first, let me say i do a modest amout of ebay buying and selling. i find it to be a convenient tool. and don't particularly have a problem with the company itself. call me crazy but generally i find the prices fair, i think somethings worth ONLY what someone else is WILLING to pay(also cuts through the BS). geting to the problem.. in my wheeling and dealing im incressingly hearing "that'll bring a lot on ebay". this from people who DON'T even have a computer. they've heard of ebay, but they have no idea what it bings on ebay. just... "alot". and because it brings "alot" there not going to counter-offer me. even if im ofering market value. they seem to think of ebay as a magic box that turns shit in to gold. not unlike alchemy of yore. its not ebayers or non-ebayers it's people who know just enough.. to be dangerous.
No different than all the old people with 4 door Dodge Darts asking the same price as a 2 dr Hemi car because someone else at bingo night told them it's a valuable antique ..... WWS
I'm a firm believer in standardization. That's not to say that I like monopolies, but the point is that when there's one central meeting place that a very wide-ranging segment of the population go to in order to buy or sell parts, or to exchange information as we do here, that's a good thing. I've won more than 300 auctions on eBayMotors, and you can be sure that I'm glad that it exists. There are something like a million new auctions appearing on eBay every day. Yes, we're all jealous that we didn't come up with the idea first and create something so popular. But when all is said and done, to hear someone blaming eBay yet again (for something that in no way is eBay's fault) because they can't or don't want to compete with so many others in order to buy something (which in many cases they never would have found had it not been for a central meeting place with so many auctions from so many people in so many places), it seems like you might as well also be angry at radio, television, and the Internet. I meant no disrespect to you in saying this, but many of us would like to see more tech and fewer rants, please. Thanks. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
good points there roadsters, e-bay allows people worldwide to access stuff, i've bought things from the USA through e-bay at good prices. it's the same old story, supply & demand sets prices.
you've missed the point completely... did you not read the prologue? this is about not bashing ebay. but dumb people who know of the existence of ebay, but nothing of the workings. today me and a budy go to a old motorcycle junkyard. between us we got 2 grand and a empty truck, ready to pick up some triumph projects. ive got bikes from this guy before, ok deals. so starting off i offer him $100 for a triumph frame w/ no paint, all rust, haft buried in the sand. and all i heard after that was ebay, ebay ,ebay. from a dam illiterate! no counter-offer just no-sale
[ QUOTE ] Couln't have put the Merc together without E-Bay.........OLDBEET [/ QUOTE ] me too. but i get your point, there's and old salvage yard here thats been in buisiness since the 50's. he has lots of old stuff. 3 years ago a guy could go there and get what you wanted for a very resonable price. now when you go there every other word out of his mouth is e-bay. his prices have atleast tripled. you make an offer and the answer is "naw, i can get $$$$$ on ebay"
[ QUOTE ] Whats E-bay? Are there ships there? [/ QUOTE ] yes that junk yard guy works the docks on egay bay.
[ QUOTE ] First, let me say I do a modest amount of ebay buying and selling. I find it to be a convenient tool. and don't particularly have a problem with the company itself. Call me crazy but generally I find the pices fair. I think something's worth ONLY what someone else is WILLING to pay (also cuts through the BS). [/ QUOTE ] Yes, I read it earlier. We agree completely. [ QUOTE ] Getting to the problem: In my wheeling and dealing I'm incressingly hearing "that'll bring a lot on ebay". This from people who DON'T even have a computer. They've heard of ebay, but they have no idea what it brings on ebay. Just "a lot". and because it brings "a lot" they're not going to counter-offer me. even if I'm offering market value. They seem to think of ebay as a magic box that turns shit into gold, not unlike alchemy of yore. It's not ebayers or non-ebayers, it's people who know just enough to be dangerous. [/ QUOTE ] By now, a great many of us have encountered that. And when I do, I just might be inclined to tell the seller to go ahead and put it on eBay, and walk away with my money in my pocket, and go on eBay and find several auctions for stuff that's a lot neater. As you know, there are lots more rusty Triumph frames out there. To me, your point that someone needs to be online in order to discuss what something might or might not sell for on eBay is no more valid than saying that only females are entitled to have opinions about abortion laws. But I certainly understand the way the greed factor has polluted the world of antique cars and motorcycles, and the role that eBay has played in making it possible for millions of buyers and sellers to congregate in one central meeting place. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
I get that crap all the time at swap meets. My response is "Why the hell aren't you on Ebay then instead of sitting out here in the Sun/rain (pick one) dangling your carrots in front of people who could give a shit less what it will bring on Ebay". BTW, I use Ebay when I'm looking for someting that I can't get anywhere else. Frank
what im saying is; ebay, good. ignorance, bad. greed, bad. being a jerk when someone is tring to overpay for your junk, dumb.
