Post hot items from Ebay or no?

[Hoagie_one]

It seems that sometimes when someone posts a deal from ebay, like a yoke or hard to find item, that someone always gets angry that they were watching the item and were hoping to snipe it for a good price, but by posting it here, it opens it up to more bidding for popel who were trying to find such an item.

What do you guys think?

[menace]

I say no don't post.  reason being is that we all should know how to use ebay by now and the people that are seriously looking will have found this item and you'll likely be bringing in guys who don't really want to look (or even need it but want it just to have it) but have some cash they want to spend.

The above doesn't apply when you find an auction by complete accident that's just sweet like "1 handlebar" and it turns out to be a star wars yoke--then I think its ok cause no one who is looking for a yoke would have found that in a search anyways. just my .02

[jfunk]

I think it's OK to post as long as _I'm_ not planning on bidding on it 

[RayB]

Good question and I think there is no good answer to it. For one, how do you know if someone is watching a listing or not? If you yourself are not interested in the item and you found it, you could be helping people out by posting it, or you could be ruining someone's deal.

So there's no definitive answer there... Except if it's something you yourself want, then definitely don't post it! 

[koolmoecraig]

Why not auction off the information itself?

[heffe2001]

The whole intent on ebay is for you to put the max you'd pay, and have other people bid against you.  So if you actually bid the most you'd pay (not the least you'll pay as most people do), you less likely to be outbid.  Although I do snipe auctions occasionally, more than 99% of them I've done that with had a higher bid by the end of the auction than I had on the snipe site.  Did it piss me off, nope, someone out there just wanted it more than I did.

I say post 'em, alot of people don't have time to just browse ebay looking for stuff, and appreciate the links posted. 

[JODY]

Those with money to spend and no time are going to say "yes post".  Those with time and no money are going to say "no don't".

I've gotten some good deals on Ebay but never on anything that was posted here.  Always gets bid up to where the deal wasn't as good as I hoped and usually so high that if I continue watching the auction it is just to see how high it goes.

[MrTroy]

The whole intent on ebay is for you to put the max you'd pay, and have other people bid against you.

Coming from someone who hates being sniped, I just want to say you're right on that one. But there's a difference between being cheap and trying to get a good deal. Just put in the max you'd bid and you can't really complain. I've been sniped hundreds of times, but I couldn't pay the extra $1.50 that someone outbid me by anyway. And besides if someone here is selling something I think they want to get as much off of it as they can.

- I fit into the those with money to spend Catagory though.

[Crazy Cooter]

95% of the time, no.

The above doesn't apply when you find an auction by complete accident that's just sweet like "1 handlebar" and it turns out to be a star wars yoke--then I think its ok cause no one who is looking for a yoke would have found that in a search anyways. just my .02

That's the exact reasoning it does apply.

[tommy]

I say post it, the idea of posting Ebay items is to help/try to help people in the community find parts for what we all are interested in.

[monkeybomb]

I say absolutely not.  If I really need something I'm checking e-bay already and I don't want more competition.

[markrvp]

Are we honarable enough to have an honor system here?  If you see something on Ebay, be the first one to call it here and say I'm bidding on this one, please don't bid against me.  That way we honor the first finder and help everybody else out.  I don't think this would ever work, but it's a thought.

Next - why don't we put in this thread what your Ebay name is.  If you find an auction with no bids (and not Buy It Now), go ahead and put in the minimum bid.  That way your name shows up and we know not to bid against you.  By putting in just the minimum bid, you have declared your intent to bid and you can still put a higher amount in for snipe later.

My ebay ID is:  markrvp     How original.

[Scott84]

I say we make a topic that has EBAY's Auction links inside of it. One topic, and people can just post it in the one topic... keep the topic marked at the top.

So if someone sees something good, they just look in that same topic.

[Flinkly]

i think it's a major no, unless your the one selling it and you want to get the word out.  i think the people in this hobby that really need the part(s) will spend the time to find a good deal, and then when someone posts it here, others who seem to have too much money to hold on to are like, "yeah, i could use one of those...". 

I think it's better for the community not to post them.  it will keep prices down, both reserve and end prices, which is better for everyone, wether you have too much money or not enough.

the major example of the year was star wars yokes.  people started talking about them and posting almost every auction, so all those people who have money burning holes in their pockets were shooting the yoke prices up.  which was good if you were selling, but bad if you were buying, and most people her buy, not sell (due to the fact that we make arcade controls).

[slicer_d]

I say only post the stuff that is misnamed or something similar.  If I want a 49 way I will search for it but if somebody has some listed under some obscure category then list it.  Also if somebody else is bidding from the forum for the item maybe talf to them so you dont get in a bid war.

