Some Ebay prices getting out of hand.

[polod]

Even very common razors are selling way too high. I.E. the slim adjustable, there was a time when you could buy one for $8-10, then around $12-15, then $18-24, now I'm seeing them sell for $32-55. Maybe if we wait another couple months they will be $55-80. How much do people think they will get from these razors? Also, many are uncleaned, so they never put any time into cleaning them up to sell. Some sellers fully condition the razor before selling, also shipping charges seem to be going up too. I know I've found some razors at junk shops from $1-5. I bet a lot of these people either inherit the razors from their dad/grandfather for free, find them in a junk shop for a couple of bucks, charge major bucks when they list it on Ebay either as a high starting bid or "Buy It Now."

I just feel the prices some are asking for some of these common Gillette razors, (some are not even in that great of condition) to be "out of this world" Gillette slims are not rare, so why are the prices so high? It's not like the whole world is suddenly shaving with DE razors. I hope there is a demand collapse, be it real are artificial, so prices come back to earth. I would say a fair price for a Gillette adjustable would be $5-10.

 

[mparker762]

If people are buying them then the price *is* fair.

 

[schwarz]

Supply and demand. As well as testing the market. If people keep buying them at outrageous prices, sellers will continue to sell them at that.

 

[polod]

I just hope demand starts going down or people stop buying at high prices, there must be a breaking point where the price prevents most from buying?

 

[mparker762]

Yes, but the price will break only just enough so that people start buying again. What it will take to really drive down prices is people abandoning DE shaving in droves

On the bright side, the high prices for vintage gillettes makes it more likely that someone will start producing a quality gillette clone to sell at those prices.

 

[polod]

So, how much do you figure a regular slim adjustable will go for in 2 years from now?

 

[_JP_]

There is a price point where most won't buy. The thing about eBay, though, is that it reaches so many people that there is likely someone who will pay that high price for the item. That doesn't mean that you have to.

 

[Magnulus]

That all makes sense- but I think there's a shortage of inexpensive adjustable razors, so the Gilette adjustables can come up in price to fill the void in supply.

What's really hurting from a buyer's perspective is the used injector market. There clearly is demand for a new injector razor out there, with "never used" injectors selling for at least 50 bucks, if not higher.

I think you are also underestimating the power of the internet... isn't it possible more people are interested in traditional shaving and we are seeing a continued surge in interest? I have to admit if not for the internet I would never have even known they still made "old-fashioned" razors.

 

[Roman414]

Gillette razors were made in the millions and they virtually never wear out. The pre-TTO's didn't even have any moving parts to wear at all. There have to be craploads of them floating around out there. Perhaps the higher prices will coax them out and into the market, which should keep prices reasonable. I think prices are still reasonable. I am willing to pay the price of a pizza and a coke for a fine shaving instrument I could use every day then pass down to my grandson.

 

[gse123]

More people are discovering sites like B&B, and are getting the DE bug! Supply and demand - simple as that. The only razor I want is a Fatboy... but the prices they seem to got for (especially in the UK) I think i'll stick to my trusty HD and Tech.

 

[radaddict]

Ebay is a global marketplace. So, you're competing with people that live in places where these items may not be readily or easily available. These people may be willing to spend $50. for a cruddy looking slim (heck, some guy in NYC that doesn't know that the same slim could be had at the antique store on the corner for $5. may be willing to pay that). Of course there are collectors that may need a particular date code slim to complete his slim collection; he is likely to be willing to pay $50. for a slim - and he won't even shave with it!

There are bargains to be had still. Here's a Fatboy with case that went cheap:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=170132151482&rd=1&rd=1

You've just got to be patient and watch the listings like a hawk.

The best bet, however, if you want to buy on the cheap is to go to your local antique store or flea markets. The Fatboy I shave with daily cost me $3. at a flea market. Heck, I even managed to score a Toggle on Ebay with a Buy-It-Now of $35. because the seller couldn't turn the ajdustment knob and he thought it was broken (of course it was just soap scum).

The bargains are out there, you just have to look for them.

 

[Aaron S.]

Hello,
I agree that prices are little stiff for some razors. I've tried to buy a few British Aristocrats, and some Apollo's. Good luck if you have a hundred dollars, but occasionally you can get some good deals like the one I got today.

