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Author
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Topic: Ebay Auctions ended early by seller?
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Mike Peckham
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1461
From: West Sussex, UK.
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted March 12, 2013 07:42 AM
quote:
I’m with David in a way and was always amazed that computer owners can site there half the day clicking watch, watch, watch and never bidding. Surely they could do something meaningful with a life, or do some voluntary work to help the needy in our society? I do feel sorry for the ‘click watch’ brigades who do so with nothing else to do. A rather sad state of affairs especially as they are wasting every breath and only so many exhales in one lifetime.
Lee, you and I had a discussion about "watching" on this forum several years ago, I have to say, I stand by what I said then: I think I'm probably typical of many people who will watch items on Ebay for a number of reasons, not solely because I am definitely going to bid.
I like to watch to see how the bidding goes, sometimes I'm not sure if I want something enough to bid on it, so will put it in my watching page so that I can have some time to decide. Sometimes I have a similar item and I want to see what the market is like before I decide to put mine up for sale. It's not so different really from the real Market Place or an actual Auction House. Lots of people go to auctions with no intention of bidding, and then sometimes surprise themselves when they get taken up in the moment. Is that really so bad? When I have stuff for sale on Ebay I accept there may be 20 watchers and no bidders, just as there may be 100 people present in an auction house and only two people bidding.
I watch quite a bit of stuff, maybe ten items at time, but I don't spend "half the day clicking watch" and I can assure you I have plenty of very "meaningful things" going on in my life. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Mike ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
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Auntie Em must have stopped wondering where I am by now...
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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God
Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted March 12, 2013 10:51 AM
I always visit flea market and pawn shop during my free time. The things that I often found those sellers are always thinking I am going to buy if I am asking his/her stuff. When I don't follow up with giving my price, most of the sellers start turning his/her smile to a not-so-nice face.
So please don't be like those sellers.
I am always happty to answer any question about items I am selling. Sometime I add with another info behind the stuff so there is sort of knowledge exchange. And I am not getting poor because of doing this.
Regarding bidding in the last seconds, I coincidentally mention this in my current listings:
quote:
Do not believe on bidding in the last minute because many buyers now use free sniper service (such as Sniperstreet, Auction Sniper or Just Snipe). These websites can bid in 3 seconds before the listing end. No human capability can beat these machines because the way people typing and the internet speed will be more than 3 seconds. So if you believe in the nature of auction then place your maximum bid as high as you think is fair for you now, so no snipe bidding service can outbid you.
How quick is your fingers typing, still will not be able to beat that 3 seconds set up by those machines.
Plus, the sniper service has a rule that if two snipers use it for the same item, the higher sniper will be taken. So there is also a sort of bidding inside that machine.
So it is better to place your bids as high as you think is fair right after you see the listings. Even if you are outbid, there is still a chance to get the items through second chance offer. As a seller, that is what I always doi. I do not have time to re-list them.
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Winbert
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Timothy Price
Master Film Handler
Posts: 335
From: Minneapolis, MN. USA
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted March 12, 2013 12:42 PM
I recently ended an auction early for the simple fact my other items weren't able to get posted as promptly as I wanted. Which means another 40 mile RT to the P.O. UGH!
In my case it had nothing to do with a better offer, it had everything thing to do with skyrocketing gas prices and a better use of my time & money.(I'm pretty confident this post has nothing to do with my auction, so this is just my two cents since I frequently sell on ebay) ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
For my situation, I'll repost my particular item when I can post at least ONE more auction. (To save an extra trip to the P.O.) However I personally will NOT pull or end an auction even after ONE bid has been placed as I don't think that's fair to the potential buyer.
I actually received an email from somebody who was watching the auction and upset that I pulled it. I can understand and even appriciate the time he spent "watching" the auction and not "bidding" but without an actual bid, I feel the "watcher" has no right to complain, but with that said the bidder does. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I by no means was obligated to, but I sent him a nice email stating I'll be reposting the item in a few weeks. I like talking with people be it on line, on the phone or in person(especially film & Kaiju collectors) so I have no reason to be a curmudgeon,(love that word!) besides he may the "watcher" who becomes the "buyer"
(Plus there are already far too many jerks in the collectors realms going for that end all be all "Lord Of The Flies" status)and I never want to be THAT guy so I feel a friendly email is apprapos!(But I bet he still doesn't bid!) ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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Michael O'Regan
Film God
Posts: 3085
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted March 12, 2013 02:20 PM
Lee Mannering said:
quote:
I’m with David in a way and was always amazed that computer owners can site there half the day clicking watch, watch, watch and never bidding. Surely they could do something meaningful with a life, or do some voluntary work to help the needy in our society? I do feel sorry for the ‘click watch’ brigades who do so with nothing else to do. A rather sad state of affairs especially as they are wasting every breath and only so many exhales in one lifetime.
Sorry, Lee, but that's all a bit OTT there surely.
It doesn't take "half the day" to click "Watch" on a few auctions.
