question about buy it now motivation

[Brian Ashton]

It seems buy it now dominates ebay... But by far the vast majority are nothing more than a rip off price (with free shipping as a pathetic lure). at least thats what ive seen, and now simply filter out all buy it now... Is that the motive though? Are these sellers simply trolling for idiots? Or are they delusional to think what they're peddling is worth 3x more than what the market is paying. Enquiring minds want to know. I'm starting to see a trend where they're talked about the same way collectors were/are.

[David Weaver]

I think they're mostly things people don't want to sell very badly.

One of the bigger problems with ebay has been their shift from listing fees to only or almost only final value fees. I'm sure they did that to increase the volume of stuff on ebay, but it just clutters up the listings.

I search auctions that are nearest ending, and BIN items that are newly listed and that's about it - anything in between is a waste of time to look at. If there's a BIN item that's been on for a while, chances are it's a joke.

I listed a couple of things in the past few weeks, and noticed that there's a BIN listing fee of $0.30 for each item I listed. I didn't list the things at nose bleed prices, though, and could only wish $3 of final value fees would be transferred to some fraction of that as a listing fee.

[Tom M King]

Sometimes it works in the buyer's favor. I bought a turn of the Century Stanley no.8, that had never been used, with no rust other than a very light dusting, with 100% Japanning, for $75 Buy it Now. By the view count at the bottom of the page, I was the third viewer. I almost couldn't hit the button fast enough, but managed to.

[Brian Elfert]

There is a lot of stuff on Ebay that is a ripoff, but there are also some bargains to be found yet. A few weeks back I wanted some new light fixtures for my ceiling fans that still had standard light sockets. I found a number of them on Ebay. All other sellers are selling the newer light fixtures with candelabra base light sockets. The prices were pretty decent to boot.

Last year I bought some brake parts for my motorhome and paid 1/3 less on Ebay than the local supplier wanted. Everything I buy on Ebay is Buy It Now. I rarely even look at auction listings.

[Curt Harms]

Buy it Now is fine as long as you have a pretty good idea what something is worth. For instance I was on a seach for a not-so-common adhesive mount for a newly acquired factory refurbed Garmin GPS also purchased BIN. The same or similar device was simply not available locally and other mail order sources were signifcantly more $.

[Dennis Peacock]

What surprises me at times is people actually bid higher than full retail for some items. :eek:

[Chris Padilla]

BIN is nice when I don't feel like fooling with nor waiting for an auction. As long as the price is reasonable to me or in comparison to other selling the same/similar products, I like it and use it quite a bit. Often though, BIN prices are just too high. I've been doing a fair share of "make me an offer" on some listings and it has worked out quite well.

[Val Kosmider]

My favorite "oddity" on Ebay is "Or Best Offer". In my world, that means if I bid $5.00 and no one bids any higher, I own it. In the world of Ebay it apparently is something akin to a bid. You submit a "Best Offer" (which looks to me like a bid) and the seller either accepts it, rejects it, or counters. Isn't that the essence of Ebay to begin with? Bids...Offers.....You bought it, or it didn't meet the reserve?

Shakes head.

[Brian Elfert]

My favorite "oddity" on Ebay is "Or Best Offer". In my world, that means if I bid $5.00 and no one bids any higher, I own it. In the world of Ebay it apparently is something akin to a bid. You submit a "Best Offer" (which looks to me like a bid) and the seller either accepts it, rejects it, or counters. Isn't that the essence of Ebay to begin with? Bids...Offers.....You bought it, or it didn't meet the reserve?


Best offers are typically attached to Buy It Now sales. The seller can accept or decline best offers. There is the ability for a seller to set a best offer price that will automatically be accepted.

I don't think it is possible to have a best offer attached to an auction offer, but I could certainly be wrong.

[Jim Koepke]

I listed a couple of things in the past few weeks, and noticed that there's a BIN listing fee of $0.30 for each item I listed.

Could that be a response to all the ridiculous/ludicrous BIN listings?

