posted on December 28, 2004 05:51:42 AM
I'm seeing a new phenomena - people offering LESS than the opening bid while an auction is still running. Must be a new breed of eBay buyers and it really bugs me, becuase my items are priced fairly and I charge a flat rate for postage which is very close to actual, depending on where they live. I'm talking about people offering $2 for a $5 item! Anyone else experiencing this?
If you care to hear of a couple examples, read on:
Currently I'm selling vintage 1970s & 1980s car decals that retailed for $10 back in the day. I'm starting my opening bids at $4.95 and have done so in the past. Since these are usually a highly sought after rare & unique item, I usually sell for at least the opening bid, but more often than not in the $10 to $20 range and as high as $39.
One guy even said he bought an identical item last year from another seller for $2 and $1.10 shipping and wanted me to match that. (I find any of that hard to believe). At his offer I wouldn't even be covering postage. I'm not running a charity, do people think we're supposed to offer everything at a break even price or a loss? This isn't a garage sale or yeard sale. I don't know about other sellers, but I'm in this to make some extra money.
A while ago I had a brand new motorcyle part that I paid over $100 for, but since I sold the bike, I didn't need the part and the Honda bike dealer wouldn't take back electrical items. So I listed it on eBay for I think $50 with a BIN of $75. No bids, but one guy offered me $25. I was insulted, so to spite him I relisted, only this time the BIN was $65 and I sold it (for $65). Hah!
Anyone else experiencing this type of behavior? I know everyone wants a good deal, but this is getting ridiculous! Maybe this is part of the eBay evolution?
posted on December 28, 2004 08:04:39 AM
We get those occasionally. My feeling is, this is eBay, you're welcome to ask, and I'm entitled to say "Thanks, but no thanks."
Having said that, we usually get these when we have a high opening bid (> $250). I'd probably be a bit cheesed too if someone tried to bid less than $4.95.
Our situations are a bit different -- we either start auctions at $1 or something > $100.
posted on December 28, 2004 08:26:25 AM
Yes, I could understand it if these were $100+ or $250+ then there might be some negotiating room. But when an item is bargain priced at $5 to start with, and it's a rare, hard-to-find item it really bugs me. I checked on what one of these people has bid on recently, it's been power tools, household items, etc, many with the Buy It Now and all in the $50 to $100, so I know they're not broke.
Guess I'll have to come up with a good standard and polite reply I can tell these people.
posted on December 28, 2004 08:56:29 AM
The giant celestial swapmeet was my first thought, too.
Or--these buyers have had success doing this in the past. Past sellers have taught those buyers how to treat all of us, and these buyers are continuing to do what has worked for them.
posted on December 28, 2004 09:03:00 AM
I was trying to figure out what was happening on ebay. I think you hit it on the head! It HAS turned into a huge swap meet! I am seeing the same thing!
posted on December 28, 2004 09:29:28 AMSince these are usually a highly sought after rare & unique item
If they were truly rare and unique, $39 would be a low selling price.
I believe its price deflation progressing in the antiques and collectibles market.
In 1998, English bone china cup and saucers use to sell for $30 to $50 each. Can't sell for $4.95 (yes, there are exceptions). Antique toys I sold for $350 to $450 are lucky to go for $50....
It may seem like a swap meet; but I think its more economics. Only so many people may collect a certain item, they are advanced collectors and are looking for the truly rare items, and the next generation are not going to be the collectors of today. I also don't believe that the vast majority have discretionary income and those that do will spend higher on truly rare items.
I'm not disagreeing that it sux. As a show promoter, I could see the hand writing on the wall. People standing in front of displays with PDAs checking prices and asking to meet a lower price on eBay or internet site. Or checking it out on set up day and then not buying because it was cheaper on the 'net.
Some items sell better now at real live auctions than on eBay and vice versa but it has all changed each year. The old addage to specialize in a specific field just isn't applicable anymore. Eventually, that field will die off unless you are selling home electronics, books, cds, dvds, etc; consumable goods. Collectors are seeing hard times that I don't believe will reverse itself.
posted on December 28, 2004 09:41:59 AM
toybuyer, I think I'm one of the exceptions you mentioned in your disclaimer. These are decals for cars that were made in the late 1970s or early 1980s. You can tell by the style of packaging and the style of the decals themselves. They just don't make them like this anymore. And they have names of the cars from the 70s on them. Even still, there's an upper limit as to what people will bid, on average $15 to $20, although I've sold as high as $39. Not bad considering I bought each one for 75 cents each!
