Who else buys from ebay?

[Wild Dingo]

I've had people ring and complain that they missed out because they were away from the computer in the last mins or whatever.

Really? hells bells! I mean get a life people! Its amazing the lengths some people go when they feel theyve been slighted or wronged... in this case to ring you when they missed out on an auction item?? man thats amazing

Ive missed some things I really would have liked to have won and missed them by mere seconds... dialup verses adsl I guess... but then so what? never mind move on but to ring the seller up and complain? what did they expect you to do? If it wasnt so pathetic it would be increadible

Yahoo sounds interesting... mmm if I had more time I would have a gander... nah! buggar it Ive got my hands full with whats already on the plate!

Cheers!!

[derekcohen]

If you decide the maximum bid your willing to pay then type that in and you won't have to worry about being sniped.

The only reason people get sniped is when someone else bids above your maximum amount. If sniping bothers people why not just set the maximum amount a little higher at the last minute??

Hi Andrew

Winning the item is really only one part of the deal. If you really want to win at all costs, just bid higher than anyone. You can do this at any time - at the start or finish of the auction.

On the other hand, keeping the price down and winning as well is really what it is about. There is no gloat in winning and paying the Earth.

Bidding early with your maximum will drive prices UP. If someone wants that item, they will have it. And even if they do not go as high as your maximum number, they will bid the price up.

Sniping at the end is also not the answer since if many do this too, then the winner is the one who has bid the most (which is fair). Still, the price will not have been bidded up and the final price may be lower.

I generally snipe at the end. I do not use a programme to do this for me, so the time of the auction ending is quite critical. I also only have a dial up connection so my bid is usually about 30 seconds from the end, and a slow connection may put paid to a week of watching something. I know the value of the things I bid on. I do my homework, not just on the item, but also on the seller (is he/she reliable - there are many who do not mail in a timely manner or misrepresent the product) and, if the item is very desirable, on the other bidders (what are their bidding habits - do they bid big once, which means I must expect a big jump in price over what is shown, and do they sneak in another bid at the end as well?). Just be strong about the amount you are willing to go to. I have walked away from many auctions. Like WD, I have seen prices go through the roof on ordinary items because two bulls are trying to show each other who has the biggest dick. It happens a lot more than you realise. There will always be another one to buy on another day.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Clinton1]

I buy from ebay. I treat it the same as an auction in relation to putting on bids. I am wary though, if I can't touch it I can't really tell if it is what I think it is.
I've been bitten, and I've got some good deals.

It can be entertaining though - watching an item go through the roof when if the item were googled then the bidders would see it is just not worth it.

I have not done it, but sometimes I'm tempted to throw a bid in between "the bulls" to push them even higher.

[Bodgy]

I go with the concensus:

Only bid in the last 15 minutes
Research the item and have a rigid $ limit
Find out postage etc and include in your pricing
Be aware that the item may not be as described, your 'impression' of what you're buying may be false. Check!
There'll always be another similar item come up, so you'll get a second chance, no hurry.
It's not a contest as to who's richest or got the largest testicles.

Unlike the others, I only bid at a bargain level. IE about 1/3 of what I think its worth.

Also, good to search on missspellings or incorrect category listing. That way there's no competition.

I also agree that the EBay phenominum has the potential to radically change commerce. Not really EBay, but the ongoing rise of E business, I guess.

[echnidna]

What other online auctions are there?

[Bodgy]

What other online auctions are there?

About half a dozen, mostly specfic to category.

Google 'online auctions'

No current, workable alternative to Ebay tho.

[Jon]

I have bought a few things and watched a lot of interesting items. If I am going to bid on something that is fairly common I will do a search on completed auctions to see what others have had to pay.
As others have said, know what the value of an item is and bid with your head not your heart.

Jon

[woodcutta]

I have had some good buys and some bad. I won an auction, sent off the money and didn't receive the item. When the seller was contacted, he said he hadn't received the cheque. I had the cheque traced and found it had been put in his account, but he claimed it wasn't. Another time I bid on an item that was worth about 90 dollars. I won the auction with $66. When I hadn't received the item I contacted the seller and he said the money order hadn't arrived within seven days so he relisted the item and sent my MO back.
So now I am careful about reading feedback and figure in the chance of losing money must be taken into account.

woodcutta

[Greg Q]

I blow hot and cold on eBay. I have purchased some great items at good prices, some so-so, and in one instance got stung for $415.00. eBay would not give me the seller's details without a court order. At least their fraud protection kicked in, but they charged me US $75.00 fee,(for three items total from same seller) and no refund on the shipping. All in all I was still out $150.00.

Oh well, at least I got the police interested after constant whingeing, and the seller (NSW) was charged with "obtain property by deception".
(This has taught me to focus on buying tools and leave the fine china alone)

The advice to figure in shipping and used values is worthwhile. By the time you pay new price to replace any missing bits and postage, about 45% of new price is my max. Lately though, more and more people disagree. Its amazing how many folks think it fair to pay 110% of retail for L-N planes.

[Iain]

I have sold a few items on ebay with good results but only one purchase to date.
I am wary of no pick up and being stung for $20 freight on a small item that is local.
7 Titans from SA were good though, $12.50, needed work but the seller posted pics that were a fair representation of the goods so I was pleased with the purchase.

[Clinton1]

Its amazing how many folks think it fair to pay 110% of retail for L-N planes.

110% = fair

[Sturdee]

I may be a bit oldfashioned but I won't buy anything unless I can see the goods, touch it, feel it and take it with me immediately I paid for it. Thus I will not buy through E bay.

Or maybe I'm not oldfashioned but too cynical to trust someone who I have never met to accurately and fully describe the goods and then not rip me of by not sending it.

Peter.

[schaf]

I have tried looking for good quality wood on ebay but can never find anything
Under which section should I look,
Terry