Topic: venting about ebay

[possum2082]

okay.  it's driving me crazy.  i want a part on ebay.  of course, i will wait until the last hour or so to bid.

however, there's about a million people bidding 5 days, 4 days early.  all they are doing is driving up the price. 

if everyone would just friggin wait, we could keep prices down and wouldn't go beyond what things are worth. 

the people that bid early have no chance of winning.  why even bother???

[Jonesy]

if everyone would just friggin wait, we could keep prices down and wouldn't go beyond what things are worth. 

You'll then be thankful that that the rival auction site sellyouritem.com folded. Their auction system worked such that if there was a flurry of bidding within a certain timeframe close to the end of the auction, the auction would automatically be extended to allow the price to go higher. Great if you're the seller...

[Tom in Newcastle......Ontario]

Instead of E-bay and all their fees,try asking in parts/bikes wanted here on SOHC
there are lots of people who"hoard parts"some might even be willing to sell give parts away,depends on what you are looking for,E-bay,and some of it's buyers/sellers can be a good thing sometime but can be a real pain other times.........

[possum2082]

amen

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

You won't see RxmanGriff bidding until the final 5 seconds! I do my own sniping and try to out-snipe the sniping services rather than use a sniping service. If I want something I have only 1 chance so I'd better bid high. I'm a stealthy bastard, huh?!

I sure as hell ain't going to get into the bidding wars and help raise the prices. It's like a feeding frenzy with new EBayers jumping in. They just don't seem to get it, do they?!

[754]

First bidder can easily win.. highest bid ALWAYS wins regardless of when it is placed before auction end..

[Gordon]

If everyone placed their highest bids in the final seconds of the auction, the price would still be exactly the same as it would be if they placed them days before the end. 

[754]

Ok but if a buyer asks and you have  an idea what it will cost to ship.. should the seller not at least give an estimate for shipping??

I have had many across border dealings.. and had a few sellers that would bend a bit at my own (the buyers risk).. I mean website shipping prices  are sometimes not accurate, and some sellers do not realize that small parcel is fairly reasonable.

But I also had many buyers that took advantage of it or tacked on extra charges over already sufficient charges just to send across the line.. I usually tell the seller I am willing to wait for USPS at THEIR convenience if the charges will get a lot more reasonable.

Overall though shipping has gotten a lot higher the last 2 years.. high enough that many items are not worth buying.
I pretty well had to accept that 14 or 15 bux for small items was to be expected if they did not send small parcel.. often they did and  I got dozens of parts shipped at  less than 1/2 of the charged price..  I dont mind buying them a beer for their efforts ( and me getting something I like), but a steak dinner is a bit high..

So I buy a lot less..

[neil young]

Ok but if a buyer asks and you have  an idea what it will cost to ship.. should the seller not at least give an estimate for shipping??

I have had many across border dealings.. and had a few sellers that would bend a bit at my own (the buyers risk).. I mean website shipping prices  are sometimes not accurate, and some sellers do not realize that small parcel is fairly reasonable.

But I also had many buyers that took advantage of it or tacked on extra charges over already sufficient charges just to send across the line.. I usually tell the seller I am willing to wait for USPS at THEIR convenience if the charges will get a lot more reasonable.

Overall though shipping has gotten a lot higher the last 2 years.. high enough that many items are not worth buying.
I pretty well had to accept that 14 or 15 bux for small items was to be expected if they did not send small parcel.. often they did and  I got dozens of parts shipped at  less than 1/2 of the charged price..  I dont mind buying them a beer for their efforts ( and me getting something I like), but a steak dinner is a bit high..

So I buy a lot less..

  +1

[BobbyR]

I bid what the item is worth to me right form the get go. If I get outbid at the end either they wanted it more than I do, or it my be a shill. I would ask the seller for an shipping and handling. I sell some large vintage car parts and they can be heavy. I put the weight and my zip code in the listing and ask them to check the USPS website. 

