View Full Version : The Ebay Thread!
Hi:
I think I'm going to finally take the plunge and purchase some things on Ebay. I was looking for the underpants I normally buy @ the Jockey store to the tune of $18 for 3 pairs and they've got them on Ebay (sold by Jockey) for $4 for 3 pairs! True, they're colored underpants and I hate colored but for that price, I can live with colored!
Also looking at a Thermos for 8 bucks! On Amazon the one I wanted was $23. True, I wanted the silver and this one is colored but for that price, I can live with colored!
Maybe you're detecting a pattern here.
Anyway, the only thing I've learned so far is that I had an account I wasn't even aware of and how to mark something as "watch."
I know nothing else about Ebay other than that if I purchase merchandise off the site, I will get ripped off. (I kid.)
Many of you (I'm sure) do a lot of buying and selling on Ebay. I'd love to start a thread where people share their tips and tricks for buying and selling and getting the best deal possible. (While I have no plans to sell at this point, I'm sure others would love the info.)
So what is the coolest thing you've learned about how to help yourself to a better deal on Ebay?
I've been buying on Ebay for years, but I seldom buy "new" stuff there. The value to me of Ebay is that it's an international marketplace for old, used, vintage, antique, interesting, stuff.
I don't go there to find stuff cheap, I go there to find stuff. Stuff that my local marketplace doesn't have.
Ok for instance here's the cool stuff I collected last spring: vintage saris form India. Truly, these are "antique" or vintage silk pieces and they are wonderful. I love fabric. I love silks, I love old silk,. You think I could ever find a collection of vintage saris in this cow town? ha ha, not. And they are not expensive, I got my small collection and satisfied my yen for $100.00.
Ebay was more fun when it was more people trying to dump their stuff and less retailers.
I have not done the auction thing in a long time - I've done pretty exclusively "buy it now"'s for a while. I just try to stick with people with a sizable amount of sales and good feedback.
I've bought and sold on eBay. Like creaker, I go the Buy It Now route more often than not, and like Iris Lily, I generally buy items I can't easily find locally. I've never been ripped off, but I'm careful to compare prices and seller ratings. The only advice I have is to check other sources as well, and to figure shipping costs into your decision.
I've had only one real sale on ebay: I sold my child and she went to live in Japan. She was a doll (um an inanimate object) , a Baby Dear One doll who had been living in a closet for something like 50 years. She is happy to be liberated form that existence.
The two previous posts are spot-on. I've bought stuff on eBay since it was AuctionWeb. It was much better when it was a worldwide garage sale and not the virtual storefront it is now. I also dislike how eBay has pretty much forced PayPal on everybody, but that's another topic. All that said, eBay is a good place to find stuff (and get it delivered to your door) that you won't be able to find in your town without expending a lot of time and shoe leather.
There are a number of Web sites out there which purport to tell you the best time to end auctions, how to take pictures, etc., etc., so I won't repeat that advice.
About the best advice I can offer is to buy with your eyes open. eBayers are notoriously optimistic. Lots of time, even significant damage on items "can be fixed easily" (yeah? Then why didn't you fix it so you don't have to sell damaged goods?) or "won't affect use". Many sellers claim "I'm not an expert in <category>" even though they've sold dozens/hundreds of such items over time. And the "technicians" that "go over" the items for sale, I suspect, have the mechanical ability of Venus de Milo. Be aware that you are only buying what's in the pictures and description. If it's not visible or mentioned, do not assume it's part of what you'll receive.
Not to say that eBay is a den of thieves. There are many good conscientous sellers, and, as eBay has progressed, it has become the returns/refurb depot for lots of companies whose products you might want to buy, at a considerable discount. You just have to be careful and ask any questions which occur to you.
fidgiegirl
8-4-12, 12:56pm
We got great deals last week on eBay, and we sell a number of used goods. In fact, I'm so happy someone started this thread, because I hadn't had a chance yet to gush on our latest sales - comic books that were on the free shelf at a garage sale, sold for over $150 total. Woohoo! But it's kind of like gambling - far and away, most of our items do NOT go this well. But when they do, man it's fun!