I recently popped on a BIN item. A half dozen Buck Brothers gouges at about $10 each. Most of my reason for buying them was for my grandson who is taking an interest in carving. I could likely sell them each as $15-$20 BINs plus flat rate shipping.


What surprises me at times is people actually bid higher than full retail for some items.

I sometimes wonder about this. Especially when a common #5 Stanley/Bailey plane sells for high dollars. Maybe it is the need for some folks to 'win the day' by winning the bid.

There is the possibility of overseas buyers. Buying used may be less costly than paying import taxes on a new item.

jtk

[Wade Lippman]

I have bought maybe 5 things on eBay this year, all of the were buy it now. They were always cheaper than I could buy it for other places. I made two best offers, one was accepted the other wasn't.

I think maybe you are looking at the wrong items.

[Brian Ashton]

I agree what some are saying, deal can be had. But at the rate of about 1:50,000 - still not worth the effort to click on buy it now and look everyonce in awhile.

For the most part I only look at tools and I know what they're worth, but the prices associated with buy it now are almost arrogant. to me it's as if that select group of sellers (you know the ones, prices are so far fetched…) are using the business tactic of signalling and bombarding ebay with their outrageous prices in hopes that we will eventually accept them as normal.

[David Weaver]

I agree what some are saying, deal can be had. But at the rate of about 1:50,000 - still not worth the effort to click on buy it now and look everyone in awhile.

For the most part I only look at tools and I know what they're worth, but the prices associated with buy it now are almost arrogant. to me it's as if that select group of sellers (you know the ones, prices are so far fetched…) are using the business tactic of signalling each other and bombarding ebay with their outrageous prices in hopes that we will eventually accept them as normal.

Those folks have so many tools listed, and in my opinion, they don't care if they sell 1 or 2 a day and have 5000 listed if they have no listing fees, because they're using ebay as a large net to catch a few suckers and they have business capital tied up in the inventory and not personal "need-it-now" money.

[Doug Ladendorf]

What surprises me at times is people actually bid higher than full retail for some items. :eek:

This one kills me. I recently watched a Gransfors small forest ax, available at Lee Valley for $125, get bid up to $165 plus $14 shipping. :confused:

[Kent A Bathurst]

BIN is nice when I don't feel like fooling with nor waiting for an auction.

Exactly. The auction process annoys the heck out of me, because if I want to get a decent "something" that way, I have to go sign up for one of those programs that skulks around and then automatically jumps in at the last second.

I'm not going to sit there and watch. I will make a bid that is my highest reasonable offer, and let it ride. Only to find I got snaked by 32 cents or something with 14 seconds left.

Uncle.

If there is something I want, with a BIN that I feel is reasonable, I buy it.

Obviously, not a big ebay hound. I don't buy tools there - I don't know those sellers. I buy tools here, and then only from guys I "know", of from the regular sales venues.

[Tom M King]

I just looked at the first page of stuff I've recently bought, and 13 out of 14 ( I didn't go back any further than that) were BIN purchases. I do a search on there often for something specific, and either know what it's worth, or what I'm willing to pay. Most of the time, I can find what I'm looking for cheaper than on Amazon. I haven't sold anything on there yet, so I don't know anything about any of the fees. I just skip right over all the ridiculously priced stuff, and don't even waste time laughing at them any more.

I have offered a lower bid sometimes, when it's an option, but only remember a couple where the seller accepted my offer. So unless it's a several hundred dollar purchase, I don't spend time haggling over it.

[Pat Barry]

The bidding process was a nice little feature but with today's 'want it now, get it now' the buy it now is a natural. I bet 90% of the folks out there want it right now.

[Kev Williams]

I too hate regular auctions. As for buy it now, I've never had a problem, at least with the type of stuff I buy. Such as, when changed out all my $8-each-at-H. Delows 50watt incandescent track light bulbs (12 of 'em) for nearly-$15-each-at H.Delows dimmable 50w-equivalent LED bulbs for a $3.65 each BIN price, shipping included. Or the 33,000 btu NG/LP gas wall heater that's heating my garage shop right now, $219 to my door. You can't even buy a phony fire at H.Delows for that price. And computer cables & stuff, what would cost me $30 here in town I can get for $3 or so BIN. Yeah, they're from China, but where do you think the $30 are made? And a made-to-order neon sign for $100 BIN price, shipped? Or the $29.85 laser lenses I just bought 2 weeks ago. Best my local rep can do is $135 each...

