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Why I like ebay

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, January 2, 2023 9:37 AM

John-NYBW
Too often people convince themselves that they need an expensive item when a lower cost alternative is available and would meet the persons needs.

Like me and my Milwaukee M18 tools!

Laugh

-Kevin

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Posted by John-NYBW on Monday, January 2, 2023 9:34 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

Whatever John,

I have 145 locmotives, 950 freight cars, 175 passenger cars and in 55 years I have only sold 4 locomotives that I later decided did not suit my needs.

I'm not as big a spender as many people I know in the hobby, or some of our friends on this forum. But I can afford the hobby at the size/level/complexity of the layout I am building.

I've never owned an "expensive" (read over $600) locomotive, brass or otherwise. I do have a few older pieces of brass. 

I don't have any newer expensive DCC/sound locos, since I don't do DCC or sound.

I do have some Bowser RS units on preorder, DC versions of course.

I've been a pretty savy shopper over the last 55 years. I seldom make investments in the hobby and then "change my mind".

I buy model trains with "resturant money" - do you know what that is? If you eat in a resturant can you ever recoup that money?

My life style and my families life style does not include many things others consider necessary or ordinary - for example we have only taken one expensive vacation in the last 27 years because we have different values.

There will be model trains on my new layout that date from my childhood and before.

I grew up building models including model trains from craftsman kits.

So I am COMPLETELY out of touch with your version of this hobby.

Actually I'm pretty sure I'm out of touch with a lot of peoples version of this hobby today.

I was once a big Ebay seller of custom GRAVELY garden tractor parts, they ran me off with their new policies.

I don't buy much of anything on there either these days. I only shop for old, NOS sort of stuff on Ebay.

Hope you are having fun, but I just don't see the fun in constantly buying and selling stuff - in my world that is not fun - it is work.

My Proto2000 E units from the LifeLike days suit me just fine - they are more than close enough, as are my Proto2000 ALCO PA's.

All my model trains run well and look good.......

Sheldon

 

 

I learned a long time ago about the advantages of being frugal and it came from an unlikely source. Orson Bean was a favorite guest of Johnny Carson because he was such an interesting conversationalist. He observed that most people feel poor because they spend a little more than they can afford and are always in debt. He said his family spends less money than they can afford and as a result, he felt rich. I've lived by that most of my adult life. 

There are a lot of luxuries that I could afford that I choose not to. I don't have a smart phone even though I could afford to have one and pay the expensive monthly access charge. I have a laptop computer so I don't need to carry one in my pocket nor do I need a phone that takes pictures. I have a simple flip phone and I pay less than $20 a month for the service. I rarely go on expensive vacations because I can't see spending thousands for something that is only going to last a week or two. I drive a 2017 Chevy Spark which reminds me a lot of a my first new car, a Chevette. It gets me around and serves my needs. I've been questioned as to why I don't pony up and meet an ebay seller's asking price for an item I've had my eye on. I have the money to do so but I simply have made the decision that the item is not worth the asking price. 

Decisions such as these are things people make all the time. Too often people convince themselves that they need an expensive item when a lower cost alternative is available and would meet the persons needs. That doesn't mean one should never go for top of the line but that should be done only when it is worth the added expense. I've found that most often it is not. 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, January 2, 2023 9:13 AM

PRR8259
I am trying to decide what the have-to-have's really are or are not for me.

I am doing the same thing right now. I have collected tons of stuff for the next layout, but I am currently buying "better" kits instead of the plastic kits I already have. As an example, I was going to use Walthers Sunrise Feed Mill, but I recently bought Fine Scale Miniatures Schramm Manufacturing to use in that location instead.

This is my last layout, I want what I want.

The no-longer-have-to-have items will be sold off at train shows. I just don't want to deal with selling on eBay after I read about it. I sold off tons of stuff in the 1999-2004 era, but have not sold much on eBay since.

I sure buy a lot of stuff, but selling seems like a pain. We will see how the train show in February goes.

As I get to actual layout construction, I know I am going to find I have a surplus of freight car kits, passenger cars, scenery supplies, etc.

This is on purpose, I intentionally bought more than I need so construction will have no delays.

John-NYBW
Ebay is a perfect example of the free market at work. It brings together buyers and sellers. Every transaction that is completed on ebay is done freely between the buyer and seller at a price agreeable to both.