Aside from reproductions made from computer cut vinyl (which isn't even close to what I've got), I've never seen anyone else sell these things on eBay, although I'm sure at some point, someone has. It's not something the market is flooded with.
But having said that, I stopped selling them a couple of years ago when I saw prices falling, but now there's a new group of eBayers that haven't seen these items and are keen to bid. So far, most of the 25 I've listed are doing quite well, and I'm sure there are some last minute snipers waiting to pounce on them. Some items have 10 "watchers" and only two or three bidders.
I know what you mean about items that used to sell well a few years are going dirt cheap today. It appears to be for items that are the same or similiar. From what I've seen (as a buyer and a seller), when a truly unique item comes along, the bidders go nuts over it.
posted on December 28, 2004 11:25:42 AM
Same story but a little differnt most of my items are handmade mosaic mirrors and stained glass pieces. It's hard to swallow when they ask for a deal. Considering the time and expense I've put into each piece. Certainly an ego buster
When I check and see what else they've bid on they've spent $100's of dollars on like items but mine they want for $25. I consider the fact that maybe after all that other bidding they really are broke now. Or my art just really sucks
posted on December 28, 2004 03:56:40 PM
i get these lowball offers once in awhile, too. i've told three people lately that my store is a store, not a flea market. out of those three, two have come back within a matter of days and paid full price. go figure.
posted on December 28, 2004 10:53:51 PM
My favorite lowball offer was when I listed a bunch of original nintendo games. I started them all out at the same low price, knowing the good ones would get bid really high. I think I started them out at $2 each. Anyway, some guy emails me immediately after I list, and says they really want 3 of the games, and will offer me $1 above for all 3 games. I politely passed on the offer, these three games ended up selling for around $50 and this guy offers 7. Maybe he figured I didn't know what I was selling, guess he was sort of hoping that was the case.
posted on December 29, 2004 05:57:59 AM
Oh, that reminds me, about two years ago I had a really old motorhome (a 1973 model) that I bought from a friend who was moving & never got around to fixing it up. I bought it for $250 and promptly listed it on eBay for $250 No Reserve, hoping to maybe get $500 and double my money.
So in the first day, some newbie signs up, places a bid for $250, then emails me and says he really wants it, and offered me $300. I tol him I'd end the auction if he sent me $500 by PayPal. Never heard from him again. On the fifth day, bidding was up to $700+ and some other guy wants it ASAP. We even talked on the phone and I told him I'd end the auction for $850. He was all for it, not sure what happened, but he never came through.
So, the auction ran its course and I got $1275 for the motorhome. Good thing I didn't end the auction early!
posted on December 29, 2004 04:50:28 PM
I get three of four of these a day. I simply click the delete button. I used to reply, but each and every time, never a sale. Best just to pass on those and don't waste your time.
.
.
.
Alive in 2005
posted on December 29, 2004 04:55:52 PM
I didn't have someone email today about this but they emailed and told me they needed me to reduce my shipping cost by $1.50 and ship it that way. They had not bid or anything but assumed that I would do so.
I sent a (hopefully) polite email back telling them that my shipping was $2.75 for actual cost and packing/etc and thanked them for the email.
I'm not a garage sale, I don't bargain my shipping costs.
posted on December 29, 2004 05:00:08 PM
I had one a little while ago want me to quote them a combined price on three auctions and give combined shipping rate. I told them I won't sell any of it for under the starting bids.
**********************************
Two men sit behind bars,one sees mud the other sees stars.
posted on December 29, 2004 06:51:35 PM
Yeah, I don't understand how some people ask you to reduce the shipping price when you're charging the actual cost. It's like they don't think you're entitled to make a profit.
Now that I'm back on eBay I'm seeing this trend more often where people think this is a garage sale or flea market. Luckily it's just once in a while (so far)!
