Author Topic: eBay rant  (Read 27006 times)

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #100 on: 02 April, 2022, 02:43:52 pm »
But on eBay, the serious buyers only bid in the last 10 seconds. eBay is basically a one-week advertising service with an blink-and-you'll-miss-it sealed bid auction at the end.

Yes - and I'm an Auction Sniper afficionado - but my comment is still valid in terms of bids vs the reserve for those that do bid during the whole auction window.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #101 on: 25 April, 2022, 10:00:31 am »
I ordered a 2nd hand book via Ebay.  2 weeks after the promised delivery date it hadn't turned up.  Checking their feedback they are actually based in the US, and there are lots of complaints from UK customers.    I asked Ebay for a refund, which was credited to my account 2 weeks ago. 


The book has just arrived....
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #102 on: 25 April, 2022, 09:39:42 pm »
Serves them right for being dishonest about their location. I'd just keep quiet about it and see if they moan. If they don't moan, then donate to charity instead.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #103 on: 10 May, 2022, 05:34:25 pm »
Re reserve price vs high starting price

It used to be that a high starting price had a higher seller's fee compared with a low starting price. But that was scapped years ago.

A reserve price has the same advantage as a low starting price, the low price attract views of your auction. But if the item is uncommon and valuable (to a limited number of people), you're protected against selling at a low price if not many potential buyers are looking at your auction.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #104 on: 10 May, 2022, 05:59:19 pm »
But there are extra fees to set a reserve price, even if it doesn't sell.

Yes, a low price attracts more views, but does it attract more bidders?
If I see something with a reserve, I'm less likely to bother bidding on it. Seems more worthwhile just bidding on a higher priced item, where I know it will sell.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #105 on: 11 May, 2022, 07:25:58 am »
People just probe to find out what the reserve is, then retract their last bid.  There are no sanctions for retracting bids, whatever eBay pretends.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #106 on: 22 May, 2022, 03:33:50 pm »
But there are extra fees to set a reserve price, even if it doesn't sell.

Yes, a low price attracts more views, but does it attract more bidders?
If I see something with a reserve, I'm less likely to bother bidding on it. Seems more worthwhile just bidding on a higher priced item, where I know it will sell.

I think a low starting price, eg £1, usually ends up with a higher selling price than a high starting price (near the going rate). The latter gets far fewer views and bids and if it sells at all, it doesn't go for much more the starting price.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #107 on: 05 June, 2022, 07:58:04 am »
Had a message from some idiot asking if I can post a chainsaw to Wick, KW1 (MUST BE COLLECTED in capital letters in the listing, local collection as the only delivery option).

His username: pothead81, message sent at 3am.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #108 on: 05 June, 2022, 10:16:11 am »
But there are extra fees to set a reserve price, even if it doesn't sell.

Yes, a low price attracts more views, but does it attract more bidders?
If I see something with a reserve, I'm less likely to bother bidding on it. Seems more worthwhile just bidding on a higher priced item, where I know it will sell.

I think a low starting price, eg £1, usually ends up with a higher selling price than a high starting price (near the going rate). The latter gets far fewer views and bids and if it sells at all, it doesn't go for much more the starting price.

I sold my Brompton last week. Starting price £500. That seemed to get it on hundreds of watch lists. Also, within minutes of posting, some joker offers to come and collect today and pay cash.  ::-)

I put it up for the default 7 days, and for six of those it only got a couple of bids. Plus a lot of requests to send to various countries in the Far East. In the last few minutes it was bid up to £871, and went to a bloke in London who ships Bromptons to the Far East.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #109 on: 14 June, 2022, 08:30:02 pm »
Why on earth do people have a bidding frenzy on something a full 1-2 days before the close ???  I always just snipe at the end, but some on fleabay are just having the effect of pushing the price up for 'no reason'.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #110 on: 14 June, 2022, 08:33:34 pm »
Because it amuses me.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #111 on: 14 June, 2022, 09:52:34 pm »
“Royal Mail” tracking numbers that are nothing of the sort.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #112 on: 15 June, 2022, 03:28:11 pm »
Bought a bag, after asking questions about bag.

