Beowuuf's brilliant bargins

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:34 pm

Yeah, that's what i did...I estimated to the weight but also lowballed if the next weight category just seemed a little too high...assuming I would make it up in the bid.

One evil thing is where postage costs are deliberately too high to make money - since that's a) against the e-bay policy (since they don't get a cut of it, for one thing), and b) its just plain wrong!

Post by **PaulH** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:36 pm

I buy/trade a lot of hifi equipment. Units generally weigh say 10kgs and some people are charging 20-25 quid postage, when the unit may only be worth 50 quid. A lot remain unsold. People are beginning to boycott this sort of stuff, and even average postage prices get a lot less bids than someone who puts in a low p+p

Post by **Gambit37** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:37 pm

I always test-pack and weigh all my items and put on the exact cost of postage after calculating using the Royal mail on-line calculator. I'm always honest about it and people love it -- I find people are willing to pay more postage on heavier items -- and well they should because that's what it costs. I may have lost the odd bid from time to time, but I never quote more than it costs -- if I sell a CD in a padded envelope I only ever quote 60p (the actual first class cost, though that was a year or so ago) -- not the £1-2 pounds that many people quote for CDs.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:46 pm

Not that I am planning on selling anything else on E-bay, but I would refund the difference if I got the packaging cost wrong ...even if it's just a cheque for a pound or less!

The trouble with the stuff I have is that I will take it into work to pack it (lots of nice boxes, etc) and go to the local post office close by. So wouldn't test-pack it without leaving everything at work...which would have been annoying, as I did get a request for extra pictures at one point!

The magic cards are an example of my packing price - it should hopefully be the right band from what I weighed, but especially at the price of the cards, I don't mind underquoting to the lower likely band so it looks nicer and absorbing the cost myself if needs be. Especailly since the buyer might want better than standard shipping, in which case that price would be arranged exactly later. LOL, we shall see if those cards even sell...I think not by the small amount of wtachers and lack of activity...

Post by **PaulH** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 11:52 pm

The best I saw - a blatant disregard for the rules and well, just plain stupidity (yeah, we not thought of THAT before) - was this fella who was selling bikes for 99p. With £199 p+p!

NB: Local pick ups not possible...

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:06 am

I would have to imagine Ebay being down on his head like a ton of Pain Rat droppings...which, quite frankly, I'm glad were never included in the DM game

Could be funny though
"What the heck left soemthing THAT size!"
- "I dunno...now, why didn't someone point them out before I stepped onto them?"

Post by **PaulH** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:10 am

Aren't they DSAs?!!!

JOKE - JOKE -JOKE!!!!

I have made a great DSA... it says, 'sorry, CSBWin has encountered a problem and has shut down.'

Sorry...

Actually, I AM getting some sense out of the implementation.
Now back to the topic... rat dung. Or was that your auction?

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:16 am

Honest Wuufy's Marvellous Magical Pain Rat Fertillizer - as used by all good farmers and politicians

DSA's are fine...you have a state, get in a state through a message that put you in a state, state the state you want the message to state that should be the state you get in, then massage the message and stop at the state stated. Stupendous.

Or something

Post by **PaulH** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:18 am

Thats the best explanation I have seen yet.

I am going to get shot for this...

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:20 am

Well, they have to get passed me to do that!

*Since I still owe you for the whole Chris Barrie running joke and I want first shot*

Post by **PaulH** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:27 am

I hope PaulS appreciates British humour...

Now, wheres my nuclear bunker?

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:32 am

*Throws away the 'Worlds Deepest Pit' signpost* This way, this way...

Post by **PaulH** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:34 am

Worlds Deepest Pit? I have no comment on where that may be...

Post by **PaulH** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 7:40 pm

Its near Barnsley.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:14 pm

Just re-listed the magic cardswith an obscene opening bid.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... RK:MESE:IT

Two watchers, but goodness knows if that will translate to anything!

Post by **PaulH** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:16 am

Great description. Great pic. £70?!

BloodFromStone · Post by **BloodFromStone** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:01 am

I haven't played Magic in approximately one hundred million years. I used to play all the time, though.
(This is vaguly related to the topic, I swear.)

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 8:34 am

Yeah, you see I've not got onboard with all this 'price it low get sales' crap. If yiou price it low without a reserve then people will buy it low, becuase there are 1000000billionmillion magic entries. If you put a reserve, no one seems to bother to bid. That's my experience in all of the five lots I've put up, anyway : )

Eh, I have three watchers, if one puts in a last minute bit for just the £70, I will be happy : )
It's a good set! People who's stuff gets notced sell for way more than that, let me tell you!

Post by **Gambit37** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 10:22 am

I've noticed that people can be a bit weird on eBay with reserve price sales: if no-one puts a bid on it seems to put everyone else off from doing so -- but once you get the first bid the price can often rocket. It's like a person says to themselves 'This item isn't worth anything unless someone else wants it too." Which is pretty mad. It's either valuable to you or not.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:11 pm

People don't like to see others getting a bargain! We're a weird lot.

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:12 pm

LOL
Well, that principle helped me last time round, the final sellers defintely seemed to get pushed up higher than I know I owuld have bid for it . This time round I would welcome just a single bidder : )

Post by **PaulH** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:18 pm

I'll have to start remembering to log in, or I'll never catch up on posts with you!

You see similar on TV: two people, who quite often know each, bidding like fury for an item. You'd think they would have a quiet word beforehand. Of course, may backfire

BloodFromStone · Post by **BloodFromStone** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:39 pm

I refrain from bidding on reserved price auctions myself... I guess I just don't like the uncertainty of it. =P

Post by **PaulH** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:43 pm

Whats to be uncertain about?! I make my mind up what something is worth before I bid. If its less than the reserve, I bid, if not, I don't!

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:56 pm

I guess the problem is you may decide to give yourself a maximum bid, knowing you could still pull out and lower it later before bidding starts against you, whereas with a reserve you may find yourself pushed up to close to that maximum right away if the reserve price is high...right?

Post by **PaulH** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:06 pm

Yeah, I think I know what you mean, but I still only usually ever enter one amount and leave it. It is the best way!

PS I'll win an auction one day...

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:30 pm

WIN MINE! *all for Wuffy all for Wuufy*

beowuuf · Post by **beowuuf** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:56 pm

Well, I got a laaaaaaaaaaaast minute bid at my initial asking price *shrug* Dunno if it's a good price or not, all I know is that my room is now clean of stuff I don't need, and I have money in my account!

Post by **PaulH** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 9:58 pm

My room is like Steptoe's back yard, full of electrical gear, tools, bikes, boxes and general crap. It drives my mother up the wall.

Selie · Post by **Selie** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:02 pm

I should sell some stuff on ebay. I really have so much crap laying around...

Sometimes I sell art/commissions on ebay, but I still haven't finished the commissions from the last bout so I might want to hold off on doing that again. You artisty types might want to look into doing the same, if you like commissions... art practice and money in your pocket!