posted on March 9, 2007 05:45:38 AM new
Is anyone else experiencing a rise in offers for your items? I had a very persistant person yesterday offering me $160.00 for something that was already well over $200.00 on auction. The first time I kindly explained that they would have to bid on the auction as does everyone else and also told them that selling outside the ebay market and ending an auction early on account of their offer is against the policies. They wrote back and said it was not against policy...blah blah blah (you know the same trying to change my mind which wasn't going to happen) and then offered me again below the current auction price. I wrote back and asked if they were even watching the auction...and asked why would I take a cut. Well, anyways this went on and on for quite awhile...I finally reported it to ebay. Just wondering if we are the only ones that have to deal with this almost on a daily basis. We had 5 offers this week alone.
posted on March 9, 2007 06:07:33 AM new
I had one offer this week from a lady who said that she had been looking for a very long time for them for her son. I replied letting her know I don't end auctions and that it would be unfair to the other watchers.
She then writes back sounding sad that it she won't have them when she goes on vacation and what a nice gift they would have been.
I was curious and checked out her feedback and current auctions...She was selling many of the same things.
In fact she had pages of the same thing. I'm sure she needed mine for her vacation.
[ edited by beyondthebasicblackdress on Mar 9, 2007 06:09 AM ]
posted on March 9, 2007 06:20:16 AM new
I had one too on the fly rod I'm selling. Told them no.... Now the high bidder is a weirdo, keeps e-mailing saying things like,you started this price to low, no one gonna steal this one,original price on this rod was 600.00,I'm not bidding higher than 252.00,Its custom made lol sheesh hes e-mail about 10 times now. Hope someone out bids him. Its at 204.50
posted on March 9, 2007 08:17:08 AM new
I thought about it Jack but if I did the price would have dropped to 80.00 lol greed ya know . I may regret it later
posted on March 9, 2007 10:19:09 AM new
Give me your opinions on this, please: I buy postcards for our little museum and make notes to myself to remind me to bid. Occasionally the auction just flies out of my mind and I realize too late that I didn't bid.
When such an item ends with no bids, I usually e-mail the seller and ask if he's going to relist the item or would it be possible to buy it now. (NOT BIN! Just buy it at the present time.) Three times out of four I'm able to send money and get it right away. Surely eBay doesn't consider that illegal? My opinion has always been that, once the auction is over with no bids, the item is the seller's to do with what he wishes.
By the way, if the postcard auction started low and got no bids, I'm always willing to pay more than the starting price for it.
_____________________
People who want to share their religious views with you almost
never want you to share yours with them.
posted on March 9, 2007 11:40:34 AM new
I don't see how that situation would be illegal. I am talking about the auction is currently running and these people want you to pull down your auction, tick off a whole bunch of people who have waited patiently for the auction to end and have been bidding properly, and then they want to pay you less than what the thing is even worth. Just a tad annoying. I don't know why it has been on a rise lately but it seems to be getting worse.
posted on March 9, 2007 12:04:14 PM new
I don't know if it's illegal or not. Whenever I get a similar request, I relist with a BIN to be on the safe side and email the new item number to the person making the request.
Last week I had two people asking me to end a postcard auction and top offer was $110. I explained that I made it a practice not to end auctions early and hoped they would bid in the auction. I was a little sad as the auction neared close with top bid of $50 but last minute snipes brought the bid to $130 (to the person offering $110) WHEW!
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posted on March 9, 2007 01:19:17 PM new
Well, that turned out well. We were offered $160.00 and got well over $250.00 so ours worked to our advantage too. The person did write me that wanted it for a buy it now and told me they would NEVER buy from us! Aww let me hope I can fall asleep tonight losing that customer LOL
posted on March 9, 2007 01:21:34 PM new
Hey Neglus maybe you can tell me I have a postcard book from my hometown in Ohio (it is all the landmark type of places) but it is dated pre 1900 (I believe I would have to go home and check), but I have always wondered if it is worth anything at all.
posted on March 9, 2007 01:36:03 PM new
Bruce, if the album is pre-1900 it could be quite valuable. Most US views date after 1903, climaxing at about 1910. Unfortunately, you would probably get more for the cards sold individually than as an album. The best guide to a card's value is rarety - a great way to check is to run searches on eBay to see how many sellers have the same exact scene. Landmark cards usually don't do as well as unusual scenes - but if it is an uncommon view of a common landmark you might be surprised.
posted on March 9, 2007 01:41:18 PM newWhen such an item ends with no bids, I usually e-mail the seller and ask if he's going to relist the item or would it be possible to buy it now. (NOT BIN! Just buy it at the present time.) Three times out of four I'm able to send money and get it right away. Surely eBay doesn't consider that illegal?