[AlanS17]

Are we honarable enough to have an honor system here?

[Timstuff]

My personal opinion is that if someone really wants something, it's not hard to search eBay themselves. If someone asks for people to keep an eye open for something for him, then you can PM them the auction adress so he can bid on it. But making a general "look what I found on eBay!" post could really screw things up for someone. Say you're on ebay, about to snipe a great deal;"YES! I'm about to get a refurb-ready Ninja Turtles cab for only $800!" but then, someone posts the auction here and he ends up getting into a bidding war, spending nearly $2000 or not getting the machine at all. This logic holds true for anything on ebay. If someone wants something, they can either look themselves or ask people to PM them if they spot it. But making general announcements about hot looking auctions will be a pain for someone somewhere.

[AlanS17]

OH! Here's another 2 cents...

Often, Ebay isn't just a place to find parts at a good price. It's the ONLY place to find parts. So when someone absolutely needs an obscure part, they go scouring until they find one. I would think that to be out-bid by someone with a "why not?" attitude and a handful of hyperlinks would be completely frustrating.

You could always argue the the winner just wanted it more, but let's face it. Some people have more money to spend than others. It's those "miners" that spend hours on Ebay that probably don't have the money to burn. Let them (me) have their (my) little treasures...

I think this goes doubly-so for mispelled auctions and such. Those are the things that people like me live to dig up. It's not just a matter of browsing listings. You don't find that stuff by running searches. You find it by going through every item one at a time... Finding that stuff can be hard work! To have that hard work go to waste is infuriating!

[tommy]

This is kinda ridiculous to me, we know we all want to be the only one bidding on an item but thats not the case this is the internet, you're bound to have competition.

Obviously dont post something you want, but to say that you would lose an item because of this forum is silly, Ebay is ten times as big and with ten times as many members, if its going to be taken its from an Ebay member not BYOAC.

[AlanS17]

I'm not theorizing. I'm speaking from experience... People here are very commonly more clued in than your typical collector or operator - especially about PC/arcade interface equipment.

If you're not building a MAME cabinet, do you ever need a keyboard encoder? How often will you need a 27" VGA universal mount monitor (aside from a few newer games)? How about a 3" trackball with a PS2 interface... do you see where I'm going with this?

[Crazy Cooter]

I think this goes doubly-so for mispelled auctions and such. Those are the things that people like me live to dig up. It's not just a matter of browsing listings. You don't find that stuff by running searches. You find it by going through every item one at a time... Finding that stuff can be hard work! To have that hard work go to waste is infuriating!

I'm glad others see it exactly like I do.  I like the term "miners".  It's that kind of diligence and knowledge that should be rewarded with scoring a good deal.

[crsdawg]

i think it's a matter of common courtesey. sure you help one person but

[heffe2001]

But when I lose an auction by a buck, it bothers me. No matter what the price was, another buck wouldn't have mattered. I wanted that item!

Then you should have bid your maximum amount you're willing to pay.  Even in the ebay help they tell you that.  If you don't, then you will run the risk of loosing that item.

As for me, if I see something on there I think someone on here would want, I'll post it.  If it's something someone on here is bidding on, sorry, but that's how Ebay works.  I get outbid on stuff all the time, but it doesn't really bother me (even though I don't have a ton of cash to throw at this hobby). 

[Crazy Cooter]

Then you should have bid your maximum amount you're willing to pay. Even in the ebay help they tell you that. If you don't, then you will run the risk of loosing that item.

That's exactly the point.  Say my max is $20 so I search high & low and find a misspelled auction.  I bid my $20.

Now you post it and someone sees it now that otherwise wouldn't have.  They bid up to "retail" ebay price and now I don't "win" the auction.  Had you just walked away, I would have won.

If everyone always knew every auction on ebay, there would be no good deals.  It would become a "retail" store with "retail" prices.  If somebody finds a screaming deal, let them have it or outbid them yourself.  Posting stuff that already has a bidder is just poor ethics IMO.  Give the little guys a fighting chance.  Snipe it yourself or just let it be.

[Kremmit]

I used to post auctions, until one I was watching got posted.  After that, I decided not to do it anymore.  Now, the only thing I will do, is send a PM to somebody I know is looking for something I find.  But that's it, PM only.

"Jjust bid the amout you're willing to pay!"- Sure, that's exactly what I do, although I choose to place the bid at sniping time.  The thing is, an auction with only people who found the auction themselves will close cheaper than one with lots of extra traffic.  Advertising Works, folks!  Don't think that posting here doesn't matter- there are LOTS of people who read these boards that never post.  Think any of them will hold back a bid just because they see a bid from "didyoujustcallmekremmit"? 

