Something seems to have changed on some auction sites over the past few years - ‘commercial’ sellers trying their luck to get a lucrative sale. Examples are Coleman mantles for AUD $40-$60 a pack, meanwhile local shops are asking AUD$5. Coleman Northstar ignition modules for AUD $40 when I can get one from an online retailer or the local store for $AUD 19. The list goes on....
@kero-scene you think ebay is bad, you should see Amazon Canada. The prices on some things are just insane. Sometimes I check them out just to see how they compare. Somethings are cheaper, but other times sellers are asking like 1000x markup on an item. I'll look at something on the .com version of the site and then go to the .ca version and the price has tripled for the exact same product from the exact same seller. It isn't right, that's for sure.
I think prices have been driven upwards by the Asian lantern market. Buyers in Asia seem Coleman and lantern crazy and have the middle class incomes to indulge their hobbies and interests at the same time that incomes in America and Europe are stagnating making Europe and America sellers and Asia buyers, role reversal . Sales via the internet means buyers are not limited to the locales to source lanterns . Maybe the growth of the outdoor market and nostalgia for camping is the gateway to the lantern hobby for some . I've seen to in other hobbies how they become momentarily hot, how interest grows all of sudden and the hobby becomes an industry where prices grow and so do more products appear and more avenues for hobbyists doing micro business in the hobby. The result is big prices and adjustment to the new reality of the hobby.
Don't get involved with silly bidding wars, decide what your maximum bid is, ensure it's a reasonable amount for what's on offer and stick with it, don't worry if you loose out to someone bidding silly amounts, the lamp you need will come along eventually.
@BigStevie ...... that’s not a bad idea. I have had one or two occasions that the bay of evil and Jack Daniels has conspired to drain my wallet ....... Cheers Pete