eBay/Craigslist Why buy a tractor on eBay?

[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.
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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.