Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Brunton wrote:Why this morbid fascination with what shows up on ebay? Most of the posts in any thread about an ebay auction are pretty negative. If most folks don't like what's on ebay, why waste so much effort on it?
Becuase some of us are morbidly fascinated by it. You posted on this thread. Why did you waste your time with it?
I am actually very pro ebay and auctions in general. I was employed in the industry and am 'not afraid' of the process etc. eBay and other sites are a great place to buy and sell. But as the saying goes 'let the buyer beware'.
I do agree that most folks on RR fourms seem to be 'scared'/negative of on-line auctions, which is fine. There is risk to any purchase on-line or otherwise, it is best for most to stay within their comfort zone, as well as something to be said when buying something you havent seen 'with your own eyes'.
There are people that operate in a 'non-truthful'/unscruplus manner via auctions, this thread is perhaps now about one of them. Bringing things to light, talking about the process may help others.....along with feeding our morbid fasciniation(s) ;)
</2cents>
Well we 'hit' the reserve, interesting.
PFS wrote:Well we 'hit' the reserve, interesting.
alco_fan wrote: SteamFreak wrote: Here's an pertinent article, even it's a bit out-of-date.Sorry, by definition in Internet business an article over 6 years old is not pertinent. EBay isn't perfect, but there are a number of safeguards that have been added since November of 2000.In any case, I don't see how it applies to this situation. I guess you're suggesting that there is shill bidding going on. More than likely it's just delusional greed by buyers who think they will make a killing reselling this mess.
SteamFreak wrote: Here's an pertinent article, even it's a bit out-of-date.
Here's an pertinent article, even it's a bit out-of-date.
Sorry, by definition in Internet business an article over 6 years old is not pertinent. EBay isn't perfect, but there are a number of safeguards that have been added since November of 2000.
In any case, I don't see how it applies to this situation. I guess you're suggesting that there is shill bidding going on. More than likely it's just delusional greed by buyers who think they will make a killing reselling this mess.
Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies. The fact that everything mentioned in a seven year-old article is still germane today only provides further evidence that eBay can't or won't reign in such behavior.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
SteamFreak wrote: alco_fan wrote: SteamFreak wrote: Here's an pertinent article, even it's a bit out-of-date.Sorry, by definition in Internet business an article over 6 years old is not pertinent. EBay isn't perfect, but there are a number of safeguards that have been added since November of 2000.In any case, I don't see how it applies to this situation. I guess you're suggesting that there is shill bidding going on. More than likely it's just delusional greed by buyers who think they will make a killing reselling this mess.Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies.
Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies.
Shady? Unless you have proof that this is the case, I'd advise that you re-qualify that statement as a matter of your opinion. If you do have proof, perhaps you should notify eBay instead of ranting on about it here?
The fact that everything mentioned in a seven year-old article is still germane today only provides further evidence that eBay can't or won't reign in such behavior.
You are making a slanderous generalization without any proof. How has eBay demonstrated that it is not working to ‘reign in such behavior'? And how does a hopelessly out of date article ‘provide further evidence' of this?
If you don't like eBay, fine. If you think the bidding on this auction is out of control, fine. I can respect that. What I can't respect are ridiculous statements like this that cross the line.
SteamFreak wrote: Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies.
And you know this is a "shady auction" because of your powers of ESP?
Dang! You should be making a killing in the stock market instead of wasting time on train boards.
MAbruce wrote: SteamFreak wrote: alco_fan wrote: SteamFreak wrote: Here's an pertinent article, even it's a bit out-of-date.Sorry, by definition in Internet business an article over 6 years old is not pertinent. EBay isn't perfect, but there are a number of safeguards that have been added since November of 2000.In any case, I don't see how it applies to this situation. I guess you're suggesting that there is shill bidding going on. More than likely it's just delusional greed by buyers who think they will make a killing reselling this mess.Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies. Shady? Unless you have proof that this is the case, I'd advise that you re-qualify that statement as a matter of your opinion. If you do have proof, perhaps you should notify eBay instead of ranting on about it here? The fact that everything mentioned in a seven year-old article is still germane today only provides further evidence that eBay can't or won't reign in such behavior. You are making a slanderous generalization without any proof. How has eBay demonstrated that it is not working to ‘reign in such behavior'? And how does a hopelessly out of date article ‘provide further evidence' of this? If you don't like eBay, fine. If you think the bidding on this auction is out of control, fine. I can respect that. What I can't respect are ridiculous statements like this that cross the line.
