Shop small … or, NO!
I didn’t know how else to title this post without it being a long title. I wanted to say that sometimes it is NOT the best to shop small.
“But, Wendy, you always say ‘shop small’!
I would consider most 3rd party sellers on Amazon, Target, and Walmart most likely as small businesses. I’m not sure you all see it that way, but they probably are classified that way.
I recently posted a Pokémon Display Box in which I felt was a deal. I sent the link to my son and he messaged me back saying that you can get it for $90 on TikTok. Well, honestly, I would pay more for this item shipped and sold by a reliable big company and not a 3rd party seller. Why? I see so many reviews of people buying cards that have been resealed. I just wouldn’t want to take the chance. Of course, that is always up to you, the buyer to make that decision.
I don’t usually buy anything shipped by a 3rd party unless it’s something that I cannot get elsewhere and am not worried that it is authentic (like earring cards or a notebook) … or how it has been stored. So, there is very little that I buy from 3rd party sellers on these store platforms.
Another way that I buy from 3rd party sellers is if the company that makes the item is the seller and they are well known. For instance, if I am buying Marzetti olives and it’s shipped by Marzetti on Amazon, I have no problem with that.
With that said, I do think you should support your local small businesses by buying their products.
When on big store sites, always look to see who is the seller. I noticed on Target that there are multiple reviews saying that the buyer got the wrong item.
I don’t think there is any way to see who sold those items in the past. But, I do see that Target also has 3rd party sellers. Like this post: Pokemon Trading Card … you can see the seller is 323 Inc. You may not actually notice that when ordering. I’m not saying that 323 Inc. has anything to do with the other post or that they are not a reputable seller … they probably are, but I prefer buying from the store themselves. I am just pointing out where to look.
Besides, it used to be that 3rd party sellers sold for less, but that has seemed to change over the past few years. 3rd party sellers buy out the lower prices and then sell above retail a lot of the time now. And, you really have to pay attention to prices because the “retail” mentioned is quite often overinflated to make it “look” like you are saving money.
All this post is about is trying to help you as a shopper make a more informed decision and to look a little closer when buying.
When I was getting my granddaughter’s Christmas box ready to ship, I asked my husband to grab a pack of Pokémon cards at Walmart. He came home with a pack of “repackaged” Pokémon cards that are assorted preopened and then repackaged by a company. That is the way they are sold … and to me it’s a trap for people who don’t know any better … and a waste of almost $7 a pack.
So, again, being an informed shopper is important. It irks me, not only when I get a bad deal, but also when others do. No one wants to waste their money.
Happy shopping!
