eBay/Craigslist Why buy a tractor on eBay?

[normde2001]

Why would anyone buy a tractor or any other big ticket item on eBay? Maybe someone can clear up my confusion. How can there be any bargains for the buyer when the "reserve price" is in effect? It seems to me that guarantees that the "winning bid" must meet or exceed the seller's asking price or the item doesn't sell. Unless it's an item you just gotta have at any price, everything is in the seller's favor.

 

[CountryBoy]

I bought a used SUV on e-bay this spring at NO reserve,it cost about $700 shipping to my house,I had 30 days to keep it and decide if I liked it or return for a full refund(I would have to pay about $1400 shipping total to and back.
I bought the SUV for about $7000 below book value and was extremely pleased.I would do it again...I hate to deal with car salesmen.Just my .002 worth.
National Car buyers

 

[Von]

Norm, What if there is no reserve?! Or if the seller has a low reserve! Some items sell for much less in other parts of the country than they might in your area. These are just a few reasons to buy on ebay!

 

[knucklehead]

NOOOORM! (From Cheers)

About a week ago I updated a thread on Kubota Buying/Pricing that was looking for info on the L4150. I found one on ebay - and put L4150 on Ebay on that thread just for the pictures, because they were so sharp. As it turns out, the price was good. Our good TBN friend rbargeron has sent a congratulatory email to the winner and invited them to TBN (I believe they already lurk here), maybe that person will comment on their recent experiences.

I am also a bit wary on big ticket items, as I like to poke and prod before I buy, but the "whole world" is dong it, and bad experiences seem to outweigh good. I also have to admit I'd be more wary of things with more hours than the tractor linked above. I guess you have "read the seller" like any other transaction. I would definitely try to get a phone call in to them if I was really serious, and also see if their Ebay profile has info on other big ticket items they've sold.

Just my two cents.

 

[Inspector507]

I just sold a Yanmar on Ebay. It went for a very good price (for the buyer /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) . I had it listed at TBN and a few other sites and got limited views per day (for several weeks) to my ad. When I put it on Ebay, I got 1400+ views in 7 days. I recently sold a camper and I think both buyer and seller got a good deal.

 

[SageBrush]

I've sold big ticket items on eBay. I've only had trouble with one person as a buyer.... the items did not match the description. Now, I use an escrow service for big items. I shipped a big digitizer ($2000.00 +) to Canada with no problems /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I love browsing the RV section, I would just bid on listings in my area so I could go inspect them if it was for more than a few thousand $$$$'s. Cars, Trucks, RV's, tractors, I look at in person before bidding unless they have a satisfaction policy which many dealers do have. As stated before, there are many no-reserve auctions. Mostly older stuff, of low value anyway. If the price is to good to be true, be very carefull and don't pay by cash/check. Use a payment service or credit card even on big items and you will be protected most of the time. Or, go and look at it first. I've bought and sold over 600 (seller most of the time) items on eBay, I've been taken once. But I'm a carefull powerseller.

 

[normde2001]

Sounds like the sellers are very happy, ( wonder why?), and the happy buyers are buying "no reserve" items. Still confirms my suspicions that the "reserve price" assures that you are going to pay at least the asking price, and more, if you want the item. Logic tells me the "reserve price" = the asking price.

 

[Gatorboy]

Not all auctions have a reserve.

eBay is just a tool to get buyers and sellers together. If someone has an item you want that is local to you, you can email the seller -- take a look at the item and then make a deal on the spot.

I have bought some things that the reserve was never met by emailing the seller AFTER his auction ended, and giving him a fair offer.

 

[Skeptic]

Actually I have been to auctions that there will be a reserve on an item that is being auctioned. At one I remember the auctioneer couldn't get it to move near the reserve. He went ahead and tabled the item.
It was interesting to say the least.
So it isn't jus ebay that has reserves. I guess at some point it isn't worth selling if you can't get a minimum amount for it.

 

[Mrwurm]

Norm, as a seller on ebay, I can use a reserve price or not. I use a reserve on items that are likely to generate little interest. I don't want to give something away just because only a few people are interested. On the other hand, some items like popular DVD's for example, generate so much interest (and bids) that a reserve is not needed. I always set my reserve somewhere between a 'give-away' price and fair market value. For example, I sold a snowblower that was worth about $300. I set my reserve at $200 so I did'nt risk being stuck with a terribly unfair deal. Of course, every seller has their own philosophy.
Ebay is a very funny world, much psychology is at work there. I have been trying to get a good deal on a DVD for my wife. The DVD is 'The sound of Music' double disk set. I have bid on about a hundred of them. They always sell for more than you would pay in a store. So, who are all these people who will pay more than retail for a readily available item? Go figure. I'll get mine at WalMart.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I've alway been a buyer on Ebay, never a seller. Some of the thing's I've bought have been very inexpensive and others cost quite a bit. I've only been unhappy one time and the only thing I was out was the cost of sending it back.

I don't have much of a problem buying sight unseen or in an auction situation. Then again, I buy things at auctions every week and buy things most would consider "big ticket" ($5,000-$45,000) sight unseen on a regular basis. Again, I've only had one I've had to send back and was only out $200-$300 on the whole deal (a lot of money, but a very, very small percentage).