It sure is John, great way to describe how it works.

I just had a deal work out for me and a seller just how you described.

He had an item I wanted, but he was asking just a tad more than I was willing to spend. I contacted him and asked if he would take my price.

Through additional back-and-forth, we arrived at an agreeable deal on two items and reasonable shipping.

Completely a free market transaction between two individuals that worked out well.

-Kevin

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, January 2, 2023 6:55 AM

PRR8259

Sheldon--

Besides the relaxation I get from running the trains, the learning more about their history has always been quite fascinating for me, so whatever it is that I buy, even if purchased on a whim, I always end up researching the item after the fact.  If it's a freight car or a lesser priced loco, I'm of course willing to let some things slide.

However, there are other times I cannot let things slide.

As I said, I'm effectively downsizing my entire roster now for the next most likely smaller layout and house...and am trying to decide what the have-to-have's really are or are not for me.  I just picked up a highly-detailed but delicate Genesis GP9, but then turned around and ordered off ebay a durable and easy to handle Walthers GP-60, too, for the best of both worlds.

As a seller, the fact that ebay holds my money for a period of time despite my account being fully verified became the last straw.  I did hundreds of sales in the past, but not many during 2021 or 2022, so they are treating me like some newby who never sold anything.  Ebay made it an unpleasant place to sell anymore.  My local store is doing just great with selling my consignments; they apparently get walk-ins from all over the US and we are finding that the western road stuff will even sell here in PA.

John

 

Whatever John,

I have 145 locmotives, 950 freight cars, 175 passenger cars and in 55 years I have only sold 4 locomotives that I later decided did not suit my needs.

I'm not as big a spender as many people I know in the hobby, or some of our friends on this forum. But I can afford the hobby at the size/level/complexity of the layout I am building.

I've never owned an "expensive" (read over $600) locomotive, brass or otherwise. I do have a few older pieces of brass. 

I don't have any newer expensive DCC/sound locos, since I don't do DCC or sound.

I do have some Bowser RS units on preorder, DC versions of course.

I've been a pretty savy shopper over the last 55 years. I seldom make investments in the hobby and then "change my mind".

I buy model trains with "resturant money" - do you know what that is? If you eat in a resturant can you ever recoup that money?

My life style and my families life style does not include many things others consider necessary or ordinary - for example we have only taken one expensive vacation in the last 27 years because we have different values.

There will be model trains on my new layout that date from my childhood and before.

I grew up building models including model trains from craftsman kits.

So I am COMPLETELY out of touch with your version of this hobby.

Actually I'm pretty sure I'm out of touch with a lot of peoples version of this hobby today.

I was once a big Ebay seller of custom GRAVELY garden tractor parts, they ran me off with their new policies.

I don't buy much of anything on there either these days. I only shop for old, NOS sort of stuff on Ebay.

Hope you are having fun, but I just don't see the fun in constantly buying and selling stuff - in my world that is not fun - it is work.

My Proto2000 E units from the LifeLike days suit me just fine - they are more than close enough, as are my Proto2000 ALCO PA's.

All my model trains run well and look good.......

Sheldon

 

    

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Posted by PRR8259 on Monday, January 2, 2023 12:12 AM

Sheldon--

Besides the relaxation I get from running the trains, the learning more about their history has always been quite fascinating for me, so whatever it is that I buy, even if purchased on a whim, I always end up researching the item after the fact.  If it's a freight car or a lesser priced loco, I'm of course willing to let some things slide.

However, there are other times I cannot let things slide.

As I said, I'm effectively downsizing my entire roster now for the next most likely smaller layout and house...and am trying to decide what the have-to-have's really are or are not for me.  I just picked up a highly-detailed but delicate Genesis GP9, but then turned around and ordered off ebay a durable and easy to handle Walthers GP-60, too, for the best of both worlds.

As a seller, the fact that ebay holds my money for a period of time despite my account being fully verified became the last straw.  I did hundreds of sales in the past, but not many during 2021 or 2022, so they are treating me like some newby who never sold anything.  Ebay made it an unpleasant place to sell anymore.  My local store is doing just great with selling my consignments; they apparently get walk-ins from all over the US and we are finding that the western road stuff will even sell here in PA.

