EBay insanity

[Roman414]

Well, I just went nuts on EBay. I saw a nice fountain pen a few days ago. A green Sheaffer, steel-cap Sentinel. Excellent condition cosmetically, new sac and O-rings (it is a Snorkel). I bid $70, thinking I might go as high as a hundred if I had to. My $70 bid held until a few minutes before the auction closed then someone outbid me. I upped to $90 and they outbid me again. Then my competitive spirit kicked in. Judgement, common sense, and discretion went below and turned in to their bunks, leaving Captain Stupid alone on the bridge. I determined that no one was going to beat me out of that pen even if I had to mortgagel the house. Let the insanity begin! When the dust settled I had won the pen for $170; seventy more than I had set as my limit. Most I ever paid for a pen before was $54 for a Pekikan M200. I have no idea what the Sheaffer sells for retail. I will probably never even write with it...I have other pens that are fine writers. Damn, I can't believe I did that. I am swearing to buy no more pens, razors, or anything but necessary groceries for the rest of the year. Damn! Anyone else ever do something like that?

[rtaylor61]

I got caught up in a few ebay auctions and paid a bit too much, but not like that. Now I make my decision on what I am willing to pay, bid and forget about it. If I get notice I won, great. If not, great.

Randy

[norman931]

Why doesn't anyone do that on my auctions? :crying:

Norm

[ouch]

Well, I just went nuts on EBay. I saw a nice fountain pen a few days ago. A green Sheaffer, steel-cap Sentinel. Excellent condition cosmetically, new sac and O-rings (it is a Snorkel). I bid $70, thinking I might go as high as a hundred if I had to. My $70 bid held until a few minutes before the auction closed then someone outbid me. I upped to $90 and they outbid me again. Then my competitive spirit kicked in. Judgement, common sense, and discretion went below and turned in to their bunks, leaving Captain Stupid alone on the bridge. I determined that no one was going to beat me out of that pen even if I had to mortgagel the house. Let the insanity begin! When the dust settled I had won the pen for $170; seventy more than I had set as my limit. Most I ever paid for a pen before was $54 for a Pekikan M200. I have no idea what the Sheaffer sells for retail. I will probably never even write with it...I have other pens that are fine writers. Damn, I can't believe I did that. I am swearing to buy no more pens, razors, or anything but necessary groceries for the rest of the year. Damn! Anyone else ever do something like that?


I know you're pretty new here, Roman, but here's a liitle tip from your Uncle Ouch- there are itchy fingered mods laying in wait, just dying to have a member make one little slip of the tongue that will become a custom title. Just ask Mr. Hygene (sic), Yes Dear, or others.

As for the pen, hope you enjoy it. At the very least, you showed those other bidders who's boss, at least for a fleeting moment.

[schwarz]

Oh yes, the 'determined to get it no matter what' syndrome.:wink2:

A story...Seeing as I part cars for a side business, I always watch fellow parters' auctions to see what current parts prices are. Saw one auction for a set of fog lights go for $660 (and not rare parts at all). Seeing as you can buy these fog lights for these particular cars new for $300, 2 seperate people fell into that 'determined to get it no matter what' syndrome and put in their max bids at outrageous amounts 'determined to get it no matter what'. I hope both learned from that experience. Good for the seller...bad for the buyer. [/story]

[norman931]

I know you're pretty new here, Roman, but here's a liitle tip from your Uncle Ouch- there are itchy fingered mods laying in wait, just dying to have a member make one little slip of the tongue that will become a custom title. Just ask Mr. Hygene (sic), Yes Dear, or others.

As for the pen, hope you enjoy it. At the very least, you showed those other bidders who's boss, at least for a fleeting moment.

mennil-toss flykune? :eek:

Norm

[BarryR]

I determined that no one was going to beat me out of that pen even if I had to mortgagel the house. Let the insanity begin! When I bid on ebay I try very hard to set a maximum price that I want to pay and not suddenly increase it at the last minute. It can get frustrating if you're the winning bid until the last few minutes as you start to think of the item as yours, but if you think an item is worth $X to you, there's no reason to decide it's worth 2X at the last minute. It does take some resolve though!

Hope you got a great pen!

[Sabledog]

mennil-toss flykune? :eek:

Norm

I suspect he has a pygmy pony somewhere.

