RANT: "# of watchers"

[Sniderman]

<Wonder Rant powerrs....activate!>

On my eBay Sellers page - just as on all eBay Sellers page - there's a recent additions: "# of watchers." This is the number of folks who have actively selected to watch this auction while it tics down towards completion.

I myself have selected the "Watch this auction" option for an item I was particularly interested in. Whenever I accessed my eBay account, it would remind me I have "Watched auctions" still underway. My ultimate goal would be to snipe the auction just as it was about to end. That seems to be the ultimate reason for "watching" an auction.

EBay Sellers can tell how many people have chosen to watch an auction. When I go to "My Ebay", each item I've listed tells me how many buyers have selected the "Watch This Auction" option. I can tell - at a glance - how many people may get into that Last Minute Sniping Match all buyers like to see breakout. In fact, several of my auctions have 3 or more "watchers" at this time.

So, where's my rant? It's this:

THESE ARE NOT AUCTIONS. I HAVE BUY-IT-NOW SALES UNDERWAY WITH "WATCHERS!"

I mean, c'mon! I'm selling my clocks on eBay with a Buy It Now of $7. They are not up for auction. Click and buy. However, several of these sales have "watchers!" They've HAD "watchers" for days! What are they waiting for? The price to come down? IT WON'T! IT'S A SALE! Are they waiting to "snipe?" THEY CAN'T! IT'S A SALE!

C'mon, buy the damn things! You're obviously interested, else you would'nt click "Watch!" However, I just know that - once again - I will watch the sale end with 5 watchers listed. Those same 5 watchers were there all week. And, after the sale ends, 2 of those watchers will e-mail me and ask me to relist, 'cause they missed it.

WHAT WAS THE DELAY?!?!? YOU HAD ALL WEEK! BUY IT OR DON'T "WATCH" IT!

Frack, that drives me insane. It's like going to Sears and staring through the window at the riding mower. Every day, you go look at that mower. The salespeople see you staring, but maybe you're not interested, or it's out of your price range. Maybe you just like window shopping for mowers. Months go by, and there you are, staring at the mower. The mower has a layer of dust on it by now. Then the new models come out, and the salescrew ships the unsold mower back to corporate. The very next day, you pop in.

"hey! Where's the mower? I wanted to buy it!"

They should be allowed to punch you in the face.

<Wonder Rant powers, DE-activate!>

Wow, has that been pent up for a while. Thanks for letting me bitch.

[NE146]

Maybe they're just watching the auction to see if anyone actually buys it.. that way they can pull it up again without actually having to do a search :P

[wheelsx45]

I watch BIN's on ebay. I dont know why, I just like having time to think. I need to just order it right away though cause when I finally decide and try to buy it, it has ended. Im not gonna let that happend again. I just like to spend my money cautiously, ya knnow.

[Aussie2B]

I can understand watching it for a short time since the watcher may be currently bidding on the same item from someone else, waiting to see how that goes first.

However, if they keep watching it and asking for it to be relisted, then they're just idiots. o_O Nothing is more saddening then when you got at least one watcher on an auction all the way to the end, and you never get a bid. >_<

[chadtower]

I watch auctions like that all the time so I can check later to see if the item sold at that price. Don't assume the watcher wants to buy the item. Sometimes they just want to price it.

[Sniderman]

I watch auctions like that all the time so I can check later to see if the item sold at that price. Don't assume the watcher wants to buy the item. Sometimes they just want to price it.

That (and other posts above) makes sense. But it drives me insane.

<4 days left in the sale>

"OK, I got 3 watchers. It'll sell any minute."

<2 days later>

"OK gang, the auction's winding down. Time to fish or cut bait. Let's go now. Here we are."

<last 10 minutes of sale>

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!? CHRIST ALL MIGHTY, BUY THE DAMN THING! GO! GO! GO! GO!"

<auction ends with no bids>

"Damn it."

[Simply Dave]

You would be surprised at the number of times I "watch" a BIN item and then when it does not sell I am able to grab it at a lower price when the item gets relisted. Also, I've gotten numerous good deals by just simply emailing the seller of an unsold BIN item and giving a low ball offer.

Heck, I watched a near mint Super Mario RPG guide end a few weeks ago without a buyer and was able to talk the seller into giving it to me for 3 bucks. So that's one reason to keep a BIN item in your watch folder.

[Iron Draggon]

Alot of people (myself included) watch BIN auctions just to see if the item will actually sell for the listed price. Although I have to admit, the watchers drive me crazy sometimes too. I've listed and relisted items for weeks at a time, only to have the same watchers just eyeballing it instead of buying it.