Interestingly, we tend to use the stuff for new purchases lately. I got an FM transmitter for my iPhone at a fraction of what was being charged other places, and free shipping. Also a knob for the car, also free shipping, and a USB drive for a digital photo frame - again, free shipping and best price anywhere. So I think it's worth it!
Buy It Now is a lot easier than bidding. You have to pay right then and there with PayPal. bunnys, do you have a PayPal account? It takes a few days to set up, if I remember right, but it's worth it to have one for convenience all over the web. It's pretty hard to do much on eBay without one.
Fidgie--no, I don't have a Paypal. I don't even really know what it is. But Steve just said that they "force" Paypal on you like it's something bad. Is it something bad? How are they actually "forcing" you to use it.
I had thought about "buy it now" for some boots I was looking at. Just don't want to pay too much for anything.
Also, saw some auctions that didn't have "buy it now" but just a few bids really really low. Do people just jump in with an attitude of "I'm not bothering" offer their fair bid and shut all the others down bc their bid is much higher than the bidding that's currently going on? I had thought of that for a few things because I just don't want to get into that nickle and dime bidding crap.
I don't think I'd buy many used items, actually. I'm really reluctant to buy anything used, sight unseen.
But those underpants and thermos (regardless of color) are a really good deal and new.
Great job w/ the comic books, btw.
If you don't need paypal very often can't you still use it by using your credit card instead of having it tied to your banking account?
I was anti paypal for years but ended up using it when I started selling on Etsy. I really like it now but I haven't had any problems with it. It's easy to transfer money to my checking accounts. Paypal also give you 45 days to make a claim if you have a problem with your purchase.
I have PayPal tied to a credit card. I like PayPal because it's the only way I would feel safe enough to do business with random internet strangers. I wouldn't be comfortable giving my credit card info to just anyone.
Fidgie--no, I don't have a Paypal. I don't even really know what it is. But Steve just said that they "force" Paypal on you like it's something bad. Is it something bad? How are they actually "forcing" you to use it.
PayPal is an electronic payment system (working kind of like a prepaid credit card) which eBay purchased and which is evolving, through eBay's will, to be the way anything is paid for on eBay (buying and selling). If you plan to buy anything on eBay, you almost certainly will need to get a PayPal account. PayPal will make every attempt to hook into your bank account as its source for funds. I don't like that. Used to be (maybe still is) that you could fund your purchases solely with a credit card, which I liked and which, IMHO, offered me more protection from some company with access to my bank account. I know some people have a bank account they use only for PayPal; I just find that to be too much administrivia. Me, I just change the funding source every.single.time. I use PayPal back to my credit card. Shenanigans.... PayPal also takes its cut if you're the seller, and eBay's ownership of it makes using competing payment systems somewhere between unlikely and never.
I had thought about "buy it now" for some boots I was looking at. Just don't want to pay too much for anything.
As Kelli pointed out, there are some new/refurb items which can be purchased for a fraction of their regular street price. Watch shipping and handling charges, though. Some sellers attempt to bump their profit with S&H that is surprisingly high in light of what is being sold (a $10 item with $7 S&H is a different deal than a $10 item).
Also, saw some auctions that didn't have "buy it now" but just a few bids really really low. Do people just jump in with an attitude of "I'm not bothering" offer their fair bid and shut all the others down bc their bid is much higher than the bidding that's currently going on? I had thought of that for a few things because I just don't want to get into that nickle and dime bidding crap.
eBay's bidding rules encourage making your first bid your final bid, and that's an acceptable way of bidding if you've figured out that Item X is not worth more than $20 to you (plus S&H). In my experience, that rarely will shut down bidding. Some people "snipe" their bids -- place bids in the last seconds (often using software on their phones or computers) so that the other bidders don't have time to counterbid. This attempts to avoids the nickel-and-dime crap though if several people are sniping an item, the bidding results can look like one of those bad days on Wall Street where the computers just feed off each other and the numbers go wild. The best way to save money on eBay (besides not bidding on anything you don't want) is to set your price and stay with it, especially if you have the time to try another auction and the item (or one like it) appears frequently.
