Stuck with Ebay bid on Vstrom

[NinjaDoc]

don't hate me much, let it goo, they didnt suffer they sold it, the buyer got a nice bike worth the price, I learned a big lesson and won't even log into eBay from now on.

[Steve Butters]

Yep I know, just curious, like if a seller keeps a reserve he won't be selling it until it meets reserve right? Till then no matter how many times we bid it doesn't jack up the price.. ?

they have the option...if reserve is 6k and you win auction with 5600 the seller can either contact you and say "hey, the reserve was 6000, if you want it thats what it will cost" and then sell to you, or they can relist it with no penalty to them....or they can go ahead and sell it for the 5600...its up to them...basically the reserve is just in case it doesnt reach their price, they arent obligated to sell it - it doesnt mean they cant/wont

[buildit]

And so kids, now we all know why the stock market is so F'd up. Now Doc stay the hell off Wall Street will you?

[Scruit]

they have the option...if reserve is 6k and you win auction with 5600 the seller can either contact you and say "hey, the reserve was 6000, if you want it thats what it will cost" and then sell to you, or they can relist it with no penalty to them....or they can go ahead and sell it for the 5600...its up to them...basically the reserve is just in case it doesnt reach their price, they arent obligated to sell it - it doesnt mean they cant/wont

Auction rules are set by the auction house. Ebay in thie case.

You can lower the reserve price but not raise it. You cna make a second chance offer, you can so a few different things - but it's all BS really as at no point is either the seller or the buyer under any legal obligation to complete the sale.

[NinjaDoc]

And so kids, now we all know why the stock market is so F'd up. Now Doc stay the hell off Wall Street will you?

am staying away from amazon and wallmart too after that.. too much

[MeefZah]

No offense... but that is a dick thing to do. I hate when people get in on a bid just to drive the price up on people that are genuinely trying to get a good deal on an item. I don't even understand why you would want to do that, I mean if you are curious about a reserve price just email the seller.

Totally agree, I fail to understand the motivation there. What a tool.

[NinjaDoc]

[jbot]

there there

[Bubba]

I ended up with a macbook by accident that way... I bid $600 intending to drive the price up and accidentally won it.

Ninjadoc: Don't feel bad. You done OK. And I'm pretty sure that the neggers who are bashing the bad bidding behaviour are bashing Josh1234's post. Totally different issue than you bidding and then having a change of heart.

[Josh1234]

I don't eBay, so I'm serious .... other than being a troll, why would you drive a price up on something that you have no intention to buy? Doesn't that kind of screw with the market forces that make eBay what it is?

Okay, you admitted you don't e-bay, so this is a very fair question... I didn't do it to be a troll... here's why I did it:

Because at the time, I had a small business-type thing going on where I was buying, fixing up & reselling apple laptops. If three people wanted that laptop, and it ends up selling for $600 instead of $500, then it means the "worth" (AKA the most you can get for an item) is higher. The other two people don't get to buy a cheaper laptop, so they have to spend more to get one. If I'm selling laptops... then I want then to be worth as much as possible. It doesn't "screw with the market forces" on eBay so much as direct them in the way I want them to go.

Some more details about the auction: It was a new seller with zero feedback. The selling town was listed as "Shadytown" or Shadyville Ohio, or something or other. That may have scared off some bidders. Having NO feedback and selling your first item for $600 is also a little risky for the buyer... I took that risk, and this time, it paid off.

As for me "having no intention to buy" it, well, I knew there was a chance I might win, and I was fully prepared to pay for it, buy it, and use it. And I did. And I still use it. It was actually a great deal, as I wanted a new unibody macbook w/ an intel processor. Now I have one. It was sort of a win/win situation for me... Either prices are higher making my wares worth more, or I get the macbook I want without having to justify actually voluntarily spending the money. Yes, that is deranged logic, but sometimes that's how I shop

Why would you drive up the price "just for fun"?

That's messed up.

When you use double-quotes, it should be to repeat what someone actually said, or at least to paraphrase what they said. What you have done is mis-quote me. I did not drive up the price "just for fun." I was an English major, and I'm vaguely offended & mildly amused that you'd pervert punctuation in an attempt to use it against me.

Now that I've addressed your question, are there any others? (nothing personal, but your question really is invalid, based on the fact that you've misquoted me).

Ninjadoc: Don't feel bad. You done OK. And I'm pretty sure that the neggers who are bashing the bad bidding behaviour are bashing Josh1234's post. Totally different issue than you bidding and then having a change of heart.