BTW, I love your analogy. Indeed, they should be allowed to punch out people who pull that shit. My dad is like that. He'll just look at something for years, and then bitch when they finally sell it to someone else or they stop carrying it or whatever. And he'll say the same thing. "I wanted to buy that"

[Dr. Morbis]

I watch auctions like that all the time so I can check later to see if the item sold at that price. Don't assume the watcher wants to buy the item. Sometimes they just want to price it.
Exactly. I do this a lot before I buy a particular item so that I don't overpay the going rate. It also makes it easier to spot a deal when you know the average price that the item has been going for recently.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

I watch Buy It Now's too - Sometimes I like to decide whether it is a good deal or not. If I spot a BIN, I usually try to find out what it goes for on auction, or, if I have limited funds, I will watch it until I have the funds to buy it.

Sometimes, if I spy something interesting but has a really high price, I watch it to see if anyone is silly enough to buy it.

I often find that sometimes the seller will lower the price within the 10 day period if it gets close to the end time (If they are desperate to sell)

[Mayhem]

I watch BINs too. Mainly for the following reasons:

1) If the seller also has normal items (ie. no BIN) for auction, to remind myself I'm interested in these other items too. Generally I won't take the BIN item by itself until I win the other item(s) too (to save on shipping costs)

2) To check what an item will go for in price (part of my DP guide mandate).

3) To see if anyone else buys the item if I think the price is too high.

[anagrama]

Most of the reasoning presented here makes sense for the majority of items (I also watch BINs when collecting pricing data for my DP sections, for example), but it doesn't really stand up when talking about Sniderman's home-made vg clocks!
It's not as if there's a huge competing market for similar items that means other people are looking to price theirs, is it?

[rhiohki]

Most of the reasoning presented here makes sense for the majority of items (I also watch BINs when collecting pricing data for my DP sections, for example), but it doesn't really stand up when talking about Sniderman's home-made vg clocks!
It's not as if there's a huge competing market for similar items that means other people are looking to price theirs, is it?

exactly, I think part of sniderman's frustration comes from what the item actually is. It's a clock..a $7.00 one at that. It's not going to break the bank, and if it is for some ebay users putting it in their "watch" list, those people need to stop surfing ebay and get a job.

I watch BINs as well, but its mostly to check on the price of an item, mostly high priced rare items...in the $200+ range that do have a bid option. People shouldn't be watching a BIN of $7.00 with no bid option. You either want the damn thing or you don't.

[NE146]

Anyways a "watch" is just like a bookmark that doesn't clutter up well.. your bookmarks :P Doesn't have to be associated with an intended buy :)

[drwily008]

There is this one guy on EBAY I ALWAYS watch his custom made video game clocks. They are so neat looking, but I just can't decide if I want one or not.

.....just kidding

Seriously, I always have watchers and it does bug me, but I also watch BIN so I can compare prices and see if seller has anything else (so I can combine shipping).

[Dangerboy]

I use "watches" as a book mark, not because I may need the game, but because it may be a possible variant i have never seen and want to research it. Other times i'll watch to see what it ends at so I can sell mine for the same price ;)

What you need now is a Sniderman Custom "Watchers Clock" eBay exclusive, where the clock pic underneath the hands is a pic of the person watching ebay...so they can now watch both, even when they aren't on :D

[Mr.Faxanadu]

Maybe they're just watching the auction to see if anyone actually buys it.. that way they can pull it up again without actually having to do a search :P

errr.... I do this often.... :embarrassed: I'll see something that I have up for a BIN auction and watch it to see if it will sell or not. It's a good way to price an itme. :D

[nik]

probably someone with no money on paypal just looking to make sure it didn't sell, for when they finally get money?

[k8track]

Well, I'm not watching any of your BIN auctions, but I am up on a branch of the sycamore tree in your back yard with a pair of binoculars watching YOU. You're wearing a lavender cardigan, tweed slacks, and for some unfathomable reason, a tennis racket cover on your head, chain-chewing several packs of Cougar Long-Cut.

I've got the correct house, right?

[Sniderman]

Those are Swisher Sweets I'm smokin', but everything else is correct - yes. :D

[esquire]

I often watch BIN items to see if the seller will lower the price of the BIN since no one is biting, and it has worked.

[FantasiaWHT]

When I sold my Lunar collection, (all 5 Lunar games released in the US) I had a starting price of $250 and a BIN of $350 I think. I had over 25 watchers and nobody bid lol. Drove me absolutely nuts. Then I relisted it for $200 and a $250 BIN and it sold within a few hours hehehe.

People were just watching it to see how it would do, because you rarely see anything like that on ebay.

Similarly, I sold Kefka's Domain just recently and had about 20 watchers and only 9 bids.

It's just curiosity in a lot of the cases :)