8mm Forum: Kicking the habit (ebay)

This is topic Kicking the habit (ebay) in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=001101

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 23, 2008, 04:33 PM:

I've finally decided to end my association with ebay. There's just too many "hinky" things going on, and far too many charges, over and over again, that can't be mistakes.

Besides, I must admit, (in my own case), Ebay has become an addiction. I have a sizable Super 8 collection, already enough to almost watch a feature twice a week, (that's gives an idea) and too many cartoons to count, and I find that I end up bidding on ebay far to often addictively, when I really have no desire nor need for the items.

Besides this, the thing that kept me keeping my account has all but been destroyed anyhow, and that was all my feedbacks and sales. With the way the rules are today, No matter how good and reliable you are, and no matter how high your ratings are, one or two buyers who wish to be nothing more than asses can destroy your "good credit" in a heartbeat! I was amazed at just how quickly my 99 percent rating fell to 94 percent, and even more amazed at how many it takes to even start to build the raitings back up.

Nearly all my films are keepers, with no desire to sell and most of the films I do sell these days have been for other collectors who have downsized or ended thier collections completely.

So, I think I may, if I enter ebay again in the future, just have a membership to buy, and nothing more.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 23, 2008, 09:00 PM:

Some Psychology Major somewhere could probably get a great term paper from the emotional aspects of E-bay: how when someone is the first bidder on an auction they feel a false sense of ownership, how people who often snipe feel ripped off when they are sniped, how people get into bidding frenzies and regret it after they win and the sense of loss that results when that item you've been treasuring for 6 days and 22 hours goes to somebody else.

I've never been to a live auction, but I can't help but wonder if the emotions were proportional the Police would have to show up!

Posted by Christopher P Quinn (Member # 1294) on November 23, 2008, 09:15 PM:

I hate eBay and love it at the same time, i must have spent thousands on the thing. It is an addiction. An auction at your fingertips that sells everything you could possible think off, hard to keep off. Osi, i understand where your coming from, and yes eBay is now ripping us off left, right, and centre, but i fear you will find it hard to keep away, unless you burn your computer, and then we will never know if you gave up the addiction. [Big Grin]

Chris.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on November 23, 2008, 09:16 PM:

I strongly suspect we will soon have a number of people who will seek treatment for ruining their finances on EBay. If they can do it so easily with regular credit card spending in stores, the idea of "just pressing 'Buy it Now'" surely must lead to some ghastly situations.

I too felt the pull early on, and I did buy some expensive items, but they were and are usable to me. I have yet to wake up one morning and go "OH GOD! what did I do last night" and feel I have really blown a good amount of cash. (Mind you, it's not because I haven't been close a few times [Big Grin]

)

Claus.

Posted by Neil Townsend (Member # 952) on November 23, 2008, 10:34 PM:

Ebay was great; when it first showed me there is a community of collectors still active. I had no idea film collecting was still around, hadn't gotten a new print since Blackhawk Films and Niles days. I always intend to sell on Ebay...but buy WAY much more!

Posted by Chip Carpenter (Member # 1330) on November 25, 2008, 09:13 AM:

Osi - I definitely understand, I've been on Ebay for 10 years, waxing and waning my participation, and haven't actively sold on it for several years . . . it's a funny addiction, I'll go in and buy regularly for several months and then drop off for a year (often sparked back in for a new interest or curiousity) - makes me wonder if ebay is the addiction or the new interest . . .

Chip

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 25, 2008, 01:29 PM:

Like it or loathe it, Ebay is still where all the film is at!!!

-Mike

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 25, 2008, 06:12 PM:

Rrrr!

I agree Micheal, which is why I'll always watch ebay. The only problem is training myself to NOT go off half cocked and just bid, which has been my problem in the past.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 26, 2008, 05:53 AM:

I too, have given up eBay. My last sale item had seven watchers and not one bid.

And as for buying, there are too many con-artists now using eBay. "Selling as seen, I haven't got a tape to run on the film camera." Ughh!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 26, 2008, 12:09 PM:

Yeah Maurice, I hear ya!

" It LOOKS to be in good condition. "

You (seller) couldn't tell good condition if it came up and bit you on the arse!

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 26, 2008, 01:19 PM:

"....seven watchers and not one bid".

Thats the way the market behaves.

You can't expect to sell every item you list. If you do, then you have no business on ANY auction site.

-Mike

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 26, 2008, 03:04 PM:

I'vr ran into that as well, in one case it was 13 people. In some cases, (especially if you make a link on this forum), they are fellow forum members just watching it.

With ebay though, there are a great number of collectors (Hey, I have to admit that I do this too), who are watching it just to see if you'll lower the starting price, and then they pounce if you do.

But sometimes, you'll have an item that it too rare and too good to allow a "pounce price", like that scope 1X400 ft BEN HUR digest last time.

The strangest thing was that only one person watched it, and I wonder if it's because of a certain quirk with ebay ...

One of my ratings fell to 4.1 (shipping, which is ironic, as I never gouge the customer in shipping, but then some buyers will bitch if they have to pay fifty cents to ship first class, and will leave you bad feedback anyhow, as I ran into!), and so, one of the things that they had stated was ...

Ebay may allow you to list but MAY LIMIT THE SEARCHES FOR YOUR LISTED ITEMS. This may be what happened in this case, as I know that this item (BEN HUR scope) was rather rare and at 22 dollars for a starting bid was fair, given the rarity of this title these days.

I wrote them about this quirk but have received no reply back.

All this series of posts does is just illuminate the curses of ebay. As I said above, I may sell again in the future, but I'll certainly still watch as, occasionally, something will pop up that I never knew existed on super 8 and I'll find myself playing the game all over again!

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 26, 2008, 03:16 PM:

Mike

We are all entitled to our own opinions. Of course I expected to sell, otherwise I wouldn't have listed.

But, not anymore. I'm not wasting my time with eBay.

I prefer to buy and sell direct with collectors whom I know.

Posted by Paul Spinks (Member # 573) on November 26, 2008, 08:47 PM:

Most of my collection has been bought on ebay. I check it out twice a day and usually buy 2 or 3 features a month. All but 2 of my projectors have been ebay acquisitions and I have been very happy to date with my purchases. I haven't sold on ebay for many years now as I only buy, but you could not find a bigger market place to sell your films in. So in the unlikely event that I was to thin out some of my collection in the future, ebay would be the way for me.

Paul.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on November 27, 2008, 03:32 AM:

With collectables, of which film is one, you are always going to get watchers for some items who may have no intention of bidding on the item.

Other collectors will watch an item just to see whether or not it sells and for what price. Its a useful way of gauging how the market is.

I have had it happen many times and, Maurice, I do agree - it can be dissappointing.

-Mike

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2