# Is ebay for Millionaires?



## fernballan (Nov 24, 2017)

I bought this for 500 SKR about 50 dollars and they are  sell a similar on ebay for 2995 dollars
I have to start selling on ebay


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## projectnut (Nov 24, 2017)

Did you do an advanced search including items that have sold, or just look at the asking prices for those currently listed?  Several months ago I was looking for a 24' x 36" Challenge surface plate.  There were a couple listed for $1,200.00 and $1,500.00.  When I did an advanced search there were several that sold for between $100.00 and $200.00, but none above $400.00.  So the asking price isn't necessarily the selling price.

A few other examples.  Several years ago there was a vendor selling used end mills.  He bundled them in lots of 30 with an asking price of $10,000.00 or best offer.  That's not a typo the asking price was ten thousand dollars or best offer.  Needless to say I doubt he ever sold anything at the asking price.  However there are those uneducated few that probably paid more that what it would cost to buy them new, and thought they got a real deal.

I've also seen power hacksaw blades at double the price of the same ones sold by industrial suppliers.  One vendor also included the OBO suffix so I offered the current list price.  He replied back he was insulted by the offer and countered with a price of $.50 less than the original asking price.  I replied with a link to the list prices of 2 industrial supply houses.  Not only did the blades not sell they were relisted weeks later at an even higher price.

I recently purchased 10 bearings to rebuild a drive system on a lathe.  There were asking prices from $129.00 each to less than $10.00 each.  I went with a company that sold them for less than $16.00 each and offered returns if not as advertised.

The moral is buyer beware.  Vendors can ask anything they want.  It's up to the buyer to know the true value of the items, and limit their offers to reasonable amounts.  My rule of thumb is to pay 25% to 40% of new prices if the product is in "new" or "new other" condition.  The only time I'll go above that is if the vendor offers a guarantee and will pay for items to be returned if not in the condition described.  It's foolish to pay the same or more than you would from a reputable industrial supply house and have no guarantee of usability


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## kd4gij (Nov 24, 2017)

Some things are way over priced on eBay. That said you got one sweet deal almost as if you stole it.


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## Billh50 (Nov 24, 2017)

The other thing to look atis the shipping charge. I have seen things with a low price to buy but the shippng was out of this world.


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## fernballan (Nov 24, 2017)

kd4gij said:


> Some things are way over priced on eBay. That said you got one sweet deal almost as if you stole it.


Yes its was listed wrong it was listed as a projector


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## hermetic (Nov 24, 2017)

Just the same in the UK, compared to 4years ago, the prices have more than doubled, to the point where no one really looks on ebay any more, lots of silly prices, but not as many sales, it is not the only auction site! What a sucess story though, I can remember as a mad keen real auction goer, when if first appeared on the net, I shot over to my cousins to tell him about it, only to find almost all the caergories where completely empty!


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## fernballan (Nov 24, 2017)

hermetic said:


> Just the same in the UK, compared to 4years ago, the prices have more than doubled, to the point where no one really looks on ebay any more, lots of silly prices, but not as many sales, it is not the only auction site! What a sucess story though, I can remember as a mad keen real auction goer, when if first appeared on the net, I shot over to my cousins to tell him about it, only to find almost all the caergories where completely empty!


Have you purchased anything from this auction company  http://www.1stmachineryauctions.com


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## Billh50 (Nov 24, 2017)

Ebay isn't what it used to be. Getting harder and harder to find good deals. Last few items I have bought were on regular store sites. I do occassionally find some deals on ebay. But nothing like it used to be. Too many looking to get almost new price for something used. When I see something I need that is close to the new price but is used I will just buy new from the store. And I always check prices at stores before looking on ebay.


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## fernballan (Nov 24, 2017)

Billh50 said:


> The other thing to look atis the shipping charge. I have seen things with a low price to buy but the shippng was out of this world.


yes especially when you live in northern Sweden How is treatment going?


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## Billh50 (Nov 24, 2017)

fernballan said:


> How is treatment going?