ToomuchStuff
8-5-12, 5:31am
Paypal has a limit on accounts that are only setup with a credit card. The limit sounds like a lot, but it is cumulative so years of purchases add up. When you get to the 10K limit (they start warning you before), you MUST add a bank account (so don't make it your primary). If there are problems or they are hacked, etc, they can freeze or withdraw funds from the linked bank account. In January they made more changes which includes electronic statements (could be a problem if your moving, and don't know what ISP you will be using), and some other regs I didn't like. I signed up for Ebay in 95 and my brother said it would never last. I am not happy about the way it is going (trying to be an Amazon) or some of their business practices (see what they did with their share of Craigslist). I also know other countries have outlawed the Paypal only method, and while you can setup a Merchants account (or maybe use something like a square), you MUST accept Paypal,
I used to only use US postal money orders, and only once had an issue (they said they didn't receive it, but they had fired the guy the day he deposited it and he hadn't recorded it). Postal inspectors paid a visit with a copy and it was quickly sorted out.
I have been e-baying for over 10 years now. I used to have my own little shop there but ditched it when the shop fees were not cost effective for me. But I still list - things that mostly things that would have been in the shop. I had grown up always wanting my own little business but it never came about and so this tiny one has given me a chance to do something albeit on a very, very small scale.
I sell vintage accessories, scarves, hankies together with postcards and vintage sewing and knitting patterns. Things that are easy to pack as I was always worrying that the vintage glass and china would end up in bits somewhere.
I agree it can be something of a gamble and items sometimes only go for 99p but they are out of my house and giving pleasure to someone. On the other hand I have also had the thrill of items going for a lot more than I ever imagined and sometimes to celebrities!
I like to list about 10 items at a time - an enjoyable way to pass a wet afternoon - so that I can keep tabs on them. If I clear about £5 a week I am happy. When I started out I was listing items from clearing two houses, my late mother's and DH's late aunt. That netted enough to purchase this computer!
I like to have my PayPal account as it means fees etc are payed automatically and I can have an easy way to refund folk if it is ever needed. When the balance reaches a certain amount I transfer it into a savings account.
I do not purchase much from e-bay but have just bought an Aquascutum (high-end British tailoring) winter coat for less than £11. Second hand but I sent it straight to our friendly local dry-cleaners on their pensioners mid-week deal - another £6 - and I have a wonderful bargain. It is in excellent unworn condition.
I also look at the Want In Now feature before I list items other than my normal ones so that I can target then to a buyer who is actively looking.
Sorry so long I will end now and go and check what is selling today. I usually tailor my listings to end on a Sunday evening.
I've been buying on Ebay for years, but I seldom buy "new" stuff there. The value to me of Ebay is that it's an international marketplace for old, used, vintage, antique, interesting, stuff.
I don't go there to find stuff cheap, I go there to find stuff. Stuff that my local marketplace doesn't have.
Ok for instance here's the cool stuff I collected last spring: vintage saris form India. Truly, these are "antique" or vintage silk pieces and they are wonderful. I love fabric. I love silks, I love old silk,. You think I could ever find a collection of vintage saris in this cow town? ha ha, not. And they are not expensive, I got my small collection and satisfied my yen for $100.00.
Ditto, nearly word-for-word, except for the items. Vintage dishes here. Sooo, I find vintage sari's at the GW periodicall. In fact, one is being used as a curtain swag. I'd be glad to alert you to any finds!
eBay's bidding rules encourage making your first bid your final bid, and that's an acceptable way of bidding if you've figured out that Item X is not worth more than $20 to you (plus S&H). In my experience, that rarely will shut down bidding. Some people "snipe" their bids -- place bids in the last seconds (often using software on their phones or computers) so that the other bidders don't have time to counterbid. This attempts to avoids the nickel-and-dime crap though if several people are sniping an item, the bidding results can look like one of those bad days on Wall Street where the computers just feed off each other and the numbers go wild. The best way to save money on eBay (besides not bidding on anything you don't want) is to set your price and stay with it, especially if you have the time to try another auction and the item (or one like it) appears frequently.