As for items with no bids, that's a different story.  Any time I see an item I want with no bids, I put in a little placeholder bid, usually just a hair above the starting price.  This is done precicely so that I have "staked my claim" for people that know me from BYOAC.  (I'll put in my real bid at sniping time.)  If you're watching an item with no bids, don't be stupid, stake your claim!  Otherwise, you've got nothing to complain about when somebody else bids on it or posts it here.

And as for items that are mis-labeled, in the wrong category, etc.- these are the very worst ones to post here, as they are the ones where there's a real chance of getting a super deal.  A while back, NoOne=NBA got a mis-labeled yoke for like 30 bucks- think that would have happened if it had been posted here?

For those of you who think it's great when auctions get posted here- do your own homework!

[armax]

I will continue to post ebay ads.  The way I see, it comes down to who wants it the most.  You place a bid for what you are willing to pay.  No one has ever said that anyone has a right to a lowball price.  If you want it bad enough, you'll pay for it.  I saved up for quite a bit for a yoke, luckily I got it for a good price BUT I was willing to pay twice the amount and would sleep just as well at night.  It's capitalism guys, get used to it.

[Rocky]

The only way I'd post an ebay auction is if it's mine

[Kremmit]

I will continue to post ebay ads.  The way I see, it comes down to who wants it the most.  You place a bid for what you are willing to pay.  No one has ever said that anyone has a right to a lowball price.  If you want it bad enough, you'll pay for it.  I saved up for quite a bit for a yoke, luckily I got it for a good price BUT I was willing to pay twice the amount and would sleep just as well at night.  It's capitalism guys, get used to it.

How is that a good thing?  Every auction, only one guy is going to win.  The difference is, in an auction with fewer bidders, the guy that wins will get it cheaper.  Who are you doing a favor for if you run the price up?  The seller, maybe, but he can do his own advertising.   

Whether it's posted here or not, there's still only one guy that wins it- maybe the same guy that would have gotten it if you hadn't posted, and maybe some other guy with more money.  If somebody had posted your yoke auction here, and the price had doubled, you're telling me you would have been happy to pay twice as much, or to loose completely?  I'm not questioning whether or not you would have been willing to pay more, but would you have been happy?   

Posted by: Rocky

However, It's a free speech forum, so if you want to post it, nobody will stop you.

That's true; and I'm not gonna come after you every time you post an auction- this discussion stays here, and no hard feelings.  Everybody will do what they think is right.  But think hard about it, who are you helping?

[tommy]

If the votes say dont post i wont.

[Witchboard]

All you guys screaming about losing auctions for $1, I don't think understand how eBay proxy bidding works.  When you're sniped and you lose your auction by what ever the $ increment is yeah, you lost by $1.  What you don't realize is, it may have cost you another $30 to win it.  It all depends on what the sniper bid.  It's only going to increase the bid to the $ increment above your max bid.

What annoys me are these guys that bid in $1 increments up to your max bid instead of putting what they want to spend to begin with.  I don't think they know how eBay proxy bidding works either.  Those are the guys you know for sure are only beating you by $1, but they usually aren't snipers either.

[monkeybomb]

All you guys screaming about losing auctions for $1, I don't think understand how eBay proxy bidding works.  When you're sniped and you lose your auction by what ever the $ increment is yeah, you lost by $1.  What you don't realize is, it may have cost you another $30 to win it.  It all depends on what the sniper bid.  It's only going to increase the bid to the $ increment above your max bid.

What annoys me are these guys that bid in $1 increments up to your max bid instead of putting what they want to spend to begin with.  I don't think they know how eBay proxy bidding works either.  Those are the guys you know for sure are only beating you by $1, but they usually aren't snipers either.

There are two things at work there.  The first is shill bidding.

The legitamate strategy is to uncover the bid of the early bidder and determine where the price is really at.  If you don't like that then you have to bid late.  Honestly It's been a year since I "won" an auction without sniping.

[missioncontrol]

I say don't post unless your selling it............

my $.02 ...........

that's right I am an Ebay cheapskate 

[RayB]

I scored two Atari lit start buttons with cones, from an Asteroids control panel. I'd like to thank you all for not bidding on it! 

[MrTroy]

This is horrible! You guys should be ashamed of yourself. Most of the people here complain about what's mine is mine kinda attitude. But won't think anything about stealing arcade roms from a company. Granted people can always say "No one is making money off of it'... but those same people would be angry if someone else was selling those same roms. Mine Mine Mine Mine Mine. Seems like everyone is willing to rip off each other just to get what they want.

It's also a Time vs Money issue. I have absolutely no access to the internet on most weekends. I'm really like it if someone could help me find something I'm looking for... here's a hint.

