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

[Ande1964]

Stetson Clear Beaver 7X Won

Just won this one, and that is good news for my fellow melonheads. Once this thing arrives, and I get a good look at the color, something else from my collection is going to have to go to make room for it.

Anj

 

[Spellflower]

Not a hat, but...

Okay, this isn't hat related, but it is a major ebay loss. In fact, I'm still in complete shock over this one.

I was looking for guitar amplifiers on ebay, and I came across a very poorly listed item. Nobody seemed to be paying attention to it because it was local pickup only in Asbury Park, NJ. But I clicked on it and found that it was not one, but TWO vintage Fender amps, and the guy clearly had no idea of their value. I put in a bid on my usually trusty auction sniper, Justsnipe.com, and crossed my fingers.

When I got home and checked the results, I was shocked to find that it sold for $5.50 That's right, five and a half bucks. This gear is easily worth $700, possibly more, and it sold for less than I spent on my lunch today. Why? Justsnipe made an error. AAAARRRGGGGH!!!:rage: :rage: :rage:

So, a word to the wise, AVOID JUSTSNIPE if you care about winning your auction!!!

 

[fletch31]

I would be surprised if the seller follows through with the auction unless they just want them out of the house. Some relationship gone wrong? Would be awesome to get vintage tube amps for that price though.

 

[AlanC]

Great hat, Anj. Maybe I can help you bankroll that one in a week or so. By the way, what's your set size limit on collection size since something must go?

Spellflower, sorry to hear about that. I use esnipe and have never had a problem with it if you want to give them a try.

 

[Stoney]

Yow!

Can't wait to see it on your head.

Congrats on a great looking hat.

Just won this one, and that is good news for my fellow melonheads. Once this thing arrives, and I get a good look at the color, something else from my collection is going to have to go to make room for it.

Anj

 

[Spellflower]

I would be surprised if the seller follows through with the auction unless they just want them out of the house. Some relationship gone wrong? Would be awesome to get vintage tube amps for that price though.

I think he was just completely ignorant of what they're worth and wanted them gone. I emailed him and said that I hope the buyer gives a few hundred to a charity because I would have if I won them for $6.

 

[Rick Blaine]

After months of searching, I've finally found (and won) a vintage hat in my size...a WHIPPET NO LESS! I am excited. Here's the link. I can't wait to recieve it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEBTOX:IT&item=140225211116&_trksid=p3984.cTODAY.m238.lVI

ML.

ps. YAY!

...How in the wide world of sports did I miss that one????
I hope you were wearing a mask, 'cause you STOLE that 'un!

Well done!

 

[ideaguy]

ANJ- SUPER HAT!!! I really hope that the color is close to the photo-never
seen an OR in a Green like that...if you happen to have any 7 1/2's kicking around, I could help with paying for the OR...

 

[Spellflower]

I just got a response to my email. Apparently the seller got an email from the high bidder offering a fair price for one of the amps if he would end the auction early, and he did. So the price shown as the sale price is $5.50, but the actual sale price is more than that.

My question now is, how is this allowable? The auction wasn't a "Best Offer" or "Buy It Now," so I thought the rules required that it go to the end. If any seller can end the auction any time, "end times" on auctions are meaningless, and snipe programs are a complete waste of time, since you never know if the auction will make it that long.

Could this happen with hat auctions? Should we get in the habit of emailing sellers with our best offers when we see something we really want? [huh]

 

[Feraud]

I think if there are no bids on an item a seller can pull the auction.

 

[PhilS]

This is my understanding too....

I think if there are no bids on an item a seller can pull the auction.

After bids, must go to completion. Never looked it up, though.

 

[AlanC]

Technically it is against ebay rules to list something and pull it for an off ebay sale. Ebay does allow auctions to be ended if there are no bidders or for them to be edited prior to any bids. Thus a seller could choose to add a Buy It Now option to an existing auction if he, say, knew there was a buyer ready to pull the BIN trigger. Two morals to be gained from this, 1) It never hurts to ask about a BIN, and 2) sometimes it's a good idea to throw a low bid in early to lock in the auction and help prevent editing/ending early from going on.