John

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Posted by drgwcs on Sunday, January 1, 2023 11:24 PM

Doughless

I guess there still confusion about this.

With an auction, the auctioneer starts the bidding at a certain price....and the bids go UP from there.   If there are no bids, the auction ends.  Auctions have always worked like that.  The price either goes up from the start, or it ends without a sale.

With an ebay auction, ebay gives the sellers an option for bidders to skip the formal auction process and sell the item at a price above the starting bid, based upon what the seller sets as his minimum.  He can set a minimum offer price that automatically and immediately rejects any offer below his set amount. 

As a seller, I have never done the make offer thingy and have simply set my starting bid at my lowest price.  But others will set the starting bid low as a means to encourage bidding.  People seem to get competitive once the bidding starts.

Its an auction.  When the auction ends, the "make offer" chance expires with it.

Sure, you can send the seller an email after the auction ends to see if he will now sell the item at a lower amount, but that's a different transaction that's not part of the "make offer" auction.

A Buy It Now is a list price, like buying a car or a house.  If the seller also includes a "make offer" option, then it would obviously expected to be at BELOW the listed price.

When any offer is rejected immediately, its because the seller set an offer amount that would reject any offers below that amount.  

 

I do not know if they are doing it now but I recall that sellers on a couple boards reported when the make offer function first came out ebay was applying it on auctions automatically. They thought that it was being applied when the eBay algorithm indicated the beginning auction price was too high. Not sure if this was true just something sellers suspected at the time. 

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Posted by Doughless on Sunday, January 1, 2023 10:11 PM

I guess there still confusion about this.

With an auction, the auctioneer starts the bidding at a certain price....and the bids go UP from there.   If there are no bids, the auction ends.  Auctions have always worked like that.  The price either goes up from the start, or it ends without a sale.

With an ebay auction, ebay gives the sellers an option for bidders to skip the formal auction process and sell the item at a price above the starting bid, based upon what the seller sets as his minimum.  He can set a minimum offer price that automatically and immediately rejects any offer below his set amount. 

As a seller, I have never done the make offer thingy and have simply set my starting bid at my lowest price.  But others will set the starting bid low as a means to encourage bidding.  People seem to get competitive once the bidding starts.

Its an auction.  When the auction ends, the "make offer" chance expires with it.

Sure, you can send the seller an email after the auction ends to see if he will now sell the item at a lower amount, but that's a different transaction that's not part of the "make offer" auction.

A Buy It Now is a list price, like buying a car or a house.  If the seller also includes a "make offer" option, then it would obviously expected to be at BELOW the listed price.

When any offer is rejected immediately, its because the seller set an offer amount that would reject any offers below that amount.  

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, January 1, 2023 7:40 PM

PRR8259

I have waited 6 months or longer for some ebay sellers to reduce the starting bid or their buy it now price, and it just never happened.

I also have finally caved and bought that item on two occasions this past year.  

In both instances I was disappointed--not necessarily enough to give a negative feedback rating--but that the item was not quite in the condition represented by the seller (new).  Some things I try to fix and can fix, and some things not.

In both instances I overpaid a little bit or a good bit to get a scarce model that (I checked) was just not available anywhere else.  After doing the minor repairs I was basically happy with the models, until I learned over on other forums that there were issues with the way that Walthers/Lifelike actually made the models.  If I pay $280 for a plain dc only scarce E unit, as I have twice this year, I'm then disappointed to hear there are a number of mistakes incorporated into the model.

Sheldon likes to pick on the fact that some of us change our mind; I change my opinion of models when I do research and find out that there are actually real problems that I then just cannot unsee and pretend don't exist.

HO E units:  they all have their issues; Rapido has not produced the be-all end-all model that they most definitely advertised they were going to produce.  

That is why I'm replacing some Rapido passenger units with Athearn Genesis GP9's (picked up one yellow warbonnet yesterday 12/31 at English's, and about to order another).

I am unwilling to shell out a lot of cash and then cut up expensive models to do major surgery to fix problems.  Instead I sell them while they still qualify as being like new or excellent, and find something else instead

John.

 

Well John, your level of perfection will always leave you dissatisfied from what I can see.

I don't bother with your kind of exhaustive research and I would still bet my knowledge base about the things I choose to model is at a pretty high level.

