sells for $150) or does the content (and not the marketing) justify a price tag of $1000+?

 

[George S.]

Probably not a simple case of just taking advantage of the fools who use ebay each and every minute. Maybe Photovillage saw some people out there buying lenses from him for $300 and turning around and selling them on the bay for $400. Maybe he's trying to put a dent in that business...

There are worse examples, but just the other day I bid on a small digicam on ebay, which sells brand new at B&H for $329, and the auction went to $340. (+ $20 shipping)

 

[Frank Granovski]

http://www.cameraquest.com is selling this lens for $339, I think. Perhaps Photo Village is selling a special version or it's a different seller using the Photo Village name.

 

[jlw]

If it's someone else using the Photo Village name, they're also using the Photo Village URL -- if you click the logo on their listing, it leads to the same page you reach from RFF (with the same Voigtlander price list, showing the same lens for sale for $339!)

Maybe they're using eBay as a market research tool, to see how much resistance there might be to pricing these lenses higher, or just to generate leads to their store.

I'm actually in the market for a 50/1.5 Nokton, so I suppose I should just email them and ask them what gives...

 

[Traut]

Maybe it was tested and doesn't have a loose front element and focuses accurately out of the box.

 

[Stu W]

I have to give them the "typo" benefit of the doubt. I've made a couple of purchases from them, most recently a VCII, and found their prices to be lower than anyone elses. I think they deal in gray market because you can buy a VC brightline finder at their shop for 60 or 135, both new in the box, but they tell you up front the $60 model has no guarantee. If you're ever in the city it's worthwhile stopping by-some nice stuff in their display cases. Stu

 

[Stu W]

By the way, they had a couple of dual range 'crons for under 400. I'm sure if they went on the 'bay they probably got more.

 

[kbg32]

I see this a lot on ebay, a seller listing multiple times the same items, all with different prices. Some higher, some lower. Hey, if you can more for an item, so be it. That's capitalism. If you are an informed buyer and know what something is worth, you stay away and bid on those items that are priced lower.

 

[James Burton]

...probably got more.

What are you guys doing with carborundum in your signatures that I should be aware of?

James (abrasives antagonist)