Have you ever lost an eBay auction on something that you really wanted and end up kicking yourself in the butt afterwards because you didn't bid enough? We're talking model railroad stuff here of course.
What's strange is sometimes after the auction's over I realize it was a very unique piece and I probably won't find another one. But I go looking for another one anyway willing to pay twice as much as I just bidded if that makes any sense.
Ninety nine percent of the time I do not find another one and it'll be years before another one comes up again. At this point I catch an extreme case of auction remorse
One time I accidentally bidded $2,000 instead of $20 on something at the last second and it really freaked me out until I realized it doesn't matter. You could bid a million dollars and your winning dollar amount only goes one increment higher than the highest currant bidder. I did win that one.
You would think after I accidentally found this information out I would use it for a strategy guaranteeing me to win if it's something I really want, ... Nope, I guess I haven't evolved enough in the auction world yet.
Sometimes I'm like a little kid with this crap, like when you're your mom wouldn't buy you the toy you wanted and you go home with it beckoning you for weeks
Any thoughts or experiences with this auction stuff?
TF
Have you ever bid on an Alps printer to have the ability to print white and metallic colors. I got my first one cheap, it lasted about three years. The second one was a bit higher and I even contacted the seller and gave him specific instructions on how to pack it for shipping, he didn’t and I got a refund. The third machine had me worried because of the listing said like new condition, I increased my max by more than double what it was worth to me and low and behold I got it for a really good price.Sometimes when you really want something you just have grin and bear it hopping it comes in at a low price. The third one is still working great after five years.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps. My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
You win some, you lose some. I usually bid what I am willing to pay and it it goes higher, may be disappointed but just forget about it.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I once paid $300 for a rare NOS GRAVELY tractor part, that when new only cost about $60. Why? because I needed it, used ones are beat up crap, and, most importantly, I could afford the $300.
Generally however if I bid on Ebay, I just place my max bid right away and forget it.
I win enough to feel this is a good policy. I have not bought much lately, mainly just a few trolley bus sets back before Christmas.
Sheldon
You've got me thinking about how this works. Let's say there are you plus 9 others who typically bid on the things that group tends to like. Everyone watches the bids and goes up to what they think is reasonable, based on prior sales of similar items. Someone will randomly win the bid, after the others decide to pass, going at close to the typical past prices.
In another case, the same 10 people are looking at a Blue Box box car kit It is an unusual, and you and another fellow identify with the item for some reason and just "gotta have it", as an exception to your normal bidding approach. One guy bids $100,000 to be sure to get it. You (not knowing his highest bid amount) bid $1,000,000, winning a $100,001 Blue Box box car. After you add Kadees and perhaps metal wheelsets, you got your prize item, investing around $100,006. But you're happy, and the other guy is disappointed.
When I was adding to my loco fleet, I acquired some items (out of production) that I really like, such as an Athearn Veranda turbine, and LifeLike Heritage 0-8-0 and 2-8-8-2 steamers. In those cases, I came across like new items but at moderate prices, compared to the range of prices I see on those items.
Not that, on occasion, I have not paid generously to enhance my chances of something I desired. It has been a long time since I bid on an item. I tend to look at items with Buy It Now prices and skip the others, usually buying small items (like car kits) or supplies.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
peahrens You've got me thinking about how this works. Let's say there are you plus 9 others who typically bid on the things that group tends to like. Everyone watches the bids and goes up to what they think is reasonable, based on prior sales of similar items. Someone will randomly win the bid, after the others decide to pass, going at close to the typical past prices. In another case, the same 10 people are looking at a Blue Box box car kit It is an unusual, and you and another fellow identify with the item for some reason and just "gotta have it", as an exception to your normal bidding approach. One guy bids $100,000 to be sure to get it. You (not knowing his highest bid amount) bid $1,000,000, winning a $100,001 Blue Box box car. After you add Kadees and perhaps metal wheelsets, you got your prize item, investing around $100,006. But you're happy, and the other guy is disappointed. When I was adding to my loco fleet, I acquired some items (out of production) that I really like, such as an Athearn Veranda turbine, and LifeLike Heritage 0-8-0 and 2-8-8-2 steamers. In those cases, I came across like new items but at moderate prices, compared to the range of prices I see on those items. Not that, on occasion, I have not paid generously to enhance my chances of something I desired. It has been a long time since I bid on an item. I tend to look at items with Buy It Now prices and skip the others, usually buying small items (like car kits) or supplies.
