I'm learning eBay

[kainemaxwell]

Well i took the eBay plunge today. Found a couple things I'd like to bid on, and started speaking to the sellers to introduce myself etc. i don't plan to be a full-time eBay'er due to situations now, but maybe someday.

Just feels hard being new and getting turned down on great offers for stuff you want before you can even bid...like that HERO cart...

[atomicthumbs]

Just hold off on bidding too early. All it does is jack up the prices (not that it won't happen anyway).

[hezeuschrist]

Bid wars = bad.

Sniping = good.

[Sniderman]

Bid wars = bad.

Sniping = good.As a seller, I think the opposite is a lot better! Love them bid wars! :D

[kainemaxwell]

I've pretty much learned of those tricks my time here reading eBay topics and such.

Thing is no offers on the cart, it's less then a dollar now, 1 day left..guy doesn't want to deal cause of some neg and neutral feedbacks. :(

[Raccoon Lad]

If an auction has 10 bids 3 days before it ends by at least 2 bidders with 5 or less feedback, just leave that one alone.

[video_game_addict]

Thing is no offers on the cart, it's less then a dollar now, 1 day left..guy doesn't want to deal cause of some neg and neutral feedbacks. :(

If I understand you correctly, what you're trying to do goes against ebay rules! If it's on ebay, it up for auction. Highest bidder at the end wins. It's simple. Place bid, watch auction. If you are the highest bidder at the end you win.

I usually don't even respond to peoples' inquiries to end my auction early. Every now and then I'll reply with a simple "No thanks." but that's it.

[kainemaxwell]

basically guy asked that no new bidders bid unless they speak to him first, which I did. He emailed me back saying he can't accept since I'm new and he's had to cancel a couple bids from new people anyhow due to his 4 neg and 3 neutrals due to non-paying bids.

Here it is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3539792565&category=27180

As I've said I'm new at this so please don't berate me.

[hezeuschrist]

I think you're better off finding a different auction. Look at how defensive this guy got when he got a negative:

Complaint : When finally rec'd item it wasn't even close to what I pd for.
Response by jsholder - DEADBEAT+RESOLD ITEM+U SENT$54 DAYS LATE+I RETURNED$+I GOT NEG ?U GOT2 NEG+LOSER

It's a shame monkeys can use ebay :( (In referance to the seller)

[Quazick]

I don't see why the seller is being so uptight over a loose 2600 game..

[kainemaxwell]

Anything I should email back to this guy to try to change his mind...or something?

This one seem "safe":
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3539792565&category=27180

[digitalpress]

Anything I should email back to this guy to try to change his mind...or something?

This one seem "safe":
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3539792565&category=27180

Kaine, you're missing one very important reference. US.

You've dealt with many of us here a ton of times. Point him to the forums, maybe directly to the "good traders" link in the Buy & Sell forum.

I understand where he's coming from, but you can't dispute good references, and eBay is hardly the be-all-end-all of good feedback.

[kainemaxwell]

So direct the HERO guy to the Quality traders list here?

Thanks for helping me through here..gonna take a little bit I get hang of it better. Emailed the guy, doubt it'd help though.

[Griking]

Bid wars = bad.

Sniping = good.


Not if you're a seller :angry:

[buttasuperb]

Sometimes ebay will have 9.99 PSX games, just like your local Gamestop.

[kevincure]

If you want relatively common games like HERO, you should just post in the Buy & Sell Forum - Im sure you could get them cheaper than you would from Ebay.

[video_game_addict]

Sorry Kaine, misunderstood what you were talking about. :embarrassed:


I actually just dealt with this seller last week. He bid on one of my auctions, he paid quick, was quick to email me, and seems like a nice guy. He's already posted positive feedback for me, and I haven't even done so for him yet.

As a seller I know where he's coming from thou. I have used rules like that before too. It's surprising how many people still don't read the full auction, or follow the rules. I used 3 as my magic number, and the bidders who didn't follow the rules were removed, the bidders who took the time to email me, which showed their intent to follow thru, I would allow to bid.

Usually it's after having a run of non-paying bidders, or some recent unwarranted negative feedback that makes you all anal with these rules. I know I was extremely pissed off after receiving my first Negative & first Neutral feedbacks within a short period of time, something like 2 weeks maybe, and I had a perfect record up to that point, 300+ positive feedbacks. Both were unwarranted. I actually only have one neutral that is somewhat warranted, a simple email on his part would have saved that, but my record is still quite good. It's really upsetting to take the time to post an auction, then sell it, wait two or three weeks and then have to re-list it. :angry: I would have to say 99% of my non-paying bidders are newbies who just don't care to follow thru, that's why some sellers have the rules like these.

Thing is thou, there's always another auction, for almost anything you could want. So since you are starting out, just because this seller doesn't want to take your money, don't let it get you down, that's his problem, and his loss. Find another and spend with them instead.

I do agree with what DP said, you could have/should have, pointed the seller to this board, and specifically the recommended traders thread, when you emailed him in the first place. That IS your feedback, and you most likely are a good buyer, would've been more than enough in my book, and to have most sellers' reassurance.

Oh btw, I did email this seller on your behalf as well, seeing as his email to me was still in my inbox from this morning. :) He's seems like a good guy from my emails with him, and I think his intent was to only protect himself from possible non-paying bidders, but he may be swayed by seeing this thread, or reading my email. But it's just food for thought, in what to look for and avoid in future auctions.


Regardless, don't let it get you down. Damn this is a long post! :P

PS: You haven't replied back to my offer on the Battle Assault 2 game yet. You slacker, hurry up! ;)

[kainemaxwell]

Thanx everyone, I do appericate this. I emailed the HERO guy back yesterday with the link to the "Quality Traders" topic actually.

And I did PM you back last night didn't I? O_o

[Sothy]

bidding wars are retarded.

See a game you want? bid what you are willing to spend on it ONCE.
If you get outbid then the price is more than you want to spend.


The wait till last second and bid 1 dollar more thing is dumb.

[kainemaxwell]

Argh, this sucks...

[bargora]

don't listen to the retarded corn dog

[hezeuschrist]

bidding wars are retarded.

See a game you want? bid what you are willing to spend on it ONCE.
If you get outbid then the price is more than you want to spend.


The wait till last second and bid 1 dollar more thing is dumb.

The idea behind sniping is to not give someone a chance to pay more than you are willing to pay.

[kainemaxwell]

I got sniped even after the seller warned me the guy who bid first would be doing this...gah I suck now...

[calthaer]

Unfortunately sniping is sometimes the only way to get some items without paying a ridiculous amount. If it's something that I really, really want, (and that everybody else does, too) I'll watch the auction up to the last thirty seconds or a minute and snipe it. The only things I've ever done that with are rare comic books, though. The video games that I like are usually available from more sources than eBay, and I don't like having to fight other people over the item.

Sometimes if you set your max bid high and other people can guess that you have, they might drive the price up just to piss you off.

[kainemaxwell]

Yeah the guy warned me he's dealt with him before and would snipe me to get the cart.

Anyhow, found Road Runner, ends in 1 day, low price for now..see what happens...

[kainemaxwell]

hope i win one these 2...

[Anthony1]

Sniping is just a part of life on Ebay. As a buyer, you pretty much have to do it, if you don't want to pay more than you need to.

All I do is snipe now. I've learned my lesson the hard way. Snipe at the end, and if you win, great, if not oh well.

[kainemaxwell]

I won my first auction!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3539105660&category=3608&rd=1