As to the reserve price and lack thereof on items I can't see that it matters unless you feel the reserve price is too high, in which case you simply don't bid to it. I have a three friends who swear by buying on Ebay for cars & trucks. One in Dallas just bought a Porche (his second Porche via Ebay) in Portland, OR. Another here just picked up a diesel 4x4 extended cab pickup in Arkansas while the third regularly buys wreckers and other class 3, 4, & 5 trucks there.

The bottom line is, if you're not comfortable doing it, don't do it. It's as simple as that. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CTyler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The DVD is 'The sound of Music' double disk set. I have bid on about a hundred of them. They always sell for more than you would pay in a store. So, who are all these people who will pay more than retail for a readily available item? )</font>

I have to shake my head at those people. Personaly I think there a few types that do this. I've seen this at regular auctions and on other auction sites.

1) They think if its on Ebay or any auction, "It must be a good deal!".

2) They have to beat the other guy.

3) The shill bidder

 

[Inspector507]

Many times I have seen people get caught up in the "excitement" on Ebay and pay way more than they would in the stores. PLUS they pay shipping. You just have to get your mind set that you will not pay more than a set amount and stick with it.
The Yanmar had a reserve price on it. Yes thats the minimum I would accept. If a bidding war broke out, I win /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif . If not, then I think we both (buyer and seller) did ok. The camper I sold had a "Buy it Now" option. My problem was, I didn't research the market very well and lost out on about $4000. No wonder it sold in less than 4 hours /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif .

Actually the Yanmar was on it's second listing. The reserve price was higher and I got very little bites on it.

 

[CTyler]

Its been said but not everything has a reserve price. Some reserves are reasonable and others are nuts. Sometimes you'll see multiple items of the same thing. Some of these will have a high reserve price and others do not. This is part of the psycology to make you think your getting a better deal.

I've bought and sold numerous items on Ebay, some with reserves most without.

Regardless if there is a reserve price or not, if the price is right grab it. If not just pass and wait for the next one. Sometimes you have to wait a while to get that good deal.

 

[GSS]

I think you've already gotten your answer, but I dig selling (and buying) on eBay so I had to chime in.

I have always only used reserve prices when selling things that I needed to get a certain amount for. I usually state in the auction what the reserve is though, only because I want people to know so they can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Reserves are best used when you don't know the interest you will get, but don't want to give it away. A lot of sellers get around this by setting the opening bid at the amount they will settle for, but this always, at least for me, makes me look elsewhere. The thrill in eBay buying is the idea that you will get a great deal and, the lower the starting bid, the more real that thrill is.

Before I got my Cub, I looked at tractors on eBay. Mostly local though so I could go see them in person before bidding. Never actually bid though. Looked at a few cars and ATV's too, but again, no bids. So far, the biggest thing I bought was a mountain bike and, I might add, I love it!

My $0.02.

- Gerald

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> Sounds like the sellers are very happy, ( wonder why?), and the happy buyers are buying "no reserve" items. Still confirms my suspicions that the "reserve price" assures that you are going to pay at least the asking price, and more, if you want the item. Logic tells me the "reserve price" = the asking price.
</font>

So what's the problem? If you put an ad in the paper to sell something do you put $100.00 or do you put "I'll take the best offer"? If you put $100.00 do you expect someone to call you out of the blue and say I'll give you $200.00? What if someone calls you and offers you the $100.00 then an hour later someone calls and offers you $110.00? Are you going to call up the person that offered you $100.00 and tell them you just got a better offer(you'd probably get sued /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif).

My point is, it's an auction. Highest bidder wins. If no one meets the reserve, the seller either has to lower the price or not sell the item. If someone wants something bad enough, they will pay for it. Everybody knows this going into it and, barring any dishonest people, all goes well and everyone is happy. The seller got his miminmum price(or more) and the buyer got the item they were looking for.

 

[OkeeDon]

One of these days, Real Soon now, I'm going to put my Mother-in-law's '67 Barracuda on EBay (she's 99 this August, so I doubt she'll be driving it much, and I don't want it). I've been watching similar cars for a while, and the prices are all over the map. If I start it low without a reserve, and there are no serious buyers looking at that time, I may have to sell it for a lot less than it's worth. If I start the price too high, I won't be able to gauge what the market thinks it's worth. So, the safe thing to do is list it for a moderate starting price but set a reserve below which I won't sell it. If there are serious buyers, it will soon rise above the reserve, anyway. If my reserve is too high, I have a chance to list it again at a lower reserve. If there is only one semi-serious buyer who wants it bad enough to come up to the reserve, at least I will have gotten the lowest price I will accept.

No one gets hurt when there is a reserve.

 

[normde2001]

You guys all continue to prove my point, that the reserve price is the asking price and if you expect to "win" the item, you must pay the asking price or more...Advantage... seller.

 

[MossRoad]

If no one meets your reserve, but is close, just e-mail them and ask if they are still interested. Lots of times they still are.

 

[OkeeDon]

The only advantage I see to the seller is that he won't get stuck selling someting too cheap. Without a reserve, the seller must sell to the highest bid, even if it's $1.00 for a $10,000.00 item (assuming he starts the bidding that low). The buyer does not have to bid. Advantage to the buyer - he has a choice. The seller has no choice once an item is listed, unless there is a reserve.