[Joel]

okay.  it's driving me crazy.  i want a part on ebay.  of course, i will wait until the last hour or so to bid.

however, there's about a million people bidding 5 days, 4 days early.  all they are doing is driving up the price. 

if everyone would just friggin wait, we could keep prices down and wouldn't go beyond what things are worth. 

the people that bid early have no chance of winning.  why even bother???

If you have a dozen people looking at the same item, 11 of them are going to lose because the winner is willing to pay more to get the item.  That's supply and demand.  Personally, I don't see the problem with that.  That's the way an auction works.  A fool and his money are soon parted.  If they pay more than it's worth, that's their problem. 

The things about eBay that annoy me more are the auctions for "information" or the obviously inflated shipping prices.  I'm tired of clicking on a $0.99 no reserve item the size of a video tape and seeing that the shipping charges are $15.99.  Ridiculous.

[DammitDan]

The things about eBay that annoy me more are the auctions for "information" or the obviously inflated shipping prices.  I'm tired of clicking on a $0.99 no reserve item the size of a video tape and seeing that the shipping charges are $15.99.  Ridiculous.

Next time you see that, click the "Report this Item".  It will take you to a list of listing violations.  If you follow the quick process you can help clean up ebay 

[754]

That is an easy one..if it is worth 17.00 or more(to you).. bid..

if not, dont..

[Joel]

That is an easy one..if it is worth 17.00 or more(to you).. bid..

if not, dont..

It's not, so I don't.  I just don't like having to click through all the junk to find something worthwhile.

[Tom in Newcastle......Ontario]

I personally have in my listings that I don't give shipping estimates,I state that I will ship the lowest way possible,with Can Post,it's time consuming to have to go to the post office to get actual costs(I don't trust the online estimators)than have some one else win,and  have to get another shipping price

I have found that if I am honest with the shipping and item discription than there is no problem,and if a person does not like my way of shipping or price info than they will not bid or should not ......... if by chance there is a problem with the item or shipping after the sale I try to solve the problem via e-mail.

[possum2082]

  if everyone just bid at the last minute, the price would be just as high?  i don't think so.  people get excited and get into these bidding wars driving up the price until they "win" a $30 hawaiian shirt that could have been bought at goodwill for 25 cents.

[sandcastcb750]

I have collected alot of things in life and found one thing to be true; as the prices rise, the availablity increases.

When I started Ebay in 1998, there were only 100-150 items listed on "Honda". Cars , bikes anything Honda....just 100-150 items. Sure the prices were lower, but hardly anything was for sale.

Sometimes, it is just dumb luck, and you get something dirt cheap on Ebay. But, as the Scottish say "The value of something is what it will fetch"

If prices drop, and probably won't on rare items, availability will drop , as people will wait until the time comes that they can get more money for the item.

For those that complain about prices, do you expect to give stuff away, or get the most you can like the other guys?

[Hope]

okay.  it's driving me crazy.  i want a part on ebay.  of course, i will wait until the last hour or so to bid.

however, there's about a million people bidding 5 days, 4 days early.  all they are doing is driving up the price. 

if everyone would just friggin wait, we could keep prices down and wouldn't go beyond what things are worth. 

the people that bid early have no chance of winning.  why even bother???

Here are some answers to you ebay woes. 
1.  You do not have to sit at the computer and wait till the last minute.  Check out auctionstealer.com

2.  You want to find auctions other people have not bidded on.  Check out fatfingers.com  (can help you find misspelled and mistyped words that will cause other people not to bid on.)  You can't bid on what you don't find.  If I misspell something, I might not get any bids.  You can be the person to pick up those no & low bid auctions.

3. Never get in a bidding war & over bid.... 

Ebay just isn't what it used to be.  It isn't fun and it isn't fair anymore.  Lately all I've got from ebay is crap.  Sellers who misrepresent items and know they aren't being honest about the item.  Some sellers create multiple accounts and bid on their items early in the auction to drive the price up so that real bidders will have to pay more.  I am so sick of ebay.  I wish we had SOHC swap meets down here.

