eBay Frustration
#1
Gitane Fix(at)ed
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Grenoble, France
Posts: 63
Bikes: Nice Gitane Fixed Gear, Cheap and cheerful rigid MTB, Wonky commuter, A fully 105 road bike with a pipe steel frame
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
eBay Frustration
Aaargh,
Why is it that every nice thing that I want to buy on eBay is simultaneously wanted by several obsessed people with deeper pockets than me?
I just found a very nice, vintage Dura Ace seatpost (yes, Shimano does Dura Ace seatposts) that would totally complement my 26y old Gitane TDF (converted to fixed gear). I was quite happy since I needed a somewhat exotic diameter: 25.0 mm. The DA seatpost was exactly what I wanted and I somewhat hoped that nobody else will want it.
So I've honorably stated my intentions by biding the largest amount that I wanted to pay (~40$, since it's just a seatpost, isn'it?), stood as the winning bidder until 1h before the end, got dropped by another bidder which got sniped at the last second by another one. In the end the winning bid was around 75$, which is a bit high for a bloody seatpost.
Well, that's quite OK actually, since I already have a seatpost (an ugly one, but whatever) and I still have my money. I'll bide my time.
Cheers,
DK
Why is it that every nice thing that I want to buy on eBay is simultaneously wanted by several obsessed people with deeper pockets than me?
I just found a very nice, vintage Dura Ace seatpost (yes, Shimano does Dura Ace seatposts) that would totally complement my 26y old Gitane TDF (converted to fixed gear). I was quite happy since I needed a somewhat exotic diameter: 25.0 mm. The DA seatpost was exactly what I wanted and I somewhat hoped that nobody else will want it.
So I've honorably stated my intentions by biding the largest amount that I wanted to pay (~40$, since it's just a seatpost, isn'it?), stood as the winning bidder until 1h before the end, got dropped by another bidder which got sniped at the last second by another one. In the end the winning bid was around 75$, which is a bit high for a bloody seatpost.
Well, that's quite OK actually, since I already have a seatpost (an ugly one, but whatever) and I still have my money. I'll bide my time.
Cheers,
DK
#2
Senior Member
I think that some people on evilbay are stimulated to bid on something when they see earlier bids. My computer and internet service are not fast enough for true last-second sniping, but I rarely enter a bid for anything more than one minute before the end of an auction, and try to wait until the end is less than 20 seconds away.
__________________
Have Colt, will travel...
Have Colt, will travel...
#3
Uber Goober
Can't you set up Ebay to auto-snipe for you?
Anyway, the whole point of Ebay is getting more money when you sell your stuff. Take that same seat post and at a garage sale, you'd have to price it at 50 cents to get rid of it. On Craigslist, it might or might not sell at a decent price, just depends if someone in your area needs it. On Ebay, you're bidding against the country, sometimes against the world, so it's harder to find a bargain.
Anyway, the whole point of Ebay is getting more money when you sell your stuff. Take that same seat post and at a garage sale, you'd have to price it at 50 cents to get rid of it. On Craigslist, it might or might not sell at a decent price, just depends if someone in your area needs it. On Ebay, you're bidding against the country, sometimes against the world, so it's harder to find a bargain.
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
#4
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 18
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
firefox extension myIbay sets up an auto snipe. Its amazing. i set it to bid 3 seconds before the auction closes. Won so much that way, its great.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5571
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5571
#6
Every day a winding road
This is a very dangerous method for bidding anyway. It causes you to spend more than you planned. Set a max amount, remember to include cents and forget about it.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,195
Bikes: Kona Cinder Cone, Sun EZ-3 AX
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Why are people happy about making the winning bid in an auction? Remember...when you win an auction, you've just committed yourself to paying more for an item than anyone else thought it was worth.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Rocklin, CA
Posts: 333
Bikes: Trek Domane, Soma Smoothie, Surly Big Dummy/Pacer/KM/Ogre, and a revolving collection of vintage stuff
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have a frame, crankset, and derailleur that I'll be putting on there in a week or so, and I'm nervous as hell about it because I know that it will look like I won't get jack for my stuff until the last few minutes.
Oh Fleabay.
