OT: eBay lunacy

you see it all the time tho, really crackes me up how some sellers jack up the price they want for shipping to make more on the deal.

yes, it is common to see bids (including P&P) for more than the recommended retail.

but, on the other hand, it is also common to see items making less than wholesale....

wineandkeyz said:

Why would anyone bid MORE on eBay for an item from an anonymous seller than they would from an established company?

This person bid $178.60 for some Speedplay Zeroes, when Bicyclebuys.com has them for $174.99.

WHAT??? Newsflash! People Are Idiots!

More power to 'em, I say.

g-brown said:

WHAT??? Newsflash! People Are Idiots!

And the worst part is: THEY'RE MULTIPLYING! 😄

The way I look at it - if someone else wants to overpay for something I'm looking for, I ain't gonna stop them.... 😄

its the heat of the auction and also the fact that a lot of people aren't net savvy and can't search round for bargains very effectively.

some would say that ebay caught its own condition when bidding for skype...

that is funny!

by the way, check out some of the less frequently used auction sites - because there are fewer bidders, prices can sometimes be much lower

QXL

Ebid

There is nowhere near as much stuff listed and a lot of the sellers only joined up recently (there were some good offers) but there are bargains to be had!

I have seen a couple of bikes that I was willing to pay a certain amount only because they were close enough for me to pick up. Then I have had people bid double what I was willing to pay...

I saw a couple of bikes worth exploring and looked at the shipping cost of $150 in addition to an opening bid close to what I was willing to pay if the bike were in reasonable shape. I quickly realized why there were no bids...

Another issue to remember is to use the search function even if you think you found a good price. I have seen new components (for example) rrunning within a reasonable range, say from $14.99 to $18 and the higher cost item was cheapest due to shipping cost (using the same shipping method in at least one case). This was the case (but not too extreme) with an item I just purchased yesterday.

I recently saw a guy advertise a Proform 970 recumbent trainer for $400 on ebay he said he paid $900 two years ago. I bought one at Sears two years ago for $175. I also can't believe the prices they get for used bikes. Who would pay top dollar for a used bike when you have no way of telling how many miles are on it until it gets delivered. Seems alot less risky to buy new and not that much more money if it is last years model.

wiredued said:

I recently saw a guy advertise a Proform 970 recumbent trainer for $400 on ebay he said he paid $900 two years ago. I bought one at Sears two years ago for $175. I also can't believe the prices they get for used bikes. Who would pay top dollar for a used bike when you have no way of telling how many miles are on it until it gets delivered. Seems alot less risky to buy new and not that much more money if it is last years model.

Ebay is full of great buys, but only for the saavy, patient bidder. You gotta know how much things cost elsewhere. Do your homework and then bid with confidence as they like to say. Emotion is great for creating the desire, but it is logic that creates the deal. Know the difference.

My personal bests on ebay:

Trek Y-Foil CF beam frame - new, never built: $600

Zipp 404 (2002 model) in tubular, with 4 used tires: $650

Cinelli RAM bars - slightly used, but not a scratch: $250

Nike Hautacam shoes, CF sole, new: $90

But that's with a lot of patience. I'm now looking for a TT frameset in 59-61cm. Patience...

I also dumped some slightly obsolete digital camera equipment last year at a handsome price, far more than I thought it was worth. I wanted a Cateye CDW300 wireless cadence computer. ebay prices were $110-120 plus various shipping charges, from an unknown seller. I bought it from cbike.com for $120 with a modest shipping charge.

wineandkeyz said:

Why would anyone bid MORE on eBay for an item from an anonymous seller than they would from an established company?

This person bid $178.60 for some Speedplay Zeroes, when Bicyclebuys.com has them for $174.99. 🙄

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:US:11&Item=7176690410

were they...

...stupid?

...drunk?

...uneducated in regards to cost?

...some combo of the above?

...ALL of the above??? 😄

More money than sense I guess. It is far worse at an actual real auction with live bidding. I once stood and watched someone pay far more for a used photo item than it sold new. The funny thing was I happened to be standing next to one of the pricipals of perhaps the largest retail photo store in the East (US). They just couldn't believe it. Educated shopper (bidder) they were not.

wineandkeyz said:

Why would anyone bid MORE on eBay for an item from an anonymous seller than they would from an established company?

This person bid $178.60 for some Speedplay Zeroes, when Bicyclebuys.com has them for $174.99. 🙄

cgi.ebay.comeBayISAPI.dllOpen ↗

one thing i have noticed in my yrs selling there as i am based in the uk i have noticed american buyers tend to spend tons and think nothing of it they kinda rip themselves off somewhat.. i had a carving once and they thought nothing of paying 30 quid to get it shipped to them wont the auction for 15 quid tho...

they could also be using a sniping service that keeps bidding up till it wins the item a lot do nowadays.. they may also have no shops or dealers in their area who stock them (it happens), but still they bid they have to pay now lmfao

you say that site has them.. they might not know that either lol

wineandkeyz said:

Why would anyone bid MORE on eBay for an item from an anonymous seller than they would from an established company?

This person bid $178.60 for some Speedplay Zeroes, when Bicyclebuys.com has them for $174.99. 🙄

yaaa. :eek:

penguinonabike said:

one thing i have noticed in my yrs selling there as i am based in the uk i have noticed american buyers tend to spend tons and think nothing of it they kinda rip themselves off somewhat.. i had a carving once and they thought nothing of paying 30 quid to get it shipped to them wont the auction for 15 quid tho...

they could also be using a sniping service that keeps bidding up till it wins the item a lot do nowadays.. they may also have no shops or dealers in their area who stock them (it happens), but still they bid they have to pay now lmfao

What do you mean by a sniping service? If I can't be there for the auction end I must not need the item. That is part of what I mean by patience. The thought of an automated bidding system that just keeps bidding without any input from me is disturbing.

penguinonabike said:

one thing i have noticed in my yrs selling there as i am based in the uk i have noticed american buyers tend to spend tons and think nothing of it they kinda rip themselves off somewhat.. i had a carving once and they thought nothing of paying 30 quid to get it shipped to them wont the auction for 15 quid tho...

they could also be using a sniping service that keeps bidding up till it wins the item a lot do nowadays.. they may also have no shops or dealers in their area who stock them (it happens), but still they bid they have to pay now lmfao

Every sniping service I have looked at has you put in a max bid, so you don't overbid your personal max.

House said:

Every sniping service I have looked at has you put in a max bid, so you don't overbid your personal max.

Isn't that the same as proxy bidding as practiced on Ebays' site?

mstone said:

Isn't that the same as proxy bidding as practiced on Ebays' site?

Sniping doesn't put in your bids until just before the auction ends, to minimize enthusiasm and counter bidding. I don't know how effective it is compared to proxy bidding, but that's the concept.