Morning eBay rant

[wjlapier]

Nippon Kogaku from estate sellers sometimes provides some interesting results. Especially for RFer seekers.

 

[sojournerphoto]

You don't have to go all the way to ebay, it is enough to look at the classifieds here with more than half stuff priced more then at ebay 😀

But buyers always want to pay too little. We've become addicted to 'bargains' and feel cheated paying a fair price. Likewise, sellers feel pleased if they manage to gouge some buyer for more than they think an item is worth.

Capitalism rules eh.

 

[bmattock]

Why is it that for anything I want on eBay, there are plenty of overpriced Buy-it-now posts, a decent number of auctions with ridiculous starting prices, and precious few to zero true auctions.

it seems obvious that sellers have been using eBay to advertise goods and
not really interested in market clearing prices. More professional sellers now than garage sale types - at least with respect to photo stuff

I just got this in the mail today:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111976320376?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Listed as a Pentax Auto 110, but the photos were of a Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135mm f/4 in Contax rangefinder mount. I would have been happy either way, so I bid.

It's the Contax lens. And it's immaculate. $9.99 plus shipping. The only complaint I have is that the seller sent it to me well-packed, but wrapped in a nasty old sweat sock. Ick. I'm over it, though.

 

[colyn]

Two things I have noticed when trying to buy on eBay is someone will check current (high priced items) and decide theirs is as valuable or more and price accordingly. And others do not know the proper way to price items. They think broken items are as valuable or more so than working items. Even camera stores on eBay have gone this route.

I once almost bought a BIN camera that was reasonably priced but then I saw the $96 shipping charge. When I contacted the seller he stated the price was in fact correct.. Over 2 years later that camera is still being relisted when it closes without selling..

 

[splitimageview]

there are lots of bargains and lots of unbargains. Kinda like the offline world, come to think of it. 🙂

 

[johnnyrod]

It is a bit of a laugh what things get advertised for. I have a few 1960s Zeiss fixed-lens 35mm RFs, they are worth around 10-30GBP or so each as a realistic value. There are the same models on there e.g. Contessamat SBE, listed for anything up to £125 or more. Sure they just sit there and no-one buys them, I don't understand the point though. Maybe they are indeed trying to raise the expected prices as not so many people think to consult the actual sold prices, which are always the real values.

I've had more success on Gumtree with bargains, more people selling stuff when they have no idea what it is. Had the odd success on ebay but been outbid plenty of times on things I was going to take a chance on. Yes bargain hunting is addictive but you have to be ready to pay up or sit back!