:a24:

[copperhead]

Well, I just went nuts on EBay. I saw a nice fountain pen a few days ago. A green Sheaffer, steel-cap Sentinel. Excellent condition cosmetically, new sac and O-rings (it is a Snorkel). I bid $70, thinking I might go as high as a hundred if I had to. My $70 bid held until a few minutes before the auction closed then someone outbid me. I upped to $90 and they outbid me again. Then my competitive spirit kicked in. Judgement, common sense, and discretion went below and turned in to their bunks, leaving Captain Stupid alone on the bridge. I determined that no one was going to beat me out of that pen even if I had to mortgagel the house. Let the insanity begin! When the dust settled I had won the pen for $170; seventy more than I had set as my limit. Most I ever paid for a pen before was $54 for a Pekikan M200. I have no idea what the Sheaffer sells for retail. I will probably never even write with it...I have other pens that are fine writers. Damn, I can't believe I did that. I am swearing to buy no more pens, razors, or anything but necessary groceries for the rest of the year. Damn! Anyone else ever do something like that?

I feel your pain brother. Been there done that. The worst part is at the end you don't feel victorious for having won. :confused1

[Slant-Fan]

You may have gotten away cheap if you have learned a lesson from it I have done it for years and still do on occasion. OTOH, I don't get into bidding wars anymore as I snipe the item in the last few seconds.

The advantage being that I don't drive the price up beyond what my maximum is and I leave no time to increase my bid even if I wanted to. The disadvantage is that if I am outbid it is all over.

Frequently I am glad when the page tells me that I must increase the bid amount if I want to proceed and I know that I didn't spend more hard earned $ on yet another obscure object of desire that I need like I need another hole in my head :biggrin:

Anyway, enjoy the pen now that you have it and keep it next to the keyboard to remind you not to go overboard again.

[analog_kid]

You may have gotten away cheap if you have learned a lesson from it I have done it for years and still do on occasion. OTOH, I don't get into bidding wars anymore as I snipe the item in the last few seconds.



Thank you!!!! The key to winning on ebay is being all sniper-like. You wait until the last 45 seconds or so, in case you need to bid again, to place your first bid. Bidding before those last few seconds only costs you more money.

[Doc4]

I know you're pretty new here, Roman, but here's a liitle tip from your Uncle Ouch- there are itchy fingered mods laying in wait, just dying to have a member make one little slip of the tongue that will become a custom title. Just ask Mr. Hygene (sic), Yes Dear, or others.

As for the pen, hope you enjoy it. At the very least, you showed those other bidders who's boss, at least for a fleeting moment.
Hmm ... "Captain Stupid" ... I think I got off easy! :lol:

mennil-toss flykune? :eek:

Norm

... really, really easy!! :w00t: :w00t:

My e-bay habit seems to go in spurts ... I buy a whole bunch of stuff, and then don't look at e-bay for months ... until something (usually here) triggers the yen ...

If it's something you are mildly interested in, post a low bid early, and if you win great and if someone really wants it, great too: don't fight battles that are not worth winning. But if it's something you have to have ... a real prize piece, then pick your time at the end and go big. (Well, as big as you are willing to go) and if someone tops your max bid, c'est la vie.

Remember, if you lose the auction, there's always something else coming up ...

[copperhead]

mennil-toss flykune? :eek:

Norm

I don't get it. :confused: :confused: I understand its to do with our beloved Uncle Ouch but :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Wil]

I suspect he has a pygmy pony somewhere.

:a24:

Maybe somewhere in Montana....

[TimmyBoston]

Write the seller some sappy email about how you can't afford the pen and don't pay for it.

[bbqncigars]

All my Ebay purchases have been BIN or via a sniping service. Figure the most the item is worth to you, and set it and forget it until the auction ends. I sniped a nice refurbished snorkel for $70 recently. A lovely writer. I've sniped some good deals on razors as well. A good sniping service (web based) will save you a lot of money and stress. Just my $.02


Wayne

[Nobeard]

Why doesn't anyone do that on my auctions? :crying:

Norm


YEAH. good one...

Where are those people when I sell something.

[Thomas]

That's why they call it the winner's curse.

I started to avail myself of sniping and have not looked back. Although, I've entered snipes here and there and forgotten about them - so I've had these surprise wins only to find I was no longer interested. Oops.

[ouch]

I suspect he has a pygmy pony somewhere.

:a24:

Right next to my dental floss bush.


Maybe somewhere in Montana....

Anyone see my zircon encrusted tweezerman?

[BroJohn]

I'm pretty disciplined (usually) when it comes to eBay bidding.

Having said that, I *hate* snipers. :incazzato

-- John Gehman

[MCsommerreid]

E-bay is the devil like that. People seem to get set in on something, and will bid it up to astronomical amounts.

So far I've seen it particularly badly with DE razors, fountain pens, and estate pipes. Conversely, though, for those of us finding ourselves selling these things, it can be a good thing because it provides a higher probability of a bidding war starting over your item.

[jazzman]

Anyone see my zircon encrusted tweezerman?

Yeah. But I left it in my Sears poncho.