AA for ebay

[Budliner]

O boy I paid too much
almost $30
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3187198288&category=19131&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1
but its atlas Operating pantographs - Die-cast chassis - Dual flywheels - Accumate® couplers - Operating head lights and marker lights which are directional - Full cab interior with painted crew members - Separately-applied wire grab irons - Astounding roof detail - Accurate painting and lettering
Ken-

[Budliner]

beeeep beeeeep This is a test of the emergency motiv power
this is only a test
now back to the reg scheduled thred......

B -

[Anonymous]

One thing to keep in mind when you are bidding on an item is Shipping and Handling charges.

Nothing is worse than winning an item for a few bucks under retail price, only to find that after an $8 shipping fee it would have just been cheaper to buy it new at the hobby shop.

Make sure all extra charges are clear (and sound fair to you) before you bid on an item.

[StillGrande]

Another good way to find deals is to use the wildcard * when searching for items. I am amazed at the number of sellers who cannot spell. I got 150 intermodal containers (walthers) for $20 because the seller spelled it "contaners". To use the wildcard, you would search cont*. You get a return on anything with the first four letters matching. Ebay requires at least 2 letters with a wildcard. Sometimes you can get lucky! It has worked for me. (this works with most internet search engines too).

Also, think of ways other people who do not know what an item is describe an item. You will be amazed at the title of some of the stuff.

Sure, you can plow through the entire model railroad listing hoping to spot stuff, but you will probably miss more than you hit. The trick is to turn knowledge into trains.

[Anonymous]

Some of the items I won were good prices, What I do now is look for items I want and decide the maximuim I want to pay for these items. Wait until 2 minutes before closing. I set up the first item (Of 2 by the same seller) in one window and the second item the same way in the other window.

The result is that sometimes I will not win the first item despite submitting maximum proxy at 40 seconds to go causing the other bidders to find my max big and bid 3 cents over. Need to cut it down to about 20 seconds no less (It takes 11 for system to process bid)

While the fight was on for the first item I quitely submit the bid for the second item. By the time (Usually the same bidders want the 2nd item too) they get over their fever and realize a victory then remember the other item I have won it.

Another thing I like to do is watch a desired item (that includes a buy it now) and if there is no bid no problem, Ill bid and win. If someone did bid I am notified and I buy it out from under the person. I have made bids on items and had others bought it out the first day.. lesson learned.

If there is a real hot war going on decide your max price using references such as internet shopping, blue book, brown book (For brass) etc and find the market rate. Bid what you feel the item is worth at the last 20 seconds. Some one will win it it may or may not be you.

Important thing is to set a limit, bit it at once (You probably will win it for less) and do it within 20 seconds of auction close. IF you dont win fine, this item probably will be relisted somewhere else.

For example the USRA 2-10-2 from Riverossi, I lost a bidding war on that one (I did have a limit) and 2 weeks later fouind the same engines 5-8 of these all over ebay for 30 here 80 there etc.

One more thing... I did have a unexpected email offer to sell to me a 2-10-2 by a person who apparently went thru the bid history and thought I may still be interested.. Dont reply to these kinds of emails, items on ebay should be sold thru ebay not behind cover of darkness.

[jfugate]

To win a second-price auction (like ebay) at a great price and *NOT* fuel a bidding war, you need to do the following:

1. Set a realistic maximum price. Bid your maximum once and only once. Do not bid low and then keep rebidding.

(NOTE: You can do an advanced search on ebay and look at past auctions. I copy the data into a spreadsheet and do a quick statistical analysis on it. I've got some Excel macros that I use so this process only takes me a few minutes.)

2. Bid one time, as late as possible, preferrably under 1 minute before auction close.

(NOTE: There are automated software tools available that will late bid automatically for you so you don't even have to be present for your last-minute bid to be placed.)

3. If you want to really get clever, you can research the bidding history of other bidders on ebay (advanced search by bidder), see their bidding style, and even win auctions by mere pennies because ebay gives the auction to the high bidder regardless of bid increment if you know the trick ...

(NOTE: I have an Excel macro that collects and sorts auction bid history so I can easily spot bidding patterns ... again it only takes a few minutes).

Never bid round dollar amounts (bid $21.73, not $20.00) and never bid under a common price point (bid $52.34, not $49.27, since $50 is a common price point).

My entire bidding process only takes a few minutes and I know right away whether to walk away or go ahead and bid. 90% of the time I win the auction, and at a good price.

