The Official EBay Discussion Thread

[Tom Geiger]

2 hours ago, peteski said:

That just means that someone else has put in a higher bid amount than you did.  Like I mentioned, I prefer snipping because that eliminates all that drama you described. It doesn't mean I always win either (again, someone else could have put down more money in their earlier bid), but it is less stressful, and if I'm the  high bidder (win the auction) I feel that I got the best price for the money I was willing to spend.  Some people despise people who snipe, but I see nothing wrong with it since the bidding system allows for it (and always has).

I always snipe.  When you bid early all you are doing is putting a number out there for other people to try to beat!  Sniping is the art of putting in a bid at the very last seconds of an auction so other bidders won't have time to react.  Sometimes it's tough to impossible to be present as the auction ends, so there is software available that will do this for you.  The one I use is esnipe.com,  just put your bid in and forget about it!

[wrenchr]

I look for more BIN or buy it now style auctions. 

[bbowser]

8 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

I always snipe.  When you bid early all you are doing is putting a number out there for other people to try to beat!  Sniping is the art of putting in a bid at the very last seconds of an auction so other bidders won't have time to react.  Sometimes it's tough to impossible to be present as the auction ends, so there is software available that will do this for you.  The one I use is esnipe.com,  just put your bid in and forget about it!

This...

[ewetwo]

I see something I like. I put my highest bid in. If I win. Great. If not. It wasn't meant to be.

I do enjoy opening an email in the morning saying I won and pay up. ?

 

[iamsuperdan]

I try to snipe when bidding. I wonder though if EBay will ever do what other sites do to prevent it.

Bring A Trailer for example. If a bid goes in right at the end of an auction, they add 2 minutes of auction time to that last bid. And if some one bids within that two minutes, they add two more minutes from THAT bid. And so on. I've seen auctions last for quite a while after it was supposed to have ended.

[Ace-Garageguy]

You need to be more and more careful on feePay these days, as the number of sellers who have zero clue about what they're trying to offload is increasing.

One I just saw...a poor sad little acetate promo Buick, with the seller calling it "very good" and waxing poetic about the color, with nary a mention that the poor thing had shrunk about an inch in overall length, and the headlights are pointed at the stars from the warpage.

Are there really people in the world who don't notice something is so misshapen, or are they just crooks?

Anyway, some schlub is going to think it's the find of the decade.

[SfanGoch]

That, and the ever popular disclaimer, "Looks complete but not sure, check photos" remark with an instruction sheet in full view in the first pic. How about using the instructions to inventory the parts before listing your junk? There was one seller who sold Johan kits for around $80-$100 a pop containing nothing but completely stripped and bare parts trees. His disclaimer was that the kit was missing body & tub, engine, chassis, etc. Caveat Sucker.

[BlackSheep214]

I rarely bid on fleaBay because of the constant sniping. Hate'em all because I never win. So I'd rather go the Buy it Now with Make an Offer route. 

[peteski]

22 minutes ago, BlackSheep214 said:

I rarely bid on fleaBay because of the constant sniping. Hate'em all because I never win. So I'd rather go the Buy it Now with Make an Offer route. 

It is not the sniping. It is simply the fact that others are willing to spend more money on the item than you do. They just do it in the last few seconds.  If you were to put high enough of a bid on the item (eBay's proxy bidding process hides your maximum amount), then even the snipers would not be able to outbid you.

I snipe and I don't always win (because of what I mentioned above - someone put in higher maximum bid few days earlier, and that amount stayed hidden until I placed my snipe bid).  Seems that many eBay users don't understand how the bidding process works.

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 minutes ago, peteski said:

...Seems that many eBay users don't understand how the bidding process works.

Yup.

[slusher]

On 4/26/2023 at 8:48 PM, peteski said:

It is not the sniping. It is simply the fact that others are willing to spend more money on the item than you do. They just do it in the last few seconds.  If you were to put high enough of a bid on the item (eBay's proxy bidding process hides your maximum amount), then even the snipers would not be able to outbid you.

I snipe and I don't always win (because of what I mentioned above - someone put in higher maximum bid few days earlier, and that amount stayed hidden until I placed my snipe bid).  Seems that many eBay users don't understand how the bidding process works.

So many times some run the bid up and never pay for it and it gets relisted.  When they run the bid up with 4 days left and two bid on an item just to be on top is childish then they drop out...

[Bob Ellis]

I started eBay in August of 1998. Back then it was a bunch of people peddling stuff they didn't need any more. Now it is more of professional stores online  with much higher prices. EBay doesn't want peddlers any more anyway. 

Every single opened box kit has something missing. Why do I feel like it is my responsibility to find out what is cleverly missing. These kits are the leftovers of parts foraging of creative modelers.

[Lunajammer]

On 4/26/2023 at 8:48 PM, peteski said:

Seems that many eBay users don't understand how the bidding process works.

In my droll opinion, all eBay auctions should last ten seconds. Everybody throws in their bid at once and the top bid gets it. You show me an early bidder and I'll show you someone who paid too much. Sniping is the only way to go. If at the last second I enter the price I'm willing to pay and I lose, then I have nothing to cry about. But if I win, there's a good chance I get it for less than my maximum price. Why give others the time and opportunity to drive up your  early price?