I have scored a few deals (imo) on regular auctions-- like 13 seasons of CSI on DVD for less than $14.00, and the guy lived 15 miles from me. But most of the time, something I REALLY want I'll get outbid on, or ending up paying too much. I like my BIN, a few button clicks, done.

[Bill Orbine]

I've seen items listed on Ebay with both auction bidding and BIN at the same time. People get carried away and bid the item past the BIN price! Once the bidding goes by the BIN, the option of BIN disappears! Now, is that stupid or what?

[Jim Koepke]

I sometimes wonder if prices go above retail or the BIN due to shill bidding.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

The auction process annoys the heck out of me, because if I want to get a decent "something" that way, I have to go sign up for one of those programs that skulks around and then automatically jumps in at the last second.

I'm not going to sit there and watch. I will make a bid that is my highest reasonable offer, and let it ride. Only to find I got snaked by 32 cents or something with 14 seconds left.

Uncle.

Well said Kent. +1

[Mike Cutler]

It seems buy it now dominates ebay... But by far the vast majority are nothing more than a rip off price (with free shipping as a pathetic lure). at least thats what ive seen, and now simply filter out all buy it now... Is that the motive though? Are these sellers simply trolling for idiots? Or are they delusional to think what they're peddling is worth 3x more than what the market is paying. Enquiring minds want to know. I'm starting to see a trend where they're talked about the same way collectors were/are.


Brian
I don't know what eBay looks like in the UK, or Europe, but over here many of the name brand retailers have "eBay" stores. Most of these sites are buy it now.
If you know the value of the items that you are looking for, eBay is nothing more than another "classifieds" in the US. The little guy is being pushed out of eBay.

[Tom M King]

The first year or so, I go into the auctions and bid in the last seconds. For a while after that, I bid my max bid and watched. Now, I put stuff on my watch list. If the bid gets too high for me, I delete it off the list. If the bid is not already too high on the day of closing, I just bid my max bid and leave for the day, and it either shows up to be paid for the next day when I look, or there is no sign of it one way or the other if I didn't win. I won the bid on a couple of chisels day before yesterday, and a couple of other things. I don't even remember what else I bid on and didn't get.

[John Goodin]

I usually go to ebay for odd items I need and can't find elsewhere. So buy it now is more of a convienence than having to deal with the bidding process. I do, however, see lots of new items at the same price I can buy it for locally. That does make sense on several fronts.

[Brian Ashton]

Brian
I don't know what eBay looks like in the UK, or Europe, but over here many of the name brand retailers have "eBay" stores. Most of these sites are buy it now.
If you know the value of the items that you are looking for, eBay is nothing more than another "classifieds" in the US. The little guy is being pushed out of eBay.

Probably should have been clearer. Regular items that can be found most retail outlet are most likely cheaper on ebay. I was referring to items that are for the most part out of production or are considered vintage... I.e. "collectable" tools. 99% of the buy it now pages have rediculous prices demanded.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I think some bean counter calculated that the Amazon business model was more profitable, so hello BIN. I hate them to for the record.

[Myk Rian]

I do BIN quite often. I've seen too many auctions going over the BIN price, which makes no sense at all.

[Jim Matthews]

Search "buyer's reserve" for the nearest corollary.

It's commonplace in high end auctions.
EBay is no longer an auction site,
it's a storefront, sans the return policy.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

This one kills me. I recently watched a Gransfors small forest ax, available at Lee Valley for $125, get bid up to $165 plus $14 shipping. :confused:

It is people who live where there is a Value Added Tax (VAT) on new items, but either it is lower on used items, or they get the seller to agree to declare it as a gift, declare a lower value, or other tax-evasion tactic. Many countries have very high VAT's- as high as 50% on some items like cars.

