Why not just give them away?

[randy_byers]

Used copies of the DVD for Tarsem Singh's The Cell (2000) are available at Amazon for as low as 78 cents. I'm not sure I understand the economy behind this price.

Comments

[kim-huett.livejournal.com]

There could be all sorts of reasons for doing what at first glance appears impractical. Somebody wanting to sell off a number of dvds might well offer any items they consider a 'hard sell' for a nominal amount to increase their chances of selling everything. Somebody might also offer an item for a nominal sum because they want it to go to a good home but aren't aware that mailing lists such as freecycle exist. So, all sorts of reasons but perhaps not well thought through ones.

[miramon.livejournal.com]

Are you paying postage on top of that? Because Amazon gets a commission on the selling price, we sometimes see items priced as low as £0.01 on Amazon UK. Then they get their profit by charging you more postage than it actually costs to ship (and they don't have to pay a percentage to Amazon).

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I did wonder whether postage brought in revenue. I wonder how much of the $2.98 in postage is "excess".

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

I think miramon has the real answer in this case, but I had wondered if it was like those three-for-a-buck books you sometimes see at used bookstores. Basically a clearance sale, just short of dumping them in the garbage.