I'm fine to defend myself to the bashers... It's business, not fun, to bid up the prices... And it's smart business. It's not like profit margins on eBay are very wide, after all (at least as they related to me & mine).

Edited October 31, 2011 by Josh1234
typo

[drew95gt]

So, you were bidding on other similar Macbooks to drive up the prices to help justify the selling price for yours??? Am I reading that right? Apple products really do not need artificial price inflation, they are overpriced enough as it is (and yes I own several Apple products...so I am not bashing them). I fail to see the logic in any of that, but kudos for buying the Macbook you won.

[C-bus]

Okay, you admitted you don't e-bay, so this is a very fair question... I didn't do it to be a troll... here's why I did it:

Because at the time, I had a small business-type thing going on where I was buying, fixing up & reselling apple laptops. If three people wanted that laptop, and it ends up selling for $600 instead of $500, then it means the "worth" (AKA the most you can get for an item) is higher. The other two people don't get to buy a cheaper laptop, so they have to spend more to get one. If I'm selling laptops... then I want then to be worth as much as possible. It doesn't "screw with the market forces" on eBay so much as direct them in the way I want them to go.

Some more details about the auction: It was a new seller with zero feedback. The selling town was listed as "Shadytown" or Shadyville Ohio, or something or other. That may have scared off some bidders. Having NO feedback and selling your first item for $600 is also a little risky for the buyer... I took that risk, and this time, it paid off.

As for me "having no intention to buy" it, well, I knew there was a chance I might win, and I was fully prepared to pay for it, buy it, and use it. And I did. And I still use it. It was actually a great deal, as I wanted a new unibody macbook w/ an intel processor. Now I have one. It was sort of a win/win situation for me... Either prices are higher making my wares worth more, or I get the macbook I want without having to justify actually voluntarily spending the money. Yes, that is deranged logic, but sometimes that's how I shop

When you use double-quotes, it should be to repeat what someone actually said, or at least to paraphrase what they said. What you have done is mis-quote me. I did not drive up the price "just for fun." I was an English major, and I'm vaguely offended & mildly amused that you'd pervert punctuation in an attempt to use it against me.

Now that I've addressed your question, are there any others? (nothing personal, but your question really is invalid, based on the fact that you've misquoted me).

I'm fine to defend myself to the bashers... It's business, not fun, to bid up the prices... And it's smart business. It's not like profit margins on eBay are very wide, after all (at least as they related to me & mine).

Thanks for explaining. However, you pointed out my problem with eBay and CL. They used to be a way to get rid of stuff for some money. Now, people want to profit. Nothing wrong with it, but it has no appeal for me. People who've purchased items on here from me will attest to the fact that there's no way in hell that I've profited. But.... I got rid if something that I no longer wanted. Rant//.

[jporter12]

I'm fine to defend myself to the bashers... It's business, not fun, to bid up the prices... And it's smart business. It's not like profit margins on eBay are very wide, after all (at least as they related to me & mine).

Smart business? Artificially inflating prices is smart business? Sounds GREEDY to me. But what do I know.

I used to be able to find good deals on ebay. Not so much these days, due to tactics such as you mention. I'm looking for a motherboard for a Socket AM2 processor, and all of the decent ones must be made of gold. The majority of them seem to be Buy-it-Now for as much, maybe even more than when they were new. Similar for the socket 939 processors. I do find SOME decent deals here and there on used auto and motorcycle parts.

[Josh1234]

So, you were bidding on other similar Macbooks to drive up the prices to help justify the selling price for yours??? Am I reading that right? Apple products really do not need artificial price inflation, they are overpriced enough as it is (and yes I own several Apple products...so I am not bashing them). I fail to see the logic in any of that, but kudos for buying the Macbook you won.

To JUSTIFY the selling price for mine? No, I was bidding so that the demand would be greater and the supply less. Thus increasing the price of the item I sell.

Thanks for explaining. However, you pointed out my problem with eBay and CL. They used to be a way to get rid of stuff for some money. Now, people want to profit. Nothing wrong with it, but it has no appeal for me. People who've purchased items on here from me will attest to the fact that there's no way in hell that I've profited. But.... I got rid if something that I no longer wanted. Rant//.

"Now, people want to profit."

Do people sell things on eBay WITHOUT the intention of making profit? I was under the impression that since the start of eBay, it has ALWAYS been about profit for the seller.

Also, I'd like to point out that selling something on here vs eBay/Craigslist are different... on here is a community of like-minded people, many of whom have met in person and are friends. I don't try and profit monetarily from friends.... Maybe that's one of the difference between friendship and business for me.