Treatment could be better. The chemo drug they are giving me seems to eliminate the pain. But it lowers my white blood cells too much so they can't give it to me as often as they would like. They could give me a drug to build up my immune system but it effects the kidneys and I already have kidney problems because of the first chemo drug. But as I said it does eliminate the pain so must be doing something. Not sure when they are going to do another scan to see if it is shrinking the tumor at all. Will ask when I go on the 4th for treatment.


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## dlane (Nov 24, 2017)

Ok what is it ?


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## fernballan (Nov 24, 2017)

dlane said:


> Ok what is it ?


*Amsler OTTO Wolpert-WERKE GMBA Hardness Tester*


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## dlane (Nov 24, 2017)

thanks


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## fernballan (Nov 24, 2017)

dlane said:


> thanks


dyslexic so there will be a lot of copying


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## 4GSR (Nov 24, 2017)

Otherwise, a European style hardness tester.  Similar to a Wilson/Instron hardness tester used in North America.


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## Scruffy (Nov 24, 2017)

You really have to watch e bay. Prices and shipping. I asked a seller a question and gave my email address and wasbarred from con sting sellers for 10 days.
I’ve  spent several thousand through them including one purchase of 10000.00 plus but oh no I was frying to screw them on a 100.00 purchase. For a good laugh look what Tng tool has. Nice stuff, but I guess I have a go.d mine.
Thanks ron


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## hermetic (Nov 25, 2017)

fernballan said:


> Have you purchased anything from this auction company http://www.1stmachineryauctions.com


No, but now you have said, I am looking! I used to deal in all sorts and visited hundreds of auctions, there has been a massive sea change since nearly all the auction houses have gone online as well as live.  my cousin and I , always went to the auctions together, and he attended the First online/in house antique auction in our local town ( well known antique auction house, in Millers etc) and he said there was nearly a riot, dealers who had gone there for years storming out saying they would never come there again, and of course prices went through the roof at first. it has settled a little now, but even their household auctions are also online, but the goods that have gone up and are generally sold to online buyers are usually the easily transported stuff. Brown furniture is dead in the water, you can have your pick of good quality real antique furniture for nowt. My FIL just bought a Queen Anne chest on chest that would have been about £1400 trade, and about £2400 retail ten or so years ago and he paid just £600. transportability means that you cannot buy a good myford (if indeed such an animal exists) for less than £2000, but the Colchesters and Harrisons, which are altogether better lathes but heavy, are still much lower in price. I rarely buy from ebay now, and I hold them entirely responsible for the fact that I still do not have a decent anvil!


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## hermetic (Nov 25, 2017)

Yup, looks good, and prices good too, but as always, transport, and "no loading facilities" the ones that amuse me the most are the aerospace ones like RR where you are not allowed on the site, and they can charge what they like for disconnecting your machine and moving it to a car park!


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## Cheeseking (Nov 25, 2017)

hermetic said:


> . transportability means that you cannot buy a good myford (if indeed such an animal exists) for less than £2000, but the Colchesters and Harrisons, which are altogether better lathes but heavy, are still much lower in price. I rarely buy from ebay now, and I hold them entirely responsible for the fact that I still do not have a decent anvil!



Agree 100%   Bought my little 11" Colchester (Avatar) on Ebay back in 2005 when Ebay had not yet become 99% e-commerce.    It's a whole new animal now.  Deals can be had but man you have to be vigilant and hope to get lucky where not many bidders are watching.  If an item is desirable,  there's always someone ready to pay retail+ just like the in person auctions.  Selling? OMG what a pita and they fleece you on fees.  On the lathe I bid until it hurt and then some to win it but looking back I am so thankful I did.   12 years on I still have an active search going for this machine and although a few have popped up over the years, all but one looked complete clappers ready for the scrap bin.     Someone literally stole it for $2,500   I was a mouse twitch from grabbing it simply for spares and sentimental reasons but at $3k to my driveway with shipping I backed off.


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## fernballan (Nov 25, 2017)

hermetic said:


> Yup, looks good, and prices good too, but as always, transport, and "no loading facilities" the ones that amuse me the most are the aerospace ones like RR where you are not allowed on the site, and they can charge what they like for disconnecting your machine and moving it to a car park!





hermetic said:


> Yup, looks good, and prices good too, but as always, transport, and "no loading facilities" the ones that amuse me the most are the aerospace ones like RR where you are not allowed on the site, and they can charge what they like for disconnecting your machine and moving it to a car park!


