So . . . I had this legitimate 2-disc DVD set for sale for several months, probably longer. (FBM, my own copy, etc.):

ASIN: ‎ B00C7A8WZQ

When I listed it, others were selling it too. So mine was priced accordingly, and adjusted periodically. It was last at $26.10.

Eventually, I was the only seller with this item in stock.

As they occasionally do with no rhyme or reason, Amazon suddenly decided that my price wasn't low enough, even though NO ONE ELSE IS SELLING THIS DISC, and sent me one of their form-letters stating: "We have detected a potential pricing error. The price may be too high."

HOWEVER, currently, on the Amazon USA Marketplace, the lowest-priced seller of this DVD is selling it for $69.99.

That's SIXTY-NINE NINETY-NINE.

That's because this DVD is now OUT OF PRINT.

Search it on eBay USA. Prices there range from $45 to $100.

And yet Amazon is telling me that mine has to be priced somewhere lower than $26.10.

It may not be intentional, but that smells like price fixing. And at the very least, it smells like Amazon not being aware when DVDs and Blu-rays go out of print and actually increase in value because of their rarity.

This is not the first time this has happened. Normally, I just give in and adjust my prices (invariably lower) to whatever Amazon says because, well, what's the point? When they're obviously setting low prices on items that are no longer produced and therefore more valuable, I end up pulling the item and just waiting until — inevitably — some OTHER seller is magically able to list theirs for a more appropriate price. :)

I've noticed this copy/paste reply from Amazon in other threads that deal with similar topics:

In the offer tab, you need to find the field Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. If there is no reference price, the system will show a message saying "Set List Price equal to Standard Price:", which will usually be the price of your item.

As a small, private seller (FBM), I don't think I have access to make this kind of adjustment, and even if I could, I fail to see how it can possibly account for the OUT-OF-PRINT and higher-value status of certain DVDs and Blu-rays. If I was to set an MSRP to a 'collectible' or 'rare' price, I'm guessing there would be consequences.

In the case of MOST of my out-of-print and collectible pieces, Amazon's DVD and Blu-ray listings seem to have no problem with people setting their prices accordingly, and so I do too, even when prices spike due to sudden rarity. But every once in a while — and this is not the first time I've encountered this — their system basically hobbles sellers from actually selling certain items at fair market value (even if it's high).

The funny thing is, before I came here to see what price Amazon was telling me was too high for this particular DVD, I had no idea that this DVD was selling in the US for upwards of double my original asking price.

Since this is only a sporadic occurrence for a private seller, I guess I don't really expect a solution, and will just continue undervaluing or removing items according to Amazon's whims. That said, I'm still keen to hear possible options.