Serious collectors only

[Bill Phelps]

Sorry...I don’t buy the argument that if some one bids on something and can’t afford it it’s eBays fault. If someone is bidding on something then it is their responsibility to buy it. That’s not eBays fault.

[Mark Todd]

Hi Bill not ebays Fault as such, but it is thier want.

And people do pay more for things than they should, or than they are worth.

Also ebay do play it with how they jab in with messgaes etc, its clever and it works and they actively encourage over inflation by how they go on.

A chap from the USA once bought something on ebay from me and messaged to say could I hold on for a few days for the cash please.

2 weeks later he messaged to say he was sorry he just could not afford it, not expensive but UK to USA post too.

I think he got a real shock by how relieved he seemed when I just replied no worries at all, and its only film etc etc and I was not angry or quoting you bought it you must pay for it and so on heavy weather ebay wise.

It is a funny one with ebay, in some ways its keeping film alive, in other ways its keeping it way up in the age range because of the prices that will finish it earlier.

But I can`t feel comfortable with the people on ebay who are very obviously trying to catch people with daft well inflated prices.

It feels a bit unkind. Thats how it appears to me.

Best Mark.

[Osi Osgood]

I have to slightly correct you, Mark, no one, not even eBay, can "make" anyone bid. I have, however, ran into some sellers (ones that I have personally spoken to), that will have an alternate account thru which they will bid up they're own auctions, to instill a potential bidding frenzy. If they would bid they're own items too high, then they send the highest bidder a "second chance" offer, but I wouldn't be surprised if that backfires from time to time.

[William Ferry]

I have to slightly correct you, Mark, no one, not even eBay, can "make" anyone bid. I have, however, ran into some sellers (ones that I have personally spoken to), that will have an alternate account thru which they will bid up they're own auctions, to instill a potential bidding frenzy. If they would bid they're own items too high, then they send the highest bidder a "second chance" offer, but I wouldn't be surprised if that backfires from time to time.

I watched a good video on YouTube about this. If you find yourself in a bidding war (as has happened to me on occasion), check the bids, and click on the bidder's ID. You can see how often the bidder has bought from this seller and how many bids have been submitted on how many items. An inordinately high percentage total in a short time is sometimes a tipoff.

I generally bid as soon as something is listed, in good faith, with a "decent" max bid (based on the most I'm willing to pay, in my opinion, of course). Sometimes that works, sometimes someone jumps in out of who knows where during the last 60 seconds, but that's life, I guess.

[Mark Todd]

Hi Osi and Will I recently again bid on something for it immediately to be bid up but I only put the opening bid.

For that new bid to then be quickly retracted, so very likely a shill.

Happened a few times over the years. I don`t think its too bad if it gets the item just past its fair price.

But I still think ebay really do work it themselves.

At the same time its also a truly super place to find that litttle type thing or part or screw etc etc for an appliance or old item you simply can`t get any where else.

Best wishes Mark.

[Steve Klare]

I usually bid with a sincere maximum: If anybody else is willing to pay more than that, I won't stand in their way.

A couple of months ago somebody exceeded my maximum and then retracted the bid after a day or so. What was bad was as a result, anybody who was paying attention now knew what my maximum was and I was vulnerable to getting sniped. I let it ride anyway and got the film: good thing too, it was well worth it!

[Gary Sayers]

That's the same when sellers set a reserve. Someone just keeps bidding to find out what the reserve price is and then retracts their bid if they don't like it. Setting a reserve is a pointless waste of money. Just put the starting price at the lowest you are prepared to accept and then leave it at that.

[William Ferry]

I echo Steve and Gary's points. That's the right way to do it.

[Ozzie Williams]

Hello Melvin...

I sell articles that I am not really familiar with. But to describe them in the worst possible scenario to avoid any future complications is just not doing oneself any justice. I have always been up front in my descriptions of articles. I have always found that truth and honesty is absolutely the best policy. The general public is well and truly fed up with B.S. !

I don't agree that being very cautious in a description, and making sure one does not over sell an item is not being honest given that there is a subjective element here. If people cannot agree on what "good" condition is...then I will protect myself by describing stuff as poorer than I imagine some think it is.

