Ebay Prices and You! That cheap Blu-ray is about to disappear!

[jw]

All of us here look and snatch up the best prices out there. That includes searching the internet for places like ebay and Amazon, heck even the bluray trading forum to find great prices. Well Big Box retailers like Wal-Mart are pushing to eliminate that from happening with a bill to Congress. The Lobbyists that are hired by the box stores are going to Congress to push a bill to eliminate online competition like ebay.
I know alot of us dont care where something came from but just want a steal of a deal and thats fine, but Wal-mart is claiming merchandise is being stolen from their stores and pedalled on ebay just because it is below retail price? They are claiming if its cheaper than them, Its stolen!!

What the Lobbyists want from Congress is a bill that would allow the Big Box Marts to be allowed to file a police report when the goods are stolen from the store. With that Police report they can contact ebay, etc and have every listing they suspect to be stolen in relation to that police report pulled without question. As a result, places like ebay would lose business.
So ebay has hired some lobbyists to go to Washington and campaign against this, but they need the voice of the voter. What they are asking is you to login the Ebay's Main Street Grass Roots and send an email to your local representatives fighting this action. Some of you may not care, but when we lose that "cheap" option and are forced to buy from B&M stores again we will have wished different.

Here is the email from Ebay I got:

As a savvy online shopper, you know the Internet is the best place to find great products at great prices. And hard-working eBay sellers provide the best selection and values on the Internet.
So who wouldn't love finding a great deal on eBay? The answer: big retail stores. They don't like the competition. And now retailers are trying to undermine the ability of small business competitors to use the Internet and eBay to offer great values to savvy buyers like you.
The retail industry is spending millions of dollars on lobbyists and PR professionals to push politicians for new laws that unfairly accuse competitively-priced products online of being "stolen" goods. No Internet company is more committed to fighting online fraud and crime than eBay. But this debate is not about crime...it's about competition.
Here's what industry thought leaders are saying about the retailer-backed legislation:
"These bills would impose extraordinary and discriminatory restrictions on Internet marketplaces that help millions of people to legitimately buy and sell products every day - at big discounts...proponents say they're about loss prevention, but they're really about competition prevention..."
Please follow this link to take part in eBay's Main Street grassroots campaign. In fewer than five minutes, you can send a pre-drafted letter to your elected officials. Let's remind Congress that big retailers may have high-priced lawyers and lobbyists, but real people like us rely on the values available online.
Thank you for making your voice heard.
Sincerely,
eBay Government Relations

This story breaks down what is happening

Big Box Blame Game

After crushing most independent, ‘main street’ stores, Wal-Mart and other big retail chains are turning their guns on smaller online competitors. They’re asking their allies in Congress for new laws designed to cripple competition from online entrepreneurs.
In the name of preventing “retail theft,” the Wal-Marts of the world are telling Congress that e-commerce is causing dishonest employees and suppliers to steal from their store shelves and loading docks. That’s like blaming the back seat of cars for causing teenage sex.
Even the lobbying arm of the big box retailers, the National Retail Federation, knows this is a bogus claim. Their own 2005 study showed that most retail theft comes from a store’s own employees. Nevertheless, retailing giants and their lobbyists want new laws to hold e-commerce responsible for their own unwillingness to screen employees and spend more on security.
·HR 6491, the Organized Retail Crime Act, would make it a crime if a marketplace doesn’t pull listings when a competing retailer claims they have evidence of theft. This is just asking for abuse: A high-markup retailer can claim that a particular item just HAS to be stolen “because it’s selling for less than my cost!”, and marketplaces like eBay and Overstock would have to pull the listing.

• HR 6713, the E-Fencing Enforcement Act would require marketplaces to conduct investigations if a retailer provides a police report--dated anytime in the last year— claiming theft of goods similar to an online listing. A big-box chain could file a police report for theft of baby formula, then use this report to force online marketplaces to investigate every listing of baby formula – even by mothers whose newborns just can’t stomach the formula samples they brought home from the hospital!

These bills would impose extraordinary and discriminatory restrictions on Internet marketplaces that help millions of people to legitimately buy and sell products every day – at big discounts. Amazingly, only Internet sites are targeted by these bills, while newspaper classifieds and other “off-line” flea markets are not even mentioned.
The proponents of these bills say they’re about loss prevention, but they're really about competition prevention—preventing online marketplaces from competing with big retailers.
Steve DelBianco
Executive Director, NetChoice
source

[jw]

This is a hilarious comparison

In the name of preventing “retail theft,” the Wal-Marts of the world are telling Congress that e-commerce is causing dishonest employees and suppliers to steal from their store shelves and loading docks. That’s like blaming the back seat of cars for causing teenage sex

.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Wal-Mart wants to eliminate any and all competition. Sounds like Wally World to me.

[Adhamhnon]

This is why I won't shop at Walmart. If a BD is $21.99 at one of my local stores, and $18.99 at Walmart... I pay the extra $3. The reason is because while you may be saving $3 right now, in the end, you're only hurting other people, and it isn't worth $3. Manufacturing jobs lost or moved overseas, smaller retail driven out of business, the savings just don't make up for the costs.

[BoschRock]

I don't think this has much of a chance at passing.

[stockstar1138]

valid point by wal-mart, however they should do what made them so great.

advance their own technologies to make their business more successful: in this case anti-theft technologies.

government shouldn't be getting their hand into theft any farther than throwing the theves in jail.

[jw]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

valid point by wal-mart, however they should do what made them so great.

advance their own technologies to make their business more successful: in this case anti-theft technologies.

government shouldn't be getting their hand into theft any farther than throwing the thieves in jail.