I also think this auction wreaks of foul play, or "shadiness" in steamfreaks words.
It makes me wonder what, if any personal motives you have regarding this auction.
alco_fan wrote: SteamFreak wrote: Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies. Dang! You should be making a killing in the stock market instead of wasting time on train boards.
Like YOUR post?
Driline wrote: MAbruce wrote: SteamFreak wrote: alco_fan wrote: SteamFreak wrote: Here's an pertinent article, even it's a bit out-of-date.Sorry, by definition in Internet business an article over 6 years old is not pertinent. EBay isn't perfect, but there are a number of safeguards that have been added since November of 2000.In any case, I don't see how it applies to this situation. I guess you're suggesting that there is shill bidding going on. More than likely it's just delusional greed by buyers who think they will make a killing reselling this mess.Yes, business and technology change, but human nature is a constant, as this shady auction testifies. Shady? Unless you have proof that this is the case, I'd advise that you re-qualify that statement as a matter of your opinion. If you do have proof, perhaps you should notify eBay instead of ranting on about it here? The fact that everything mentioned in a seven year-old article is still germane today only provides further evidence that eBay can't or won't reign in such behavior. You are making a slanderous generalization without any proof. How has eBay demonstrated that it is not working to ‘reign in such behavior'? And how does a hopelessly out of date article ‘provide further evidence' of this? If you don't like eBay, fine. If you think the bidding on this auction is out of control, fine. I can respect that. What I can't respect are ridiculous statements like this that cross the line.I also think this auction wreaks of foul play, or "shadiness" in steamfreaks words. It makes me wonder what, if any personal motives you have regarding this auction.
Yes, there is a sudden and curious defense of this auction, despite the fact that I've said nothing new. Clearly my statements are my opinion, and that opinion is apparently shared by many here who have been making similar assertions of dishonesty and shill bidding in this auction since this thread began, yet you single me out. I had no idea my opinions carried such weight, but thanks for the compliment.
Driline wrote:I also think this auction wreaks of foul play, or "shadiness" in steamfreaks words. It makes me wonder what, if any personal motives you have regarding this auction.
As an N-scale modeler?
I personally think the auction is a risky venture mainly from the standpoint that there is not enough documentation (other than the pictures and a general description) of exactly what is up for auction. The seller has a good feedback rating, and has been up front about not being about to offer an inventory, so I really don't think there is much evidence of a ‘shady' auction going on.
However, the "eBay is evil" mantra is getting old. People don't have to like it, but I think making absurd unsupported generalizations about it is out of line.
rrebell wrote:Anyone notice that alot of the boxs were filled with train mags, we all know how valuable they are :)
That occurred to me as well. They may also account for the majority of the weight.
Yep, you caught us. Me and MABruce and Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa and Dick Cheney. We're all manipulating this auction as part of the Trilateral Commission's plan for world domination through bogus eBay auctions.
alco_fan wrote: Yep, you caught us. Me and MABruce and Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa and Dick Cheney. We're all manipulating this auction as part of the Trilateral Commission's plan for world domination through bogus eBay auctions.
Hmmm......Tyco-gate?
Have fun with your trains
IMHO, the article wasn't out of date or inaccurate. There are still a lot of unethical and/or fraudulent auctions, sellers, and buyers on eBay. You hear or read about them every day - and those are just the ones that get caught. And I have personally seen the abuse of the feedback system - sellers requiring positive feedback from me as a buyer first or they will give me negative feedback. I suspect shill bidding has been used against me when I used the eBay proxy/maximum bid system. Funny how they will run up the bidding early to test my maximum, but then drop out of the auction. Buyers are often forced into sniping as a defense, even though that requires a time commitment I am often unwilling to make.
The good news is that fraud and unethical practices appear to be far less prevalent in the model railroad auctions than in other areas of eBay. And because eBay is one of the easier ways for me to purchase out-of-production train items, and sell no longer wanted train items, I continue to be an eBay user. I can't say I particularly enjoy the experience, though.
just my thoughts and opinions, yours may vary
Fred W
alco_fan wrote:Yep, you caught us. Me and MABruce and Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa and Dick Cheney. We're all manipulating this auction as part of the Trilateral Commission's plan for world domination through bogus eBay auctions.
