Re: [Harp-L] E-Bay and sniper programs

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On May 9, 2005, at 8:50 AM, Tim Moyer wrote:

> Joe Leone <leone@xxxx> wrote:
> 1. figure out what the item is worth? (this is the hard part)
>
> I don't really find this that hard, in an auction.  If you're buying
> used merchandise, find out what it would cost to buy it new.  Don't
> bid more than that.  Adjust down for age, condition, etc.

 Exactly Tim. One thing that IS disconcerting. In a regular auction, 
you have the ability to walk around and check out the merchandise 
beforehand (visually). Even when there are phantom bidders on the 
phones, they STILL have a representative who is AT the auction and has 
seen the item(s) close up. With e-bay, you don't have that luxury and 
going by 'claims' is suspect at best.

>   Ebay has
> a search feature for completed auctions where you can see what
> similar items have sold for in the past.  In the end I always ask
> myself, what's the most I would pay that, if I were beat I wouldn't
> be disappointed.

 Exactly

>   For example, look at the time and think, "If
> someone paid $2 more and beat me for this, would I be upset?"  I
> always add an odd amount to that, to beat the people that might bid
> an even dollar amount.  So if I'm willing to pay $50 for something,
> I'll bid $52.51 or something like that, just so I don't get beat by
> the guy who bids $50 first.

 Exactly, a few odd cents (or dollars) here or there is a good idea. 
(Just like on the price is right)
> You can also do your own bid sniping.  Just wait until the last few
> seconds before the auction ends and bid your own maximum.  People
> always seem to forget that ebay does proxy bidding, so you're not
> going to spend more than the bid increment above the next closest
> bid.  You can bid $200 and still get something for $25.  Bidding low
> and bidding early (as most ebay people do) just tips your hand and
> raises the price early.  If everyone waited until the last second
> and bid their maximum the item would go to the highest bidder at the
> lowest price.

 ONLY because a used harmonica is such an 'iffy' proposition, it is the 
one thing I would shy away from. I know a fellow who sucks them up, 
then has them rebuilt. The cost winds up prohibitive and what's the 
percentage in THAT? Since I am a cheap sob who remembers when these 
things (chromos in particular) went for $18-28 NEW, I have a hard time 
justifying the cost and would prefer to just go bite the bullet and get 
a new example.
smo-joe
> -working man tim
>
>
>
>
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