A third person would have had to bid $99,995 to get the price to $100,000 before that could happen.
Otherwise the price is always just the bid increment above the next highest bidder.
That's why I only use Buy it Now!Get what you want and don't overspend!
philo426 That's why I only use Buy it Now!Get what you want and don't overspend!
I agree and that's what I prefer to do. But sometimes unique or hard to find items are only available in an auction. If you've been looking for it or want it bad enough then you're stuck playing the game I guess.
Sometimes I'm better off not going there in the first place unless I really need something. I already have stockpiles of locomotives and rolling stock. They all have Micro Train trucks but I still have to buy steel wheels for all these cars. That's where they get you.
RR_Mel Have you ever bid on an Alps printer to have the ability to print white and metallic colors. I got my first one cheap, it lasted about three years. The second one was a bit higher and I even contacted the seller and gave him specific instructions on how to pack it for shipping, he didn’t and I got a refund. The third machine had me worried because of the listing said like new condition, I increased my max by more than double what it was worth to me and low and behold I got it for a really good price.Sometimes when you really want something you just have grin and bear it hopping it comes in at a low price. The third one is still working great after five years.Mel
Have you ever bid on an Alps printer to have the ability to print white and metallic colors. I got my first one cheap, it lasted about three years. The second one was a bit higher and I even contacted the seller and gave him specific instructions on how to pack it for shipping, he didn’t and I got a refund. The third machine had me worried because of the listing said like new condition, I increased my max by more than double what it was worth to me and low and behold I got it for a really good price.Sometimes when you really want something you just have grin and bear it hopping it comes in at a low price. The third one is still working great after five years.Mel
I assume then that ink is still available?
Track fiddlerI agree and that's what I prefer to do. But sometimes unique or hard to find items are only available in an auction. If you've been looking for it or want it bad enough then you're stuck playing the game I guess.
I use BIN only.. I simply use the "BIN" option and spend time looking for what I need at the price I willing to pay.
I guess I grew tired of being sniped in the last few minutes or even seconds of a auction.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Not necessarily. Over spending just means people bid too high to get something. I put in bids and sometimes win models for a good price. People don't always outbid you. I picked up an unpainted brass D&RGW EV caboose for $95, which was the starting price. No one outbid me. Those usually get bid up to double or triple that.
riogrande5761 I put in bids and sometimes win models for a good price. People don't always outbid you. I picked up an unpainted brass D&RGW EV caboose for $95, which was the starting price. No one outbid me. Those usually get bid up to double or triple that.
I put in bids and sometimes win models for a good price. People don't always outbid you. I picked up an unpainted brass D&RGW EV caboose for $95, which was the starting price. No one outbid me. Those usually get bid up to double or triple that.
dbduckI assume then that ink is still available?
I see there are sources for the MD1300s, including refurb specialists and reasonable 'legacy' printer drivers that should work in emulation. I continue to find it amazing that no one has reproduced a hobby dye-sub machine in all this time.
As a basic strategy: Bid right away, but fairly low or minimum. This tracks your items of interest a different way. Then decide what your fair 'best price' is going to be and use discipline in doing so. It is easy to get caught up in the artificial competition. Bid that amount as late as you can in the auction; you will notice that most of the actual serious bidding is done by people with computer programs that do this in a sophisticated and very fast way. If you lose... it was more than you yourself chose it to be worth.
dbduck I assume then that ink is still available?
DbduckActually the Alps MD series printers don’t use ink they use ribbons like the old IBM ball printers. And yes the ribbons are still available at around $20 per color.