Aristocrat w/case

 

[scorpion]

I had a case of the RAD pretty bad a few months ago. I picked up two fat boys w/cases, a slim adjustable, and an aristocrat. Might have spent $150 total maybe. I saved a mint fat boy in it's case, shave with the other fat boy, and the slim and aristocrat are in a box somewhere. maybe I should sell them cheap here. I've discovered I'm not a collector. I've also discovered the fat boy is my daily shaver.

 

[MarSellus Wallace]

Hello,
I agree that prices are little stiff for some razors. I've tried to buy a few British Aristocrats, and some Apollo's. Good luck if you have a hundred dollars, but occasionally you can get some good deals like the one I got today.

Aristocrat w/case

Ah, a good deal indeed. I didn't want to bid on that one as the pic was so horribly overexposed.

 

[Hawkeye5]

Supply and demand at work.
Someone on another forum made the comment that a particular ebay seller's prices were rising.
I know the seller, so I took a look.
His starting price for each razor is the same as it has been for a long time, and he does not use a 'buy it now' option (you really have to approach those with caution in my experience).
It is the ending prices that are rising on his auctions. His reputation and the demand for this seller's razors is really the only answer. Now it is true that reputation increases confidence in the seller on the bidder's part, and therefore willingness to spend a bit more. However reputation does not account for all the increase. There just seems to be more demand than even a few months ago for both DE and straight razors in good condition.
Actually, there may be a good profit opportunity now and in the future for those who have aquired quality razors in the past. Razor futures anyone?

 

[polod]

I found a nice adjustable slim at a used store for $4, the head was perfect, no bends, hasn't been dropped, all plating intact on the head, adjusts perfect, but when I cleaned up the handle, it had pit marks and plating missing. I thought it was dirt originally since the razor wasn't cleaned and it looks like some acid of some sort got in contact with the razor. It works fine, just has some bleamishes on the handle, the whole handle is dull looking, it never polishes to a shine. So somebody in the past must have tried to clean it up with poor results. If the handle would have been perfect, I would have scored a nice razor. At another shop I found a British Rocket perfect near mint shape for $2, with case. Also scored three boxes of unused blue blades, made by Watkins.

 

[polod]

There are bargains to be had still. Here's a Fatboy with case that went cheap:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=170132151482&rd=1&rd=1

You've just got to be patient and watch the listings like a hawk.

Yeah, classic example of an auction where somebody lucked out. I don't get it, nice Fatboy in original case with original blades, lots of pictures, very descriptive item captions for auction, sells for $11, no snipes at the last second of auction or bidding war. I noticed the first guy put a bid in the morning, and the winning bidder put in a price around 4:30 p.m. It's not like all of a sudden there were 10 different bidders bidding in the last 10 seconds driving the price up a lot higher. It's almost like nobody was watching the auction. Yet on another auction, you get a Fatboy, no case, no blades, one poor, small, blurry picture and the item closes around $40-50. How is that????

 

[polod]

here is an auction for a Fatboy with case, similar to the one that ended for $11 and it's already at $35 with 12 bids with over 5 hours to go, this will be another auction where it ends over $50 or more.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1950s-Gillette-...9QQihZ018QQcategoryZ35989QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[DustBow]

I agree, very strange. I would have been a pretty upset seller if that cased fatboy only sold for $11.
We'll never know what the buyer's max bid was but it's amazing no one pushed him up a little bit more.

 

[radaddict]

There are bargains to be had still. Here's a Fatboy with case that went cheap:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=170132151482&rd=1&rd=1

You've just got to be patient and watch the listings like a hawk.

Yeah, classic example of an auction where somebody lucked out. I don't get it, nice Fatboy in original case with original blades, lots of pictures, very descriptive item captions for auction, sells for $11, no snipes at the last second of auction or bidding war. I noticed the first guy put a bid in the morning, and the winning bidder put in a price around 4:30 p.m. It's not like all of a sudden there were 10 different bidders bidding in the last 10 seconds driving the price up a lot higher. It's almost like nobody was watching the auction. Yet on another auction, you get a Fatboy, no case, no blades, one poor, small, blurry picture and the item closes around $40-50. How is that????

I think there are 3 reasons for the low price: 1) The seller does not accept PayPal (that's the biggest reason). 2) The seller didn't list shipping costs. 3) There are a bunch of Fatboys listed on Ebay right now - folks can pick and chose and most folks would prefer to pay with PayPal. Just my opinion.