...this is why I laugh at people that refuse to sell outside the "lower 48" (which in my book includes Hawaii and excludes Maine and Alaska, but I digress). They are losing $ because folks overseas will pay more- especially GB where the pound is strong.

[Shawn Pixley]

I use the buy it now a lot. Largely what I am purchasing is a commodity product that will be re-purposed. For instance I bought 4" of 2" diameter brass, 3" of 1-1/4" diameter, and 2" of 1" diameter to make into mallets. I am waiting for some HSS stell to make into chinken chisels. Waiting for an auction to end is silly for purchases like this.

I have seen and still ignore auctions or buy it nows for items such as planes etc... Especially if they are priced over an equivelant new item.

[David Hill]

I've used ebay on and off for several years--even had a "store" at one time. The BIN is a big moneymaker for them. I much preferred the sending money orders so I didn't have to link ebay with any of my accounts---call me paranoid I guess (I Prefer cautious). I'm patient and didn't mind waiting until the end of auctions and either bidding then or watch the sniping. With what I was collecting at the time (old fishing lures), I did run across some shill type bidding---that was when you were able to look that up, but they've denied that access couple years ago. Now mostly ebay is just a source for stuff I can't get readily- machine/car parts, inlay material and the like.

[Mel Miller]

People love to complain about Ebay, and I do at times myself. However, Ebay is still the best out there. There are deals to be had, and instant gratification if you find a good BIN.
All you have to do is a little research before you hit the button if you don't already know what stuff is worth.
I never bid more than a few seconds before an auction listing ends. That just makes your bid a target for others interested in the same thing and drives prices up.
As a seller, I often receive offers on items. I can either accept the offer, or wait until the listing ends and sell privately which avoids fees.

[Brian Elfert]

...this is why I laugh at people that refuse to sell outside the "lower 48" (which in my book includes Hawaii and excludes Maine and Alaska, but I digress). They are losing $ because folks overseas will pay more- especially GB where the pound is strong.

One issue with international shipping is the much higher chance of loss of the package in transit. The seller is then on the hook for a large shipping cost plus the cost of the item. Ebay is very slanted towards buyers now and would just force the seller to refund the money to the buyer. Yes, there is insurance, but how much of a hassle will that be if the package went through the postal services of several countries along the way?

If a buyer claims an item wasn't in the condition as described to avoid payment then you could also be out a lot of money on an international shipment. If it costs $200 to ship versus $20 domestically that is a lot of money on the line. Most transactions will go fine, but enough go bad that a lot of sellers have abandoned Ebay. They don't want one bad buyer to cost them their profit for the week or the month. My brother sells a bit on Ebay and he has had people pull scams on him.

[David Weaver]

I don't know if it's the case for us selling internationally, but I know UK sellers will not ship things over a certain value to here without signed-for type shipping. that gives them tracking, and if the package disappears you get the money back from the post office as opposed to just eating it as the buyer.

I'd imagine ebay was in the middle of countless "i shipped it" vs. "no you didn't" vs. "I did ship it, but don't have tracking" arguments and put a stop to that to some extent.

My opposition, as a sometimes seller but much more often buyer, to overseas shipping that could take a while is that you could have that money in and out of your account and two months later get an email from someone claiming they received an empty box, or they broke what you sent and they claim they didn't notice it. I've had enough trouble with that kind of stuff domestically (one guy shipped back something that was $350, because near the end of the term he said his wife decided she didn't like his new sharpening stone, and he said he noticed a crack that I didn't disclose in it - of course there wasn't one, but what would happen is he'd complain and ebay would force me to refund his money. So weeks on after he gushed about how happy he was, I ended up refunding him because he got in trouble with his wife). Can you imagine trying to handle that stuff with someone who doesn't speak english?

Well, and as a buyer, I didn't get a pocket knife from japan. Never did. I got tracking that it made it to JFK and then someone there decided they liked it. Japan Post made a couple of inquiries but when no item turned up, they stopped checking in.

that's just part of the "ebay margin". You do a few hundred transactions, you write off the few that stink, it's part of the deal.