Because I have the interest, I'm the guy who can tell you the differences between the various years of CHECKER taxis and their civilian counterparts the Superba and Marathon. You know the car build with the same boxy body from 1956 to 1983....

But I don't let that knowledge poison my enjoyment of the little yellow die cast CHECKER that sits on a shelf above me as I type this.

I run Bachamm 2-8-0's lettered B&O and Western Maryland, some with a few detail up grades, because from three feet they look close enough and most people don't know the difference.

So the kind of details you obsess over, I know about a lot of them, I just don't care.

It's a model, and my goal with that model is to create a realistic ARTISTIC impression of a railroad........ on a moderately large scale - 1500 sq ft - and do it mostly by myself in my remaining life time.

Compromises will be made, artistic license will be used.

I almost went down the same road as you many years ago - then I woke up and realized I was having no fun.

Sheldon 

 

    

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Posted by PRR8259 on Sunday, January 1, 2023 7:11 PM

I have waited 6 months or longer for some ebay sellers to reduce the starting bid or their buy it now price, and it just never happened.

I also have finally caved and bought that item on two occasions this past year.  

In both instances I was disappointed--not necessarily enough to give a negative feedback rating--but that the item was not quite in the condition represented by the seller (new).  Some things I try to fix and can fix, and some things not.

In both instances I overpaid a little bit or a good bit to get a scarce model that (I checked) was just not available anywhere else.  After doing the minor repairs I was basically happy with the models, until I learned over on other forums that there were issues with the way that Walthers/Lifelike actually made the models.  If I pay $280 for a plain dc only scarce E unit, as I have twice this year, I'm then disappointed to hear there are a number of mistakes incorporated into the model.

Sheldon likes to pick on the fact that some of us change our mind; I change my opinion of models when I do research and find out that there are actually real problems that I then just cannot unsee and pretend don't exist.

HO E units:  they all have their issues; Rapido has not produced the be-all end-all model that they most definitely advertised they were going to produce.  

That is why I'm replacing some Rapido passenger units with Athearn Genesis GP9's (picked up one yellow warbonnet yesterday 12/31 at English's, and about to order another).

I am unwilling to shell out a lot of cash and then cut up expensive models to do major surgery to fix problems.  Instead I sell them while they still qualify as being like new or excellent, and find something else instead

John.

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, January 1, 2023 6:27 PM

Yes, I am familiar with the B&M Flying Yankee, Sheldon, and I would have LOVED to have seen Con-Cor release one.  Unfortunately, the window/door arrangements of the cars were noticeably different from the Pioneer Zephyr and would have required new injection molds.  I would surmise that that is likely the primary reason Con-Cor told you it was unlikely.

The only version of the Flying Yankee that I'm aware of in HO is the brass version from Challenger Imports (CI).  No, that's incorrect.  There's also a version from Oriental Limited but it's not as nice as the one from CI.

Tom

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:52 PM

tstage

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
I considered buying one when they came out. They could be had for about $480 with the extra car.  I decided I had enough passenger equipment. 

 

Since the Zephyr didn't really operate eastwardly much past Chicago, it really wouldn't have fit your Atlantic Central based layout, would it, Sheldon?  Course, it doesn't fit my NYC intentions either - LOL. Laugh

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
The orignal price from Con Cor was $430 for the 3 car set and $150 for the extra car. So, $600 is more or less the right price if it is perfect.

 

I agree with Sheldon, John.  The current starting bid for the NIB 4-car set is "reasonable" given its uncommonness and stated condition.  Only you (the buyer) can determine if it's "reasonable" for you.  If not, you either wait...or you move on.

Tom

 

Actually the Boston and Maine had a similar train.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Yankee

And I contacted ConCor about the chances of them making the Yankee, they said unlikely.

Not really the Mid Atlantic either, but ConCor did sell the Zephyr undecorated, and later in the paint scheme of the 1934 film "Silver Streak".

Sheldon  

    

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:33 PM

John-NYBW
 
richhotrain

But, don't be fooled into thinking that $259 is the going price for that 4th car. 

Since it appears it is the only one currently being offered, I'd say that is the going price. 

The 4th car doesn't pop up often except when offered along with the three car set, the original Pioneer Zephyr. That's why the current listing for $599 is fair, four cars at $150 per car. 