Smart business? Artificially inflating prices is smart business? Sounds GREEDY to me. But what do I know.

What's the difference to you between greed and wanting an income? I was running a business (a small one, sure, but I was doing it to make money) and you might call it greed, but I think that every business has "income generation" as one of its goals.

I used to be able to find good deals on ebay. Not so much these days, due to tactics such as you mention. I'm looking for a motherboard for a Socket AM2 processor, and all of the decent ones must be made of gold. The majority of them seem to be Buy-it-Now for as much, maybe even more than when they were new. Similar for the socket 939 processors. I do find SOME decent deals here and there on used auto and motorcycle parts.

So it's tactics like the one I used that have made all the good deals disappear from eBay? That's a huge generalization and I'm not sure where to start picking it apart.

It's all about supply and demand... I hardly had enough capital to corner the market on Apple laptops, and while my actions may (or may not) have had some impact on pricing, in the larger scheme of things, I hardly affected very many laptops & prices... If I were rich, and really out to make money, I'd buy every single apple laptop on eBay and then re-list them all, with unchanged items for $50 more than I paid... But c'mon... I bought ONE laptop... And I didn't re-sell it, either, I kept it.... I think that's the free market determining the value of an item... not greed.

Edited November 1, 2011 by Josh1234
typo

[C-bus]

Back in my day (oldguyvoice): when you had shit lying around, you sold it for cheap to get rid of it. Now these ass-hats are selling new goods at retail+. You used to be able to bid a few hundo on a car and have a chance at it. Now, we're setting reserves higher than blue book. Again, personally, eBay holds no appeal.

[jporter12]

What's the difference to you between greed and wanting an income? I was running a business (a small one, sure, but I was doing it to make money) and you might call it greed, but I think that every business has "income generation" as one of its goals.

Legit business, or just you making some cash? Taxes filed and paid on said income? If not, then shut up about it being a business.

So it's tactics like the one I used that have made all the good deals disappear from eBay? That's a huge generalization and I'm not sure where to start picking it apart.

Your tactics surely don't help make it a fair market. Seems more like a "loaded" market."

It's all about supply and demand... I hardly had enough capital to corner the market on Apple laptops, and while my actions may (or may not) have had some impact on pricing, in the larger scheme of things, I hardly affected very many laptops & prices... If I were rich, and really out to make money, I'd buy every single apple laptop on eBay and then re-list them all, with unchanged items for $50 more than I paid... But c'mon... I bought ONE laptop... And I didn't re-sell it, either, I kept it.... I think that's the free market determining the value of an item... not greed.

Didn't you state that you had done that with others?

Really, I'm not out demonize you, I just don't think it's fair. I'm glad that you sound like you don't do it often, but I'm sure there are many more out there that do the same. For me, if I can't get a really good deal on something, I leave it alone.

[buildit]

Ebay is the devil and all it's users will burn.

No really, I never go on Ebay anymore. Too many scams and scammers.

[Mykill]

No really, I never go on Ebay anymore. Too many scams and scammers.

You mean "businesses" ?

[buildit]

You mean "businesses" ?

That or politicians.

[chevysoldier]

[buildit]

Says the twin with the conjoined eating disorder.

[drew95gt]

I'm not demonizing anyone, I just think it is kinda shitty to screw other people. Think about it (using the Macbook example) maybe the person bidding on the others didn't have $600 bucks to shell out for the computer...so you just made it so they couldn't potentially buy it at a lower price because it interfered with your profit margin on a competing item. Sure it isn't illegal...but what about the ethics of the situation?

[Josh1234]

I'm not demonizing anyone, I just think it is kinda shitty to screw other people. Think about it (using the Macbook example) maybe the person bidding on the others didn't have $600 bucks to shell out for the computer...so you just made it so they couldn't potentially buy it at a lower price because it interfered with your profit margin on a competing item. Sure it isn't illegal...but what about the ethics of the situation?

You're playing the "what-if" game.

"What if they didn't have $600..."

Then buy a cheaper computer.

[jporter12]

Sure it isn't illegal...but what about the ethics of the situation?

People have ethics these days?

[Scruit]

You're playing the "what-if" game.

"What if they didn't have $600..."

Then buy a cheaper computer.

Bidding on stuff you don't want to buy just to drive up the average price is wrong. Just because it makes you more money doesnt mean it's "good business."

You only bought the laptop because you accidentally won it.