So yes, let's say you see that perc you want. It's starting at .99, and there are no bids yet. You have decided you would like it, but only if you pay no more than $20 for it. So you can make your bid of $20, and it will show up as a bid of .99. No one knows, not the seller, not other buyers - no one but the computer - knows that your max bid is $20. If no one else bids, you get it for .99, even if you were willing to pay $20.
Let's say another buyer comes on the scene, though.
1. You enter your bid of $20. It shows up as .99.
2. Buyer #2 decides to bid $5. So the bid now jumps to $5.25, because your $20 was already sitting there. Buyer #2 still does not know you bid $20.
3. Buyer #2 can decide whether to enter another bid, or be done at $5 and walk away. Often Buyer #2 will continue to probe by bidding $1 more, $1 more, $1 more . . . this is where people get into trouble (including me in the past).
4. At the last minute, Buyer #3 may snipe using other software and put a bid of $50. Then the bidding will jump to $21 (higher than your highest) and Buyer #3 wins. We had multiple snipes in an auction we held recently (the comic books) and in the last 30 seconds the price went up almost $100. So we love this :)
This is just one way it could play out. But the nice thing is, if you put $20 right away and don't keep checking back and obsessing about the auction, it takes away the probing/gambling/nickel-and-diming feeling of eBay. You win it, or you don't, and never end up regretting what you pay.
A lot of people DO wait until later in the auction, sometimes in the last minute, to place bids if they really want it. But that just opens the door to all of what I already said :)
So I'd say if you see something you really want to bid on, and you know how much you're willing to bid, go for it!
Kelli, your explanation was much better than mine. Thanks!
That seems really weird. If the minimum bid is .99 and I'm willing to bid up to $20 and I bid $20 it will only show up as .99 and keep automatically bidding as others get in and bid in only .99 increments until the bidding surpasses $20 and then mine automatically stops bidding? Is it always .99 increments? How did the bidding go from .99 (my original bid) to 5.25 if the other guy bid $5? Why didn't his bid come in at .99? Why didn't it go to $5?
What if the bidding's already started and several are bidding and the price is 2.99 and I put in my $20 bid? Will my first bid make it go to 3.98? Is this automatic or is there something I have to do to make that happen?
I'm just kind of confused. It seems that if it's at 2.99 and I bid $20 it should just jump right on up to $20. What if two people put in the $20 bid limit? Who gets to bid that?
Sorry to ask you to go through all this explanation. Just let me ask you this. If I want the percolator and am willing to pay $20 for it, I can bid my $20 and then it will not make my $20 bid until it works its way up there, right? I can bid my $20 and just walk away and if the item sells for $20 or less, I got it, right?
This seems really convoluted and confusing.
Actually, I just reread your post and I think I understand.
But about Paypal. If I sign up for Paypal I can attach that to a credit card? Or must I attach it to a checking/savings account. And must I pay via Paypal or can I just pay with a credit card?
Thanks again.
That seems really weird. If the minimum bid is .99 and I'm willing to bid up to $20 and I bid $20 it will only show up as .99 and keep automatically bidding as others get in and bid in only .99 increments until the bidding surpasses $20 and then mine automatically stops bidding? Is it always .99 increments? How did the bidding go from .99 (my original bid) to 5.25 if the other guy bid $5? Why didn't his bid come in at .99? Why didn't it go to $5?
You are correct, that part WAS confusing. I don't remember exactly, but when the total bid is at less than $5, the increments are $.25. Then as the bid amount goes up, the increments start to get bigger. Here's a chart. (http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/bid-increments.html)
What if the bidding's already started and several are bidding and the price is 2.99 and I put in my $20 bid? Will my first bid make it go to 3.98? Is this automatic or is there something I have to do to make that happen?