This is my Alps MD1000.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I neglected to reply to you earlier Mel.
I'm unfamiliar with different kinds of printers. What are you using the printer for? Does it have special features that set it apart from other printers? Just curious.
Since I retired my eBay activity has changed entirely.
Now I just troll for bargains.
I find things I want that are listed at very low starting bids, put in a cheap price, and let it ride.
I only win a couple actions a month, but I really do not need anything so a bargain is fun.
This month, so far, I have only won one auction for some cast metal boxcar ends.
This is so much different than how I used eBay for the last twenty years.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
BRAKIE I use BIN only.. I guess I grew tired of being sniped in the last few minutes or even seconds of a auction.
I use BIN only..
This is exactly what I'm talking about and can relate to.
I'm one of those people that have a hard time forgetting about something or letting things go. One of my defects of character I have to live with I guess I would be much better off entering into the BIN filter all the time but my curiosity gets the best of me.
Here's one I lost because I came to the tail end of the auction with only seconds left and did not have time to enter $20. I just kept clicking the bid button and it wasn't fast enough.
Somebody won the bid at $18. I would have gladly paid 25 as I have a thing for heavy weight depressed center flat cars and never seen one like this before.
It was a postage stamp car which is a brand I have never heard of before. Hopefully someone tells me they are junk so I can move on
Track fiddler I neglected to reply to you earlier Mel. I'm unfamiliar with different kinds of printers. What are you using the printer for? Does it have special features that set it apart from other printers? Just curious. TF
The Alps MD series will print any color including metallics. Great for making decals. I particularly like the Gold metallic, looks very close to Fire Engine Gold Leaf.And the white decals are great.It prints all colors very good.EDIT:Alps stopped manufacturing the MD series printers in the late 90s so used is the only option. They stopped support in 2004 so you are on your own for service and parts.The second printer I got the refund for has a broken carriage because the jerk shipped it with the print ribbons in the printer even thou I told him to remove them. I ended up with the defective printer so I do have a limited source of parts for my third printer. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Postage Stamp Trains were made by Aurora in the 1970s. When I was in N scale 1982-1995 or so, they were already considered old junk.
I am not familiar with that flat car. I like it.
SeeYou190 Postage Stamp Trains were made by Aurora in the 1970s. When I was in N scale 1982-1995 or so, they were already considered old junk. I am not familiar with that flat car. I like it. -Kevin
Okay now I feel a little better Kevin, you shouldn't have told me you liked it though
Let's just leave it at that, I'm not going to research if I could have put 6-axel microtrain trucks on the thing and had a Rare Gem, ...Envy of every N scaler
The Alps printer can print with white ink making it great for making decals on a clear sheet.
My ebay experience has usually been of the "buy it now" sort when it was a reasonable price. However I recently won a bid on a model car piece missing from an old kit. It happened to be the exact piece I needed for that year model. Not having much experience bidding I went a couple bucks over current bid. When I was notified I had won the bid a few days later I was confused with my winning bid price as it was just over that current bid. Not my bid price. I took my win and was happy.
The above posts now explains the bidding process that occured. Thanks guys. Good to know now as I shop for factory take-off wheel and tires set for my car.
MAN!
That is sweet Mel. Nice job on the decals I need to get me one of those! Seriously, something like that would be the answer to all my custom signage needs. If you don't mind me asking, what am I looking to spend on something like that these days? And can you run the thing off a notebook?
