Witness this. That’s for a used book that’s not even ten years old! Granted, it is obviously out of print, but Amazon has it - new - for as low as $45.00 (as of this writing - it was $30.00 last night)! Maybe I just don’t get this whole eBay thing. [banghead]
Way too much to spend on this book in my opinion. There must be some kind of bidders high.
Yet cheaper at Amazon. Go figure.
Over $100 right now. I’m telling you, I hate these kind of things.
I dont know how rich people are out there, and its not really there fault, they just have a blessing of it, but seeing things go up for such a price just drives me crazy! Slightly lucky for me, I’m a little more fortunate than some kids, having some wealthly parents that I wouldnt call rich, but they are better than some. This is also a gift for me with my train hobby, I can get a little more than some people, but when I see these pricetags on ebay go up $150 for a mint 151 semaphore, it makes me wish I was one that could afford all these things.
Honestly, the “rich man’s hobby” sort of thing is starting to come true for me. Maybe to all these people, this there first purchase in a while, so they can spend a couple hundered dollars on something, but with somepeople, they buy $500 every week.
In my current situation, I’m sort of like the 1950 boy, oogaling over the Lionel catalog, and on ebay, and Lionel Train videos. Buying these things at the expense if just not for me…
[soapbox]
Great book, but I only paid $11.50 last year through an Amazon used book dealer. It was listed as used, but appeared to have never been opened or that matter handled other than shipping it to me. Maybe I should list mine on that site. lol
YES!
If you consider that your subject line is “true” if you remove the “on eBay” words, then, yes it must also be true with the words included.
It’s not just e-bay - it’s auctions in general. I’ve seen this sort of thing many times - one or more bidders with no knowledge of the item running the price up to unbelievable levels…all you can do is hope that if you ever sell something common your item will receive the same unwarranted but welcome attention. [:)]
I think a lot of factors come together on e-bay that are sometimes hard to understand. For example, if you are reading this post, you are probably into trains in a big way. You probably buy the magazines, search the internet, and have a price guide or two laying around. Especially when it comes to original Lionel, you know what you want, what condition you want it in, and how much you will pay. This can differ from location to location. If I lived further east, where this stuff is more common, I would probably pay less for an item. Living in the midwest, the items I’m interested in just aren’t available locally, so I will bid a little more on an item than I probably should.
Age may be another factor. A lot of older people just don’t know where on the internet to look for things. Most of us know the usual places to look for the items we want, but a lot of older folks just don’t know where to look. My wife had to teach me how to comparision shop, and that goes for the internet, also.
I’ve paid too much on e-bay. I admit it. I have read discussions on this forum about what mint postwar items are bringing. They do seem to bring huge amounts of money. In my opinion, I would say the same for “junkers”. Seems like everyone is looking for projects or parts. On the other hand, I purchased a whole postwar train set on e-bay for $65.00 shipped, because it all worked, just wasn’t in pristine condition. This wasn’t a scout set, but a 2037 with whistle tender and 6 freight cars. I purchased it during the summer. Another factor.
The people interested in this book obviously don’t know where to look for it. They think it is a fair price, we know it can be purchased for less, so in the end, who cares?
I can understand those that are paying excess prices for items on auctions. I’ve been bidding for an elderly individual, mid 70’s, that is computer illiterate, has no close family, etc. and little expense. He doesn’t go anywhere. He is a collector in a number of different areas and when he sees something he’s interested in he’s like a kid in a toy store and has to have it now. He has paid, what I feel, excessive prices for a number of items. At least now I’ve been able to get him to think about “is it really worth that much”.
You’re competing with a large audience on ebay. Getting good prices can be tough. Do like other poster said and shop in off season. Keeping shopping around. Ebay doesn’t deliver the best prices but does often deliver the best selection if you can verify qualify. Use amazon for books like this.
IMHO, It’s not an Ebay thing, it’s an auction thing. I’ve been to countless live auctions, and have been surprised at what people pay. The auction house is not responsible, it’s there job to drive up the price.
The educated move on, the non-educated bid higher. It will happen time and again.
That’s why we all congregate here, to share the knowledge, and educate ourselves and possible minimize our mistakes. [:D]
Rod LaFrance
prewardude-yes, some of them have to be nuts. no doubt about it. They don’t know when to say thats far enough I stop here.
There is a bidder psychology at work here, which is common to all auctions. Check out eBay’s own instructions to sellers.
“The most important advice that we can give about pricing is to set your minimum price low - the lower the better - whether it’s your start price on a no-reserve auction or your reserve price on a reserve auction. Setting your price low gives your listing a chance to “go live.” In other words, your bidders will know that when they’re bidding, they have a chance to win because their bid has met your lowest price. Once bids are “live,” positive auction emotion and psychology take over and your listing price has a better chance of running up.”
Very interesting. Thanks for posting that, edw. Thanks to everyone else for posting their insights, too. [:)]
Well, it ended up going for $103.50. I bought the very same book, brand new, a few years ago for something like $20.00. Of course, it was still in print at the time. Glad I got it when I did! [:O]
I see the point here, another thing is why people bid high on junk? It seems to me that if you label something on ebay, for restore, it instantly becomes twice as valuable. For example, a few months ago i wanted a black 264e commodore vanderbilt for my layout. I was simply seeking a runner. I watched a boiler in poor rusty condition with a motor skeleton and a broken cab sell for $90, a few days later i purchased a vg example with original cab, solid paint, no rust and a whistle tender for 105. I think people believe they can make money restoring this stuff. The truth is, only the professional museum quality restore like that of scheindilli(ebay id) get any attention from myself, and i believe other collectors feel the same. Who wants some painted over rigged up junk?[2c] I would rather have the damaged shabby original piece.
The planets and (uninformed) have to be aligned perfectly for an event like this…Someone once said, “A fool and his money were lucky to find each other in the first place”.
If you see this one day, and have an epiffany, post your stuff for auction, you’ll get 1-bid for $2.99. I keep watching a few items I have that I purchased at ‘bargain prices’, and right now, prices are high, to the tune of double high, but I’m keeping mine. 'Tis the season.
Kurt
What’s the old addage…“it’s not the kill, it’s the thrill of the chase.”
Maybe some are…Maybe some are uninformed…Maybe some just want the item…Maybe some just get caught up in the bidding.
There are bargains on E-Bay and there are nutty things also. For example: Yesterday there was a NIB car that the Lionel catalog lists for $59.99. Last week, I visited a store where I saw the same car selling for $45.00. The winning bid was $89.87 plus shipping. (6 bids)
[2c] Sometimes, when it comes to trains, “desire” wins out over “reason”. On the other hand, the pleasure of having that special car is priceless.
Ebay is full of hucksters and frauds. There is one clown on there shilling mid-70s MPC stuff (such as the blue Republic Steel gondola and a 4/6/2 WITHOUT A MOTOR) as “RARE!” “HARD TO FIND” and “VINTAGE!” I was so angry about this I emailed the guy and told him to stop misrepresenting his product (I have never done this before barring some other clown who had Skyline metal buildings with a starting bid of $99). He of course replied with some mealy-mouthed nonsense.
Sadly, though, even though the particular frauds I mentioned here did not get any bids, there is also no shortage of people who will pay grossly inflated prices on Ebay for whatever reason. I think most of them must be drunk when they bid.
Interestingly, I was searching the Standard Gauge listings this morning and came across another copy of the book with a Buy It Now of only $99. Some angler caught a fish in that hole, and another has thrown his line in next to the spot . . . .
sigh