Speaking for myself, I watch auctions for many reasons.Perhaps I'm unsure whether or not I want to bid just yet. I watch auctions sometimes just to see what a print sells for - it's part of my interest in the hobby. Sometimes I watch auctions knowing I have no intention of bidding on the auction. When I have prints up myself I get a lot of watches too and I don't expect that they're all going to bid.
Yet my time is meaningfully spent in one of the Healthcare professions. Outside of that I have my musical career to work on. However, I'm still able to find time to watch a few auctions if I feel I want to. I'm pretty sure that all of us on here have more to do with our time than you seem to suggest.
So, I'm really not at all sure where you're coming from with your strange comments.
I do agree with David and yourself that the best place for buying prints is at one of the film fairs - it's a lot more fun. But, ebay is also a viable marketplace for our hobby. If yourself and David feel that people don't use it in a manner which is to your particular liking, ie. "don't watch my prints or ask questions about them, unless you intend to bid on them", then perhaps you shouldn't sell on it, yet you both do.
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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God
Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted March 12, 2013 07:42 PM
David is correct that selling to overseas bringing a risk to the seller. This has been discussed in different thread.
I also experienced the same case, where I got the item back. I have to refund the buyer both item and stamp I purchased!
I had to re list the item. But the fortune lady was still with me because it was re-sold double then the price paid by the first buyer...$160 for the usual Star Trek!
So, if a seller does not want to send overseas is understandable.
However writing a complete description and answering the questions are the responsibility of seller.
My lisitngs this week probably the most complete listing ever exist in Ebay . Every listing has:
- Condition of the print
- Color or BW, Sound or silent,Super 8mm or Std 8mm (not only stating "8mm" as done by mane sellers)
- Info on who released it on super 8mm
- Director and artist names
- Film genre & year of made
- Price appraisal based on the dealer price
- Film Synopsis
- Youtube trailer (!)
- Time ending in 3 major countries (UK, USA, Australia)
- List of my films for sale (hyperlinked for easy click)
- Weight of item and packing measurement
- Shipping cost to 3 major countries
- Shipping calculator for other countries
- Payment method
It took hours to finish those listings
...and guess what, 50% email come with a question "what is the cost of shipping to..."
Well, I actually got disappointed with these questions because it has been clearley stated on the description.
But if I make a nasty response, I might loose a potential buyer. By doing this my items are mostly sold high. That is my experience.
I once bought a broken ST1200 for $40 but the plan never happen and decided to re-sell it. Questions came as usual and I answered them as my selling standard. I sold it tripled the price and the buyer say "thank you".
So just act like a car salesman, i.e to be nice to everyone ask, no matter how silly is his/her question.
This car is wrong, because the 5th tire (spare tire) has different size & shape
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Winbert
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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted March 12, 2013 08:07 PM
No David isn't right,you can have the same bad experiences with people in your own shores as much as folks abroad.I have spent
a lot of money in less than twelve months on ebay,buying films
from the USA, France and Germany, the only foul up I had was
where someone made a genuine mistake by putting the wrong film in the wrong box, I accepted that, to my cost. I have not
had any bad film from abroad, but I have in the UK where I
received a film that had every fault under the sun, none of it
mentioned in the description,such as warp, red, a chunk missing from the start, no leaders, splices & torn sprockets.
In the past I LOST £2,000.00 to two unscrupulous people in
the USA, but that didn't colour my judgement of the Americans.
At the same time, I was ripped off by a chap called Watson, who
was a dealer for CEC, but that isn't to say all UK dealers are like
him.I buy quite happily from overseas, and the folks I buy from
seem quite happy to trade with me, their money is there within
minutes of the sale, and the films always turn up.
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Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1535
From: Long Beach, CA USA
Registered: Dec 2008
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posted March 13, 2013 12:54 AM
and don't forget it can go both ways, as I would say 75% of the films/projectors I buy are from oversees, and I have had oversees sellers keep telling me that my film is on its way and to wait a little longer only to find out they didn't send it, and the ebay time period for a claim has passed. Then they have actually re-listed the item for sale, and told me I should have filed a claim....There are good people and bad people, both local and oversees, it comes with the territory of collecting in general (whether films or other)...Personally I'd love to do all of my purchases in person at film fairs, but the money it would cost me in airfare would leave nothing left for films, so ebay is all there is left for some of us these days....
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"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"
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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted March 13, 2013 05:43 AM
Well not being online then,it wouldn't be me Lee, although the
staff at Derann were not always helpful.I remember on their sales
list "EL CID" & "FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE" being listed at the
time for about £250.00 each, so I duly rang to buy them on
"lay away over" three months, which I have done many times to
obtain prints,to be told "We can't do that,they're discounted now,you can't have it both ways." I was tempted to ring Derek
as I have his home number,but I thought to hell with it.Strangely,sometime later in conversation, Derek asked a question"Have any of my staff ever been rude to you?", which I
thought odd, but replied "No"
When I recounted the tale to the late Tony Churcher,he said
"If Derek Simmonds knew that a sale had been lost like that,
someone would've been sacked."
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