Track fiddler MAN! That is sweet Mel. Nice job on the decals I need to get me one of those! Seriously, something like that would be the answer to all my custom signage needs. If you don't mind me asking, what am I looking to spend on something like that these days? And can you run the thing off a notebook? TF
TFI ended up paying $142 plus $12 shipping for my printer (6 years ago), $177 for the first printer that lasted three years.The last printer driver software available is for Windows XP and it needs a Parallel Printer port. I kept my old XP computer just for printing from my Alps.The printer I have is a MD-1000, the MD-5000 accepts the same print cartridges but I have no experience with any Alps printer other than the MD-1000. It is a great decal printer!!!The print cartridges are getting harder to find but the price has held pretty good at a bit under $20 for many years.I’ve been buying my Alps print cartridges from this outfit.https://www.mpsuppliesusa.com/White MDC-SCWH - Replaces 106050-00I haven’t bought any cartridges for about three years and just looking this morning they have increased to $30. When I buy them I stock up, I still have three white cartridges, 2 gold, 2 silver and three packs of regular color cartridges, black, magenta, yellow & cyan.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Thanks for getting back to me Mel.
A spendy little addition to the Hobby. But sometimes it isn't about the money is it? The extra fun something like that can add would make it worthwhile. And it sounds like those ribbon cartridges last for quite a long time.
Aurora didn't make Postage Stamp trains, they were basically rebadged, mostly Trix (Minitrix line). Right down to the track included with the sets, and their push to connect terminals. Not really any better or any worse than anything else on the market at the time. Aboutt he only thing nicer I had in N scale int he 70's were some Atlas cars - they came with metal wheels, even back then. Now they all come with plastic, go figure. It's similar to vintage HO, in that by the time of Microtains and their really nice N scale rolling stock, the old Postage Stamp cars were more or less 'old junk', just like outside of collectors, the old 50's HO so many love to wax nostalgic on are, if you want to compare detailing and all that, junk compared to modern offerings. But such things have an appeal all their own, and when they were in production, they certainly weren't junk.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
danno54 Not having much experience bidding I went a couple bucks over current bid. When I was notified I had won the bid a few days later I was confused with my winning bid price as it was just over that current bid. Not my bid price. I took my win and was happy.
Not having much experience bidding I went a couple bucks over current bid. When I was notified I had won the bid a few days later I was confused with my winning bid price as it was just over that current bid. Not my bid price. I took my win and was happy.
Yep Danno
I didn't realize this for years when bidding on items. You can bid your highest price you are willing to spend and just click it and forget it. If you don't have time to follow and watch, it don't matter.
The max bid on screen will always be shown. But say the max bid is at $13 when you post your max bid of $20. At the time you place the $20 bid the bid shown on screen will only increase to $14 at that time and automatically increase your bid $1 over everyone else's until your $20 is exhausted.
I didn't know for quite a while that if the bid is at $23 seconds to the end of the auction and you have a Max bid of $75 locked in, your bid will only automatically increase to $24 and you win.
Good to know if you really want to win an item.
eBay bid increments:
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/bidding/automatic-bidding?id=4014
Just as in a live auction, the increment increases as the bidding price goes higher. Just the way it is. No sense having 50¢ increments on a half-million dollar Ferrari.
I've been quite satisfied with my eBay transactions. I read the seller's feedback score. Anything less than 99% and I hesitate, especially for a big-ticket item.
Regards, Ed
philo426philo426 wrote the following post 17 hours ago: That's why I only use Buy it Now!Get what you want and don't overspend! Add Quote to your Post
I also use "Buy it Now" Of course doing so I miss out on a chance to get some items.
Interestly I have sometimes bought an item for less than someone else got an identical item by bidding.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Yes, I think most (all?) things I've bought off Ebay the last couple of years were 'buy it now', often from Ebay stores.
For bidding, I think it's easy to get carried away. I generally have set a price I think is the most I would pay for whatever it is, and bid that amount. If someone pays more than that, they just wanted it more.
BTW sometimes when you miss out on an item - especially if it's a 'big ticket' item - you might get a better deal after. Some folks will see something sell for a high price and realize they have the same item and decide it's time for them to sell it and maybe get as high a price. Sometime back an electric guitar I wanted came up and I bid $650 for it and it ended up selling for $700-something. Soon after, several more showed up on Ebay, and I won one for I think $575.
The "make offer" button can be fun.
Sometimes I throw a whole bunch of low-ball offers out there in an afternoon, and every once in a while one will be accepted.