Re: more Ebay

["Eddie Stakes" <eddiestakes@xxxx>]

Hi Doc, on shipping on ebay items it is something I always suggest everyone
look at the info provided by seller. I always have a set rate in my auctions
of shipping but have been doing this many years and can pretty well estimate
what it will cost to ship a griil, mirror, something oblong shape even if it
weighs a few pounds. For instance, those stainless front spoilers I sell
shipping is $11.00. The box, which I buy new, is $2.50, and shipping is
always around $8.50 in the US. Some larger things such as a grill will be
around $20. The front spoiler for 71-74 AMX I had on ebay recently new has a
shipping charge of $35-$39, as it is UPS Oversize/Surcharge.

Sometimes you see folks on ebay with something like a Johnny Lightning for
$2, but shipping is $6. It costs $3.95 to ship one Priority Mail. You don't
need all the Delivery Confirmation, Insurance (except on rare one of a kind
stuff) added on. Some sellers put in the auction that is included with
shipping, but when you get it, there is no Delivery Confirmation nor
Insurance, so you just got hosed for $1-$3, sometimes more.

I personnly dislike the auctions that the seller will not give a shipping
rate. Why? It is not because they don't know, they could easily box the item
up and have it weighed, or look up weight/shipping online. To me it is a
open check for whoever the buyer is. Someone bids on something, then when
they win auction, is whupped with a gouged rate. I see this all the time on
ebay.

You have a lot of people also on ebay that don't ship much, and therefore,
are ignorant of rates and fees. But if you are going to sell on ebay, then
you better be a fast learner as to shipping rates, regardless of USPS, UPS,
FedEx, TexPack, Rodeway, whoever. Those mirrors Doc mentions below should
have costed about $7 to ship in the US, and $10 to/from Canada eh.
**Warning, always watch those auctions that want to include HANDLING. Handle
THIS! That is another open ended check for sellers. If it is something
extremely fragile that is one thing, like painting, antiques, glass, but a
majority of the items should not have a 'handling' charge tacked on, it is
just another way for seller to make more money.

My suggestion? Real simple common sense. If you, as a buyer, are interested
in something and there is no shipping rates posted on the auction, the there
is a button on ebay for you to 'email seller a question' quickly. Some get
back to you, others do not. Some will be more than happy to answer your
questions, others you never hear from. The ones you don't hear from (like
the 70 Big Bad Green Javelin sellers claim is a Donohue, Trans Am, Follmer's
wife had baby in it, whatever, that has been on ebay since Al Gore invented
the internet for instance, no replies to anyone who asked them legitimate
questions, big RED FLAG) but the ones you don't hear back from that are not
answering your questions, my suggestion is to simply move on, as from my own
5-6 year ebaying experience, there could be trouble if you are high bidder
on that object. Some sellers have a phone number listed in the auction, and
this is highly recommended to call them if you are serious about that item,
especially a high dollar item.

As for sniping, sniping is part of the auction experience, even at many,
many of the 'live' auctions I have went to thru the years, from Autorama at
the Astrodome, to Houston Livestock Rodeo, to police and storage auctions.
You have someone that might sit there the whole auction and never make a
peep until the last minute, or until they see a opportunity that bidding has
stalled. Get used to it, some you will win, others might lose by 25 cents.
My observation with ebay is that people for some reason want to wait until
the last day to bid. This is not new, it is something I too have done, to
see if any bids and thinking I may fetch a bargain. Other times I slap my
MAXIMUM BID on something early on, even it has 7 days left. Then sit and
watch. Knowing what many things sell for helps me, but I am always surprised
to see something blow past me like I was standing still. A set of those AMX
Dealership Racing Posters: Nurburgring, Elkhart Lake and Monte Carlo is a
prime example. I had a NOS set, and wanted another set. My bid was $475
(might have been $495, can't remember) for the set on ebay, and was placed 4
days into auction. So I am in Pole Position! I'm leading the race! Everyone
behind me is mere mortals! Earthlings! Then the last few hours.....I get a
email saying those dreaded words: "YOU HAVE BEEN OUTBID!!!" So quickly I
click on the link, sign in, and rebid...$20 more than the high bidder. No
way, it has that annoying litle screen 'YOU HAVE BEEN OUTBID AGAIN!' or
whatever it says that makes you wonder. I left it and continued to monitor
the auction, refreshing and reloading every 30 seconds. If you have dial up,
you could probably drive from LA to NY and pay the seller in cash by the
time it reloads! If you have DSL, then you can hit and hit quickly and stay
in the hunt.
Well, those posters sold for $560.xx and I was really surprised. This would
be a good time to know what some thing sell for nationally, as you have a
wide variety of rare, and common AMC stuff on ebay. And yes, people do abuse
the words like 'rare' 'mint' 'NOS' 'vintage' to name a few, don't believe me
go to ebay and put in the search box one of these words at a time and watch
it light up.