Well, it might not make it go EXACTLY to $3.98 (reference the increments chart). But you have the right idea. But if previous bidders had already bid, say, $19, it could jump right to your $20. Other eBayers - right?
I'm just kind of confused. It seems that if it's at 2.99 and I bid $20 it should just jump right on up to $20. What if two people put in the $20 bid limit? Who gets to bid that?
If two people bid the same amount, the first to place the bid wins. The second bidder will have to put in a higher bid.
Sorry to ask you to go through all this explanation. Just let me ask you this. If I want the percolator and am willing to pay $20 for it, I can bid my $20 and then it will not make my $20 bid until it works its way up there, right? I can bid my $20 and just walk away and if the item sells for $20 or less, I got it, right?
You are correct :)
But about Paypal. If I sign up for Paypal I can attach that to a credit card? Or must I attach it to a checking/savings account. And must I pay via Paypal or can I just pay with a credit card?
This one I will leave to the PayPal experts, because mine has been attached to my checking for a long time. But it also has a credit card attached! I've had no problems.
I have only seen one person EVER use another electronic payment system other than PayPal. It's pretty much the currency of eBay. Although some sellers will still accept money orders. You'd have to ask up front.
Interesting to think about all there is to know about eBay. It's like its own little culture :) As a buyer, you pretty much can't go wrong (as a seller, you can). You're pretty well protected as the buyer.
Keep askin' . . .
What if the bidding's already started and several are bidding and the price is 2.99 and I put in my $20 bid? Will my first bid make it go to 3.98? Is this automatic or is there something I have to do to make that happen?
Well, it might not make it go EXACTLY to $3.98 (reference the increments chart). But you have the right idea. But if previous bidders had already bid, say, $19, it could jump right to your $20. Other eBayers - right?
Right. In this example, at the moment you put in your $20 bid, it would jump the price to whatever the next incremental bid (let's say 50 cents regardless of what the chart says). Let's say bidding was at 2.99; your bid would jump the currently-bid amount to 3.49. HOWEVER, let's say another bidder bid their top amount of $15 before you bid your $20. In this case, your bid would be bettered by the other bidder's by the bid increment. The currently-bid amount would bump to 3.99 on the other bidder's activity. Then your bid would push his/her bid up again and vice-versa, all the way to 14.99. At that point, the other bidder is out -- he/she wouldn't pay more than $15. So the currently-bid amount would jump to 15.49 on your bid and would hold until someone bid more or the auction ended. The other bidder would get an email/text advising them that they had been outbid (you'd get one, too, if your bid was high for a while and then superceded). And so it goes.
Ok, so what I'm getting here is either "buy it now" or set the amount I think I would be willing to pay and then walk away and let the chips fall where they may and don't worry about it.
As far as Paypal I'm getting that you pay via credit card or checking account through Paypal but most people haven't had an issue with it.
Also, as a purchaser I'm probably safe but if I were to sell it's more likely I'd run into problems.
Thanks for the info. I think I could probably try this. I've always been reluctant because of the hassle of bidding (I'm not interested in those kinds or games) and bc I thought I'd be ripped off if I gave them my banking info.
Ok, so what I'm getting here is either "buy it now" or set the amount I think I would be willing to pay and then walk away and let the chips fall where they may and don't worry about it.
That's exactly right. :)
Also, as a purchaser I'm probably safe but if I were to sell it's more likely I'd run into problems.
I'd say this is largely correct. I've seen this argument go both ways; there may be more official protections for buyers, but when you've purchased and received something which isn't quite what you expected, the hassle of returning it (if the seller even allows that) negates a lot of the rules slanted toward buyers.
But that's not to scare you away. Take whatever steps you feel comfortable taking. It's like visiting a big city -- keep your wits about you and you may see some wondrous things.
I've purchased probably 200 things and have never had a deal go bad. But I buy low end things and only risk money I can afford to lose. Twice I had to prod a seller to send the item.
