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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: elmwood on Mon, 26 January 2009, 23:53:58

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: elmwood on Mon, 26 January 2009, 23:53:58

I came across this auction (http://cgi.ebay.com/Saitek-Eclipse-Keyboard-Red-LED-PZ30AUR-used_W0QQitemZ280285107604QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item280285107604&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A3|39%3A1|240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting), and finally had to ask the pros here: what's the deal with people selling incredibly overpriced keyboards (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380074844128&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT&refitem=380082505828&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=active_view_item&usedrule1=StoreCatToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget&_trksid=p284.m184&_trkparms=algo%3DDR%26its%3DS%252BI%252BSS%26itu%3DISS%252BUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D4) on eBay?  $520 for a Saitek?  And ... people are actually asking questions about it!

A ton of the ripoff "Buy it Now" sales seem to come from a dealer that states "This product can be previewed at our facility in Ventura, Ca." in their ads.  ($34.75 for a Packard Bell mouse?  $48.51 for a 56K modem card?  C'mon!)  There's others out there, though, selling dirty old boards (http://cgi.ebay.com/Zenith-Data-Systems-Keyboard-343-ZKB-2-AT-White_W0QQitemZ200255290308QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item200255290308&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A3|39%3A1|240%3A1318), horribly yellowed keyboards (http://cgi.ebay.com/Silicon-Graphics-PS-2-Keyboard_W0QQitemZ190265435152QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item190265435152&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A3|39%3A1|240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting) and often boards with missing keys for close to $100, if not more.  Who's buying them?  Are the Japanese and Koreans that crazy they'll buy an old urine-colored Dell keyboard or some terminal keyboard that can't be used on modern PC equipment for what would certainly total $150 or more if they included the proxy bidding service fees and shipping?

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: skriefal on Tue, 27 January 2009, 00:09:07

I wouldn't pay even $52 for that Saitek.  Perhaps it's a rare, coveted model amongst the gamer crowd?  ("Like... ZOMG!  Teh red LEDs!")

Your other comment is probably in reference to recycledgoods.com.  I suspect that they think of themselves as recycledgold.com.  But there must be at least a few buyers who are dumb enough to pay their hyper-inflated prices.

kpsurplus is another seller that tends to have hyper-inflated prices.

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: lowpoly on Tue, 27 January 2009, 02:21:30

That SGI board has the gray granite case. It's not that yellowed. But a rubber dome.

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: lam47 on Tue, 27 January 2009, 05:31:04

Quote from: lowpoly;19805

That SGI board has the gray granite case. It's not that yellowed. But a rubber dome.

That looks like the white version to me.
I have seen both the older Dell shaped one and the smaller rubber dome one in both granite and white.

I think it is Yellowed so much its almost green!


Some of the sellers do seem to be asking ridiculous money.
But then when something is a collectable/antique then it is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.
(it does piss you off though seeing those prices)

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: skriefal on Tue, 27 January 2009, 09:09:53

Asking those inflated prices also may increase the average selling price over time, even if they never sell a single item at those prices.

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 27 January 2009, 09:46:27

Quote from: skriefal;19842

Asking those inflated prices also may increase the average selling price over time, even if they never sell a single item at those prices.

That might be right.  If they overinflate the price, someone might bid thinking they might get a "steal" when, in actuality, they could end up paying more than they would have for one of the other, cheaper listings.  Either way, the seller wins.

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: Eclairz on Tue, 27 January 2009, 18:01:19

I still have that saitek, its not bad honestly, but i think he made a typo and did $520 instead of $52. The main problem is once "broken in" it becomes broken and smudgy sponge click (I did take several years to finally break it though).

But otherwise it looked cool at night and performed better than a cherry membrane keyboard and had volume controls, remember this was when my standards were lower but not so low that I would take any keyboard. Some times i wonder what happened to my original AST keyboard and what type of keyboard it was

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: lowpoly on Tue, 27 January 2009, 18:06:51

Quote from: Eclairz;19928

Some times i wonder what happened to my original AST keyboard and what type of keyboard it was

This one (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=598)?

Title: Overpriced keyboards on eBay: what's the deal?
Post by: Eclairz on Sun, 01 February 2009, 21:41:07

yes i think it is that one, i used that about 10 years ago as for my first pc