Technically via eBay's rules, it is illegal because the person originally viewed the item on eBay. However, I say screw eBay. Sell the person the item. It's your money, not eBay's as far as I am concerned. In the cases where people e-mail me about a closed item, I automatically send then the same notice I send winning bidders. I just cut out the "eBay middle man". No sense in giving the money grubbing eBay anymore money than you have to.
posted on March 9, 2007 02:58:55 PM new
Stone - I disagree. No sense risking my good standing and future earning power on ebay just to save a few bucks in fees.
Bruce - Pixia is right. Pre-1900 cards are rare. What do you mean by "landmarks"? Rock formations etc or can you see some of the surrounding area? Main Street views etc would have more value
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posted on March 9, 2007 03:44:12 PM new
I was speaking more as a buyer and what happens when an item I want gets no bids and ends. It just seems to me that once the auction is over, the item is unsold and belongs to the seller, right, and he should be able to do what he wants with it.
I don't see that buying things that way occasionally should hurt my eBay standing--but for the seller, isn't it his lookout, so to speak? If he doesn't mind taking the risk, that should be the end of it.
Sometimes the seller will relist it right away as a BIN for me to get, sometimes they don't reply at all, and sometimes they send me an invoice (not eBay invoice, their own personal invoice).
_____________________
People who want to share their religious views with you almost
never want you to share yours with them.
posted on March 9, 2007 07:45:03 PM new
Roadsmith, the seller could report you to eBay and eBay could yank your chain. I've had buyers contact me about unlisted items that are similar to listed ones and always make sure I route the sale through eBay. I could put up a good defense that I have a right to sell unlisted items off eBay, even though an eBay listing initiated the interest, but from what I gather, eBay can cut you off on a whim and there is little recourse. Why take a chance to save a few bucks on a sure sale or jeopardize the seller?
[ edited by pixiamom on Mar 9, 2007 07:55 PM ]
posted on March 9, 2007 10:04:04 PM new
That's a very good point, Pixi. I think I'll change my ways.
_____________________
People who want to share their religious views with you almost
never want you to share yours with them.
posted on March 10, 2007 04:17:32 AM new
roadsmith,
have you considered using eSnipe (or a similar program) to set up your bids? i experimented with several but like eSnipe the best. no more missed bids when i want to buy because i forgot, or bad weather hit the area and knocked out the cable, etc., etc. haven't missed bidding on anything i wanted for a year and a half, since i started using eSnipe. great program.
posted on March 10, 2007 05:39:46 AM new
It is of the town Ashtabula. It is views of yes the main street and other landmarks like the old lift bridge. The one I like best is of a park called Lake Shore Park. It is now just a regular park along the lakefront with walking trails and a duck pond but this post card depicts the Lake Shore park that was an amusement park. Full rollercoaster and everything. I know this amusement park closed in 1917. It also depicts the library that is no longer standing and the old city hall which now serves as a morgue. It is very different. I am not sure of the exact age...I have to look at it closer. Thank you for all the information it has been great.
posted on March 10, 2007 06:17:56 AM new
They sound like great cards, Bruce! You may not want to part with them!
Take a look at the back. If there is a dividing line for address on one side and message on the other, they would have been printed after 1907. If the back is undivided (for address only) and the top of the back says "Post Card", the card would date from 1901-1907. If the back is undivided and the top says "Private Mailing Card" or "Souvenir Mailing Card", the postcard probably was printed in the late 1890's to 1901.
If any of your cards are photographs printed on post card backs ("real photo" or "rppc" they could be more valuable than cards that were mass produced. That is not always the case though - all depends on supply, demand and condition.
