neal_shields Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2985903806 Are there really people out there, that aren't trying to rip someone off, that the very first item that they ever list is a $1200 camera with a $550 min bid. I know if it is too good to be true, it is, but "to sleep, perchance to dream". If I was close I would buy it and insist on picking it up in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_gage Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I don't understand why people think it's a rip off when a $1200 item has a starting bid of $550. If it was a "Buy it now" for $550 then maybe I could see the concern. The auctions that usually bring the most money are the ones that start with a low minimum to get a lot of people bidding and in a frenzy. A $1200 camera with a minimum bid of $1100 probably wouldn't get any takers. I've seen certain lenses selling for $75 on average, but when that lens was listed with a $65 minimumn it got no bids. A different seller sells the same lens for $78 the next day though and it started around $30. Those aren't collector items though so that makes a difference I suppose. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neal_shields Posted February 11, 2004 Author Share Posted February 11, 2004 My point was not that the starting bid was too low but that it was too expensive an item to list with no feed back. 0 feedback has got to depress the price by several hundred dollars...doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_davis2 Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 I'd pay less because of the lack of feedback but then I'm leary of buying anything expensive off Ebay. A while back I watched somebody pay fairly good money for a flash described "Well used with obvious signs of use" Went on to talk about all the minor issues with the unit. I know that model has been discontinued awhile since it's replacement has been discontinued awhile! Yet it sold for 75% of what a brand new flash with similar features would have cost from a big shop. OTOH I've gotten some great deals buying from people with low ratings. Caveat emptor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger krueger Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 There are people that dumb, but they're outnumbered by thieves about 10 to 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger krueger Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 There are people that dumb, but they're outnumbered by thieves about 10 to 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_gage Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 My point was not that the starting bid was too low but that it was too expensive an item to list with no feed back. 0 feedback has got to depress the price by several hundred dollars...doesn't it? Good point. That's how I got my Pentax MX with winder, 3 lenses, and teleconverters for $150...no one else bid on it from a seller with 0 feedback. I sold 2 lenses and the teleconverters for over $100. Makes me happy! :) Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markci Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 He takes Visa through Paypal, so the risk actually seems very small. I don't know why people get excited about starting bids. Hello: it's an AUCTION. It's not EXPECTED to sell for the starting bid. I've seen plenty of expensive items started for a dollar and no reserve. Usually when I list something I put it at 80% or so of fair market value. I don't think I've ever gotten less than 100%, and many times it's more like 110% or 120%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markci Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 Maybe it depresses the price and maybe it doesn't. Taking credit cards, I sort of doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel_iggers Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 A "legit" new seller who wants to sell a high value item faces a dilemma. Bidders should be wary of paying a large sum to a seller who has no track record, and should consider using an escrow service and also obtain and verify personal info of the seller before sending payment. Putting on a reserve is liable to deter bidders. At least I think so. After all, what's the point of bargain-hunting, if it is pretty clear the seller has covered their down-side risk with a reserve. Starting with an opening bid of several hundred dollars also may deter bidders, and (I think) incurs a larger listing fee that is payable even if there are no bids. My advice to new sellers: sell inexpensive items first, and build a record of feedback from satisfied buyers, before you try to sell a $500 camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers_. Posted February 11, 2004 Share Posted February 11, 2004 This case doesn't look bad - no flags anyhow. The poorly photographed Alpa (and concurrent Canon) suggest the non-ebay kids are selling off Harry's estate. They decided to do it this way because the stuff is worthless at the camera store where photographers no longer shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas_green1 Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 You really never know. I just got a TRUE MINT- Pentax 67, 45mm f4 wide angle, 135mm Macro, and 300mm f4 from a seller that had 0 feedback (actually 1 pos, 1 neg as a buyer) and wouldn't take credit cards. I won the lot for $1152 as the underbidder on a deal where the winning bidder at 1177 was from China, and the seller didn't want to sell to them, so they offerred it to me on a 2nd chance bid. Before taking it, I negotiated the fact that the seller will ship it to a friend of theirs who lived local to me as an escrow agent, and I had the right to inspect the goods before handing over the Cashier's Check. I estimate the normal ebay market value of this system at $1600-1800, but the seller's feedback and no credit card terms scared off most of the buyers. And since I was able to inspect the goods before buying, I literally got a steal of a deal. And the stuff IS ALL legitimately almost true mint, with the original boxes and books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry_zet Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 whats the problem? the first item i ever sold on ebay was a 4000 dollars turntable. everybody has to start someday. and 550 dollars is probably the minimum he wants to fetch for this camera. BTW: i have one like this and its phantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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