I never said the price wasn't fair. It's just more than I am willing to pay for it. 

You indicated in your initial post that you offered $540 which is $135 per car. Are you going to let $15 per car keep you from buying? 

Yes. 

OK, let me come at this a different way. 

First, $259 is not the going price because that 4th car isn't going anywhere. That's why I pointed out that the 4 car set listed at $599 averages $150 per car. That is the more likely going price had you or someone else won with a bid of $599.

And No, you didn't say that the price wasn't fair, and I didn't say that you did. I used the term "fair price" to demonstrate that the amount that you were willing to pay only separated you and the seller by $15 per car.

Rich

 

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Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:24 PM

richhotrain

 

 
John-NYBW

If we are talking about the same item, it's not a Best Offer option but a Make Offer option. Apparently the Make Offer option has a baseline in which will automatically reject offers below the baseline, including the best offer if no one makes an offer above the baseline.   

 

 

Best Offer and Make Offer are one and the same. The official eBay terminology is Best Offer in the listing itself. When you click on a listing that includes a Best Offer option, under the Best Offer feature is a button marked Make Offer.

 

Rich

 

Best Offer implies the seller will accept the best offer he receives. Make Offer gives the seller the discretion to accept or reject any and all offers. 

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Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:19 PM

richhotrain

But, don't be fooled into thinking that $259 is the going price for that 4th car.

Since it appears it is the only one currently being offered, I'd say that is the going price.

The 4th car doesn't pop up often except when offered along with the three car set, the original Pioneer Zephyr. That's why the current listing for $599 is fair, four cars at $150 per car.

I never said the price wasn't fair. It's just more than I am willing to pay for it.

You indicated in your initial post that you offered $540 which is $135 per car. Are you going to let $15 per car keep you from buying?

Yes.

 

 

 

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:10 PM

John-NYBW
 
tstage

FWIW, John: There is currently a Buy It Now on a like-new, pre-owned 3-car trainset from a very reputable dealer for slightly above original MSRP.  Maybe that one better fits your pocketbook...

Tom 

This isn't a question of what I can afford. It is a question of what I am willing to pay. Given that a stand alone fourth car is being offered for an asking price of $259, I don't think I'd be interested in buying the 3 car set. I'd like to have the 4 car set but not at the current asking price. It's just not worth that much to me. I think I've offered as much for it as I am willing to go. If the price doesn't come down to my level, I'll just do without this item. If the seller finds someone willing to pay his asking price, good for him. 

The seller who is asking $259 for the 4th car is notorious for listings at outrageous prices. He will never lower the price or entertain a Best Offer. Sooner or later, usually later, someone who is obsessed with acquiring that 4th car will pay the seller's price. The seller has the patience of a saint.

But, don't be fooled into thinking that $259 is the going price for that 4th car. The 4th car doesn't pop up often except when offered along with the three car set, the original Pioneer Zephyr. That's why the current listing for $599 is fair, four cars at $150 per car.

You indicated in your initial post that you offered $540 which is $135 per car. Are you going to let $15 per car keep you from buying?

Rich

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 5:02 PM

John-NYBW

If we are talking about the same item, it's not a Best Offer option but a Make Offer option. Apparently the Make Offer option has a baseline in which will automatically reject offers below the baseline, including the best offer if no one makes an offer above the baseline.   

Best Offer and Make Offer are one and the same. The official eBay terminology is Best Offer in the listing itself. When you click on a listing that includes a Best Offer option, under the Best Offer feature is a button marked Make Offer.

Rich

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Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, January 1, 2023 4:54 PM

tstage

FWIW, John: There is currently a Buy It Now on a like-new, pre-owned 3-car trainset from a very reputable dealer for slightly above original MSRP.  Maybe that one better fits your pocketbook...

Tom

 

This isn't a question of what I can afford. It is a question of what I am willing to pay. Given that a stand alone fourth car is being offered for an asking price of $259, I don't think I'd be interested in buying the 3 car set. I'd like to have the 4 car set but not at the current asking price. It's just not worth that much to me. I think I've offered as much for it as I am willing to go. If the price doesn't come down to my level, I'll just do without this item. If the seller finds someone willing to pay his asking price, good for him.

