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EBay madness


Marcyg
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Another thing about auctions is the starting price. How many times have you been at an auction, or seen it on TV that the start price starts high and is then dropped to the first person throws a bid in then the price at the hammer far exceeds the starting price?

 

The seller doesn't have this option on ebay.

 

There is also the fact that if you are not participating then you miss out but if you are participating then there is almost always competition (sometimes a frenzy, a bidding war) simply to be the highest bidder at the hammer and to WIN to the exclusion of others. This addiction is similar in many ways to the gambler, the prize is the winning not always the win.

 

I wonder how many of us who use ebay can safely declare that they have not bid on something they didn't really need or bid slightly over the odds for the item and regretted it. Hand on heart I can't and yes I'm addicted to watching others make the same mistake ... isn't that why this topic continues to be a winner?

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As long as there is nothing illegal going on (and there is absolutely no suggestion there is) he is just taking advantage of the situation. Buying something at a price then selling it at a higher price is simple business.

 

Some years ago i went to a model railway sale at an auction house then local to me. The house had no history of model railway sales, I visited it regularly and this was the first I had seen.

 

Three obvious traders were present. The house had catalogued most of the items individually, so there was a lot of interest. At the start of the sale the auctioneer announced that many lots were being combined on the suggestion of some buyers "to save time", so the sale was nothing like the catalogue. Most prices, although fairly low for the combined lot, went well above what individual buyers like me were prepared to pay to get one thing you wanted and three you had no use for. I left after about 30 minutes as I could see how it was working and was obviously going to end up empty handed except for some possible lots of tat. Passing by later that day I saw the three traders swapping items in the car park outside the auction house. What annoyed me more was not that I didn't get anything but that the estate of the collector was being ripped off by the three traders.

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You're absolute right, and I've learnt from my mistakes. I have a price in my head to what I think it's worth and I go no higher, even if it means missing out on something I really want. The only possible exception to that is if the item is unique and I won't be able to find it elsewhere. Otherwise, I'm happy to wait.

 

That wasn't the case in the past though, and I've got a few items I regret setting eyes on in the loft...

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Our friend again:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-R2252-R3038-WREXHAM-SHROPSHIRE-CLASS-67-TRAIN-SET-KIT-BUILT-MINT-DCC-mv-/370681015074?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item564e4f6b22

 

Why pay nearly £300 for a repainted original type (ex Lima) Class 67 and coaches when you can buy the latest super detail loco and matching coaches in the same livery new for less than £200?

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Our friend again:

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item564e4f6b22

 

Why pay nearly £300 for a repainted original type (ex Lima) Class 67 and coaches when you can buy the latest super detail loco and matching coaches in the same livery new for less than £200?

 

At least he's not claiming it was done by Larry :jester:

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Just look at this for a "starting" bid ! - perhaps he's hoping "Santa" might buy it for a "little one "

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4abf280d5d

 

Hopefully a simple case of the slipped decimal - either that or we are into the Xmas season of over inflated optimistic rip-offs - likely to end in zero bids ... but then again you never know it is amazing how desperate some Santas get to stuff little Jimmy's stocking.

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Not exactly madness per say... but what is wrong with this model? I've never seen anything like this before...

 

http://www.ebay.ca/i...=item416ef2598e

 

edit: I should have said that I've never seen anything like this in regards to the windows and the wheels. Does not look like rust or water damage...

Edited by br-nse-fan
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Not exactly madness per say... but what is wrong with this model? I've never seen anything like this before...

 

http://www.ebay.ca/i...=item416ef2598e

 

edit: I should have said that I've never seen anything like this in regards to the windows and the wheels. Does not look like rust or water damage...

 

It looks almost like mold.

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