Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[MikeinRome]

@MikeinRome, I think doing some additional research on eBay bidding practice will help you understand snipes and ease the gripes. Also, please keep in mind that Bill has been a contributing member here for 15 years. I’ve received some incredible vintage hats and valuable hat knowledge from him over the years as have many others. The hats were always a bargain and the knowledge even more so.

This was the only unpleasant experience on eBay that I've had that I would consider worth mentioning. And I'm not entirely blaming him. eBay policy may also share some of it. But I'm certainly not sitting around harboring a resentment. I've moved on. If I only have one bad experience on eBay for every 150 transactions, then I don't feel too bad.

 

[Bill Hughes]

This had been listed a couple of times. When the price came down to 200 I placed my bid. No one else bid. It will get a new ribbon.

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This was supposed to be a 7 1/4 but turned out to be a 7. I had it shipped directly to Mike Miller (Northwest Hats) for a new ribbon. Since he had to resize it I lost a bit of brim. Therefore, I had a bit of a different brim treatment added in place of the stand Monte Carlo. Here is the results. I will post pictures when I receive the hat.

 

[Rmccamey]

That's a really nice hat, Bill. I'm going to have to stop by and go through your reject stack!

This was supposed to be a 7 1/4 but turned out to be a 7. I had it shipped directly to Mike Miller (Northwest Hats) for a new ribbon. Since he had to resize it I lost a bit of brim. Therefore, I had a bit of a different brim treatment added in place of the stand Monte Carlo. Here is the results. I will post pictures when I receive the hat.
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[Bill Hughes]

That's a really nice hat, Bill. I'm going to have to stop by and go through your reject stack!

Actually, I’m over my limit and I have 5 more commissioned. I’ll be selling several in the next month or so.

 

[Frunobulax]

Actually, I’m over my limit and I have 5 more commissioned. I’ll be selling several in the next month or so.

I admire your discipline.

 

[Blare]

This was supposed to be a 7 1/4 but turned out to be a 7. I had it shipped directly to Mike Miller (Northwest Hats) for a new ribbon. Since he had to resize it I lost a bit of brim. Therefore, I had a bit of a different brim treatment added in place of the stand Monte Carlo. Here is the results. I will post pictures when I receive the hat.
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It looks very cool, Bill

 

[Snowman]

Well, I’ve done it again. A wonderful Stetson Resistol Self-Conforming Playboy is on its way to me.

I’m anxious to see the “new with tags” part.

 

[BobHufford]

I’m anxious to see the “new with tags” part.

Those thrift store tags can be confusing ...

 

[RBH]

I spoke to the folks at eBay and was told my only recourse basically was to try to work out something with the seller, but in this case, the seller was apparently more interested in greed than fairness.

It is very apparent you do not know Bill.
I believe this will be the end of this particular discourse.

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

I have a hat up for auction currently but I did not set it up for offers, there is one bid on it currently and the person messaged me to see if I would take an offer a little above starting bid. Is this legit?

It is "legit" just on the surface. If you want to sell it to him at the price he offered, cancel the auction, tell the guy you are ready to put it up for a "buy it now" at the price he offered, and ask him about when he is ready so that you can post the buy it now and he won't miss it. Then post the buy it now when he says he's ready to look out for the auction (nothing worse than posting a buy it now for a particular person, and then someone ELSE jumps in and buys it. LOL)

However, unless you know the guy, do NOT sell it to him away from ebay. Then you lave yourself open to problems. Do a buy it now on ebay for him when you know he is ready to see the post and buy your item.

 

[StoryPNW]

It is "legit" just on the surface. If you want to sell it to him at the price he offered, cancel the auction, tell the guy you are ready to put it up for a "buy it now" at the price he offered, and ask him about when he is ready so that you can post the buy it now and he won't miss it. Then post the buy it now when he says he's ready to look out for the auction (nothing worse than posting a buy it now for a particular person, and then someone ELSE jumps in and buys it. LOL)

However, unless you know the guy, do NOT sell it to him away from ebay. Then you lave yourself open to problems. Do a buy it now on ebay for him when you know he is ready to see the post and buy your item.

Thanks for the tip! The person offered just a little above opening price I told him I wanted to let it run the auction, if no one else bids I will lose out on a little but such is the gamble.

 

[M Hatman]

(nothing worse than posting a buy it now for a particular person, and then someone ELSE jumps in and buys it. LOL)

ABSOLUTELY!!!! And I have had this happen several times (I do not sit on my computer) ....someone snakes in and it SUCKS.

Now I have good success when they ad a "make an offer" option to the auction and let me know to offer my accepted price and they are sure it is me....happened again on Monday actually.....

 

[Just Daniel]

Yes, good points. Alan said it well above.

I was very disappointed in seeing these messages being posted. I contemplated not replying because I've seen many back and forth postings get really ugly. But what I read in your posts is beyond what I can ignore. Everyone needs to remember there are two sides to every story and here is mine.


"I made a very high bid to insure I would not be outbid, at the last second. But somehow someone magically outbid me by $10, leaving me scratching my head as to how that was possible".

What I read into this is the implication that there was something underhanded going on with the bidding on my auction. That is not taken lightly by me. There will be those that only see or read your side of the story. I would hope people would think about the ramifications of what they post on a public forum.

This was most surely done by a sniper bidding program. I thought that everyone was aware of this on ebay. No magic. Just someone using technology and a higher bid to beat you in the last second(s). No shill bidding. Nothing underhanded.

You should never bid more than you are willing to pay on an auction. Period. You can't insure you won't be outbid.