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Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, January 1, 2023 4:42 PM

tstage

 

 
maxman
However, if no one wants the item either at the beginning auction price or the BIN price, why would he not possibly accept an offer?

 

Because the seller has a minimum sale price that he/she is looking for?

As already mentioned, the unusual twist to this particular auction is the Best Offer option from the seller.  And the seller can automatically set a minimum price to either accept or reject the offer of any buyer.

Every seller has their price and every buyer their price.  The challenge is finding the sweet spot where both seller & buyer are happy with the transaction.

Tom

 

If we are talking about the same item, it's not a Best Offer option but a Make Offer option. Apparently the Make Offer option has a baseline in which will automatically reject offers below the baseline, including the best offer if no one makes an offer above the baseline.  

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Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, January 1, 2023 4:33 PM

richhotrain

 

 
John-NYBW

It all depends on how patient the seller is willing to be. If he holds out long enough, he might get his asking price. Right now I'm not willing to meet it. 

 

 

Well, by waiting, your chances might be good. He keeps testing the market, having dropped the price unsuccessfully from $650 to $625 to $600 with each new 7-day auction. But, following his latest failure, he started a 4th new auction at the same $600 starting bid. So, he may have decided to hold firm at $600, or not. The risk you take is that it sells before you make a bid.

 

Rich

 

You win some, you lose some. I don't see it as much of a risk. It isn't essential to me to get this item which is why I'm not willing to pay the minimum bid. I didn't even know this set was available until a few weeks ago so if I end up not getting it, it's not the end of the world. Right now the seller and I are too far apart to make a deal. If he can get his asking price from another buyer, more power to him. It doesn't appear that either of us is overly eager to get it done. 

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 3:50 PM

tstage

FWIW, John: There is currently a Buy It Now on a like-new, pre-owned 3-car trainset from a very reputable dealer for slightly above original MSRP.  Maybe that one better fits your pocketbook...

Tom 

I agree with Tom on this seller. You can buy it at the current price and be happy, or wait for that seller to lower the price which he does on a regular basis for unsold items. Of course the risk is that someone strikes before you do. By the way, from my past experience with this seller, he does not accept best offers. He knows that he will eventually sell every item that he lists because his pricing is "fair".

Rich

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, January 1, 2023 3:40 PM

FWIW, John: There is currently a Buy It Now on a like-new, pre-owned 3-car trainset from a very reputable dealer for slightly above original MSRP.  Maybe that one better fits your pocketbook...

Tom

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Posted by tstage on Sunday, January 1, 2023 3:33 PM

maxman
However, if no one wants the item either at the beginning auction price or the BIN price, why would he not possibly accept an offer?

Because the seller has a minimum sale price that he/she is looking for?

As already mentioned, the unusual twist to this particular auction is the Best Offer option from the seller.  And the seller can automatically set a minimum price to either accept or reject the offer of any buyer.

Every seller has their price and every buyer their price.  The challenge is finding the sweet spot where both seller & buyer are happy with the transaction.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, January 1, 2023 3:31 PM

I have followed some items listed where there is both a buy-it-now option and an auction starting price.

The way I'm familiar with and I presume eBay still does it this way is that if a bid is placed the BIN option disappears. Now the item is on the auction "block" and the BIN option is off the table.

IF there are no more bids the buyer (bidder) just got the item at a lower cost (the original listing price). I've seen times where the bidding gets "heated" and the final price winds up considerably more than what the buy-it-now price was in the first place. 

If an item comes up that I particularly want and it has a reasonable BIN price I go ahead and buy it at that price. It avoids the risk of someone making a bid and potentially causing the final price to overshoot the original price.

There have also been times where I make a reasonable offer, if that option is available, usually 10 or 15% below BIN price. Most times my offer gets accepted.

On a few occasions my offer gets rejected and I don't bother with a counteroffer. Then I might get an email from the seller, after the end of the listing, accepting my original offer.

It's all a game of wait and see. These are hobby items. I don't get too emotionally engaged in the "need" to have an item.

Good Luck, Ed

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 3:25 PM

maxman

If the seller sets a beginning auction price I would expect the BIN price to be higher so that the seller can dispense with the auction if his expectation is met.