ha, you should try being a SELLER on ebay! you think you got gripes as a buyer... you gotta have a half assed witty comeback when they drop the ebay bomb..." i got fitty dollars cash RIGHT NOW, you wanna take your chances and wait a couple of weeks to do the deal on ebay or make some money NOW?" or " yeah, and i could be jacking off to internet porn right now, but instead i'm getting screwed by YOU" you gotta learn to sell DUMB CRAP on ebay, and use the proceeds from that to buy rare overpriced parts...
If I see something at a swapmeet that I am interested in, chances are I already have seen something similar on Ebay. So if a seller gives me his " I can get a half a million dollars for that". I can tell him, No you won't, that part sold for so much two weeks ago. Just make sure its true, he might be watching Ebay too. I have had some succes with that...
Last fall when I was trying to make a deal on my (now departed) 45, the lady said...I can get five thousand for it on ebay...she doesn't have a computer...(a good computer would be worth more than her house). I replied...I'm here...WITH CASH...RIGHT NOW....her son replied CASH???....yup.....he delivered the bike to my house for a very good price. It's all in the approach...just as it always has been....overcome the obstacles.
It's kind of like the Barret Classic car auction on TV. After it was broadcast all I heard was " did you see what that 57 sold for ?" I could get mine painted and some new wheels and tires and it would bring 55 grand. But wait yours is a 4 door with the wrong engine and rust all over . Oh and by the way ,painting the rust with primer doesn't let you advertise it as partially restored! You can't reason with Stupidity!
I love those Quizno's guys. Ebay is a last ditch effort for me. I like to try to get things locally if possible. But Ebay isthe deal if I'm at my last string. I hate having to watch auctions like a virgin in a strip joint.
eBay saved my ass last year when I got laid off... I have sold more than $50K of shit on eBay.. I LOVE IT! where else can I sell a pair of 5 year old wore out Addidas shelltoe shoes for $50 to a guy in Japan
Ebay is a magic box that can turn shit into gold. You just have to know how to promote and use words and pictures. People are addicted to purchasing things off it. They think they are getting a deal, but they are paying over retail for a used item 60% of the time. I sold a set of $125 animation statues for $650 last week. How? Good pictures and descriptions. They cost $125 retail. It DOES turn shit into gold. Try doing your entire garage sale on ebay. You'll get $20,000 instead of $2000 guaranteed. -Dane
Go back to the junkyard next week and ask the guy what he got for the frame on Ebay--that might just jog his brain cell into noticing the schism between his realities and fantasies..What? You didn't even put it on there?
[ QUOTE ] It's kind of like the Barret Classic car auction on TV. After it was broadcast all I heard was " did you see what that 57 sold for ?" I could get mine painted and some new wheels and tires and it would bring 55 grand. But wait yours is a 4 door with the wrong engine and rust all over . Oh and by the way ,painting the rust with primer doesn't let you advertise it as partially restored! You can't reason with Stupidity! [/ QUOTE ] i know this is differant subject. but that damn show is killing us. you can't buy a 76 dodge aspen 4 door around here for less than $28,500.
[ QUOTE ] I love those Quizno's guys. [/ QUOTE ] Those aren't the "Quizno's guys". Go here if you wanna know the scoop on them and ya like em so much, it's pretty cool. www.rathergood.com Back to topic, all really good points. But as builders, admirers, etc ya gotta take the good with the bad. Although it is very frustrating trying to buy any kind of parts that nobody would pick up off the side of the road ten yrs ago and now some jerk off dont know dick all telling you it's diamond imbedded once you get the inch of grease off the 2" of rust fer $900 sucks. But I gotta go with Bruce on his remark. Go back over there, if were not setting the standard and just buckle under he will continue to believe his delerium. Ask him when the hell it goes on ebay so you can bid on it. When you win(if he gets off his ass) it for $1.99 go over there with 4 rolls of pennies and pick up yer prize.
Seems like I always have something to seel and have sold my share on ebay as well. Sometimes I either get to much stuff or drag something out to the swapmeet for a quick buck and when I do, I consider myself a "wholesaler". I could surely make going rate on ebay, but with that comes the time you post it, exchanging money, shipping, blah. If someone wants to buy something from me a mark it up fine, it might be worth a little headache for em'
The Jalopy Journal
