CompUSA closing specials?

[hulkster]

im guessing everyone knows by now that CompUSA is going out the door.  and with it, closing sales till the end of the year!  i havent been to a local store yet, but im wondering if anyone else has been to one to see if they have any awesome sales on stuff? 

[lharles]

All of my local CompUSA stores closed this summer.  Got a lot of good deals then, (and some that I wish I'd passed on...two copies of Vista Home Premium that I STILL haven't installed), and sort of wish they were still around so I could get some deal goodness now.

I do know that, at least for my local stores, they contracted with a liquidation firm and they waited until the LAST day before the discounts were REALLY good.  By that point most people had already pulled the trigger.

[ChadTower]

Of the stores that closed around me, the prices never got to NewEgg type levels until the very end... and by then it was all cherry picked and had no retail warranties.

[shardian]

Of the stores that closed around me, the prices never got to NewEgg type levels until the very end... and by then it was all cherry picked and had no retail warranties.

I don't understand these liquidation things. Everyone KNOWS that if they wait, the percentages just get better. The liquidation companies only budget a certain amount of time for discounts - the price drop schedule is pre-determined. So, why in the world do people still go ahead and empty the store before the prices are good? If everyone would just be patient, all would get good deals.

[ChadTower]

What if you need the part now?  Or soon?  Or don't have tons of time to keep checking back?  Oftentimes 20% off today is better than waiting a month for 40% off and possibly not getting the item.

Plus people are stupid.

[hypernova]

Most people see that 25% off, and figure if they don't get it now, someone else will before the price plummets considerably.  And judging from everyone's experience here, that assumption is right.  Most or all of the good stuff is gone at the end.

That being said...

When is the absolute last day it's supposed to be open?  I have one here within half hour that stayed open through the last shutdown.

[JimmyU]

When is the absolute last day it's supposed to be open?  I have one here within half hour that stayed open through the last shutdown.

According to this report,  their employees' last day is between Feb. 8th and 22nd.  Probably depends on how fast stuff is liquidating.

[G@M3FR3@K]

Plus people are stupid.

That about sums it up! 

[mpm32]

don't understand these liquidation things. Everyone KNOWS that if they wait, the percentages just get better.

That's what pisses me off about ebay too.  You see people bidding on something the first day it's listed.  Dopes.

[ChadTower]

That's what pisses me off about ebay too.  You see people bidding on something the first day it's listed.  Dopes.

Why?  You put up the max you're going to pay and see if it stands.  That's how the system is actually designed to work.

[mpm32]

Yeah but why show your hand on the first day.

[ChadTower]

Because you don't need a hand.  You know your max, you put it up, and it either fails or wins.  If you fail you bid on another item.  It doesn't have to be a mind game.

[Grasshopper]

Because you don't need a hand.  You know your max, you put it up, and it either fails or wins.  If you fail you bid on another item.  It doesn't have to be a mind game.

That strategy would be fine if everyone else did the same. But you're ignoring the psychology of the bidding process. People have a tendency to react to other bidders, especially if they're inexperienced. That's why almost all experienced Ebayers snipe. It's the best way to avoid getting into a bidding war.

The key to getting the best deals on Ebay is to do the following:

- Do your research both on and off ebay. In particular, look at what similar completed items went for to see what the going rate is. Also, check whether the seller is slowly drip feeding multiple items onto ebay over time. If he is and the price goes too high then you can always wait until next time.

- Bid only once.

- Bid as late as possible, preferably in the last few seconds.

[ChadTower]

I'm not ignoring that psychology, I just have different goals.  You have described the way to get something at as low a price as possible.  That is not everyone's end goal.  I bid what I will pay, and while I would be happy to pay less, I'm not there to nickel and dime the price down 15%.  If someone is willing to pay more than I am then they get the item and I get to bid on the next one.

[mpm32]

I snipe.  Especially if I really want the thing.  And if I bid conventionally, I won't bid until the last 5 minutes.  And in those cases it's because I really hope I don't win the thing so I don't have to explain it to the wife.  

And I've been bidding at real live auctions for many years and I usually won't bid until the action starts slowing down there as well.


And if you have a set price why not shop at the store?  What's the point of ebay if not to get the cheepest price possible. 

Also, what if there's no next item?

[ChadTower]

And if you have a set price why not shop at the store?  What's the point of ebay if not to get the cheepest price possible. 

Availability.  Things aren't available in stores forever.  Can't find a copy of I Want My Mommy for the Atari 2600 in a store.  I rarely bother with ebay for something I could get in a store or at an online retailer.

There is always a next item... not always right away, but there is always another one.

[mpm32]

Perhaps?


Anyway, back to the cheesecake thread where I belong.

[hypernova]

Yeah but why show your hand on the first day.

Because you can get lucky.  At times, no one raises you to your max, and you get it low anyway.

So sniping isn't the only way to get something low priced.  If you're not overly pressed to possess something, lackadaisically bidding on recently posted auctions can prove to be an intelligent move in the end.  I've won quite a few auctions in this manner.

[Chris]

Everything I saw at CompUSA is still higher than NewEgg, even figuring in tax and shipping, except for books, most of which are out of date.

[shardian]

I've found the best way to get something you really want on ebay is to be a bull-headed bidder. What I do is only bid when someone else bids, and only until you overtake their max. The quicker you react, the better. I guess the end result is people will realize there is a bidder that is bound and determined to win, and they will give up and move onto other auctions.

If the auction has zero bids, if you want to win DO NOT place a bid until after the first bid is placed. Many people on ebay filter out zero bid items. The longer there are zero bids, the less people who will see it.

[hypernova]

Many people on ebay filter out zero bid items. The longer there are zero bids, the less people who will see it.

That makes absolutely no sense.  (The process makes sense.  The practice of it doesn't.)  I've never realized that was an option when searching, and I personally doubt it's utilized much.  This would filter out potential deals.