An auction type listing with a BIN option must set the BIN price higher than the starting bid. In fact, it must be at least 30% higher than the starting bid. Once a bid is made, the BIN option is automatically withdrawn.

maxman
However, if no one wants the item either at the beginning auction price or the BIN price, why would he not possibly accept an offer?

Well, if you are suggesting an auction type listing with both a BIN option and a Best Offer option, eBay does not allow it. An auction type listing can include a BIN option or a Best Offer option, but not both.

maxman

The whole process sounds bass-ackwards to me 

In that case, you best not be a seller on eBay, or maybe not even a potential buyer for that matter.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, January 1, 2023 2:55 PM

richhotrain
You are missing the point made by me and Douglas. Your example of the train show is the equivalent of an eBay Buy It Now. The item isn't selling, so the seller is signalling that he is willing to accept less.

If the seller sets a beginning auction price I would expect the BIN price to be higher so that the seller can dispense with the auction if his expectation is met.

However, if no one wants the item either at the beginning auction price or the BIN price, why would he not possibly accept an offer?

The whole process sounds bass-ackwards to me---------------------but then I don't understand the krypton currency stuff either.

Moderator
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Posted by tstage on Sunday, January 1, 2023 1:53 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
I considered buying one when they came out. They could be had for about $480 with the extra car.  I decided I had enough passenger equipment. 

Since the Zephyr didn't really operate eastwardly much past Chicago, it really wouldn't have fit your Atlantic Central based layout, would it, Sheldon?  Course, it doesn't fit my NYC intentions either - LOL. Laugh

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
The orignal price from Con Cor was $430 for the 3 car set and $150 for the extra car. So, $600 is more or less the right price if it is perfect.

I agree with Sheldon, John.  The current starting bid for the NIB 4-car set is "reasonable" given its uncommonness and stated condition.  Only you (the buyer) can determine if it's "reasonable" for you.  If not, you either wait...or you move on.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, January 1, 2023 1:06 PM

PRR8259
It is getting harder to buy good trains on ebay. I am getting stuff with minor issues, sometimes not repairable, at too high a price. I am much more careful now to only buy from legitimate dealers selling brand new stuff. Too much used stuff is misrepresented.

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for and what you expect.

I don't buy much on Ebay anymore, or anywhere. My want list is very small, Ihave a lot of trains, and I don't keep changing my mind about what I want.

But a few months ago I found really nice NOS Proto2000 PA and PB units - at nice prices in perfect condition. DISCLAIMER - they are undecorated DC models, perfection will depend on me, not some little girl in China.

But prices on there are up, no question.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 12:01 PM

maxman
 
Doughless
so the "make offer" button in an auction setting is expecting to see an offer HIGHER than the starting bid price.  

I don't understand this concept.If I go to train show and someone has an item priced which isn't moving, and says to a potential customer "make me an offer", are you saying that said customer is expected to make an offer higher than the posted price? 

You are missing the point made by me and Douglas. Your example of the train show is the equivalent of an eBay Buy It Now. The item isn't selling, so the seller is signalling that he is willing to accept less.

So, in your example, the seller is expecting the potential buyer to make an offer less than the advertised price. 

On the other hand, in an auction type listing on eBay, the seller sets a starting bid but is willing to consider ending the auction if someone is willing to buy the item at a higher price acceptable to the seller.

Rich

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, January 1, 2023 11:44 AM

Doughless
so the "make offer" button in an auction setting is expecting to see an offer HIGHER than the starting bid price. 

I don't understand this concept.

If I go to train show and someone has an item priced which isn't moving, and says to a potential customer "make me an offer", are you saying that said customer is expected to make an offer higher than the posted price?

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, January 1, 2023 11:42 AM

rrebell
 
John-NYBW

This was the first time I had seen an auction with a Make an Offer option so I wasn't sure how this would work. When the auction ran out with no bids, I thought maybe the seller would accept my offer lower than his starting bid price but the system rejected my offer instantly.  

No, the seller was just proubly on his machine, it happens. I have made offers and gotten a response faster than I can type and on other got a response a few days later and gotten counter offers too, it all depends.  

So, you reject the notion that there is an Auto-Decline option for Best Offers which the seller can choose when setting up the listing? Even when the system rejected John's offer instantly, faster than the seller could have possibly responded?  Huh?

Rich

Alton Junction

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