Another EBAY Curiosity

[fwdguy]

Whats up with some of these bids.

http://cgi.ebay.com/POLA-HO-SCALE-BREWERY-TRAIN-BUILDING-KIT-NIB_W0QQitemZ6010405118QQcategoryZ11646QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I just bought this same kit last week for 5 bucks.

Mark

[dragenrider]

Maybe it's gold plated or something.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fwdguy
Whats up with some of these bids.
...I just bought this same kit last week for 5 bucks.

$126!? Oh I LOVE IT! [swg][(-D] PT Barnum was right...

[davekelly]

Given the number of transactions the various bidders have, it does kinda smell like some shrills at work.

[Anonymous]

Well, it isn't available new any more, but they usually sell for $5-$15 on eBay for that type of kit. LIke otehrs have said, smells a bit!

[Darth Santa Fe]

Maybe the bidders are collectors with way too much money to burn![:D]

[Trainnut484]

Hmmm. It's a good thing the seller didn't say it's a RARE building style. I have one similiar from a layout I had about 16 years ago, but with a different brewery. I'm not sure if Rola was the manufacturer. I think I bought it new then for about $10-15 at the LHS. (Yeah I was a little crazy on the glue then). [:D]


Still looks great after all these years [^]

Cheers,

Russell

[fwdguy]

Who ever payed 127.50 for this kit must have a loose screw.

AHM and Model Power make the exact kit that can be bought between 5-10 dollars.

[Train 284]

Wow, who would pay that much for a kit?

[rrinker]

People with no clue. PT Barnum was right.


--Randy

[Adelie]

Well, we don't know if anybody actually paid that....it was just the winning bid. It may resurface.

I think Barnum was on the conservative side, too.

[tatans]

SAAAAYY ! ! Have I got some deal for you, I've got this bridge for sale in Brooklyn that you can have for $300.00 and I also have some great real estate in the Everglades of Florida that is going cheap, any takers??? Just who buys this stuff? This seems a little fishy to me, 11 bids, C'mon, there really is a difference between $5.00 and $127.50 isn't there? ? ?

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Adelie

Well, we don't know if anybody actually paid that....it was just the winning bid. It may resurface.

I think Barnum was on the conservative side, too.

Of course, the birthrate IS up since Barnum said that. [:D]

[CNJ831]

The only thing I can think of that might make this model somewhat unique or desirable is that I seem to recall it was the basis for a major kitbash in MR and also in Art Curren's book on kitbashing structures. Even so, the $127 price tag would make me more than willing to substitute a different structure on the layout altogether!

CNJ831

[davekelly]

I do think that this is not the case of "a collector with too much money" a person that proves PT's point or a fool. If you look at the feedbacks of the "bidders" you'll notice that their previous transactions were for items at prices that I think are fully within anyone's market value. Why would these folks go "crazy" over this one item? Given that two of three "bidders" have only been ebayers for less than a month, it would seem to me that this auction was pretty darn close to an ebay equivalent of a troll. Get some ebay ID's put something silly for sale and see how far up you can drive the price. Go to some forum and watch folks calling other people idiots and other such stuff.

I would be highly surprised if feedback is ever posted by either party on this transaction. Doing so would prevent the seller from claiming the item was not purchased and thus avoid the fee.

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831

The only thing I can think of that might make this model somewhat unique or desirable is that I seem to recall it was the basis for a major kitbash in MR and also in Art Curren's book on kitbashing structures. Even so, the $127 price tag would make me more than willing to substitute a different structure on the layout altogether!

CNJ831

Or scratch build the Curren structure.. $127 will buy a LOT of supplies..

Note that the seller offered it up at 99¢ .. At a 30 cent insertion fee, if the buyer used payal and won for 99 cents, a minimum of 30 cents to paypal AND ebays commision, the seller would have recieved all of about 13 cents for that building. Not that it really matters, I just thought I would add that observation. I've seen a lot of strange things happen on ebay and this is no where near the strangest.