Yes, that's what I'm afraid of. I'm in England a little now and then but when you do not know what it takes to get the stuff out


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## magicniner (Nov 25, 2017)

fernballan said:


> they are  sell a similar on ebay for 2995 dollars



Offering for sale and selling are very different things, additionally if an offer is accepted through eBay the sale is reported at listed price not accepted offer price


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## menace (Nov 25, 2017)

Years ago eBay had lots to offer while industry was switching to cnc . Now most old  manual iron and tooling has sold off leaving sites much smaiier selling import crap which I buy my consumables from. Not much variety to pick from these days, most sellers sell the same stuff close in price. Luckily I bought enough stuff to last my lifetime back in the day and don't frequent there much these days! What really ****** me off was while bidding someone would snipe me at the last moments and I lost many bids this way! I didn't shop there for years, only recently buying from the buy it now offers. There's still demand for iron and stuff but lack of availability has driven prices way up!


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## magicniner (Dec 2, 2017)

menace said:


> What really ****** me off was while bidding someone would snipe me at the last moments and I lost many bids this way!



I use a sniping tool for things I really want, it saves me sitting at the PC and placing a last second bid, it's within the rules and it's not good tactics to tip your hand early at any auction, you should wait until the bidding is almost over to make your move ;-)


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## jwmay (Dec 9, 2017)

One reason prices have gone up is because of eBays keyword price suggestion tool. For example, if I describe my item as a silk purse, eBay will recommend I price it at their silk purse price. Even if I’m mistaken, and the item is actually only a sow’s ear. This is where being over educated as a buyer can pay dividends, or cost in dummy tax, for those who aren’t quite sure the nuanced differences between those two items. The seller who doesn’t know what he has, will be willing to list the item for a hundred bucks if EBay gives a hundred dollar price suggestion based on his title of “silk purse”. Just as the uninformed buyer may well pay a hundred bucks, and be sorely disappointed when he gifts the item to his blushing bride. But I don’t know that anybody really buys silk purses anymore.


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## fernballan (Dec 9, 2017)

jwmay said:


> One reason prices have gone up is because of eBays keyword price suggestion tool. For example, if I describe my item as a silk purse, eBay will recommend I price it at their silk purse price. Even if I’m mistaken, and the item is actually only a sow’s ear. This is where being over educated as a buyer can pay dividends, or cost in dummy tax, for those who aren’t quite sure the nuanced differences between those two items. The seller who doesn’t know what he has, will be willing to list the item for a hundred bucks if EBay gives a hundred dollar price suggestion based on his title of “silk purse”. Just as the uninformed buyer may well pay a hundred bucks, and be sorely disappointed when he gifts the item to his blushing bride. But I don’t know that anybody really buys silk purses anymore.


Yes
 But you see the goods relisted over and over again. I am interested in a product and the seller requests almost new price. 
He has a make a offer but he refuses to go down the price
But if you have space and the time and not in need of money, it can be worth waiting for


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## CluelessNewB (Dec 9, 2017)

I believe another reason ePay prices have gotten so high is that between ePay fees on both the sale price and the shipping + Paypals cut the actual seller ends up with squat.   I recently sold a piece of electronics,  when all was done over 23% of the sale price ended up going to ePay & Paypal.   That is the problem of having just one online market with no real competition.


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## TeaBagofHorror (Dec 9, 2017)

In Germany over the last years ebay.de is in decline.
Reasons may be the high fee for selling and on the other hand you don´t know what you get. Ebay-offers are mostly priced over and lots of articles are offered for month and don´t get sold.
Hardest competitor ist home made: ebay-kleinanzeigen.de.
ebay-kleinanzeigen.de does not cost any fee, it´s not an auction, you can send messages to the sellers and you can negotiate via messages. There´s no time limit (even one buyer was faster than you). And usually it is much cheaper - at least because of the not existing fee. Most time you can check the offer on the spot before you sell it.
Most (used) things I like to have or I can´t get as new I buy at the kleinanzeigen. Ebay created the kleinanzeigen when they noticed cost free advertising markets came up and their sales figures went down.
Maybe ebay.de will be dead in a few years.


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