To elaborate on your example of selling pottery, I recently have sold a large quantity of Royal Doulton and Royal Copenhagen plates and figurines. Most were in "as new" condition, so they were advertised as such. The odd one had a firing blemish on it or some other mark. These mistakes were pointed out and the condition was down graded to "very good" condition. I never received a single complaint. Pottery was not my area of expertise but I got through it.

There is a difference between film and pottery. We can all agree on what a chip is...it can be shown in one picture. It can be measured. What it means is generally agreed upon. Not with film. Film exists in 4 dimensions. It must be in "good condition" across the whole time it plays in terms of both sound and visuals. It is an altogether different and far more complex thing to describe. Indeed, for many it is simply not practical to watch a 2 hour film and count the splices so that its description is beyond criticism. For a person with a £40.00 feature film but no projector it may not be possible to offer all that a buyer would like in terms of description however much we may wish this. Just don't bid or buy in this case. A seller has no less right than the buyer to set the terms of a sale...which work for them.

There are two ways to tackle the selling problem. The first, which is frowned upon, rightly so, by many members of this forum are the listings which say "not tested." They should be. However, even with this bare minimum, the very least one must do is to check if it has its own leaders, get a magnifying glass to examine the first few frames to spot for scratching and colour fade, and whether it smells or not. These, at least, should be mentioned. I personally would never sell a smelly or fungus ridden film.

I happen to agree...and what a relief to find that I have falling in line with what you assert as the correct view of many members of this forum. However, if a seller has chosen to ignore your best advice, it is still the responsibility of the buyer to decide the value of the item for sale, and if the risk is high, they should not bid or pay very much. That is just common sense. A sensible person does not buy big on a poor prospectus...even if the description "should" be better!

The second way, and in my eyes the correct way, is to run the film through a projector,

Well, it may be desirable...but it is not practical to expect this in all situations or from all ebayers. Many will not have the facilities you describe, and as could be demonstrated, we do not all agree on what measures and detail are needed to "accurately" define the condition of film. It is for the buyer to decide the price based on the description (or lack of it). If it misleading that is of course wrong...but if it is inadequate you can do no more than buy low and hope you get lucky.

I am sure there will be other checks I could make that forum members would point out (running times etc).

As a newby, I take note of what you say regarding what forum members may think...and as an aside many have been very pleased with the deals I have sold to them on ebay without complaint, having discovered to thier suprise how much better the film was than they thought compared with their expectations! And I slept better at night because of this.

[Melvin England]

Ozzie - You bring up some very credible points in your above remarks.

I think the one point I must stress is that I DON'T think that UNDER describing, as you have admitted doing, is dishonest. Not in the least. As you say, you have sold many under described film that the buyers have received and been extra pleasantly surprised with the real condition of them. That is good on your behalf. You build yourself a good reputation. My main comment is not to under describe them too much and deprive yourself of a possible higher price a film may have achieved with a slightly better description. In a nut shell.... Don't short change yourself.

I think it is fair to say that at the end of the day, we are both singing from the same hymn sheet....singing the same hymn..... just different verses !

.

[Osi Osgood]

Great posts on this series, very well thought out. Though it does not deal with eBay, I thought I'd add one other little thing. If you contact a fellow collector and say, "Hey, if you take it off eBay and sell it to me directly", by all means, actually buy the item. Unfortunately, I have ran into quite a few folks, mostly overseas, who l will have to go to the post office to get a shipping quote, I get they're quotes, more than one, and they'll decide they don't want to purchase it. In fact, if the person says, "I'll buy it as long as the shipping isn't too much", is speak for, "I'm backing out of the sale." I cannot speak for anyone else, but Everytime I run into this, I place them on a list on the wall entitled "Never sell to", so, to advise, if you say you want to buy something, buy it, otherwise, perhaps the person, not necessarily myself, will have something you truly, really have wanted for years, but the person won't sell it to you because of being screwed in the past.

[Dave Groves]

Hope you haven't overlooked the free postage!! That's quite a saving surely!!