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posted on March 10, 2007 06:28:15 AM new
I just took a look at my sales of Ashtabula cards - I have only sold 6 in the past five years and have two unsold listings in my store.
posted on March 10, 2007 07:25:15 AM new
Bruce, Item # 270096286912 has 3 lovely cards, one of Main Street and one of the library listed at $8.00 with no bids. I didn't see any of the amusement park, which would attract Ashtabula as well as amusement park fans.
posted on March 10, 2007 07:53:33 AM new
This is a very timely conversation for me. I have a piece of porcelain listed this week. I put a reserve of $950.00 on it as I have had it at shows for a year now. All the high end dealers want it but they wanted to steal it. I have asked $1200 at shows. bottom line. First morning after the list no bids BUT 2 letters.
#1 Will I stop the auction and what is my BIN price?
#2 I will give you $2200.00 and pay shipping if you will stop the auction.
Needless to say that one caught my attention. During the day I received 5 more stop the auction letters with various offers. As you may remember I am in the process of trying to pay off CC debt. NOT EASY... so the $2200.00 offer made me crazy. I still haven't given her a final answer. The update is I have 28 watchers,its at $600.00 and closes next Wens night. I really HONESTLY don't know what to do. This woman has good feedback and has spent serious money in this category. I'm be-twixed and between. I have never stopped an auction before but $2200.00 is ALOT of CASH! what would ya'll do. HONESTLY!
posted on March 10, 2007 08:04:30 AM new
If she wants it bad enough, she will bid on it. Maybe she knows it is worth much more and wants to BIN at the 1200. JMHO
posted on March 10, 2007 08:13:15 AM new
Pix you have some idea I'm sure of how much I want to do that... $50 items and offers you can take risks on but when you have something you couldn't sell for $1200.00 at several of the largest shows in America and someone offers you $2200.00 its not easy to turn your nose up. The item is honestly worth $3500.00 to $4000.00 if in perfect condition. It needs about $300 to $400 worth of repair. I'm not an idiot I know its worth. DAMN I hate this!! She wrote to me again for an answer. Wish I had a crystal ball!
posted on March 10, 2007 09:04:22 AM new
I'm with Pixia on this one, but counter the buyer's offer with a slightly higher BIN.
Email her with the BIN counter offer. If she is still interested she can snag it right away. So can someone else who may be in the market for the same item.
You wrote: ...honestly worth $3500.00 to $4000.00 if in perfect condition. It needs about $300 to $400 worth of repair.
...Yet it did not sell at $1200 on the circuit where the "professional" buyers shop?
A lot to consider... But I have to agree with Pixia, that a BIN it your best route here.
posted on March 10, 2007 09:08:59 AM new
Don't do it! They're making the offer because they know what it's worth, know how much they're willing to spend, and are trying to avoid it.
Let it ride -- all the important bids will come in during the last 60 seconds anyway.
As to offering to buy something after eBay has failed to produce a sale .... go for it. If a seller wants to do it by putting up a private auction, they can. But if they want to sell it to you as a private transaction, they can do that, too. eBay got their fees, the original auction was run fair and square, and once it's over, eBay doesn't get a say.
There would be nothing to gain for either the buyer or the seller busting the other, and if, as a buyer, you always make your approach by saying you'd like to buy it, either through a private auction or privately, you've covered your behind.
It's the seller's item to sell; eBay doesn't own it and they don't own us. Our obligation to them for an item ends when the auction does.
posted on March 10, 2007 09:14:21 AM new
After thinking this over, I believe that, if I needed the money badly to cover CC debts, I'd do the BIN for at least $2200.
_____________________
People who want to share their religious views with you almost
never want you to share yours with them.
posted on March 10, 2007 09:35:51 AM new
Around a year ago, I did a spreadsheet of 36 offers made to me, all refused, and what the eventual outcome of the auction was. During that period of time, I accepted no offers, and generally speaking accept hardly any, perhaps 1 out of 100.
Had I accepted the offers, I would have made more money on 2 of them, for a gain of $55 (BFD). On the other hand, on the other 34 auctions, I would have lost $8763 if I didn't let them run.
In total, I had offers of $13,184. The auctions ended at $21,892, or 66% more. Your mileage may vary, and everyone's risk tolerance is different, but my feeling is that unless the offer comes from someone who is time-desperate, certainty-desperate, or completely clueless, I don't accept offers AND definitely do a BIN; no point in giving a potential customer something to extort you with.
Hope someone out bids him. Its at 204.50
they could be more valuable than cards that were mass produced. That is not always the case though - all depends on supply, demand and condition.