Bidding against one another!!!

[Gregor]

Hey people!

I am having a little bit of an issue with "Tamiya Collectors" bidding against each other on e-bay. My main problem is the people that are "new" to ebay and the hobby really kind of screw up the bid process on stuff that is really an ok deal. I do stress OK. As you are aware most ebayed RC cars are really trashed by the time they are auctioned off. I was bidding on 4 Hornets, an nothing but random people where bidding causing the $ to become stupid. So I ended up with one. I generally email people that have placed multiple bids on a piece. That just means they have some intentions for the car. ie: collectors. If it is a collector, I know that most of you are not going to pay over $100 U.S. for a trashed car. But last night, man the bids where hitting $150 U.S. for last second bids... for a Hornet.. I don't think so!!! Anyways... I am just ticked at this time because everyone has a $ they would pay for an older R/C, the worest part was the fact that I waited till the lst 5 put my bid down, thinking it would be alright and 2 other guys bid $50 more??? Don't understand.[]

[mr_lister999.]

Thats the way it goes. A frequently discussed topic this one. The verdict always comes down to who ever bids the most gets it. If you dont bid enough you dont get it! An item is always only worth what will be paid even its $1 or $1000. You either have to bid higher or put up with not winning.

Dont worry about the hornets, they come up all the time so just keep trying. Good luck.

[snollan]

Ebay is the free market in action. If it weren't for "Tamiya Collectors" there would be no "Tamiya Collecting". Just because it's a hornet doesn't mean it's going to be cheap on ebay.

When it come to ebay you need to take every bit of emotion out of bidding on that item. If you win great, if you get out bid there will be 10 more like it. If you keep getting out bid then you need to figure out how much money you're willing to spend.

So in the end I don't think its an issue of "Tamiya Collectors" bidding against each other. It's more of an issue of a certain item or items going for more than you wanted.

[Big Al(2)]

Hey Gregor, that sucks that you lost the auction, but that is just the way it goes! An auction is an auction, and if someone is willing to pay a higher amount for something that you wanted, then so be it! If you were willing to pay $100 for a used Hornet, and someone else was willing to pay $150 for it, then the car probably means something to the higher bidder and he was willing to pay what he needed to pay to win it...the question is, "Are you willing to pay?" That is the art of the auction process!! Just my 2 cents! -Big Al

[Shodog]

One thing you will find is that some things don't sell for their percieved value. The hornet was an inexpensivecar when they came out. Many people bought these back then and now they are trying to regain their childhood by getting one now. Consequently the price for new built mint or NIB hornet kits are going through the roof.

Never fear though as with many cars on ebay there will be a fresh crop of Hornets to choose from next week. Your right newbie's drive up the price on things. Great for the seller and bad for the buyer. Why not expand your options. place a wanted add in the trade section here. Surely someone might have what your looking for.

Jim

[Bill Wessels(2)]

I'm not mentioning any names, here, but I thought I'd ramble a bit and praise a recent eBaY auction.[] I, and a fellow club member, both had the intention to "snipe" a auction on a very rare car the other day. Evidently, I suffered from "premature clicking" at 00:00:36

and he, younger and wiser than me, "clicked" at 00:00:06. He won the auction with a higher bid than me.[] Now instead of being angry that I had "run-up-the-price" of item [!], He eMAIL'ed me thanking me for not bidding any higher! He even apologized for wanting the item more, and for much longer, than me.[] He even mentioned he was "elated" that another club member, who often wins auctions, wasn't in the bidding. Now.... That's a GENTLEMAN! His spirit, courtesy, and commradery, should be a inspiration to all! Should he reply, to this message, and identify himself.... You'll all recognize that he has helped many of us in the past.[] Three cheers, my friend![^][^][^]

[terry.sc]

Recently ShenUK and I bid against each other for some SRB parts. The price doubled in the last few minutes because of this. The problem in this situation is do you back off from bidding against another club member, or do you try and win the goods. You never know how high the other bidder will go. In my case, Barry was prepared to spend more than I was, so he won. Ebay is just as simple as that. If someone is prepared to spend a fortune on a car, there will always be another one on ebay next week/month/year.

My biggest problem is when I miss something that sells for a lot less than expected.

[Big Al(2)]

Hey Bill, I do the same thing when I am bidding...if I win a close auction, I usually apologize to the guy I was competing with...and if I lose an auction, I usually send an email congratulating them. EBay is like playing a game...may the better man win!! -Big Al

[Guest Carsnboats]

Hi,

My policy is not to bid against Club members I get on well with. After all the cars always come up again eventually. I have been caught up in bidding wars myself so avoid putting "friends" in that situation. There is nothing worse than paying over the odds because someone was in a bidding frenzy.

Cheers

Clive[]

[ShenUK]

just like Kendalboatsman My policy as a rule is not to bid against Club members but you don't always know if they are a member or not unless they list it in there profile here on tamiyaclub

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/ebaylisting.asp

sorry about the SRB rear end Terry.sc but as you said i was willing to pay that bit more i don't like out bidding club members but if i placed the bid before and a listed club member out bids me i'll bid to my max on that part / car / item

[mr_lister999.]

Plus people like me snipe sometimes [:I] so you would not know i was bidding until seconds before the auction close.

