What's the deal with eBay, anyway?

[James]

Some people are just... I don't know.

Today, I was watching an item that I really wanted. The total was around $20 when I bid, and I got outbid for $22. So I waited, planning to bid again closer to the auction's close. During which time, someone else bid $40. Then in the last couple minutes of the auction, someone bids almost $90. What makes someone decide, "I'm going to pay twice as much as the current offer, even though there's a VERY good chance I don't need to?"

Also, there's always cases where there's different sellers offering the same item, but the prices are so crazy different. Like, someone was selling an item with a starting bid of $0.99, plus $6 S&H. Meanwhile, someone else is trying to sell the SAME item with Buy It Now only, for $40. And the description is bare-bones without nearly enough detail to make you bid with confidence, ESPECIALLY for that price. Someone actually thought "Surely, someone will search for this item, and realize my price is the highest, and therefore the best!"

Seriously, what the fuck is the deal?

[Command Prompt]

And I thought people in places like Rawanda had it tough

[Chojin]

eBay only takes maximum bids and causes you to outbid the next highest by a dollar. So, if the price shot up to $90 when the third person bid on it, it's because person #2 had set their max to $89.

[James]

They didn't, though. In the bid history, it's shows when someone bids an amount that doesn't beat another's maximum bid. This particular auction went from $39 to $88, with no in between. Unless I'm misreading the bid history.

Still, that's quite a jump for that last person to make for the item.

[Chojin]

I guess I don't understand the complaint.

[the_dudefather]

speaking of ebay, i put an auction up for my DS copy of animal crossing (great game, but ill never play it again) and it sold within 19 MINUTES of putting it up, 1 viewer, 1 buyout

[ziggytrix]

What's the deal with eBay? Who are these people!

[James]

Originally Posted by Chojin

I guess I don't understand the complaint.

Not really a complaint. I just don't understand why some people piss their money away. The person could have bought the item for a little over $40, if he was lucky. So instead, they immediately decide they MUST pay $90.

Also, let's not forget the guy who is trying to sell items fr $40, when the average price seems to be $20 and under for the items. Explain THAT one away.

[DamnthatDavid]

You have yet to mention the item. And I am on the edge of my seating with suspense of what it could be.

[Summourn]

Ebay is kind of fucking weird, yeah

There was a pretty sweet dragon sculpture and it said it was like $5 but then the S&H was $200. I thought that was pretty cute.

[ziggytrix]

$5 "buy it now" or $5 opening bid?

[Cosmo Electrolux]

I hate ebay.

[James]

Originally Posted by Summourn

Ebay is kind of fucking weird, yeah

There was a pretty sweet dragon sculpture and it said it was like $5 but then the S&H was $200. I thought that was pretty cute.

Something like that, you should report. Basically, people will inflate the S&H price, because eBay/Paypal won't take their percentage out of that, just the "purchase price." So in that case, eBay would get a percentage of $5, while the $200 is all the seller's to do what they want with.

Not that I'm a protector of eBay or anything, but if someone's willing to try and screw eBay out of money, who's to say they wouldn't try to screw you too, while they're at it?

[Summourn]

Well technically they were already screwing me over by putting the hidden fees in the S&H. I mean, they made the thing sound like your average cheap ebay bid (it wasn't one of the buy now things) but then in tiny print you magically owe about $200 more that they craftily didn't mention in the original price or description.

Yeah, in retrospect though I should have reported them. :/

[Equinox]

Originally Posted by James

Not really a complaint. I just don't understand why some people piss their money away. The person could have bought the item for a little over $40, if he was lucky. So instead, they immediately decide they MUST pay $90.

Also, let's not forget the guy who is trying to sell items fr $40, when the average price seems to be $20 and under for the items. Explain THAT one away.

they can't stay all day and bid, so they reassure themselves that they have the item, by bidding a high price, that they don't think anyone will out do.

[Equinox]

none of my businesss, but can you tell us what was it you were buying?

[Chojin]

a signature-reducing ray gun

[James]

Originally Posted by Equinox

they can't stay all day and bid, so they reassure themselves that they have the item, by bidding a high price, that they don't think anyone will out do.

That's what maximum bids are for.

In this particular case, it was a limited edition Jim Henson Muppet action figure. There's another one up for auction now, but someone bid with a maximum bid too high for me to beat without going overboard.

[bigtimecow]

Originally Posted by Equinox

none of my businesss, but can you tell us what was it you were buying?

A DEATHRAY WITH YOUR NAME ON IT SUCKA

[ABSeNCe]

Originally Posted by James

Something like that, you should report. Basically, people will inflate the S&H price, because eBay/Paypal won't take their percentage out of that, just the "purchase price." So in that case, eBay would get a percentage of $5, while the $200 is all the seller's to do what they want with.

Not that I'm a protector of eBay or anything, but if someone's willing to try and screw eBay out of money, who's to say they wouldn't try to screw you too, while they're at it?

Most likely they are already setting you up to be screwed. This allows the seller to say, "if you're not satisfied with the item, we guarantee you compensation for the full bid cost." Then when your sculpture arrives looking nothing like the picture, or its all scratched up or something, they can send you $5 and pretend its ok.

[James]

Won it, bought it, and delivered today.

A Jim Henson action figure of my very own.