Ahhhhh, so that's what all the secret meetings in the VP's office were all about. I think we need a Congressional investigation!
Enjoy
Paul
IRONROOSTER wrote: Ahhhhh, so that's what all the secret meetings in the VP's office were all about.
Ahhhhh, so that's what all the secret meetings in the VP's office were all about.
Yeah, it's cool when we meet there, but Elvis always hogs all the snack cakes ... and then his fingers are all sticky when he uses the Veep's secure computer to enter the shill bids.
alco_fan wrote: IRONROOSTER wrote: Ahhhhh, so that's what all the secret meetings in the VP's office were all about. Yeah, it's cool when we meet there, but Elvis always hogs all the snack cakes ... and then his fingers are all sticky when he uses the Veep's secure computer to enter the shill bids.
Yeah, and Elvis always took all the good ones! I liked it better when we used to meet at the Enron CEO offices. The appetizers were better and we ended up with more because Elvis didn't like them much.
Great, now that we're exposed I'll have to be on the look out for Michael Moore and his camera crew!
I think sometimes buying or selling items on Ebay leaves one with a feeling of having dirt that needs to be washed off. Too many problems associated with these kinds of sales.
Im convinced that this particular auction is loaded with seller controlled bid accounts from multipule computers like at a library or something and that the seller is PLAYING US... the buyer with a illusion of a feverish bidding activity. The appearence of big money really pulls on the sucker who thinks that if collectors are willing to pay that much for trash, why, they ought to get in on it.
But getting close to the reserve bid and stopping just short in hopes of catching that one sucker bidder onto the fishhook is pretty smooth.
I think Ebay charges a fee on final winning bid. There is a certain percentage that a seller needs to pay based on that amount in addition to the orginal listing fees. I dont know what such a fee would be at 3700 dollars but I bet it's more than what the seller is willing to pay; especially once a reserve is seen to be met and the auction becomes part of ebay's billing system.
Remind me to stay away from auctions with private bids. I want to see other bidders and how they are bidding please. It is no different than 400 dealers bidding on the same car at the auction house.
If the owner is dead, the house slated to be demoed and the stuff in it junk and no one cares for it.. It is all free to the seller aint it? I dont recall anywhere that the seller BOUGHT this stuff.
Well, looks like it stands to have the reserve price met and the cost is now over 3740 for the thing at 60 bids on the floor. Someone is going to end up buying this stuff.
What I would like to see is how the hell the buyer is going to physicly collect all that stuff ???
secondhandmodeler wrote:My only experiences with ebay were frustrating to say the least. The two times I found items I liked I put in a bid. Immediately after my bid there was another bid. I'm talking seconds later. I know that somebody could have been watching this item, but there were zero bids before my first bid. It happened with one item, then a second item. After that, I havn't bid again. Is there a way for people set their account up to automatically counter-bid?
The eBay software automatically outbid you with the proxy system. The bidder previous to you just had a higher max bid than the bid you put in.
csmith9474 wrote: secondhandmodeler wrote:My only experiences with ebay were frustrating to say the least. The two times I found items I liked I put in a bid. Immediately after my bid there was another bid. I'm talking seconds later. I know that somebody could have been watching this item, but there were zero bids before my first bid. It happened with one item, then a second item. After that, I havn't bid again. Is there a way for people set their account up to automatically counter-bid? The eBay software automatically outbid you with the proxy system. The bidder previous to you just had a higher max bid than the bid you put in.
Thanks for the point of clarification. I was wondering why that was happening. Maybe I'll try again some time.
secondhandmodeler wrote: csmith9474 wrote: secondhandmodeler wrote:My only experiences with ebay were frustrating to say the least. The two times I found items I liked I put in a bid. Immediately after my bid there was another bid. I'm talking seconds later. I know that somebody could have been watching this item, but there were zero bids before my first bid. It happened with one item, then a second item. After that, I havn't bid again. Is there a way for people set their account up to automatically counter-bid? The eBay software automatically outbid you with the proxy system. The bidder previous to you just had a higher max bid than the bid you put in.Thanks for the point of clarification. I was wondering why that was happening. Maybe I'll try again some time.
