Would you pay $23,698,655.93 to read about flies?

[jtbell]

Amazon seller lists book at $23,698,655.93 -- plus shipping (CNN.com)

 

[Doc Al]

That's a bit extreme, but I routinely see books that are still in print (and available brand new for the normal list price) being 'offered' by marketplace sellers at 10 times their list price or more. I can't help but think that these sellers are lying in wait for some idiot to buy it by mistake. (All it takes is one.)

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

That's a bit extreme, but I routinely see books that are still in print (and available brand new for the normal list price) being 'offered' by marketplace sellers at 10 times their list price or more. I can't help but think that these sellers are lying in wait for some idiot to buy it by mistake. (All it takes is one.)

You mean I could have got it for $2,369,865.59? I wish I had known that before I bought it.

 

[Doc Al]

You mean I could have got it for $2,369,865.59? I wish I had known that before I bought it.

Yeah, I know it sounds like a good deal. But then they stick you with shipping charges. Rip-off!

 

[Borg]

I guess that I'll wait for the movie.

 

[FlexGunship]

You mean I could have got it for $2,369,865.59? I wish I had known that before I bought it.

You can get it for a mere $TEXAS.00 on eBay.

 

[ideasrule]

It looks like this is the result of a robot pricing war: http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358

profnath sets its price to 99% of bordeebook's, and bordeebook sets its price to 127% profnath's. 1.27*0.99 > 1

 

[FlexGunship]

profnath sets its price to 99% of bordeebook's, and bordeebook sets its price to 127% profnath's. 1.27*0.99 > 1

I saw that... it's odd to see such starkly different pricing schemes. They are obviously direct competitors. One seeks to undersell, and the other seeks to oversell.

 

[Jack21222]

I noticed something similar in physics books. I sorted by "price:high to low" and got hits well into the 5 digits.

 

[FlexGunship]

I noticed something similar in physics books. I sorted by "price:high to low" and got hits well into the 5 digits.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/3540006931/?tag=pfamazon01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0792386191/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[JaredJames]

Wow, this is ridiculous.

You can have HMS Ark Royal (http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/surface-fleet/aircraft-carriers/hms-ark-royal/ ) for only £10,000,000 ($16,000,000).

Aircraft carrier plus change or book on flies - I know what I'm buying!

 

[jtbell]

Of course, with a boat, the cost of the boat itself is only the beginning. Then there's dock space rental, time and/or labor cost in keeping barnacles off the hull,...

Pretty soon you're up to the cost of a book about flies.

 

[JaredJames]

Of course, with a boat, the cost of the boat itself is only the beginning. Then there's dock space rental, time and/or labor cost in keeping barnacles off the hull,...

Pretty soon you're up to the cost of a book about flies.

Yeah, but I bet it holds it's resale value somewhat better.

Knock up some miles (both sea and air) with it, make sure there's no noticeable defects and flog it for a profit!

Not to mention the fact you're sailing around on an aircraft carrier (suppose you'd get ribbed for 'compensating for something').

Anyway, back on topic - why would they use such a system? Surely the key is to be the lowest price?

 

[jhae2.718]

That $3.99 shipping is outrageous!

 

[jtbell]

Don't you love Amazon's offer to buy the book back for $2.34 (at their Textbook Buyback Store)? That doesn't even pay for the shipping!

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Yeah, but I bet it holds it's resale value somewhat better

Actually, I just sold my copy for $47,397,311.86, not bad resale value. When word got out that I had foolishly bought the book, it gained a certain cache. Someone wanted to own the book that was bought by the world's biggest idiot and it seems to me that they got their money's worth and the title to boot. I charged $7.98 for shipping too ha ha.

 

[JaredJames]

Actually, I just sold my copy for $47,397,311.86, not bad resale value. When word got out that I had foolishly bought the book, it gained a certain cache. Someone wanted to own the book that was bought by the world's biggest idiot and it seems to me that they got their money's worth and the title to boot. I charged $7.98 for shipping too ha ha.

eBay may have cut down on people boosting prices with extortionate shipping costs, but it's clearly still alive here!

 

[AlephZero]

Is there a special edition where you get the actual original flies turned into an artwork by Damien Hirst? That would probably be cheap at $100m.

 

[Triple_D]

I don't like flies, that much.