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Why is a used Python book on Amazon cost over $200? (amazon.com)
7 points by smharris65 on Sept 2, 2011 | hide | past | favorite | 5 comments


Conjecture Warning

There was a post about this not so long ago, it's likely that these third party sellers use a pricing algorithm that automatically looks at competitors' prices and then prices items some nominal amount (like .01) more.

Occasionally you get into a situation where ONLY these algorithmic copies are available, and over time they work themselves into a loop of constantly higher prices until either another (properly priced) copy hits the market, or some tripwire is hit in the pricing system.


Loved this: "When you buy this book now for $289.14 and sell it back later for a $0.16 Amazon.com Gift Card, it could cost you as little as $288.98."


Many Amazon marketplace sellers use software to automatically adjust the prices of books. The results are sometimes strange.


I used to write that software.

Low supply, low demand == high prices


That's if your software assumes a scarce book is a rare book. In actual bookstores for this type of book, low supply, low demand == SALE 50% OFF!




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