posted on October 19, 2003 03:59:29 PM new
I have noticed latley that items identical to items I own have been doing well-I figure if there are 15 bids on an item and only one person can buy it-there may be 14 others out there who might want it- So I post it- Almost exactly as the other post- but there are no bids-I have a feeling that there are partnerships that start the bidding very low and then possibly increase to the sellers min price so that he does not take a loss-when an item has a bid it sparks the buyers interest-It's done at live auctions even though it is illegal-
posted on October 19, 2003 04:02:10 PM new
Of course you do realise that 15 bids can also result from 2 people in a bidding war right?
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on October 19, 2003 04:32:20 PM new
I have a across the miles friend that bids on my items. She also buys jewelry from me when she comes to town. Since I get jewelry all the time I put it on and if she likes it she bids. Many time she ends up winning the bid but not because she is the only bidder but because she wants my product. I don't see anything wrong with this kind of bidding. When she comes for a visit I save my more expensive pieces as she has a tremendous vintage jewelry business anbd I can make more money that way and I don't have to pay the fees.
posted on October 19, 2003 04:55:32 PM new
Of course I realize it can be a bidding war-I usually check the bidding history-There is nothing wrong with a friend bidding on your item if they want to buy it-I just feel that there is SOME biding going on that is not quite right-it's OK as far as I am concerned- alls fair in love and war but I was just curious to know if anyone else had noticed it-
posted on October 19, 2003 06:23:14 PM new
it is a possibility but it could just be the old "bids" bring "bids" situation too.
if you see multiples of the same item, the first gets a bid and the others do not, chances are the first one will get more bids. Unfortunately the other items may end up with no bids.
posted on October 19, 2003 11:22:02 PM new
IMO, when two or more identical items are up at the same time, the two biggest reasons why one will sell while the others don't are:
1) lower starting bid
2) more reasonable shipping rates
I've often had my books sell over someone else's because I don't start the bidding sky high and I don't gouge over shipping. And when I buy on eBay I look for the same things--condition, etc. being equal, I'll go with the lower starting bid & reasonable shipping every time.
The third biggest thing is types of payment accepted. Personally, I hate PayPal due to their business practices and dropped it years ago--and I steer clear of auctions that only accept PayPal; I doubt I'm alone in this. On my own auctions, while someone occasionally grouses about my not accepting PayPal, 99.9% of my bidders don't even mention it & are happy with the options I give and pay promptly. Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on October 19, 2003 11:43:53 PM newOn my own auctions, while someone occasionally grouses about my not accepting PayPal, 99.9% of my bidders don't even mention it & are happy with the options I give and pay promptly.
It's difficult to determine the amount of possible lost sales with the 'no Paypal' sellers. For many buyers the lack of PP as a payment option may send them to a similar auction that does offer it. I personally think it hurts sellers with common auction goods but hardly effects sellers with uncommon action goods.
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posted on October 20, 2003 12:05:49 AM new
Maybe, but I got tired of being jerked around by PayPal. And when they do screw you, they can screw you big time--with never an apology & rarely changing their minds about what they've done. On top of that, I can do without one more thing taking a percentage of my earnings. Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on October 20, 2003 01:26:48 AM new
Clancy, when I am buying, if the bidding goes over what I want to pay for it, I might might move on to another auction for same item. However, then you have to wait another 7 days and possible more over bidding on that auction, too. Buying/Bidding is most always impulsive. I think.
And one or two bids begets more. Its almost like when youre in the supermarket or something and you see a bunch of people clamoring around say, the deli counter, you almost instinctively go over to see whats going on? Something on sale? Whats everybody interested in?
BUT, do I think shill bidding goes on?
Yep, most definately, and EBAY doesnt do squat about it. Its one of those 'things' they wont even put in the "What they dont tell you about Ebay, books", haha. I imagine after years of doing this, alot of people build up a "I scratch your back you scratch mine", kind of network.
posted on October 20, 2003 09:46:23 AM newOn top of that, I can do without one more thing taking a percentage of my earnings.
As you no doubt know, you don't have to pay fees using a PayPal Personal Account. You get the occasional dimbulb who doesn't get (despite having been told six times) that he can't pay with his debit or credit card, but I'll take a dimbulb over paying hundreds of dollars monthly in PayPal fees.
The vast majority of my buyers pay with PayPal now. It wasn't always that way.
Our motto: Bright and shiny baubles for persons with low impulse control.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Oct 20, 2003 09:46 AM ]