Oh Fleabay.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 428
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
There are lots of websites that will do ebay snipping but they charge. There's jbidwatcher that a free desktop application that works okay.
#12
Senior Member
To enter my maximum intended price too early just gives opposing bidders an early warning that there is another bidder out there. Better for me to determine my max price, check the item late in the auction period, and if my price has yet to be reached, bid in the last few seconds. That way, I don't pay too much, and I don't show my hand too early in the poker game.
__________________
Have Colt, will travel...
Have Colt, will travel...
Last edited by Rex G; 08-25-08 at 09:07 AM.
#13
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,508
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,802 Times
in
2,593 Posts
don't forget, if you bid early the seller can have shills. Did that once, never again. And there are too many strange people out there that just want to win an auction, and need your bid to validate their sick little game.
I bid with exactly 13 seconds left. I spend the 45 seconds before that deciding what the maximum I will bid without hating myself. If someone else wins, I know they wanted it more, and if I had bid any more I would have hated myself. So I'm happy.
I bid with exactly 13 seconds left. I spend the 45 seconds before that deciding what the maximum I will bid without hating myself. If someone else wins, I know they wanted it more, and if I had bid any more I would have hated myself. So I'm happy.
#14
Gitane Fix(at)ed
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Grenoble, France
Posts: 63
Bikes: Nice Gitane Fixed Gear, Cheap and cheerful rigid MTB, Wonky commuter, A fully 105 road bike with a pipe steel frame
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Yes, that happens often. One time, I was bidding (early) on some thingie and another bidder kept driving the price up. I've lost the auction and the seller came back to me with a "Second Chance" buy. I thought that the other bidder was a shill and refused.
Agreed, I think is better to bid at the last moment. You got a fairer chance at winning the bid without driving up the price because of the competitive nature of the other bidders (if legit) or without letting the seller to plant his shills.
Anyway, it seems that the Dura Ace seatpost that I want is really in high demand since there have been several of them that went for very high prices (in my opinion). So I guess is out of my league. I'm too cheap of a *******
Cheers
Agreed, I think is better to bid at the last moment. You got a fairer chance at winning the bid without driving up the price because of the competitive nature of the other bidders (if legit) or without letting the seller to plant his shills.
Anyway, it seems that the Dura Ace seatpost that I want is really in high demand since there have been several of them that went for very high prices (in my opinion). So I guess is out of my league. I'm too cheap of a *******
Cheers
#15
Perineal Pressurized
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: In Ebritated
Posts: 6,555
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Bid what you think it's worth. If somebody bids more, they think its worth more. Pretty simple.
And yes, winter is the best time for eBay'in bike parts.
And yes, winter is the best time for eBay'in bike parts.
__________________
This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
#16
Senior Member
I never understood why anybody would bid earlier than 5 seconds before the end of the auction. I pay an online sniping website. Charge is 1% of purchase price, within the range of 25 cents and $10, outside of which range the min/max flat fee is charged. You're only charged if you win.
Well worth it in my opinion.
Well worth it in my opinion.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 138
Bikes: Gary Fisher Marlin GS
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I never bid on anything until the last few hours. I don't want to stimulate anyone elses interest in an item I want
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 428
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Why give them a few hours? It's in your best interest to reduce the amount of time available to stimulate other people's interest. That's why people bid in the last few seconds. And waiting at the computer to bid at the exact time is often impractical so many use sniping software or websites to do the job for them.
Last edited by annc; 08-26-08 at 11:47 PM.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Virginia
Posts: 207
Bikes: CRF150
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 402 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I feel your pain, not the same but...For months I bid on a jeep bumper from a seller, he'd put one up a week for bid, I'd always bit the same thing 100.00 it took me 7 trys but I finally got the bumper I wanted for the price I was willing to pay.
Now for my same problem, I'm a coin collector and every time I bid on a coin that's worth having I lose. I've finally found the only way for me to win is to bid on stuff that's risky....well at least not located in Hong Kong.
LOL.....all ebayers suffer the same fate.
Now for my same problem, I'm a coin collector and every time I bid on a coin that's worth having I lose. I've finally found the only way for me to win is to bid on stuff that's risky....well at least not located in Hong Kong.
LOL.....all ebayers suffer the same fate.
__________________
Love one another
Love one another