All these techniques, the excel macros, etc are all explained and demonstrated in the myMemoirs video, How to bid and win! ... see: http://my-memoirs.com/ebay-secrets.asp

[Budliner]

hey proto 2000 for $21 thats not war
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3184990887&category=19135&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

[Anonymous]

PATIENCE !!!!!!! I bid on Ebay ALL the time, it's like a daily train show in my house..........I'm A BIG fan of the SCLAIR hopper cars, the trick in I CAN WAIT !!.
When all the guys that have a large hobby budget are done, the price will come down and I will pay MY price for them...... Simple law of supply and demand...I had some old rivarossi stuff that I got a good buck for....it works both ways.

[Anonymous]

There is alot of items that go way to high because of bidding fevere. As has been said set your price and that's it. Walk away and let it run out. That same item or I should say one like it will be there again and maybe this time you can get it for a good price. Just don't get impatient.

The other day I was browsing and I was able to pick up a brand new Union Pacific Dash 8 40C Spectrum for $13.99. Received it in the mail today and what a runner - slow or fast. So deals can be had.

Just takes patience - maybe alot sometimes.

[jfugate]

Sure .. but if you ignite a bidding war, then things will get bid out of sight.

The tricks involve knowing bid timing and bid amount. Anybody can bid an outrageously high amount and win.

But do you know how to bid and win by a few cents when the bid increment is a dollar or more? There's a loophole on ebay that allows you do to this.

What's too much for the item? You see ebay auctions all the time where people pay way more than they need to, and thus succomb to the winner's curse -- where they won the auction, but they paid more than the item was worth.

On items with a buy now price, do you just pay the buy now price and be done with it, or do you go ahead and bid, on the chance that you will pay less for the item?

On dutch auctions (an auction offering serveral identical items), if you want more than one item, why does it make sense to bid very high, because you probably will pay less anyway?

All these insights help you become a savvy bidder on ebay, in the top 10% of the bidders on ebay who win more often and pay less for the items they win.

Anybody can bid high and win, but that leads to winner's curse if you are not careful!

[Budliner]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jfugate



There are ways to do it without paying too much ... if you know the tricks!

its no trick
top price wins

[jfugate]

Actually, the company that is doing the video series on my Siskiyou Line layout has a good video out about how to bid and win on ebay. They show you how to bid in such a way on ebay that you outsmart the other guy and win the bid for less.

There are ways to do it without paying too much ... if you know the tricks!

It involves using the fact that ebay is a "second price auction" (the winning bidder pays an increment over the second highest bidder, not their actual bid) to your advantage and how to do research on ebay to see the other bidders bidding style and outsmart them at their own game by knowing what they probably bid.

One biggie is do not bid early, but bid as late as possible in the auction. Otherwise you may be giving away your expertise (for free) on what the item is really worth, and you give away your interest in the item and just fuel a bidding war. There are automated tools available to do the late bidding for you so you can relax and go do something else if the auction closing time is not convenient for you to baby sit your auction in front of the computer.

I think ebay is one of the best places on the planet to get model rr stuff ... I've gotten some great deals on there by using the tricks in the video. Go to http://my-memoirs.com/ebay-secrets.asp if you want the video. Use coupon code MM0102 and you'll save 10 bucks.

[Anonymous]

I dont know how to link to eBay yet, but there is now a Battle Royal going on for a Pair of Brass Westside B&O Mikado with aux tender and a B&O Mountain in proper prototype. The bidding has cooled a bit until probably the next few days when people can add the paychecks to it.

I have been looking through eBay for rare no longer made items and I am beginning to see it as a giant train show that never ends.

Best of Luck!

Lee

[Budliner]

LAST DEAL
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3183313207&category=19134&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1#ebayphotohosting


no one even try

[Budliner]

ok you guys the best deal on trains
can you find a deal
three for $3
Hat trick
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3178566078&category=484&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

[Anonymous]

That I think qualifies as another steal.

Amazing how these prices seriously give pressure to entrenched retail sales. Is eBay the root cause of our loss of retail ordes? he he he.

[Budliner]

ok I have to stop!!

But Look at the new rivarossi BERKIE

Nickle Plate 2-8-4 Berkshire
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3181991758&category=19129&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

B -

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BUDLINER

its up its up
I just got a nice 0-8-0 rivarossi
and a 0-4-0
some me your best deals http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3180163108&category=19129&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

$30 bucks!!! [:0][wow] That's a steel [oX)]

[Anonymous]

Hmm, I sat down and watched a set of 5 Southern Woodchip cars bid at something like 21.00 10 minutes until closing of the bid. I noticed that 3 bidders were driving the price up in .50 cent or 1.00 bids until the time ran out. The ending bid was about 25.02 (The .02 was probably a fast proxy to beat the buzzer)

I felt this was pretty cutthroat. I did not participate however having several "Quiet" items I am watching that are specifically planned for the workbench. There apparently is a feeling of competition among the bidders for those woodchip cars. I congratulate the winner, and the seller I am sure is happy. But the feeling of watching people throw wads of money (25.00 or 250.00 on up) real fast in a effort to beat out several others is not very good.