I agree, hire security or get better security, cameras, etc, but I guess this a FREE fix for them

[Chris60119]

Where do you draw the line then? Might as well shut down every one that has a sale.

[Deciazulado]

Lately I see a resurgence of retired Blu-ray luminary and war veteran in these parts

[Jimbo976]

So where do the people who sell Blu-ray movies on Ebay get them from then? Surely they don't get them from real distributors at such low prices do they?

[jw]

Lately I see a resurgence of retired Blu-ray luminary and war veteran in these parts

[BoschRock]

Originally Posted by jwbbud

I am equally confused.

Originally Posted by Jimbo976

So where do the people who sell Blu-ray movies on Ebay get them from then? Surely they don't get them from real distributors at such low prices do they?

Wholesalers, I would assume.

[Deciazulado]

look at title. Blu-rays be gone soon everywhere.

[jw]

Originally Posted by Jimbo976

So where do the people who sell Blu-ray movies on Ebay get them from then? Surely they don't get them from real distributors at such low prices do they?

There are big wholesalers, places the deal directly from the manufacturer/studios, and there are wholesalers that get theirs cheaper, for whatever reason(I dont ask ) And alot of times retail stores run sales cheaper than wholesale(Frys, Amazon).

So even if i have proof i paid for them, just because they are cheaper than WM they are assumed stolen Let this happen wrong once, I smell a lawsuit

[Roland1919]

Originally Posted by jwbbud

All of us here look and snatch up the best prices out there. That includes searching the internet for places like ebay and Amazon, heck even the bluray trading forum to find great prices. Well Big Box retailers like Wal-Mart are pushing to eliminate that from happening with a bill to Congress. The Lobbyists that are hired by the box stores are going to Congress to push a bill to eliminate online competition like ebay.
I know alot of us dont care where something came from but just want a steal of a deal and thats fine, but Wal-mart is claiming merchandise is being stolen from their stores and pedalled on ebay just because it is below retail price? They are claiming if its cheaper than them, Its stolen!!

What the Lobbyists want from Congress is a bill that would allow the Big Box Marts to be allowed to file a police report when the goods are stolen from the store. With that Police report they can contact ebay, etc and have every listing they suspect to be stolen in relation to that police report pulled without question. As a result, places like ebay would lose business.
So ebay has hired some lobbyists to go to Washington and campaign against this, but they need the voice of the voter. What they are asking is you to login the Ebay's Main Street Grass Roots and send an email to your local representatives fighting this action. Some of you may not care, but when we lose that "cheap" option and are forced to buy from B&M stores again we will have wished different.

Here is the email from Ebay I got:
This story breaks down what is happening

Will never happen, the marketplace is way too broad since the .com recovered. Pipe dreams is all it is. Smoke and mirrors. I F**Kin hate these lobbyist scumballs and their little agendas, makes me sick.... As far as best deals are concerned I'm American and I have that liberty, "to shop for the best deal" and thats how I'll roll. In this market how can you not be thrifty?

[Jimbo976]

Originally Posted by jwbbud

There are big wholesalers, places the deal directly from the manufacturer/studios, and there are wholesalers that get theirs cheaper, for whatever reason(I dont ask ) And alot of times retail stores run sales cheaper than wholesale(Frys, Amazon).

So even if i have proof i paid for them, just because they are cheaper than WM they are assumed stolen Let this happen wrong once, I smell a lawsuit

I'm not saying they are all stolen it is just that the prices don't make sense in a lot of cases. The big stores buying these should be getting the best wholesale prices and it seems that there isn't much markup on these from all I have read. There is something fishy with a lot of the prices I have to think.

[jw]

Originally Posted by Jimbo976

I'm not saying they are all stolen it is just that the prices don't make sense in a lot of cases. The big stores buying these should be getting the best wholesale prices and it seems that there isn't much markup on these from all I have read. There is something fishy with a lot of the prices I have to think.

I agree, BBmarts get their direct from the studio, no middleman!! Everyone else has to use wholesalers, thus adding to the cost. I am not sure of the source as I dont ask

[dialog_gvf]

HR 6713, the E-Fencing Enforcement Act would require marketplaces to conduct investigations if a retailer provides a police report--dated anytime in the last year— claiming theft of goods similar to an online listing. A big-box chain could file a police report for theft of baby formula, then use this report to force online marketplaces to investigate every listing of baby formula – even by mothers whose newborns just can’t stomach the formula samples they brought home from the hospital!

One would assume that this mother would have quantities of such "samples" for sale that are miniscule compared to the theft.

If the mother had 200 listings of said samples, wouldn't that be worthy of suspicion?

Gary

[red_5ive]

Originally Posted by Adhamhnon

This is why I won't shop at Walmart. If a BD is $21.99 at one of my local stores, and $18.99 at Walmart... I pay the extra $3. The reason is because while you may be saving $3 right now, in the end, you're only hurting other people, and it isn't worth $3. Manufacturing jobs lost or moved overseas, smaller retail driven out of business, the savings just don't make up for the costs.

I'll add that it's worth the extra $3 not to go into a Walmart in the first place.

[allstar780]

There is decent markup on BDs, I'll tell you that right now. When we get DVD or Blu-ray orders in at work, there is always a price list that lists what cost is, and then what retail is... on average i would say a $22 BD has about 5 or 6 dollar markups... which is not a lot but that means to sell it at a loss, the disc would have to be sold for $15.99 (dont see too many BDs for that price in stores)... and like i said thats an average... some discs like Beer League came in listed at $7 cost and then sold for $9.99 retail