[BobbyR]

okay.  it's driving me crazy.  i want a part on ebay.  of course, i will wait until the last hour or so to bid.

however, there's about a million people bidding 5 days, 4 days early.  all they are doing is driving up the price. 

if everyone would just friggin wait, we could keep prices down and wouldn't go beyond what things are worth. 

the people that bid early have no chance of winning.  why even bother???

Here are some answers to you ebay woes. 
1.  You do not have to sit at the computer and wait till the last minute.  Check out auctionstealer.com

2.  You want to find auctions other people have not bidded on.  Check out fatfingers.com  (can help you find misspelled and mistyped words that will cause other people not to bid on.)  You can't bid on what you don't find.  If I misspell something, I might not get any bids.  You can be the person to pick up those no & low bid auctions.

3. Never get in a bidding war & over bid.... 

Ebay just isn't what it used to be.  It isn't fun and it isn't fair anymore.  Lately all I've got from ebay is crap.  Sellers who misrepresent items and know they aren't being honest about the item.  Some sellers create multiple accounts and bid on their items early in the auction to drive the price up so that real bidders will have to pay more.  I am so sick of ebay.  I wish we had SOHC swap meets down here.

You are correct. I have been doing ebay since 97. The quality of the seller and buyer is not what it used to be. I had one item I kept bidding on. It would have 0 bids, I bid and within seconds some "new" 0 feedback bidder beat me by a buck. I gotta try that fatfingers.

[754]

Didnt beat you by a buck..it moved one increment.. Are you new to ebay?

 If bid increment is a buck and you bid 50.. a new bidder in  @ 123,456,789,765,456,789.00 will move it to 51.00 everytime  (or whatever the increment is).. it is called proxy bidding.. use it to your advantage..

[TwoTired]

Ebay just isn't what it used to be.  It isn't fun and it isn't fair anymore.  Lately all I've got from ebay is crap.  Sellers who misrepresent items and know they aren't being honest about the item.  Some sellers create multiple accounts and bid on their items early in the auction to drive the price up so that real bidders will have to pay more.  I am so sick of ebay.  I wish we had SOHC swap meets down here.

Warning.  Just because someone from the SOHC forums sells you something, does NOT mean you will get quality articles or reasonable prices.  Oft times you can.  But, there are those frequenting and selling on the forum simply to make money for themselves off this membership.  It is sad.  But, buyer beware is just as applicable to this forum as is ebay.

Cheers,

[toycollector10]

It's all good advice. I never get into a "pissing contest". I load up my auctionsniper.com then walk away. If you can't buy it in January for your best price sure as sh*t another one will come along in February or March at a better price. Just chill out and take your time, there's dozens of the things you want and need out there coming on all the time. Right?

[BobbyR]

Didnt beat you by a buck..it moved one increment.. Are you new to ebay?

 If bid increment is a buck and you bid 50.. a new bidder in  @ 123,456,789,765,456,789.00 will move it to 51.00 everytime  (or whatever the increment is).. it is called proxy bidding.. use it to your advantage..

I should clarify. I find an item with zero bids. I put in a bid. As soon as I place my bid, I mean hit the enter button. A bidder comes out of no where who has zero feedback and outbids me. This happens every time with this seller.

[sandcastcb750]

Let's face it, as Weird Al Yankovic says, Ebay is the garage sale of the world.

[malcolmgb]

Didnt beat you by a buck..it moved one increment.. Are you new to ebay?

 If bid increment is a buck and you bid 50.. a new bidder in  @ 123,456,789,765,456,789.00 will move it to 51.00 everytime  (or whatever the increment is).. it is called proxy bidding.. use it to your advantage..

I should clarify. I find an item with zero bids. I put in a bid. As soon as I place my bid, I mean hit the enter button. A bidder comes out of no where who has zero feedback and outbids me. This happens every time with this seller.

Bobby why not name & shame on here, if the seller is 'shill bidding' Ebay also should be told.