First off, I just visited Despatch Junction Hobbies [link removed by moderator] and they have E-R Models RF-16 Sharknoses in D&H -- I think he bought out ER's entire stock.
Ebay: I find the red mist descending too easily, so I tend to lean towards Buy It Now or Best Offers, and if I do bid on an auction I bid the price I want to pay a couple hours before it ends and then turn off notifications and ignore my email. Once the auction is over, I'll check back. Only way to stay relaxed. :)
I've found that most things on EBay will come back around again, and at a price I want to pay. Of course, if you're only modeling D&H, you're casting a smaller net than I am. Have you set alerts for searches? I keep a few running, so I get emails in the AM alerting me to new auctions/sales I am interested in. It's a good way to get familiar with the going prices.
I keep a close eye on the Sale and Special pages at Walthers, TrainWorld, and HogTrainz as well. And I *love* train shows, though as table prices increase at the big shows, it's getting harder to find bargains -- dealers don't bring less-expensive stuff.
I get to travel a lot in my job, so I try to make time to visit model train stores and see what they have. I have a few favorites that I visit a couple of times a year.
The end result of my shopping methodology is that I don't necessarily find what I want right away; I have to wait, sometimes months. But for me, buying and acquiring is part of the fun, so I'm good with that. :)
Aaron
When possible buy from a model railroad store website like Train World or Walthers. Train shows can be a good place to buy also. Buying on eBay can be good or bad. The trick is to be an expert on the item you are buying and know the current price it has been selling for. Know that almost anything you buy has been mass produced so if you don’t win this time there will be another chance in the future and there will be one less person bidding on it. I also prefer to use Buy It Now so I know that it’s mine. The best way to do that is when you search for an item use the sort feature and set it to newest listings first.
Learned always put in min bid if you are interested, amazing the times I didnt bid expecting a certain price to be bid but it went for cheap with no bids. Bought a $225 tool that way for $25.
Before Christmas, a lot of sellers were trying to gouge the would-be buyers.
For example, I do like the Athearn Genesis ATSF "Yellow Warbonnet" F-7A units, but they did have QA/QC issues, including paint that sometimes peals off the plated surface, etc.
Several hopeful sellers listed these items at $400 for a single A or B unit. They are simply not worth that, and you can find them at train shows for close to the original MSRP.
There were lots of other "scarce" train items that sellers tried to inflate the prices on...ExactRail Southern waffle side box cars just are not worth $80 each.
I don't pay inflated prices when I can find the items elsewhere, easily enough.
John
There are multiple bidding strategies, and there are ways to counter the snipers.
I generally prefer to buy from buy-it-now listings, especially those with free shipping. I often get what I want at a price I want without having to wait for days to find out. When I see something listed that is a deal, I will jump on it. Sometimes I've even bought and flipped items for profit.
With auctions, if it is an item I really want, one stategy is to bid what you are willing to pay for it, early on. Particularly when bidders see that the first bidder has put in a second bid, they often (in the case of items I wanted) get discouraged when they keep bidding but each time I remain the high bidder. Then they give up and I get the item I wanted. Often I get it at a good price!
So, yes, I am specifically trying to intimidate people out of bidding on my desired item. It works, well! It's fun to watch them stop bidding and give up, too.
As always, know the product you are bidding on. Know the correct item number(s) for which run(s) of which engine(s). You'd be amazed how often sellers are misinformed and list something in the wrong box that is clearly not what they think it is. I use that to my benefit!
Use the manufacturers' catalogue photos as a guide. It becomes easy to spot the wrongly listed items.
rrebellPrices way high for what I looked at.
Like a yard sale, if you don't like the price, and you or the seller don't want to haggle it out, than I guess you move on to the next yard sale.
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewi This is a good place: https://groups.io/g/HOswap/topics It's free to join, just have to set up an account at Groups.io This group used to be in Yahoo, and I think there still an HO swap in Yahoo, made up of members that didn't go with the main group. I'm sure there are other sites like this. In Ebay, you got to be like the rest, and YOU be the guy that jumps in the last second. Mike.
This is a good place:
https://groups.io/g/HOswap/topics
It's free to join, just have to set up an account at Groups.io This group used to be in Yahoo, and I think there still an HO swap in Yahoo, made up of members that didn't go with the main group.