Any time I buy something I open a seperate browser window with the my absolute max bid price (Around MSRP or so minus shipping) and hit the submit button when the system clock reaches 1-2 seconds before end of auction. Sniping in this manner with a fast DSL I know that dailups cannot continue within 20 second from auction end and slower DSL's about 6-12 seconds. Sniping auto programs need 3 to reload data and resend the new bid.
IF I win great! If I dont, some one spent too much money. That fat lady is going to sing at the exact time the end of the auction and that is all it matters... the last few seconds. Everything else is just a run-up (Or foreplay if you please) to the main event.
What gets me is that both of my Hobby Shops have supplied me very well indeed these last few years.
Safety Valve wrote: secondhandmodeler wrote: csmith9474 wrote: secondhandmodeler wrote:My only experiences with ebay were frustrating to say the least. The two times I found items I liked I put in a bid. Immediately after my bid there was another bid. I'm talking seconds later. I know that somebody could have been watching this item, but there were zero bids before my first bid. It happened with one item, then a second item. After that, I havn't bid again. Is there a way for people set their account up to automatically counter-bid? The eBay software automatically outbid you with the proxy system. The bidder previous to you just had a higher max bid than the bid you put in.Thanks for the point of clarification. I was wondering why that was happening. Maybe I'll try again some time.Any time I buy something I open a seperate browser window with the my absolute max bid price (Around MSRP or so minus shipping) and hit the submit button when the system clock reaches 1-2 seconds before end of auction. Sniping in this manner with a fast DSL I know that dailups cannot continue within 20 second from auction end and slower DSL's about 6-12 seconds. Sniping auto programs need 3 to reload data and resend the new bid.IF I win great! If I dont, some one spent too much money. That fat lady is going to sing at the exact time the end of the auction and that is all it matters... the last few seconds. Everything else is just a run-up (Or foreplay if you please) to the main event.What gets me is that both of my Hobby Shops have supplied me very well indeed these last few years.
I am a satisfied repeat eBay buyer, and will continue to use it again and again. Mostly what I get on eBay is MR related, though, and I think most of the time I'm buying from commercial sellers and not individuals, so I think there's less shady practices going on in my own little eBay microcosm. I've had one or two not-so-great experiences, but overall it's been pretty positive for me.
When I first started using eBay, I greatly despised snipers. I never saw the point - just put in your max bid up front, then walk away. I never saw a benefit to sniping at all, until I read the Forbes article that somebody posted on this thread. I now understand that if you post your max bid early, you are more susceptible to getting bilked by the seller via shill bidding. Recently, I've been trying to bid as late as possible (within the last hour or so) to discourage people chipping away at my max bid over time, but now I have a good reason for it as late as possible.
So my eBay buying philosophy is: bid once, bid your max, and bid as late as possible.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
I've always had good luck with EBAY, i've gotten excellent deals and made a few friends in the process.
I'm also a very cautious buyer.....I read feedback, I look at the ENTIRE description and I won't buy from anyone with lower than 97% positive feedback, and they must have at least 300 sales to go with that 97%, if they have 10 sales and 97%? NO WAY!!, I always check retail prices when bidding on new stuff and I look at the condition and estimated age of used stuff....I won't pay more than 75-80% of retail for new stuff,and the shipping has to be reasonable.....I've seen people[several lately as a matter of fact], buy stuff for 20-40% over retail w\o the shipping included!! thats just plain dumb! When buying used equipment.....it's all up to the buyer to decide if the asking price is worth it, I pass up used odds-n-ends all the time because the price is way too high or the shipping is outrageous.
Sure there are people out there waiting to rip you off.....it happens all the time.....should that turn you against EBAY? no.
I am one of those ''bad and mean'' snipers......if I can, I will wait till the last few seconds and try to slide in a bid for a few cents or a few dollars more than the high bid.....is this wrong? of course not!! thats how auctions work, same thing happens with real auctions....you know, going once, going twice....goin....oh wait I have another bid.....I know some people get mad when that happens, but thats the world of auctions.
I think something is up with this particular auction because I've been on EBAY for a while and I've seen some shady deals, the sudden stop in bidding right below the reserve price and the private bidders list are two red flags for me......even if i had the money I wouln't get into this auction....but it is fun to watch.