I've had things broken in transit, though. Once there was a vase broken when I took it out of the box. I was never completely sure if *I* broke it pulling it out of its wrapping, and because it was professionally and competently wrapped, I didn't report it to the seller. I just tossed it (didn't want to hassle fixing it.) That transaction was sad, I really liked this vase.
Another time I had 2 out of 12 glass knife rests damaged in transit. They were poorly wrapped. I didn't ask for money back but I sent private message to the seller telling him that they arrived with 2 broken. I thought that he should know his wrapping technique was poor.
Most sellers work hard to make sure you are happy.
Ok, here's my Ebay return and report.
Got my Paypal acct and attached it to my debit card.
Purchased the colored underpants to the tune of 11.97--DELIVERED! Normally, these 9 pairs would have been over $50. (They also would have been white, but I'm not going to focus on the negative, here.)
Also bought a pair of black dress boots for cheap--Less than $30. delivered. I wanted a pair last year but didn't want to spend a bunch of money on them as I'm not in love w/ boots but they are very stylish and I thought they'd dress up a lot of outfits this fall/winter.
Put in a bid for a very expensive bra (normally, $35+ @ Dillards) for $5. But the bid didn't show up as .99 like the others said. It showed up as $5. (my limit for this bra--as this is my first attempt @ bidding.) I don't get it? Am I doing it wrong.
Didn't by the coffee percolator yet. Going to try and figure out why my bid came in at the limit instead of .99 before I start bidding on the percolator. Also, didn't buy the colored Thermos. Will wait until I actually receive some of these other purchases. Those Thermos' aren't going anywhere.
So anyone care to guess what happened with my bid for the bra?
Ok, here's my Ebay return and report.
Put in a bid for a very expensive bra (normally, $35+ @ Dillards) for $5. But the bid didn't show up as .99 like the others said. It showed up as $5. (my limit for this bra--as this is my first attempt @ bidding.) I don't get it? Am I doing it wrong.
Was the starting price .99, and were there any previous bids?
I was the first bid. I don't believe there was a starting price.
The seller came back in an email and made a counter offer. Huh? I thought this was an auction. There was no initial offer and when I checked on the "1 bid" link it showed my entire $5 bid and my name? I thought this was going to be anonymous. Did the seller get to see that top amount?
Ah!! I bet you did a "best offer"! Will you post link to auction?
Best offer is more like your traditional classified ad/haggling situation.
Let me know ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Modern-Movement-White-T-Shirt-Bra-58909-34DD-Underwire-NWT-Y12BM248-/190650919129?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3 D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D1192364057104517735%26pid%3 D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26
Fidgie: I knew you'd know what was going on.
I don't want to haggle. I want to do the bidding thing w/o actually following it. Can I do that on this bra?
You can buy it now for the price offered,pay for it, and it will be shipped. Or, you can make a lower price offer and haggle.
It is not set up for an auction.
I have bought a handful of lower priced items on eBay and never had a problem. I got a really cool collection of vintage jello molds for el cheapo. There is a lot of junk on eBay that is misadvertised as being in better condition than it actually is. I've had some minor problems with this on mid-priced items, say over $50.
There are sniping services that will place a bid for you in the last few seconds of the auction without you having to be at the computer at the very end of the auction. I got three free snipes as a trial and it worked like a charm. I'd signup for a sniping subscription if I bought more things there.
sweetana is right. You can either pay their price or make an offer, which is what you did when you thought you were making a bid. Easy error to make. I am not personally a fan of the "best offer" feature at all. Muddies the waters too much.
Take this listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Womens-Calvin-Klein-bra-32A-purple-padded-molded-1-CENT-FREE-SHIPPING-/200804422294?pt=US_CSA_WC_Intimates&hash=item2ec0e05296
Where it says "place bid" is how you know if it's an auction style. If it's "make offer" then it's the best offer thing. And if it says "buy it now," well, that's straight out paying the price they are asking, like you already did.