I understand your frustration, Spellflower, but I think you simply got outmanuevered. It's happened to all of us.

 

[Spellflower]

Here's what the seller had to say for himself:

The guy who won the bid did actually make a pretty fair offer on
the email avenue since no one else did and according to ebay
rules for ending listings under 12 hrs to go, he had to be the
high bidder but the offer was made thru email as all offers are
when the item has no buy it now price. I accepted the offer and
after his bid was made it was then I was told he only wanted the
bass head.

People did a lot of talking about that amp,
(the fender), I had 24 people watch the bid and only 1 person
actually posted a bid for the item.

In an auction as you know,
action is what counts not talk. I don't mean to sound rude and I
do hope you don't read it that way but, there was just too much
talk and no action. What would you do? It was a 7 day listing and
I'm just now hearing of your interest in it. I wish I had heard your
offer when I could have talked with you about it. Who knows,
today it could've been in route to your house instead. More $$$
for me right?

Seems like he didn't realize that just because people didn't bid early, that didn't mean they weren't planning on bidding. The buyer made an offer, and he took it because he was afraid it would sell for $5 otherwise. Apparently, this is allowed. According to ebay:

When there are 12 hours or less remaining and the item has a winning bid, including a reserve met bid, sellers cannot make any changes to the listing, including:
Ending the item early. Sellers may cancel bids, but not end the item unless the item is being sold to the high bidder.

He did sell it to the high bidder, but I think he may still be violating the rules by avoiding ebay fees, since the price recorded was not the one he got.

So I guess the moral is, snipe at your own risk, or, bid, and if you're the high bidder, email the seller and try to convince him to take your best offer and end the auction early. If he doesn't understand that people may drive the price up dramatically in the last seconds, he might think your offer is the best he'll get and you'll get a bargain. Or not.

At least I feel better knowing that some real money changed hands for this stuff.

 

[Spellflower]

Alan, I was posting at the same time as you. Good points. I think the real lesson is: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

 

[HamletJSD]

How odd this "eBay" beast has grown to be ...

 

[Feraud]

Two morals to be gained from this, 1) It never hurts to ask about a BIN, and 2) sometimes it's a good idea to throw a low bid in early to lock in the auction and help prevent editing/ending early from going on.

Excellent points.

 

[AlanC]

If he didn't want them to sell for that low then he should have had a higher minimum bid. It also sounds like he's an inexperienced seller who isn't factoring in snipes. I've watched auctions (hat and otherwise) go up hundreds of dollars in the last seconds.

I was watching an auction once that had no bids. On the next to the last day the seller edited his auction and told all the people who were watching but not bidding ("I know you're out there!") that if they didn't bid now he was going to end the auction early. :eusa_doh: Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!

One of the allures of auctions for the buyer and for the seller is the unknown. The hope for the Big Deal or the Big Windfall. I've had both. I've also overpaid and undersold. It's a fun hobby, though, and I generally come out ahead, but sometimes you take your lumps.

 

[Tango Yankee]

This looks like a record...

A Stetson Whippet for $356. And no, it wasn't in an unusual color or a larger size--it was a brown 7 1/8!

I've said it before, I'll likely say it again... there's just no telling what'll happen on ebay! [huh]

Cheers,
Tom

 

[tonyb]

Ain't it the truth, TY. I mean, it's a nice lid and all, and a person could spend more on a brand-spankin'-new hat and come away with less, et cetera, et cetera, but still ...

And did you notice that the seller indicated it is made of wool?

My new refrain regarding ebay listings: "Alas, it happens all the time."

 

[AlanC]

Did anyone here win these Borsalino beauties? If condition (mint) and sizes (7 3/8 & 7 1/2) are as advertised the final price ($355 for both) was a good one for the buyer.