Jeff

[joegideon]

You can't tell. There was a SOO line 2-8-0 by W&R. Expensive engine- $1,100 new. I've seen it go for $750 or so. One just sold for over $2,000! It just depends on whether a peeing contest gets going. Some of these guys seem to take a competing bid as some weird form of agression! Which is fine for the seller, I guess. I see 'snipers' criticized, but some times waiing 'til the last 5 seconds is the only way to avoid jacking an item past anything reasonable. I have to admit- it irks me when I place a reasonable bid... then see it go away two seconds before the end... but hey!

Snyder
Monterey

[ericsp]

Perhaps they drink their entire supply of beer and, while in a druken stupor, decided to buy a "brewery" to repleni***heir supply.

[AggroJones]

This may be off topic, but what is the deal with those guys who pay more for an item than the buy it now price? Example: I see a Spectrum HO 2-6-6-2 from one seller with 'buy it now' for $135. Same seller has the exact same locomotive on auction also. The auction ended at $141. Some people wait til the last second to put in a bid higher than what they could've bought it for straight out! Does it make them feel good that they 'out did' everyone else? This same guy also snipped a Spectrum J2 for $101 when he could've just bought it now for $95. [D)]

[Anonymous]

Why do some people put all their winnings back into the slot machine. Makes no "cents" to me.

[John Busby]

Hi all
May be they had one too many beer's before biding[:D]
it just goes to prove know what you are bidding for costs barnd new and never pay anything like that price.
It also proves there is a sucker born every minute
I dont think it does a lot to inspire confidence in E bay iether
regards John

[ICRR1964]

LOL!!! It could be a idiot just playing games too! I have bought and sold all kinds of train items on ebay for about 5 years now, last winter I had some older Atheran items listed. I don't ship out of the country at all, U.S. only. Had some guy bid in at $85 on a GP35 CB&Q dummy engine in the box. He won the auction and several of my other auction, funny part was when I looked at his feed back! He had 25 for a listed with 18 negetives in less than a month!!!!!!! Needless to say I never heard from the guy or seen any money at all!

The best one for me was a couple of years ago, I had bought a MDC 2-8-0 Old Timer on a garage sale for $5, the engine ran pretty good, but sounded like a old power drill running on the track. I'm pretty sure it was made in the 60's and was very highly detail and was just a really nice peice! I listed it on Ebay, and within a couple of days I started getting question as to where I got it! Several people asking questions said that it belonged to the NS historical dept in Norfolk! It was stolen about 15 years ago off a display I was told. I started the bidding at $25 having no idea of what I had at first, after the auction ended I had 45 questions and a final bid of $233.00! It made it back to the Historical dept at NS, I had to throw in the regear and motor kit I purchased from NWSL!

Wished I had 2 or 3 of these a week to sell on ebay. Some people just go nuts sometimes on ebay, it like a game, and winning is the name of the game on Ebay! I would love to see the look on their face after they get the items and REALLY REALLY think about what they just paid for an items.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

Perhaps they drink their entire supply of beer and, while in a druken stupor, decided to buy a "brewery" to repleni***heir supply.

He he he. That makes a smile for this morning! Thanks!

I have a brewey kit under the workbench and paid only 5 bucks for it some time ago.

[cacole]

Stuff like this reminds me of the Hungarian inventor who asked me to go into business with him after I returned to the U.S. when I was stationed in Germany. He had invented some type of wonderful garden tool akin to the Hula Hoe, and wanted me to set up a U.S. dealership. His comment, when I asked if his product was really any good was, "That doesn't matter -- Americans are stupid and will buy anything."

With some of the things that people fall for on TV or e-Bay, I sometimes tend to agree with his assessment.

[oleirish]

I've got an brewery as well and I sure did'nt pay that much! maybe I sould sell mine[}:)] then I can buy a new loco or somthing? Naw I could not do that to some one[:D]
JIM

[ICRR1964]

I got a good one for you guys! Take an older Athearn or MDC freight car, box car, hopper, or caboose. Then weather it and put it on ebay! People go nuts over these! Besides, if you need a second job and like weathering cars and engines its ideal. I have a freind of mine who buys up freight cars and engines at swap meets, brings them home and weathers them and sells them on ebay! He has fun and makes a bit of money while hes at it!