Turns up today, fondling of package smells fishy. Open package, wrong (and cheaper) bag, which cannot really be confused with the ordered bag.

Message sent, quite a quick response "Oh, please send a pic, we had a new girl in that day who packed your order". Waiting with baited breath. 
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #113 on: 16 June, 2022, 06:38:23 pm »
Bought a bag, after asking questions about bag.

Turns up today, fondling of package smells fishy. Open package, wrong (and cheaper) bag, which cannot really be confused with the ordered bag.

Message sent, quite a quick response "Oh, please send a pic, we had a new girl in that day who packed your order". Waiting with baited breath.

ISWYDT  ;D
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #114 on: 17 June, 2022, 12:36:55 pm »
Well, that went better than expected  :)

New one in the post, to be here tomorrow (allegedly), start a refund and send the order one back, they'll refund me and I get a bag for free, less postage.for the inconvenience.  Let's wait and see how it pans out in reality.

EDIT in reality it went very well, old bag sent back, new bag arrived, refunded. Let's hope they don't let the new girl off the reins too much, for the sake of their profits
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #115 on: 08 July, 2022, 09:55:16 am »
Anyone good at analysing bidding? 1+ day to end.  In italics = automatic bidding.  This is something I was following, giving up now...  :-\

bidding... by a oxon, on Flickr
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

eBay rant
« Reply #116 on: 08 July, 2022, 07:22:17 pm »
Used to be an auction site, either Yahoo Auctions or QXL can’t recall which, that would add time to the end of an auction if there was a bid in the last couple of minutes.

I’ve always wondered why eBay don’t use that? Possible that rushed last second bids generate higher selling prices?

I only ever sell when they do deals on reduced fees and don’t relist if It doesn’t sell first time round. They go up elsewhere in those cases.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #117 on: 08 July, 2022, 08:06:37 pm »
Anyone good at analysing bidding? 1+ day to end.  In italics = automatic bidding.  This is something I was following, giving up now...  :-\

bidding... by a oxon, on Flickr

Straightforward.

5*5 bid around the minimum in the hope no-one else was interested.
t*6 bid £45 or more (almost certainly more) and was given the price £1 above 5*5's bid
t*0 put in a number of bids, each time was under t*6's maximum, kept trying, then gave up at £44.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #118 on: 20 July, 2022, 10:36:54 am »
A current fault means "description" is not visible for many listings.  SNAD claims could be interesting.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #119 on: 02 August, 2022, 07:59:45 am »
Message from J. Random Clueless asking if they can buy an auction item rather than bid.

The item currently has no bids but "Best Offer" is available  :facepalm:
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #120 on: 22 November, 2022, 09:37:45 am »
eBay sellers who claim to send items "signed for" or "tracked" and don't. No, the barcode from your proof of posting means nothing at all.  ::-)
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #121 on: 22 November, 2022, 10:41:32 am »
Postal strikes will cock things up a tad I guess.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: eBay rant
« Reply #122 on: 30 July, 2023, 08:14:46 pm »
I've got a buyer wanting to return an item (clothing) because it doesn't fit. Size is as stated in the original item description, so no misdescription by me (buyer asked various questions before purchasing, though nothing about sizing!).

I don't accept returns, but am assuming I pretty much have to, because what's to stop them filing a SNAD, and of course eBay always sides with the buyer. However, am I obliged to refund the original postage too? Doesn't really seem fair that I should be out of pocket when I've done nothing wrong (TBH, in the same situation, I'd simply keep it and sell it on myself). :-\

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #123 on: 16 August, 2023, 06:34:26 pm »
Bought an office chair and asked if I could collect it tonight.  Sorry, we're away for a week or two.  FFS, there's an option for that, you muppet.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: eBay rant
« Reply #124 on: 24 August, 2023, 01:26:01 pm »
Today's purchase was an electric random orbital car polisher, "unused and perfect".  It unfettled itself into plastic shards as soon as I switched it on, so I'm very glad I was wearing glasses. The total lack of padding in the package probably did for it.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.