I'm sure there are other sites like this.
In Ebay, you got to be like the rest, and YOU be the guy that jumps in the last second.
mobilman44 OK, got to put in my 25 cents.......... If you see something you really want, mark it as a watch and get back to the auction right before closing. Plug in the highest bid you wish, punch it in about a minute before the end. Then, VERY PATIENTLY wait until 5-8 seconds before the close and hit "confirm bid". If your bid is good enough, you got the item. One thing to note.....when you see a lot of bids, typically they are from the same handful of bidders - each upping the other and driving up the price. But you know what's notable? Most often, none of these frequent bidders will end up winning. It will be someone like yourself (if you follow my preceeding advice) that will come in and sweep it away from the others. BTW, I've been an active buyer/seller on Ebay since 2000, with a couple thousand feedbacks and goodness knows how many transactions.
OK, got to put in my 25 cents..........
If you see something you really want, mark it as a watch and get back to the auction right before closing. Plug in the highest bid you wish, punch it in about a minute before the end. Then, VERY PATIENTLY wait until 5-8 seconds before the close and hit "confirm bid". If your bid is good enough, you got the item.
One thing to note.....when you see a lot of bids, typically they are from the same handful of bidders - each upping the other and driving up the price. But you know what's notable? Most often, none of these frequent bidders will end up winning. It will be someone like yourself (if you follow my preceeding advice) that will come in and sweep it away from the others.
BTW, I've been an active buyer/seller on Ebay since 2000, with a couple thousand feedbacks and goodness knows how many transactions.
This how I do it too. I surf ebay for the items I'm looking for, put them on Watch, note the end time of the bid, then call up the site a few minutes before the end and try to snipe the item by confirming my bid a few seconds before the auction ends.
Many times there is a bidding war. What I think happens is that both persons will look to out bid the other, but in order to keep the price low, they don't overbid the previous bid by much. If they bid, say, $150 on an itme that's currently bidded at 70, they figure the other guy will just keep bidding unitl he reaches 153. OTOH, in a low slow bidding war, there is a greater chance the other guy might lose his frenzy over time, lose interest, or have to get away from the auction for whatever reason. Then the winning bid is 73 instead of the frenzy carrying the price to 153.
I find it more advantageoous to set my max bid at the very end in snipe fashion than to do it early, because guys stuck in a bidding war will tend to keep bidding until they are in the lead. In which case, my early maximum bid merely raised the price for the seller and the cost to me because the other guys couldn't lay off until it was too late.
I win a good share of auctions this way and buy items at prices lower than if I set my max bid early, IMO.
But I recently lost one. The prevailing bid was $98 on screen, which was low, so I bid $133 seconds before the end only to have a higher hidden max bid kick in to push the price to $136.50.
- Douglas
I have never lost an eBay auction that I felt bad about. I know when to hold them and when to fold them, so to speak. The only eBay auctions that I ever lost were those that I did not need to win.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain tstage richhotrain When I do participate in an eBay auction, it is usually when I am after something New, not Used, because that way, I can put an accurate price on it. Let's face it, it is totally stupid to pay more as the winning bidder than what you could buy it for retail. I totally agree, Rich. But that hasn't stopped some bidders (who don't do their homework) from bidding on an item and paying waaaay more than they needed to because they got caught up in the moment. Yep, I agree with you on that point, Tom. Rich
tstage richhotrain When I do participate in an eBay auction, it is usually when I am after something New, not Used, because that way, I can put an accurate price on it. Let's face it, it is totally stupid to pay more as the winning bidder than what you could buy it for retail. I totally agree, Rich. But that hasn't stopped some bidders (who don't do their homework) from bidding on an item and paying waaaay more than they needed to because they got caught up in the moment.
richhotrain When I do participate in an eBay auction, it is usually when I am after something New, not Used, because that way, I can put an accurate price on it. Let's face it, it is totally stupid to pay more as the winning bidder than what you could buy it for retail.
I totally agree, Rich. But that hasn't stopped some bidders (who don't do their homework) from bidding on an item and paying waaaay more than they needed to because they got caught up in the moment.
Yep, I agree with you on that point, Tom.
