EBAY - Caught up in the Moment or just stupid people?

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Before I even consider buying something on E-bay, I check what I can get it for retail plus shipping. Do people just get caught up in the moment or do they just not look into what they are buying?

Unless It's going for 1/2 of the retail price or less, I won't even consider it. I'd rather pay the extra and have someone stand behind the product.

James

norustscott · norustscott's Garage

I am with you James. It appears that some people will pay a premium to purchase an item from ebay from EBAY.

point in case. 20 bucks plus shipping for a set of cheese head sheet metal screws.

philinjax · 05-15-2002, 01:30 PM

Geez, I must be lucky with eBay, both selling and buying. The last auction I won was retail $1750.00 of new parts, all of which I need. I won it for $1000.00 even. Although, I will admit that I have screwed up a couple of times, like paying 15% more than Pelican price for tie rod ends. Thant's what I get for bidding without checking prices. Too much Scotch, I suspect.
Phil

Zeke · 05-15-2002, 01:35 PM

So Red, what are you refering to? who bought what? IMHO, people buy stuff because it's easy. Don't get outa the chair and it's delivered to your door.

I haven't bought anything on EvilBay. I think the 914 related item prices are outrages.

Mike Kunz · Mike Kunz's Garage

Lately, I've been burned on a couple of 914-related eBay purchases. It amazes me (or maybe it shouldn't) how people are willing to misrepresent what they have, even after asking them very direct questions via email.

Not to mention those who think that their 914 parts are "made of gold".

It was only a matter of time til the good nature of eBay was ruined!

Mike

anthony · 05-15-2002, 01:58 PM

I've gotten some good 914 deals on ebay. I've made a couple small mistakes. I've also sold a lot of stuff and in every case I've gotten way more than I thought I would.

philinjax · 05-15-2002, 02:06 PM

It's not eBay thats evil, it is some of the people that participate. For the most part I have been on the plus side with my dealings on eBay after I learned a lesson or two. One of the most common traps by sellers auctioning items valued rather low, say $15.00 to $50.00, is that they do not specify shipping costs. You bid $16.00 on a $20.00 item and win. You feel swell until the seller emails a price of $9.50 to ship. The part can be mailed for
$1.50 first class. You have been had, pay up or get the dreaded negative feedback.
Phil

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

I guess I should have put the specific part in, although I see it just about every day....

Chassis reinforcement kit that you weld on the 914. Pelican sells it for about $105. I priced up shipping, about $8. A guy on e-bay has one with shipping $12, and the final price was $128 + the shipping. If the price had stayed under about $60, I would have bought it.

I think one of the funniest ones I dealt with was for a "PORSCHE" negative stripe which started at $10 but went for something like $65. The seller e-mails me that he'd be willing to part with another one (to anyone else who bid) for the $65 price. I nicely e-mailed back that I could buy it retail for $26, so forget it. He replied that if I could get them for that price, he'd like 100 of them.

$26 bucks, right in the on-line AA catalog (not that I'd buy it from them, let him deal with _those_ bozos).

I've gotten some good deals on e-bay (914/6 tranny for $400, used good 914/6 heat exchangers $300). I research the things as well and sometimes pay more for the new parts (brake pads!). I guess I feel that if I can't get it for at least 50% off the retail price, what is the point of taking a chance?

It just amazes me when I see something go for _way_ _way_ more than it's worth...

James

green71 · 05-15-2002, 03:25 PM

My last ebay purchase was a couple of shop towels that say PORSCHE on them. At $4/ea, they were a good deal as novelties go. I keep one on the floorboard between the gear shift lever and center seat cushion and refer to it as my "Porsche factory defrost unit."

I've had only good experiences w/ebay, though I generally don't bid on big ticket items.

yoh!!! · yoh!!!'s Garage

I ordered a Sync meter at CB among some other Weber carb related items. The Sync meter at CB is $42.00, the same tool sold on ebay for $56.00 this morning with the "buy it now" option. Same is true for the more basic syncronizing tool with the ball...

Patrick Koch

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Case in point:

A full set of Stock brake pads for a 914-4 _starting_ at $180! AND THERE IS A RESERVE SET!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1829597150

James

pbanders · pbanders's Garage

There are a lot of bidders on Ebay who have no idea of the price or value of the item they are bidding on. Case in point - the guy who is selling "noid" lights for checking if your injectors are firing. These cost $7 or $8 brand new at AutoZone - he got over $30 for one recently!

Good deals are out there, you just have to be patient. I just got an NOS cold start valve for the 2.0L for $7.50 yesterday, it's an $80+ item in Pelican's catalog.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

Pagid Orange are not stock brake pads. Those are the streetable track pads. (I.e., they actually do work at low temps, and still work at high temps.) I think they're probably a bit more expensive than the stock type ones brand-new...

--DD

echocanyons · echocanyons's Garage

Regarding Pagid pads....

The orange pads are track type pads.

These pads retail for about $220.00-250.00

Not too bad of a deal if his reserve is low.

Not to good of one either!

Kelly

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

My last "deal" was $36 for a pair of rear rotors for my 914/6. Not too bad. Except it's taking him forever to ship....

Anyway...

James

Serge914 · Serge914's Garage

The other day I auctionned a VHS video on the purchase of a Porsche 911. I did put a starting price of $20.00 and in my comment I mentionned that I bought it for $39.95 a Amazon. Sold it for $42.00.

SummerSledSix · 05-20-2002, 06:22 AM

My one and only eBay purchase (911 parts car) turned out really well for me, though (for once) I was aware of "street price", inspected it before I bid, and the seller was new to eBay as well.

It struck me reading this thread that all the comments made here apply to another popular auction house, namely the New York Stock Exchange. The market punishes ignorance.