I just ran a quick program to check on ebay sales of Rio Car units since the price drop and it came up with the following tidbits:

Sold To date:
14 Rio Car Units (14x 10 gig)
1 Tuner (With Unit)
Numbe of auctions ended with "Buy It Now": 14 (100%)
Average Duration of Auction prior to 1-1-2002: 5.5 Days
Average Duration of Auction 1-1-2002 to 1-8-2002: 3 to 6 hours
Average Sale Price: 10 gig units before 1-4-2002: $496
Average Sale Price: 10 gig units after 1-4-2002: $399
Average Sale Price Premium for Tuner: $250 *
Prolific Sellers:
Caryjj: 9 units sold + 1 Tuner
imobiwan: 2 units sold
micman2b: 2 units sold

Currently For Sale:
16 Rio Car Units (7x 10 gig, 4x 20 gig, 5x 30 gig)
2 Tuners (1 With Unit)
Auctions with "Buy it Now": 12 (100% of non-dutch)
Auctions where bidding has deactivated "Buy It Now": 2 (17%)
Dutch Auctions: 1, with 5 units
Average Asking/Buy It Now Price: 10 gig: $500
Average Asking/Buy It Now Price: 20 gig: $606
Average Asking/Buy It Now Price: 30 gig: $650
Average Asking/Buy It Now Price: Tuner: $225 *
Prolific Sellers:
ptk153: 5 units for sale
ahanz: 1 unit for sale, plus 1 unit sold
Caryjj: 1 units for sale + 1 Tuner

Kudos to curlykicker for selling tuner separate from unit.

* Tuner price from combined package sales derrived from comparions to prices without tuner



Just though you all could use some useless statistics...

The_Optimizer: Just though you all could use some useless statistics...

Thanks for doing this for those of us who wouldn't know how!

Useless statistics these aren't, at least for some of us. Bizarre as it continues to seem, it looks like my order for a 60GB Empeg (the already upgraded, time-to-rip-some-classical, Empeg of my dreams) is going through. I just got a tracking number. So, it looks like I will be selling a 10GB Mk2a and a tuner. I know I'll be taking a significant loss on the Mk2a (purchased in early November), but this info helps me think about what kind of a loss to expect.

I may (just shoot me) initially list the Mk2a and tuner as a bundle. Two reasons: less shipping hassle for me and, seriously, I wonder about the sales appeal of the Mk2a (for some folks) if there's no guarantee they can get a tuner. Maybe I'll just try to sell the Mk2a alone first, then I can sell the tuner at cost to someone who needs one. Oh, I don't know. I just hope I don't do something morally reprehensible!

Anyhow, if *I* had my order fulfilled at this late date, I hope that some other folks in need got what they wanted, too.
Sort of amazing that 14/14 auctions ended with "Buy it now" pricing. I wonder if this will hold true with this most recent, agonal shipment from the US Store. If you could run this report again in a bit, that would be interesting.

I guess I'm pissed off about this. I look at it like you should buy it to keep it or upgrade an old one, but not buy it to sell it at a gross profit.

If you buy it to sell it, you're taking inventory from the one place people know to look for it. Sure you're not hurting the company any, but you're hurting potential buyers. Both in obfuscation of sale location and in increased price for personal gain.

Sure that's what capitalism is all about, but I can't help but feel that so far 25 some-odd people have been cheated by jackasses who buy all the inventory up.

Greg

I'm not really defending the Ebayers, but popular opinion seems to be that you might STILL have a chance of getting an order filled if you order off of the website. All I'm saying is that the people buying are at least as big of jackasses as the people selling...It's not that hard to go to the sonicblue store and place an order.

grgcombs: Sure that's what capitalism is all about, but I can't help but feel that so far 25 some-odd people have been cheated by jackasses who buy all the inventory up.

Greg,

I can't say that I have ever personally identified with the concept of buying up distressed merchandise and reselling it -- and maybe the term "jackassses" applies, I dunno -- but I have a hard time seeing how various buyers have been cheated. They might have saved themselves this distressing experience by buying an Empeg prior to liquidation. Of course, that might have cost them $600 or more.

It might not be hard for people in the US to go to the SonicBlue store and place an order, but for people internationally (Europe, Australia, etc.), our only reasonable chance of being able to get hold of a unit is to consider purchasing one of eBay.

A.

I am happy that some people have bought several units and are selling them on eBAY. If no more units show up at the UK store, I'll be very happy to buy one from ebay... 500$ is still *very cheap* for a RioCar.

Marius (Escort Cab + Mark II)

You're missing the point, if these speculators didn't buy all these units then you could buy an empeg for £150.

Seems to me like these spectators are selling units bought at the US-store, which I couldn't buy from anyway!

Marius (Escort Cab + Mark II)

To be honest, this pisses me off too. I could have done the same, ANY of us could have, but most of us didn't. I may sell my "backup" to a friend one day, but not for a markup. It would be different if someone bought a bunch and was selling them on the "For Sale" forum of this BBS to European or late comers at a small markup to cover their time and up-front costs. Part of the "empeg" experience is knowing you are part of a small cultlike community. People on this board will bend over backwards to answer the simplest questions. Even the empeg team will go out of their way to NOT have to charge you for repairs. Think of how much money empeg could have made from drive upgrades... instead Hugo and others contributed to the "how-to" in the FAQ. And according to this post, their would have been quite a few still at the estore now too.

Look at how much time and effort the Alpha testers have given us! Or how generous the programmers are working on an EOL'd device! Or Tony and his FAQ, Logo Editor, Gap Killer etc. Frank with his Displayserver. The empeg Tetris, the Hijack Kernal, this BBS, the RioCar org, that guy that posted the Mpeg video - All of this was FREE. Even the facias and lens are done at nearly NO PROFIT.

I agree. I look at it this way... the extra empeg I bought I'm either going to keep for myself or sell to one of my friends (not for profit). This is one less empeg that is available to a potential buyer that is going to resell it on ebay.

BleachLPB
_____________________

Yes , when you see someone like caryjj that sold 9 or 10 units, do you still think he bought only to help his friends.
It was only for profit.

Most of new people on the BBS, just use a nickname (Yes I did not give my real name !!!) but no other information about them.

Some people bought after the price drop because yes the riocar was still expensive for them but other people bought to make money on the back of real empeg fan and supporters.

We should have the possiblity to buy a tuner if already an owner of empeg !!

well, I'll be honest and admit that I had an ebay auction of a 10 gig with a buy it now of $450. Figured I could get 2, sell one and have it pay for both. After thinking about it more, I've decided that I don't want to sell it on e-bay. Sure, I don't really have a use for 2 of em, but so what. I have one friend who is really interested in it but having a slow money month, so i'll prolly sell it to him at cost when he can afford it.

The more I read this board and these threads, the less I was inclined to sell mine on e-bay. Not saying this to get congrats from forum members, more to just acknowledge that there does appears to be a comraderie here (apparent after only a week of browsing the site).