I don't use a sniping software but pretty much otherwise will come in near the end and put in my max bid. I win a little more than half the time that way. Sometimes I get a pretty good deal like recently an Atlas Evans 50' box car for $8.50 (they usually go for $17 - 25 range).
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
richhotrainWhen I do participate in an eBay auction, it is usually when I am after something New, not Used, because that way, I can put an accurate price on it. Let's face it, it is totally stupid to pay more as the winning bidder than what you could buy it for retail.
As mentioned before, I use a sniping website. If I want an item I'll set my maximum bid days ahead of time and may check it once a day to see where the bids are. If I want it bad enough and have already been outbit with enough time to spare, I'll mull it over and up my max then leave it until the auction is over.
If someone wants it more than me - more power to 'em. I'll find it another time...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
richhotrainwhat is "too much" if you have to have it?
.
My wife has an answer to that question!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
eBay auctions are not for the timid. That's why I usually stick to Buy It Now listings.
When I do participate in an eBay auction, it is usually when I am after something New, not Used, because that way, I can put an accurate price on it. Let's face it, it is totally stupid to pay more as the winning bidder than what you could buy it for retail.
If I want it bad enough, I make sure that I win it, no matter the winning bid. But, that doesn't happen often, usually only because the item that I want is long since retired and hard to impossible to find. When that occurs, I have the 'price is no object' attitude and I get what I want without paying ridiculous prices. How can that be? Because most bidders are too timid, they don't want the item as bad as I do.
My experience on eBay is like that of others. Most bids occur in the last few minutes, and often by the sniping method. When you look at a bidding history, you see guys nibbling with several consecutive bids that never win in the end. Quite often the winner of an auction is the guy with only one bid, the final bid.
I don't concern myself with snipers. With about 3 minutes to go in an auction, I place a bid with what I call a "silent reserve". That scares off the timid ones. Then, the sniper comes in with 5 seconds to go with his bid but he cannot overcome my silent bid and runs out of time. Now, the sniper could have won by submitting a bid with a silent reserve that was higher than mine, but even the sniper proves to be too timid.
And, trust me, I never "pay too much" because if the item is discontinued and darn near impossible to find, what is "too much" if you have to have it?
Wow, some of these posts are just "right on"....... Brings to mind the old saying - "Great minds think alike"!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
cowmanWhat I have done is add an odd amount of change to my maximum bid in case theirs is the same, i.e. $30.18. Have won a couple by cents.
I do the exact same thing, Richard. I generally add $0.87 to my max price plus $2-3 more - if the last number is a zero.
And I'm one that will watch an item but will only bid on it the last few seconds (using a sniping website) in order NOT to draw attention to the auction.
nw2Ebay wants you to bid that way, lol prices can go very high if people dropping bids like that. items can attract more attention when an item has a lot of bidding.
Yea, but I don't. I'm my own ezsniper. When I really want something, I look up the legit price, figure in the shipping, and if all is good, I start pouncing the last couple of minutes, maybe. Sometimes I wait until the last 30 seconds.
I don't constantly thow in bids. Nobody knows I'm after it until about 30 to 40 seconds before the end.
Of course, I have the time to do that, when I want, I'm retired.
When I was working every day, I lost a lot of things I wanted to go after. Yea, I know, now you can do that on your smart phone. Didn't have one, that wasn't allowed at work, phone stayed in your lunch box, not in your hand, and I still don't have one.
And what attracts people to items is what the item is, NOT because word got out that everyone is bidding on it.
mbinsewi You can do the same thing through Ebay, enter your max bid, Ebay will bid for you, until your max is reached, and if your not there when your max is reached, too bad, unless your max is your absolute max, and you are not going higher, than you still loose. Bidders can still jump in in the last few seconds, and easily bid over your max bid by very little. As far as a guarantee, the only guarantee is when you are there and watching the bidding, and be able to move within a few seconds. Yea, I'm one of those bidders that jump in at the last few seconds. Bought lots of stuff that way. Mike.
You can do the same thing through Ebay, enter your max bid, Ebay will bid for you, until your max is reached, and if your not there when your max is reached, too bad, unless your max is your absolute max, and you are not going higher, than you still loose.
Bidders can still jump in in the last few seconds, and easily bid over your max bid by very little.