[CoolHands]

quote:Originally posted by ShenUK

... but you don't always know if they are a member or not unless they list it in there profile here on tamiyaclub

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/ebaylisting.asp

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But how do you getyourself on that page??

[Cavscout]

Hey Bill, I would not say that the guy that outbid you was younger and wiser because he bid with 6 seconds to go, I usually have 2 windows open and wait until the auction is at five then I count in my head 4, 3, 2 and right at 2, I hit the place bid button. Then you just pray that you have a most excellent connection and everything goes through. I had to cry myself to sleep one night because I did that with a lot of parts that was getting pretty pricey, and at the last second, I used my little method and POW! The red letters of death: You have bid on an auction that ended at blah blah blah. That always hurts to see.

Scott

[Bill Wessels(2)]

Thanks, Scott. I polished-up my sniping technique the last couple of days. I've won three bids with the best one 6 seconds, so far.[] Please keep in mind my hand/eye coordination is only weakened more by 4133 modem speed and old age![] I've got to quit this sniping, though. I'm running out of "mad money"!!!![][]

[WillyChang]

quote:Originally posted by Cavscout

...I used my little method and POW! The red letters of death: You have bid on an auction that ended at blah blah blah. That always hurts to see.

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Ebay tweaked the system some time back I hear... last time one used to be able to bid in the final second, now this is impossible. One is now only able to do it with minimum 1-second to go. []

[wldnas]

AWWW SHUCKS BILL [:I]

I don't usually go into the Ebay forum but when our mutual friend Mr Cantrell informed me that you had posted a message on here about my attitude towards winning over a fellow member, I just had to come and have a look []

I would have done the same for any member for whom I have a good rappor, such as yourself,

I've bought stuff from you before, you've done me big favours in the past by holding onto those Monogram kits for over a month while I was waiting to get more funds with which to pay you, you've come to me a number of times in the past for advice and information which I was all to willing to give, and I see you as both a Friend and a fellow collector/competator, so either way you have my utmost respect and although bidding against other club members is unfortunate (and as the club grows becomming more frequent) I would still congratulate or console a fellow member if they had won or lost in equal measure.

I would have done the same for Barrypops, had I known him via friendly communications through the club, but as yet I have never contatcted him and vice versa, he is developing similar collecting tastes to myself and given the amazing stuff he is aquiring, I'm becomming more impressed with his collection and starting to see him as yet another worthy Rival []

but as for sniping each other at the last second? It helps if you can be online at the end of the auction, but even then you gotta have a little bit of ruthless streak if you really want to get what you want, also being able to back up your bravado with some cash also helps []

but when all is said and done, there should be no animocity towards any other members regardless of the outcome, all the prizes end up on the club anyway, just in the hands of different custodians [8D]

[Tamiya UK]

quote:Originally posted by CoolHands

quote:Originally posted by ShenUK

... but you don't always know if they are a member or not unless they list it in there profile here on tamiyaclub

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/ebaylisting.asp

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But how do you getyourself on that page??

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Enter your ebay ID in your showroom profile.

[urban warrior]

Hi all,

I've ended one of my auctions, which was on 27 EUR until 20 seconds before ending it showed 27.50 EUR, I noticed that price about 2-3 seconds before ending, and on my last refresh it told me Auction has finished with 51.51 EUR. I received a mail from the buyer, with request for my banking details, and with a hint that this auction has been won with a special auction-agent, that is bidding just enough to overtop the last high bidder in the last second. I was a little bit surprized, what kind of programs are already running through auctions, and I ask myself, how does this program estimate the last bidders amount, and may that not be against eBay's rules, because an agent like that has to look deep into eBay's codes?

Have you ever heard about this?

Regards, Martin

[Igottamiya]

Martin,

Sounds like an auction sniper. This is not uncommon. Lots of guys use this (including Tamiya club members) and swear by it. Personally I don't but I do use the magic finger[].

Basically it fires off your Ebay bid in the last few seconds of an auction.

Regards

Riz

[netsmithUK]

There are several out there... http://www.auctionsniper.com is quite a popular one.

I don't think any of them work by bidding more that the last person automatically though. (its far too dangerous, as you don't know what last price might be, so you could suddenly find yourself paying a fortune for something) What you do is simply pre arm them with your maximum proxy bid which it then places for you in the last few seconds.

Its the same old story though - the person that puts the highest proxt bid in will win - weather you use software like this or not.

Chris

[Igottamiya]

Actually I don't mind bidding against other Tamiya Club members. It would be great to prevent this but as a seller not much fun.

Only the other day I won a Hilux part and it was against another TC member. Both of us had our sniper tools out that day.[]

[gingerboy98]

The way I look at it is that its nothing personal, if you want something bad enough then bid on it, blimey I would out bid my own mother if there was an avante or something similar that I wanted bad enough.

If you loose then hey ho, thats the luck of the draw, if you loose to another TC member then its like...well at least its gone to a good home, good on him, he obviously wanted it more. Plus chances are something similar will come up shortly after.

Lifes too short[8D]

[Gregor]

Hi guys

Thanks for the feedback, I guess it really is a luck of the draw. Everyone uses some tactics that may work, or not. I lucked out last week and scored a mint frog, so I am happy now. I also won a $156 bid and got 3 hornet and a blackfoot, and enough parts to build a few more...

So I am content!

Cheers!!![]