As stated in the previous posts, find out the retail sale prices of these items then try to discover what price at discount you think the LHS may pay. And use that figure as a top limit. If it turns out you may win a bid on less then you would have saved some money and everyone is happy.

Dont let the last minute tick tick tick and increasing bids take over your mind. Keep a cool head and walk away. At a train show or a LHS you may find the exact same item perhaps in better condition and at a decent price without the stress.

Good Luck!

Lee

[Anonymous]

In my experience the best bet with eBay is to wait until the auction has 1 or 2 minutes to run, then bid. I've won a few items this way. Most recent was a British OO-Scale diesel-hydraulic loco bought as a "restoration project" - was non-running and in bits, but with mint bodywork. I've re-assembled it, and after a little soldering it runs nicely. Anyone else buy non-runners and rebuild them? I also have a Bachmann 4MT 4-6-0 steamer that I bought for £10 as a "non-runner" in one LHS, only needed the wheel quartering and gauge setting properly and it now runs very nicely - better, in fact, than a new example of the same loco!

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DSchmitt

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

Youre not alone. Today I had my first Ebay bid on a B&O 2-10-2 I got beat by two bucks. I had a budget and found the high bid, slapped a 50 dollar spread atop of it by proxy and like at 5 minutes till colsing I get outbidded.

I congratulate the winner, however I learned that you need to be at the bid closing date and time prepared to fight for the item.

Lee

Unless you enjoy a bidding war and are willing to pay too much (more than the item is worth to you), bid what you are willing to pay and if you loose don't worry about it.

I haven't bid on ebay in a number of years, but if I remember correctly, the high bid isn't necessairly the amount actually bid, it is some minimum increment over the next highest bid. That person who out bid you may have been willing to pay and may actually bid a lot more to ensure they out bid you.

What he said.............it is a must unless you have more money than sense....

Set your price and walk away. Go somewhere where you have no computer access and wait it out. Unless this is the one of a kind brass model, hand made by the dali llama of the single prototype you are singularly modelling, and are prepared to pay anything for it.......if not set your price and walk away. The two greatest things the Ebay sellers market depends on is pride and ignorance and they want to feed on both. They want you to not do research and a find this for a comparable price online or at the LHS (after taking 5-8 bucks of shipping into the equation) and they certainly want your pride and ego to take over in the last two minutes of an auction .....and bid away. Folks using the sniper software have a max price set in, so you probably aren't going to beat them, unless you beat the price. So...put your bid in and walk away.........

[DSchmitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

Youre not alone. Today I had my first Ebay bid on a B&O 2-10-2 I got beat by two bucks. I had a budget and found the high bid, slapped a 50 dollar spread atop of it by proxy and like at 5 minutes till colsing I get outbidded.

I congratulate the winner, however I learned that you need to be at the bid closing date and time prepared to fight for the item.

Lee

Unless you enjoy a bidding war and are willing to pay too much (more than the item is worth to you), bid what you are willing to pay and if you loose don't worry about it.

I haven't bid on ebay in a number of years, but if I remember correctly, the high bid isn't necessairly the amount actually bid, it is some minimum increment over the next highest bid. That person who out bid you may have been willing to pay and may actually bid a lot more to ensure they out bid you.

[Anonymous]

Youre not alone. Today I had my first Ebay bid on a B&O 2-10-2 I got beat by two bucks. I had a budget and found the high bid, slapped a 50 dollar spread atop of it by proxy and like at 5 minutes till colsing I get outbidded.

I congratulate the winner, however I learned that you need to be at the bid closing date and time prepared to fight for the item.

Lee

[Budliner]

wow did I just get out bid on a realy cool tram trolly
it was just like the one in cambridge ma
it was in england hey I think thas who we got them from

forgot to bid 79.o1


>:(

[Budliner]

its up its up
I just got a nice 0-8-0 rivarossi
and a 0-4-0
show me your best deals http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3180163108&category=19129&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

[Budliner]

help bay is down

do I need A A
I dont know what to do
have you hugged you ebay card