As far as a guarantee, the only guarantee is when you are there and watching the bidding, and be able to move within a few seconds.
Yea, I'm one of those bidders that jump in at the last few seconds. Bought lots of stuff that way.
Ebay wants you to bid that way, lol prices can go very high if people dropping bids like that. items can attract more attention when an item has a lot of bidding. I use ezsniper, it bids last second to the limit I set. Why l lost my fair share but I dont overpay either. I eventually find most everything I'm looking for.
With snipers set up for the last few seconds, I have found sitting there trying to outbid them is rather a waste of time. I tried it when I was first bidding, never won a thing.
What I have done is add an odd amount of change to my maximum bid in case theirs is the same, i.e. $30.18. Have won a couple by cents.
Good luck,
Richard
That's the trick, you put in your highest amount, and forget about it. That's fine, I also have done that, and I've been surprised at some of the stuff I've won, for a little amount.
But if it's something you really, really, really want, your going to be watching and waiting with fingers ready to move.
gmpullman Me too. It's the last ten seconds that count. I can't understand why bidders will ratchet up the price so fast when there are several days until the auction end. It is good for the seller, though.
Me too. It's the last ten seconds that count. I can't understand why bidders will ratchet up the price so fast when there are several days until the auction end. It is good for the seller, though.
Doesn't make any difference to me. Just a few minutes ago, I put my max bid on something that's six days out. I'm not willing to spend more than $30 on the thing. If someone's going to spend $31+ on it, I'm going to lose in those last ten seconds anyhow in a sniper's duel.
I've noticed that buyers tend to push the prices up on D&H painted locos on ebay. I think you simply have to bid high. Maybe discount stores have competitive prices, but the popularity of the paint scheme probably means they sell out quickly too.
Harrison, eBay is your best bet.
Decide what reasonable price you are willing to pay, then be patient.
I have been on eBay since 09/SEP/1999, and I can tell you this... If it was mass produced, and you are willing to pay a fair price, you will eventually get it for the price you are willing to pay.
If you need it now you will pay more.
I have been hunting on eBay for rare brass items since 2 years ago but for new release non-brass item, I usually bought them from Train World or local hobby shops if it is available in my country.
The trophy of my last battle on the bay was an NJ Custom PRR Q1. I am lucky enough to lose an ALCO brass streamlined PRR K4s not long before Bachmann announced to make a plastic one with 4 numbers (it's for display only so no big deal). Sometimes losing a bid on the bay can be a blessing in disguise.
Jones 3D Modeling Club https://www.youtube.com/Jones3DModelingClub
Count me in for the HO swap site mentioned earlier. They sell so many different reporting marks of freight cars and locos. I've had a lot of success.
With so much riding on the locos, I much prefer buying them new. I know that's more expensive but why have a loco just sit there? Perhaps my bad experience buying a used car turned me off of buying anything mechanical pre-used.
You should sign up for the emails that trainworld sends out. They get closeouts from various companies and then sell them at very low prices. www.trainworld.com
I have bought quite a few engines from them as I could not believe the prices!
Disclaimer-I am not affiliated with them, just a hobbyist..
Neal
I've not been buying D&H, but for modestly priced locomotives and rolling stock, I've been doing well with a combination of train shows, train forums (Tyco Depot, Model Train, Trainworld, etc), Cragislist, Trainworld and ebay.
The key seems to be patience. If I want long enough it seems that things I am interested in show up. I'm not sure there is a solution for folks who don't enjoy the hunt.
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
gmpullmanIt's the last ten seconds that count. I can't understand why bidders will ratchet up the price so fast when there are several days until the auction end.
Or, the first bidder who will plunk down nearly the Buy It Now price at the get-go. Yea, those mystify me, too, Ed.
I'm also one that hunts down Buy It Now bargains via saved searches. Even then, saved searches don't catch them all because of how the item is described by the seller and I manually search for an particular item anyhow.
Even if I don't win every bid, the hunt can sometimes be as much fun as bidding. And sometimes I'll place a watch on an item just to see how much it will go for at the end of an auction. I recently saw a BLI 4-8-2 L-4 Mohawk go for over $1,100. Glad I picked both of mine up for MSRP or less.