Dude1: Holy crap! Here's a <insert rare item> on ebay mislabled.
Dude2: Knock it off... I'm bidding on that.
(And the BYOAC respects that)

Heck I'd even like
Same Dude2 as before: Hey I found this on Ebay. But that's me bidding on it.


You're willing to sit there and snipe and horde things but not willing to speak up for something your bidding on? We're a community we should all work together.

For those of you who think it's great when auctions get posted here- do your own homework!

Spread the love! That kinda thinking makes me sad.

Also... I'd just like to note I use to use ebay to find joystick stuff before I even knew anything about this site. Now I don't even want to say what my ebay name is to anyone cause I always bid on things I want.

[monkeybomb]

This is horrible! You guys should be ashamed of yourself. Most of the people here complain about what's mine is mine kinda attitude. But won't think anything about stealing arcade roms from a company. Granted people can always say "No one is making money off of it'... but those same people would be angry if someone else was selling those same roms. Mine Mine Mine Mine Mine. Seems like everyone is willing to rip off each other just to get what they want.

It's also a Time vs Money issue. I have absolutely no access to the internet on most weekends. I'm really like it if someone could help me find something I'm looking for... here's a hint.

Dude1: Holy crap! Here's a <insert rare item> on ebay mislabled.
Dude2: Knock it off... I'm bidding on that.
(And the BYOAC respects that)

Heck I'd even like
Same Dude2 as before: Hey I found this on Ebay. But that's me bidding on it.


You're willing to sit there and snipe and horde things but not willing to speak up for something your bidding on? We're a community we should all work together.

For those of you who think it's great when auctions get posted here- do your own homework!

Spread the love! That kinda thinking makes me sad.

Also... I'd just like to note I use to use ebay to find joystick stuff before I even knew anything about this site. Now I don't even want to say what my ebay name is to anyone cause I always bid on things I want.

Are tring to stir the pot or is this rediculous post for real.

[AlanS17]

Dude1: Holy crap! Here's a <insert rare item> on ebay mislabled.
Dude2: Knock it off... I'm bidding on that.
(And the BYOAC respects that)

Heck I'd even like
Same Dude2 as before: Hey I found this on Ebay. But that's me bidding on it.

You're willing to sit there and snipe and horde things but not willing to speak up for something your bidding on? We're a community we should all work together.

First of all, I've been bid against by someone on here after an auction I had been watching for days was posted here just hours before it ended. I ended up winning, but it proves a point.

Second, don't you think you seem a little two-faced? You want people to give you all the insider info here, but you're not willing to tell anybody your own Ebay username because you expect to be outbidding other people from this site - even after you bring up the idea of staking claims. You want other people to "show their hand", but it sounds like you're not willing to do it, yourself. Seems shady to me, but what do I know?

[armax]

no matter what is said here, it comes down to who wants it the most.

[monkeybomb]

no matter what is said here, it comes down to who wants it the most.  It's always good to get things cheap, but for god's sake....it's not expected nor owed to anyone.  The only favor that I would be doing for someone posting here is for the guy that wants it worse than the person who is hoping to get an item for a $1 and is not willing to pay a decent amount.  I've lost plenty of auctions and what I think is, "heck, I'm not gonna paying that much..."  Obviously, the guy who paid more wanted it more than me.  If a person was not willing to spend a decent amount, he obviously didn't want the item bad enough (no I'm not wealthy but I save for rainy arcade days).  Of course I wouldn't be happy if I lost an auction, but I wouldn't be sad either. I don't feel a product is owed to me at a cheap price.  I'm happy if I won item for what I was willing to pay.

If I CAN PAY (not want) the most for an item and you post it I will still get it but I might lose 20 bucks on your post  And you're setting precident for the value of stuff.  We are better off if that stays low.  But it doesn't matter anyway since you are going to post and it only takes one bad apple.

[AlanS17]

I would have won a 27" SVGA monitor for about $100 but ended up paying about double that because someone posted on this site, and drove the bid up. Please explain to me how I should be happy about that?

Ya'll make it seem so heartless and cut-throat NOT to post, but the way I see it... posting will drive up prices for everyone one way or another. No matter who wins, they'll end up paying more. An increase in demand without an increase in supply means higher prices. If this is does consistently, the whole price level goes up. In the long run, EVERYBODY loses!

So why post it? If someone here already has their eyes on something, why go blabbing it to the whole world? And I promise you, SOMEONE or another from here has their eyes on virtually every single BYOAC "find" on Ebay at any given moment.

There's only ONE time when posting is definitely acceptable practice - when you're posting your own items up for auction.

[armax]

no matter what is said here, it comes down to who wants it the most.