Ebay Mavens?

[Mark and Kim Smith]

[Unisaw A100]

Well, when it comes to the buyer, he/she couldn't give a rat's rosy, rancid, red rectum what the seller wants. As a seller I understand it.

Well, if you want more money then you should find an alternative to eBay. I'm not sure where you were going with the latter point.

How has altruism worked it's way in here? As a buyer I want to buy it cheap. As a seller I want to make loads of cash. But in the long run I accept things for what they are. I'm not sure that makes me altruistic.

UA100

[Unisaw A100]

Buy? I didn't. I use the free stuff. Why? Onna 'count of I'm a bottom feeder.

UA100

[Mark and Kim Smith]

Yup! The more bids on an item, the more ePay makes, the happier ePay is! And all of us end up the suckers.

[B a r r y]

I've always HATED auctions that automatically extend, like uBid!

When I really want an item, I make sure my butt is on it when it's due to end, ready to place the old-fashioned manual snipe. If eBay changed auction models, I'd never go back. Based on the popularity of sites that auto extend, I'm probably not alone.

If eBay blocked the services, it would be simple enough to install sniping software on your machine and do it yourself.

Barry

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Frankly, I didn't know that this software even existed. I do my own sniping. I never bid on an item until there was about 90 seconds left in the auction, and even then I posted a bid that would beat the current bid, plus maybe 20%. This is assuming that I would still be getting a bargain after I added in shipping. If not, I just buy locally (assuming it's an available item). I never get caught up in the heat of the moment.... it's a sure way to screw yourself.

I didn't always snipe. In an early experience last year during hurricane season I followed an auction for a Generac 7500 watt electric start generator, available at the local borg for $900 or a $1000 (I don't remember precisely). I knew for a fact they still had them in stock. I entered the bidding on Ebay at about $550 with a max bid of $700 (remember, I still would have to add shipping to this heavy item). I was easily beaten out, but it was an education. All my early bid did was run up the bill for all. Then I watched in amazement as the bloodlust took over: the winner paid $1300 BEFORE the shipping was added. OUCH!

That's when I formulated my current rules, which have been fairly successful for me.

[Brian Elfert]

But, don't put extra brand names in the description just so your item comes up when someone searches for another brand name.

If I'm searching for a Powermatic table saw, I want Powermatic items to come up. Not Craftsman, not Jet, and not Delta.

Brian Elfert

[p_j]

Well, that's what real auctions do and part of what makes it an auction.

That doesn't work that well.

I doubt that the popularity of eBay is due to that. I would be surprised if the majority of users don't consider it a flaw rather than a feature. I don't often bother with eBay, because it is more of a game than a real auction. Sure, one can spend lots of time in multiple auctions, but for me its not worth it. Sniping also works more reliably with broadband, so I would have to get that in order to compete.

There's software for mac to automate sniping and no doubt for windows as well.

Just extend the "auctions" for a single minute and the problem would go away.

[WilleeCue]

Todd, I have harped on that very thing for years. Ebay will not change their software to do this. However ... on the other hand .... If a person bids the max they want to pay for an item then what is the big deal about being out bid in the last few seconds?

William Lee

[WilleeCue]

Barry it sounds like you get a real kick thinking you have pulled a sneaky trick on someone. Snatching something away from someone else by using what you think are clever tactics. Tisk, tisk, tisk.

Dont you realize it dont even matter to a bidder that has bid his maximum amount. Only the people that are like you get upset about it.

William Lee

[Wood Butcher]

Thank you.

Art

[Mark and Kim Smith]

As a buyer on eBay, you have to be smart. Know what things are worth, know what your max that you would be willing to pay to still get a good deal and know when the best times to bid! Bid on an item saturdays, sundays or evenings and you will be bidding with the majority of the world. ( This is why I list stuff to end on sunday evenings! ) Bid during most peoples business hours or in the middle of the night and you have increased your chances of winning when bidding the end of that auction.

As a seller, bring on the snipers, bring on the newbies, bring on the misinformed. Drive that bid up! eBay doesn't mind as they make a bigger chunk too! List stuff to end on sunday evenings. I list late because it falls in the 5 hour window but I catch most of the west coast crowd to keep shipping costs down. ( I live on the left coast. ) Sunday, everybody is done with their church, done with their weekend playing and are slowing down to get ready for the work week. A little relaxation time in front of the computer and time to bid. ( Of course most women you can target in the middle of the week. When they can spend while the hubby's are out earning. )

I have almost 1500 positive feedbacks and over 2200 transactions. I find stuff that I can't find locally or by mail order / online. I sell stuff to feed my various hobbies. These days, if I see something that I really want, I don't bid. I book mark it ( save to favorites ) and check it on the last day. This way, I don't add to the "frenzy" of bidding. If I'm not awake or around for the end of the auction, I'll automatically bid ( snipe. ) If I lose, I really don't care. eBay is huge! Another item will come along. I'm never in any rush that I have to have this item "right now!"

If I were to pass along one tidbit of advise, it would be to expect the worst. Most of the time you are looking at somebody's crappy picture. The sellers description in his mind might not be what's in your mind. If you expect the worst and or problems, when your item shows up and it is better than what you had in your mind, be pleasantly suprised. What did you want? You're buying something that someone else didn't want! It's all part of playing the eBay game!

[B a r r y]

That's known as "keyword spamming" and is against eBay rules.

There's a few idiots that put "Starrett Clone" and "Starrett Copy" that I recently reported for clogging my searches.

Barry

[B a r r y]

Wha...?

Not at all all. In fact, I usually bid my max amount and walk away. This causes me to lose a huge number of auctions.

I'm not upset at all.

I simply don't like chasing auctions on sites like uBid that continue to extend.

Barry

[Unisaw A100]

Actually no. The snipe only delivers my bid amount. If I "snatched" it away from someone it's because someone didn't have a bid to top mine. It's all about taking responsibility for your own actions. In other words, if you want it, then bid more than I will.

Now, if somehow my sniped bid were to make the other bidders bid less than they wanted to bid, that would be a sneaky trick.

Of course it is always easier to blame others for your misfortune.

UA100

[Unisaw A100]

Barry:

Someone (LRod?) the other day was complaining about Bibb Tool's keyword spamming. Bibb Tool buys eBay banner space. I suppose if you wanted to do it and get away with it...

UA100

[Doug Miller]

Yeah, no kidding. I reported Bibb Tool a few days ago:

Message: Seller is keyword spamming, a practice specifically prohibited by eBay.

for "Powermatic planer" in titles & descriptions turns up item

2595484134, which is a JET brand planer, not Powermatic. JET and Powermatic have the same parent company, but they are NOT the same brand. Powermatic is the parent company's high-end brand, whereas JET is their low-end brand. Listing this tool as a "JET Powermatic" is akin to listing a Chevy Corsica as a "Chevrolet Cadillac".

and got this response from eBay today:

Thank you for contacting eBay about item #2595484134.

I have reviewed the information you sent us regarding a possible violation of our guidelines. At this point I do not have enough evidence to show that the member has violated any current eBay listing policies. Therefore, no action will be taken at this time on this issue.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

[CW]

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 04:26:46 -0600, Unisaw A100 brought forth from the murky depths:

The software's free but it's a per-per-snipe deal, right? You pay a small fee for each one you win?

-- If it weren't for jumping to conclusions some of us wouldn't get any exercise.

- Jump-free website programming

[Howard]

Actually sniping software on my own machine would be my preference anyway.

Pro: You don't have to give your password to a stranger You don't have any limits on snipe timing

Con: You have to have your machine on and connected Your connection might not be as reliable

I think the Pro outweighs the Con here.

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