eBay Prohibits iPhone Pre-sales

[mandy]

***Listing Policy Clarifications: Apple iPhone Pre-Sales and Post-Launch Sales*** 


Here are listing policy clarifications that we are implementing effective immediately:

    * Apple iPhone Pre-Sales are prohibited. This highly-anticipated device will be in high demand after the US release on June 29th, 2007. Prior to the release of similar high-demand electronics, we saw a high number of well-intentioned sellers unable to meet their pre-sale obligations to buyers due to restricted supply, as well as an increase in fraudulent listings for these items. To prevent similar problems with the iPhone, eBay is prohibiting all pre-sales of this device.

    * Criteria for Apple iPhone Post-Launch Sales. In order to continue to ensure protection for our Community after these items are made available by the manufacturer, the following requirements have been put in place for the sale of the iPhone:

          o The listing must include a unique photograph of the item or items
          o Your User ID must be clearly displayed within the photograph (watermarks will not be accepted).
          o To ensure buyer protection, PayPal must be the only accepted form of payment

Sellers will also be notified of these requirements during the listing process when using the Sell Your Item form.

[mandy]

A related article:

If you were hoping to make big bucks by reselling an iPhone on eBay, it doesn't look like it was really worth the effort.

Corey Spring has posted an analysis of iPhone listings on eBay over the weekend (spotted on Daring Fireball), and he has concluded that the average listing generated $54.43 in profit. That's not a very good return for those who waited in line for hours, or even days, in hope of flipping an iPhone for big bucks. The median return was even worse, at $34.16, which means that half of iPhone auctioneers made less than that amount...

full article: http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9738538-7.html

[mandy]

A related article:

With lines snaking around Apple stores and hype in overdrive, the iPhone seemed like a good investment -- not for keeping, but for reselling. There are, after all, plenty of examples of popular products in short supply attracting huge premiums on sites like eBay and Craigslist. Think Sony's PlayStation 3, Nintendo's Wii or Fisher-Price's Tickle Me Elmo...

The night I put a brand-new iPhone on eBay, the first bid rolled in at $101. It was from a friend. The next day, bidding rose to $150, and I started to relax a little. That is, until a fellow reporter asked me about the reserve price, which is the lowest bid I was obligated to accept. I told him I had set it at the product's $599 retail price. "You didn't account for the tax you paid on the iPhone?" he asked, giggling...

full article: http://ecommercetimes.com/story/ceHNgRAW...teer.xhtml

[amy]

There are, after all, plenty of examples of popular products in short supply attracting huge premiums on sites like eBay and Craigslist. Think Sony's PlayStation 3, Nintendo's Wii or Fisher-Price's Tickle Me Elmo

...and everyone is now familiar with the examples and is trying to take advantage of similar new opportunities.  There are several recent examples of hot product launches resulting in disappointment for eBay sellers.  Time to find a new selling strategy people--when everyone adopts a strategy it loses its effectiveness.