"So I was left with the choice of either paying my high, max bid or losing the hat to the next bidder $190 less."

Yes, that is how the second chance works. And you chose to accept the second chance offer.

"In discussing this with the seller, they just wanted to act helpless instead of offering it to me for the fair price."

There was no discussion. Had you contacted me on the lounge before accepting the second chance offer, things could have gone differently. You knew I was a member of the lounge and could have contacted me. I was unware of who you were or that you were a lounge member.

You accepted the second chance offer first. Period.

Then you messaged me on ebay.

Your message implied (for the first time, the second being here on the lounge) that there was something underhanded going on with the bidding. You also expressed displeasure with the purchase amount. You didn't ask for any refund or different price. And you finished by saying you were going to bid on another auction of mine.


"So now you know why the seller never finished telling you all how that auction worked out for him and how it REALLY went down!"

Since when do I post how my auctions work out for me?

"It's just the circumstances of this particular deal that didn't sit well with me. Not whining. Compared to other things in Life, this is a Princess Problem."

Then why make multiple posts on the lounge calling me out and attack my integrity? To me, attacking my reputation on a public forum is much more than a "Princess Problem".


As to the greed, I don't need your money. Your implication of shill bidding angered me (I'm human). So, while I did think about a partial refund, I chose against it.

 

[alanfgag]

Old caps were far less likely to survive the depression than old hats. This one was a happy purchase from some years back... it was listed on eBay with a buy it now of $5 but had no takers. I had missed it and the auction expired but saw a note on this thread from esteemed member Lefty. The seller was kind enough to let it go at the original BIN price. Crazy rustic tweed in lush colors, has remained one of my favorite antique caps.

 

[Just Daniel]

Alan! That’s amazing! Another amazing hat!

Old caps were far less likely to survive the depression than old hats. This one was a happy purchase from some years back... it was listed on eBay with a buy it now of $5 but had no takers. I had missed it and the auction expired but saw a note on this thread from esteemed member Lefty. The seller was kind enough to let it go at the original BIN price. Crazy rustic tweed in lush colors, has remained one of my favorite antique caps.

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[Just Daniel]

I am totally GUILTY of that once. I nailed a buyitnow for that Stetson 150 Sable right under Dr Max’s nose. In my small defense, it was that Stetson 150 Sable, and we’d all been negotiating with the seller without each other knowing.

Dr Max got it in the end, but he did have to sweeten the sale to get the seller to cancel my purchase. By then Dr Max and I were talking too, because he was the first person I wrote when my purchase went through.

Obviously it was an underhanded move…but for that Stetson Sable…well at least we can laugh about it now! (I think we can laugh about it)

ABSOLUTELY!!!! And I have had this happen several times (I do not sit on my computer) ....someone snakes in and it SUCKS.

Now I have good success when they ad a "make an offer" option to the auction and let me know to offer my accepted price and they are sure it is me....happened again on Monday actually.....

 

[Just Daniel]

Wow. That came out amazing.

This was supposed to be a 7 1/4 but turned out to be a 7. I had it shipped directly to Mike Miller (Northwest Hats) for a new ribbon. Since he had to resize it I lost a bit of brim. Therefore, I had a bit of a different brim treatment added in place of the stand Monte Carlo. Here is the results. I will post pictures when I receive the hat.
View attachment 489709 View attachment 489710 View attachment 489711

 

[buler]

Someone snagged a Musketeer. They don't come up very often.

A thread on the Musketeer -> https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/resurrection-of-the-stetson-musketeer.56325/


https://www.ebay.com/itm/225410743482?hash=item347b86fcba:g:KDQAAOSwjOlj5WYL&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoK81llJZ4znt8ONHbZKRFeKXH+BVT2rz6rZ3j/g09um+8XGUY0duY353tEh2ApT+01dp7UZvcxN7CysWhZVgLaJTU7hd7ILtdPoNDi32A8NObwMEqF1rbNUxxDewPJylB9Y0SzlCie5EDfE1Gmy+YU8JMtrss8XwsGwkD33ZuZMWrDYswcAb6wtHqWpPS2tDFHmEx86XHFhZet8+F/tnnx8=|tkp:Bk9SR5yx3OvKYQ&nma=true&si=jTaKxasiOAYDuChhFCfz%2FKwHNH0%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[Frunobulax]

Someone snagged a Musketeer. They don't come up very often.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225410743482?hash=item347b86fcba:g:KDQAAOSwjOlj5WYL&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAoK81llJZ4znt8ONHbZKRFeKXH+BVT2rz6rZ3j/g09um+8XGUY0duY353tEh2ApT+01dp7UZvcxN7CysWhZVgLaJTU7hd7ILtdPoNDi32A8NObwMEqF1rbNUxxDewPJylB9Y0SzlCie5EDfE1Gmy+YU8JMtrss8XwsGwkD33ZuZMWrDYswcAb6wtHqWpPS2tDFHmEx86XHFhZet8+F/tnnx8=|tkp:Bk9SR5yx3OvKYQ&nma=true&si=jTaKxasiOAYDuChhFCfz%2FKwHNH0%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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Cool. Haven't seen many of those.

 

[The Shoe]

A quick question. For shipping costs (to Japan), does eBay calculate the rate or does the seller set the price? One reason I haven’t placed a bid on eBay before is some very high shipping costs. Last year, I purchased a Homburg from Brent. He sent it before I paid, so I paid the actual cost of $28. Looking on eBay, most are charging at least twice that and some up to four times that amount. Or is it just different shipping methods?