I'm quite intrigued by something relating to ebay. Maybe there's someone out there who knows what's going on. I recently purchased one of those Harbor Freight Predator 6.5 HP replacement engines for my old Troy Bilt tiller restoration project and it works just great. However as I did some searching online to see what the availability of aftermarket service parts is for that engine I noticed something a bit peculiar on ebay.
There have been discussions relating to the logic of ebay sellers selling HF merchandise at or above HF store cost. But I found that there are numerous ebay sellers who are selling this SAME Predator engine, brand new (so they say), BELOW retail cost as "buy-it-now" for prices like $59, $69, $79, AND they're including FREE shipping AND some of the sellers show a "quantity available" with numbers like 10, 15, 20, or 30. Really?
So I got to thinking, how the heck to do these guys do it? The normal price for that particular engine at the store is $120 without coupon, or $100 with a coupon that's usually available. But these ebay sellers are selling them for mere $60 and they're absorbing the cost of shipping. They indicate that the engines are all "new" and in "unopened" boxes. Something just doesn't add up here. I know, you're thinking am I just that blind. The merchandise obviously "fell off the truck". But that many? And on a regular basis?
Granted you get no warranty from the ebay seller. And they're not just located in one locale. I find such sellers of this particular item all over the country. If this merchandise really is in fact stolen, does HF corporate and their loss-prevention department merely turn a blind eye and ignore it? To me it sounds like many an ebay seller has found yet another lucrative cash-cow to take advantage of. Hmmm ??? ... If HF really does legitimately sell these engines brand new, in an unopened box, to ebay sellers for pennies on the dollar then I want in. That would be the best thing since sliced bread and 4-wheel brakes ... cha-ching!
My never ending curiosity has once again been activated. Any thoughts as to how these guys on ebay do it?
Ed
There have been discussions relating to the logic of ebay sellers selling HF merchandise at or above HF store cost. But I found that there are numerous ebay sellers who are selling this SAME Predator engine, brand new (so they say), BELOW retail cost as "buy-it-now" for prices like $59, $69, $79, AND they're including FREE shipping AND some of the sellers show a "quantity available" with numbers like 10, 15, 20, or 30. Really?
So I got to thinking, how the heck to do these guys do it? The normal price for that particular engine at the store is $120 without coupon, or $100 with a coupon that's usually available. But these ebay sellers are selling them for mere $60 and they're absorbing the cost of shipping. They indicate that the engines are all "new" and in "unopened" boxes. Something just doesn't add up here. I know, you're thinking am I just that blind. The merchandise obviously "fell off the truck". But that many? And on a regular basis?
Granted you get no warranty from the ebay seller. And they're not just located in one locale. I find such sellers of this particular item all over the country. If this merchandise really is in fact stolen, does HF corporate and their loss-prevention department merely turn a blind eye and ignore it? To me it sounds like many an ebay seller has found yet another lucrative cash-cow to take advantage of. Hmmm ??? ... If HF really does legitimately sell these engines brand new, in an unopened box, to ebay sellers for pennies on the dollar then I want in. That would be the best thing since sliced bread and 4-wheel brakes ... cha-ching!
My never ending curiosity has once again been activated. Any thoughts as to how these guys on ebay do it?
Ed
