Ebay investors beware

vanity | 19 Jan 05 | self

[Lokibob]

Read this.  Ebay sellers are up in arms, mass resignations.

 

 

 

[AlexW]

"people bid to the price something is generally worth."

No, in an auction, people often bid much more then an item is worth.
You confuse commodity name brand goods with items of unknown value.

Last spring, I found a box of ceramic figures. There were 4 or 5 of some little things the size of your finger, called "little horribles"
I would not have give a dollar for all of them, but they sold on Ebay for over $300 in 3 sales.

I once had some survey targets that sold for over $600.
I thought I would be lucky to get $10 for them.

Added cost of sale mean nothing in this situation.

[SoDak]

I once had some survey targets that sold for over $600. I thought I would be lucky to get $10 for them

You're confusing the 'worth' of the product with what you would pay. If they sold for $600 in an open auction, then they are worth $600.

No, in an auction, people often bid much more then an item is worth. You confuse commodity name brand goods with items of unknown value.

If you're selling something of "unknown value", how is it possible for you to posit that you're selling it for "much more than the item is worth"?

[Veracious Poet]

You're confusing the 'worth' of the product with what you would pay. If they sold for $600 in an open auction, then they are worth $600.

ROFLMAO

No one ever went broke under-estimating the intelligence of the American people - PT Barnum

There's a sucker born every minute - PT Barnum

[AlexW]

"If you're selling something of "unknown value", how is it possible for you to posit that you're selling it for "much more than the item is worth"?"

You are becoming boring :P
I have no value on some items. If one is willing to bid it up to a ridiculous price, then so be it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I have been to auctions, and seen people bid more for a common item then what it sells for in a store just down the street.
It is called "auction fever"

[SoDak]

You are becoming boring :P

I'm a trained Economist. It's what I do. :)

[Veracious Poet]

LOL...I see people getting suckered on "vintage" guitars on EBay all the time, when it's obvious to an educated buyer that the instrument is a fraud.

In fact, there are a LOT of guitars being bid on Ebay right now that are fakes (custom parts guitars) that have had fake decals put on them to make them look like high-end instruments.

Some of these instruments are every bit the quality of the original, but an educated buyer would know the difference...

It's all about auction fever and fraudsters, including "trained economists", suckering uneducated buyers...IMHO that's what will finish off the country - Too many people trying to make a fast buck with no intent of providing an honest service or product. ;-)

[SoDak]

fraudsters, including "trained economists"

Why say this poet? I've never in my life sold anything on Ebay, and certainly don't consider myself a fraudster trying to make a fast buck. What did I say to deserve this innuendo?

[Veracious Poet]

Well, you're statement of what something is actually worth, verses what it is sold for (many, many times more) comes to mind, ;-)

With that said, my statement wasn't meant towards you in particular (unless the shoe fits), but more towards the rampant sentiment that certified this and credentialed that equate legitimacy...

Too many people throw common sense out the window like bureaucrats tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[LowOiL]

I have moved to bidville.com Admin mod, if this is inappropiate, pull this remark, please.

Why would it be inappropiate... I moved just the other day too, I have listed my first auction on Bidville also. Kinda strange having a feedback record of just "O". 288 all positive on Ebay gone now. After 6 years, goodbye Ebay and good riddance.

[Lokibob]

You can import your ebay feedback to your bidville auctions.

I'll freepmail mail you the link.

Bob

[the invisib1e hand]

weeding out the high-maintenance, high-cost accounts.

[Lokibob]

If you saw my ebay bill monthly, you wouldn't say that.

Auctions listings take a healthy portion out of my profit. Some weeks it is a wash, all my profit goes to ebay and paypal.

I'm now listing on ebay only on weekends, and have reduced my costs by 80%. The weekend hasn't started yet, and I have sold 2 out of 8 listings, so this weekend will be in the plus column.

The other web site is slow, but cheap. Kind of like me.....Bob

[LowOiL]

Thanks for the link for combining my feedback from Ebay and being able to transfering it for others to view on Bidville.

[LowOiL]

I have been emailing my buyers for the last week or so about my move to Bidville. I just put in in the very small bottom of my emails on there purchase emails. Not pushy, just letting them know there is an alternative to Ebay. Word of mouth advertisment will get you futher than any other form of advertisment.

[Lokibob]

If you use the paypal packing slip, edit that too. I invite them to bidville, tell them I can give lower prices there, and offer a 10% discount on shipping.

Don't forget you can give a shameless plug 3 times a day on bidville community. It helps when you are trying to get his.