As for those E-snipe services, I have never used them. If I win a item then
it was menat to be, if not, then no big deal, will move on. Sometimes I see
a bidders name as high bidder, and will back off or not bid, knowing they
are a customer, friend, or probably really need that item. On the other hand
however, if it is something I really need or want for one of my own vehicles
or collection, then I'm like Donald Trump, and will step on toes with steel
boots to get it. But a majority of the time, I simply back off the auction.
And some items do sell for more than what worth on ebay, that is what a
auction is all about. If you ever go to some 'live' auctions, you will see
up close and personable. Some vehicles/parts/antiques/anything will sell for
way above market value, due to someone wanting it really bad, and willing to
pay for it. On the other hand some items will be bargains, sometimes no bids
and can be had for a fraction fo what they actually are worth so it works
both ways.

I personally would like to see eSnipe and other sniping software banned or
blocked. But why would ebay kill another cash cow? Same with 'shill bidding'
for instance. They indicate it is illegal on ebay, but it still goes on,
some farmer joe lists his classic car, and gets on ATT's Friends & Family
program and contacts relatives, buddies and so forth, and askes them to bid
on it, which they do, and at a artifical inflated price. No one 'wins' this
auction if it is a shiller, it simply gets relisted by seller and they go
into ebay's Site Map and ask for a Final Value Fee so eBay reimburses them
for non payment or whatever the reason is. But ebay still makes their money
from seller. I do however many people like and use, sniping services. A
variety of reason from job, home, away from computer, you name it comes into
play, most times they are not going to be near the computer when auction
ends. As for someone ending a auction early, remember this is the seller's
perogative to do so, whether high dollar item like a car, or small item like
vase.
This is where the "ask seller a question" button is really handy. If someone
has a Edelbrock R4B with part numbers on it and bidding is $150, I would
email the seller and ask them if they would take $300 to end auction early.
If they bite, the auction is over. Others may not agree with this but again,
deals are struck. I have done this at many live auctions for cars. I
approach the seller and ask them if they would take X amount for the
vehicle, the worst they can say is no, the best would be 'it's yours'. And I
also like to remind those eSnipers who get offended by a auction ending
early that many times, the item, especially a vehicle, is listed in print
magazines, locally or nationally for sale and the seller reserves the right
to end auction early. My 80 Spirit Gt was one such vehicle. I had it on ebay
and never hit reserve of $1750, and ran it thru a second time, had bids, but
a fellow saw one of my many ads in a old car magazine and asked if he could
have photos, I emialed him a number of photos of that 27K car, he called and
asked if I would take $1600 for it, yes I would, and I stopped the auction
as the car was sold in another outlet.
It usually has absolutely nothing to do with a item possibly selling too
cheap, the seller can always have a reserve, which could be his/her low ball
of what they would accept for item.


So if you are interested in anything off ebay, my own suggestion is always
place your max bid, no matter how many days left the auction might have. If
you are outbid you will get notice, then decide whether you wish to rebid or
move on. If you get sniped, well, not much advise there for you, I have
sniped and been sniped hundreds of times, been sniped more times than I have
sniped if that counts, but again, it is just part of a auction, whether live
or online. There is way more to ebay than what is covered above too, feel
free to chime in, might help someone else later.
Eddie Stakes
www.planethoustonamx.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "amc74hornet" <AMC74HORNET@xxxx>
To: <BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004 7:42 AM
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] Hey Bart


I saw your reply to the Evil/Bay post on the AMX Files, and also the Cornel
Kink one too. You are exactly right about rip off shipping charges by
people. I didn't want to reply on there about my mirror fiasco a few months
back since it involved 2 members one honest and the other one tried to rip
me off on shipping. I actually only really wanted just a pass side mirror. I
bought a set from a guy in canada for 25$ and it was 13$ for shipping with
insurance. One glass got broken and I got 22$ back for that and it cost me
15$ to have a new glass made. I was happy and got 2 nice driver quality
chrome mirrors. I was offered one mirror from a guy in California for 25$.
He said send me your zip code and I will find out the shipping. Turns out he
wanted 19$ for shipping. Now one mirror dosent weigh more than a model car
and it fits in the same size box. I ship models all over the country
priority mail and it costs 3.85$ and 1.30 for insurance up to 50$ And the
priority mail boxes are free.So how does this fool get 19$ for shipping? I
was going to buy the single mirror so I would have an extra pair bit not for
44$ for one mirror. "Doc"





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