I commend you on figuring out eBay, for the most part! You were against it at first, but started this thread, tried it, had a blip but for the most part have had success. And you weren't even out your $5 :)
Thanks Kelli and Sweetana too.
I went back and looked at some similar bras and saw the bidding and the best offer and kind of saw what you meant based on your earlier comments.
I don't think I'm going to do the "best offer" with this item as I haven't even tried it on. I've bought this brand before and LOVE them but never worn this style and as every style fits differently...
Plus, it's not like it's the last bra in the world.
I am going to check out my incoming haul and see how those items are before I move on to more items. I think some nice things can be bought really cheaply.
Plus, I have a 50 year old Bernina sewing machine that needs a new bobbin and they have them on Ebay! Can you imagine? I might be able to get that baby going after all. Then I can try and make my own reusable toilet paper!
Plus, I have a 50 year old Bernina sewing machine that needs a new bobbin and they have them on Ebay! Can you imagine? I might be able to get that baby going after all. Then I can try and make my own reusable toilet paper!
:laff:
Love your enthusiasm for the toilet paper, bunnys!
mschrisgo2
8-10-12, 9:43pm
I check eBay when I know exactly what I want, and the regular retail seems too high. For instance, I really wanted a good pair of thinning shears- I groom my cockers myself and have saved Thousands of $$. But I only have 1 dog now, so I couldn't justify the retail price-- of $119.99!! Over about 6 weeks I checked eBay periodically. One day a pair showed up, but the pictures were poor quality and so was the description. I looked at the seller's other auctions,, lots of miscellenous stuff. But I decided to take a chance and bid $10.01. Then I got busy and pretty much forgot about it. Surprise, I won! The next closest bid was $10.00, so I won by that one penny!! But I got my shears for $12.51, including shipping, which is $7 less than retail on the crummy ones at the local pet supply store.
I also bought a power cord- $2.99 - for a great HP printer that a co-worker gave away. Like someone else said on this thread, it's great for things that are hard to find. So, that's how I use eBay these days.
fidgiegirl
8-10-12, 10:56pm
I check eBay when I know exactly what I want, and the regular retail seems too high. For instance, I really wanted a good pair of thinning shears- I groom my cockers myself and have saved Thousands of $$. But I only have 1 dog now, so I couldn't justify the retail price-- of $119.99!! Over about 6 weeks I checked eBay periodically. One day a pair showed up, but the pictures were poor quality and so was the description. I looked at the seller's other auctions,, lots of miscellenous stuff. But I decided to take a chance and bid $10.01. Then I got busy and pretty much forgot about it. Surprise, I won! The next closest bid was $10.00, so I won by that one penny!! But I got my shears for $12.51, including shipping, which is $7 less than retail on the crummy ones at the local pet supply store.
Thanks for the reminder of this super strategy - if everyone is likely to bid a nice round number, tack on a few random cents, and win it!
fidgiegirl
8-10-12, 10:57pm
For instance, I really wanted a good pair of thinning shears- I groom my cockers myself and have saved Thousands of $$.
I want to learn how to groom dogs! Major thread hijack! Will start a new thread on it at some point :)
iris lily
8-10-12, 11:15pm
I know about the old bobbins! I've got a 50 year old Singer Featherweight and I bought several bobbins on ebay. I thought that I was brilliant to do that.:D
Hmmm. I have Featherweights, too. (Not like I actually sew.) But they're such nice, simple, elegant, reliable machines.
I learned on a Featherweight and currently have 4. My best friend has the one (and still uses it) that she learned to sew on 55 years ago. A lot of women take them to class since they are almost impossible to damage and only 11 pounds.
You can get the manual and all the service books for free download on the internet. Parts are also available now. 20 years ago we could not get belts or such but they now make good replacements.
rodeosweetheart
8-11-12, 8:45am
I love my Featherweight. It is the machine my mom bought me used, 42 years ago, for home ec class. It has traveled with me everywhere since then, in a cool box my dad made for it.
Iris Lily, I was visiting my parents the other day and found a bobbin in a dresser drawer. I was ecstatic!!
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