Edited May 13, 2023 by Lunajammer

[BlackSheep214]

On 5/13/2023 at 3:13 PM, Lunajammer said:

In my droll opinion, all eBay auctions should last ten seconds. Everybody throws in their bid at once and the top bid gets it. You show me an early bidder and I'll show you someone who paid too much. Sniping is the only way to go. If at the last second I enter the price I'm willing to pay and I lose, then I have nothing to cry about. But if I win, there's a good chance I get it for less than my maximum price. Why give others the time and opportunity to drive up your  early price?

Don't get me wrong. I understand how the bidding process works. Still hate the sniping feature.

[peteski]

2 hours ago, BlackSheep214 said:

Don't get me wrong. I understand how the bidding process works. Still hate the sniping feature.

I wouldn't call it a "feature", as it is not really promoted or advertised by anybody.  It is just how the eBay bidding works (since the beginning).  I can see one dislike it as a seller, but not sure why someone would be against it as a buyer.  After all, it is still what the maximum amount a buyer is willing to spend on an item (it is irrelevant whether the bid is placed days earlier or in the last 5 seconds). Or you enjoy the nickel-and-dime bidding?

[BlackSheep214]

5 hours ago, peteski said:

I wouldn't call it a "feature", as it is not really promoted or advertised by anybody.  It is just how the eBay bidding works (since the beginning).  I can see one dislike it as a seller, but not sure why someone would be against it as a buyer.  After all, it is still what the maximum amount a buyer is willing to spend on an item (it is irrelevant whether the bid is placed days earlier or in the last 5 seconds). Or you enjoy the nickel-and-dime bidding?

I prefer the Buy Now / Best Offer feature. I've done bidding in the past and 99.9% of the time I never win any auctions. I avoid any form of bidding on eBay. 

[peteski]

5 minutes ago, BlackSheep214 said:

I prefer the Buy Now / Best Offer feature. I've done bidding in the past and 99.9% of the time I never win any auctions. I avoid any form of bidding on eBay. 

I see. So  you basically use eBay like you would amazon, or any retailer (both online and brick & mortar).  Before eBay became an amazon wannabee, they only had auction listings, so since I've been bidding on  eBay since 1999, I guess I'm used to auction style listings.

[Bills72sj]

2 hours ago, BlackSheep214 said:

I prefer the Buy Now / Best Offer feature. I've done bidding in the past and 99.9% of the time I never win any auctions. I avoid any form of bidding on eBay. 

I do the same. I do like getting the best price on something but I am not always at my PC to keep track of what I have bid on. If the price is what I willing to pay then I get it. I will pass on the disappointment of getting sniped at the last second to then have to take the time go hunting again.

[Lunajammer]

1 hour ago, Bills72sj said:

I do like getting the best price on something but I am not always at my PC to keep track of what I have bid on.

In BlackSheep’s defense, I do also do this. If I want an item and the buy it now price is fair, why wait to mess around? Amazon wannabe? Sure.

[peteski]

10 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

I do the same. I do like getting the best price on something but I am not always at my PC to keep track of what I have bid on. If the price is what I willing to pay then I get it. I will pass on the disappointment of getting sniped at the last second to then have to take the time go hunting again.

That is why it pays to be a sniper yourself. And I'll repeat again, even if you snipe, if you're not willing to spend more money than another bidder, you will not get the item. And as it was mentioned, there are sniping apps available, (which I do not use), so you don't have to live through those tense moments in front of your computer at the last few seconds.

Also, there is nothing wrong with using BYN. I buy some things that way too.

But the unique or hard to find items are pretty much guaranteed to be listed as auctions, so if you hope to get it, you have do the bidding (or sniping).  It's as simple as that.  If you think about it, even if some mundane easily obtainable item is listed auction style, there won't any snipping for that type of an item (as everybody can easily get it elsewhere).  Unless someone is really silly (and yes, there are plenty of fools bidding on eBay). Makes sense? 

[BlackSheep214]

14 hours ago, peteski said:

I see. So  you basically use eBay like you would amazon, or any retailer (both online and brick & mortar).  Before eBay became an amazon wannabee, they only had auction listings, so since I've been bidding on  eBay since 1999, I guess I'm used to auction style listings.

Amazon? That's the last place I would shop due to the higher upside treat their employees.  I will never support Amazon.

Let it go the fact I have my opinion of why I detest eBay auction bidding. Good for you that you like/enjoy auction style listing. I don't.  

[peteski]

2 hours ago, BlackSheep214 said:

I will never support Amazon.

Maybe that is why eBay has moved towards becoming just like amazon when it comes to most of their the shopping experience. I miss the original eBay and its swap-meet/garage-sale/flea-market feel.

[Tom Geiger]

On 5/18/2023 at 1:41 PM, peteski said:

Maybe that is why eBay has moved towards becoming just like amazon when it comes to most of their the shopping experience.

eBay has always been chasing Amazon's tail and they'll never catch it!   

[Ace-Garageguy]

Most damm annoying thing now is how freaking long it takes to process a refund.

They say 3-5 days. 

Baloney.

[Mr mopar]

I've been noticing that all the Packages are going through Chicago and not New York   and this has made it slower to get them to Canada , when they were going through New York it was much faster .