posted on March 22, 2001 05:56:12 AM new
Hi...unfortunately, it is the competition we all have to face.
If you are selling new or wholesale purchased items, this will be a chronic delimna.
posted on March 22, 2001 07:00:11 AM newgwkatt: This same thing recently happend to me but with a twist. I had something that was a highly sought-after item. I didn't do my homework and didn't know this and listed it for a starting bid of $4.99. Little did I know that someone out there was also going to list the exact same item within hours of my auction. Heck, I even had mine listed through Auction Watch's scheduling program and I was in bed when it listed.
There were two differences in our auctions -- his started at $9.99 and lasted 10 days. Mine lasted 7.
He made $100 more than I did. Was I upset? Heck no, I made a bunch more than $4.99 and my buyer paid promptly. That's business.
posted on March 23, 2001 08:22:14 AM new
I cancelled my auction, waited untill this seller gets a few bids and relisted mine with lower minimum bid and a later closing date.
I am out of the original listing fee, but i used the same dirty trick as the piggybacker.
Something i would not normally do.
Please, do not flame me.
posted on March 23, 2001 08:36:42 AM new
I agree with MR.P, it's not like there's only a handful of sellers on eBay who scout out each & every item for sale before listing theirs?
I always check before listing my harder to find items, but it's the luck of the draw. I listed an item the other night because there hadn't been one listed in 2 weeks, and there weren't any up at the moment. Within 24 hrs of listing mine there were 2 more listed.
I hardly consider this "piggybacking" my listing?
posted on March 23, 2001 08:37:16 AM new
Believe it or not, the other people listing the same items may not even be aware of your auction. They may be out there doing their own thing and they don't have a clue or a care that you even exist or that you are listing the same item as them.
You say that within an hour there was an item listed just like yours. Your item may not have even been into the search yet so I doubt they knew yours was out there also.
posted on March 23, 2001 08:59:21 AM new"What would you do about Piggybacking auctions?"
That is business McDonald's and Burger King do it all the time.
You can't assume anyone "piggybacked," your auction. I have been posting on eBay since 1996, and seldom if ever do I check to see what else is posted in the category I am posting. I am confident in my items and my pricing, and actually don't bother about what someone else is doing.
Therefore, hypothetically, I could be piggybacking your auction and have no idea that yours exists. Everyone doesn't check the competition, so you can't assume a "piggyback."
About the only time I do a search on an item I about to post is when I am concerned about the proper category in which to post.
I do review closed auctions from time to time, for insight on the sale ability of certain items.
Regarding what you can do about such, I would think, little to nothing.
Actually, I think a piggybacker has already beaten you if they are causing you to close an auction, or spend endless time reviewing every possible similar auction. I am not meaning to be rude or sarcastic, but I just see such concerns as piggybacking, taken too seriously, as a waste of time, and someone really intent on such, could quickly drive a seller nuts!
posted on March 23, 2001 10:14:08 AM new
I sell books and if I worried about other sellers auctioning off the same titles as I was, I would never have any auctions running. I will check when I have books that I know will go for a good price to make sure there aren't three or four already listed, but other than that, I think it's how you set up your auctions that sell it. As a buyer, I don't necessarily go for the cheapest price. I take shipping & handling into consideration, I will pay $10.00 for an item with $4.00 S&H but won't pay $4.00 for the same item with $10.00 S&H. If it's something I really want and you have buy it now, I will pay the higher price. Do you have what I consider unreasonable terms - payment must be received in three days, or check out my me page for terms or is the general tone of your auction that you suspect all buyers of being deadbeats, I'll pass you by.
