AKNOT - There is another reason that many use snipes by a service or manually at the last second... And that is, once you bid, its cast in stone. Many times I have bid early, and a day or 2 later hoped I'd get outbid. With a snipe service you can change or cancel your bid up to a minute before the auction ends, and if your manually sniping, you can have a change of heart and not bid at all. Plus if a buyer only has "X" to spend, he'll have to wait several days to see if he wins or loses the auction, perhaps in the interim, he could find something else to bid on that ends quicker....Just another scenerio to think about...jay
Jay makes an excellent point. Many times I have rethought a purchase and cancelled my snipe. Conversely, Ive locked into auctions early on that I later realized I didn't want and WHAMOOOOOOOOOOOO...............the item is mine
You should just try and use it for one month and see if it's really that unfavorable to you. I use Justsnipe, and if I'd be any happier, I'd have to hire someone to help me enjoy it.
Since the thread has gone to discussion of sniping, I have some food for thought. What if right before an auction is scheduled to end, eBay’s server crashes. While it hasn’t effected me recently, several times in the past just minutes before my snipe, I got a horrific “page cannot be displayed” message. I doubt eBay would care to listen, but this could potentially cost a seller thousands.
If eBay's server crashes just before an auction you are interested in, I suspect that yours will be the least of their worries, since such a scenario would affect hundreds, if not thousands of other auctions across the spectrum of eBay at the same time. In such a scenario, it seems likely that ANY bid entered for anything could be lost, since a crashed server would render the entire system inoperable for some period of time.
The scenario you are referring to is the recent problem that affected our favorite snipe service where many of us, me included, lost and had to reload several pre-set snipes.
SW
PS - I don't mind the mild hijacking of my thread because some of the posters seem to still not have gotten the memo on why sniping works, and that's actually good for the rest of us!
I think I used the wrong term when I mentioned “server crashing”. I don’t know if this happens to other people but I am referring to an eBay error (maintenance?) that prevents items from being displayed – these typically last about five minutes and only affect a certain category or two. Don’t get me wrong; sniping is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but as a seller that would worry me because of the potential money that could be lost because people cannot place bids.
If you really want top value for your set, I have 2 suggestions;
One, wait until ebay has a ten-cent fixed price special (there was one just about a month ago). They are unannounced, but if you read these boards religiously, you will get a heads-up by one of our astute members. Then you can set the price at what you want for item.....no bidding wars here though. Ebay also has free listing days if you want to go the regular ebay auction way with a buy-it-now option.
or,
Two, consign to a major auction. I sold my set in this past April's Mastro auction at just above SMR. I talked to all the major auction reps when I was considering sale, and Mastro offered no fee on consignor end, only 15% on the seller end. I just had to consider if the Mastro name was enough to make buyer pay 15% over SMR.
As was also suggested, you could have posted price you wanted on Vintage Buy and Sell thread here and seen if there was any interest before you listed.
If it's OK to bounce back and forth between sniping and the '65 set, then let me do so once more.
-------------------------------------------- Sniping works for me because there are irrational bidders out there. Let me give an example:
Item comes up for sale with SMR at $1,000. I REALLY want the item and am willing to spend $3,000 for it. I go ahead and put in my bid for $3,000 the first day (let's say I'm first bidder, no minimum, and bid register's at $1.00).
Mr. Irrational Bidder comes along and wants to get a deal on item and bids $500 (thinking that will hold up). Bid goes to $505 (or so) and lo and behold, they are not the high bidder (I am).
Mr. Irrational Bidder is peeved. He sits around staring at his navel for the next 10 minutes or so, wondering if maybe I only bid $505. He enters bid of $750. Poor guy. Now I am high at $760 (or so).
He gets even angrier. Couple of days go by while he frets about it, rethinks his bidding, decides that he REALLY wants it, and bids SMR ($1,000). Bid goes to $1,010 (or so) and he again sees my user ID staring him in the face.
With an hour to go in the auction, he can't understand why somebody would bid so much. Maybe SMR is REALLY wrong, he thinks. He bumps his bid to $1,100 (my ID laughs back at him). He goes to $1,500 (same thing). Now he decides to wait until the last second of the auction (he has heard about sniping) and bids $2,000 (fully double SMR). After the dust clears, auction is won by me at $2,020 (or so).
Net result: he is mad as a hornet (but a bit relieved since he did not really want to pay more than $500 anyway). I am mad since if I had just sniped the auction in the first place, I would have gotten it for $505 (or so) since his $500 bid might have been the only bid of the whole week. Seller is thrilled.
If you think this does not happen, just look at the bidding pattern on 95% of the interesting, high dollar auctions (IMHO).
I dont blame the guy for cancelling his auction. If I had what he has in the set, I would be scared to death I wasnt going to get anywhere near what I need for the set. I couldnt hope for snipes. Its hard to sell a high dollar set on Ebay. Your better off breaking the set or consigning to the auction houses.
But still lower then your initial and "highest" possible bid. So you still got a "deal". So now some people have a percieved amount of what that would go for if it came up again. Not just what Beckett/SMR says it is worth. You dont know if he got "mad". You do know he wanted the card(s) and was willing to "openly" bid for it. Unlike the "sniper" who waits in the shadows hoping that he gets the "shot" in the final seconds.
2nd good point though is the "canceling" of said snipe before it kicks in, possibly saving money.
A lot of those cards from his set was purchased from other 1965 collectors who have sold off their cards on eBay. The PSA 8s in the set are just as good as anyone elses.
Yes, when all the snipes failed, I came out a winner on about 50 cards. A total surprise to me and another reason why my auction ended early last week. Anything can happen and I had to be very cautious. I remember the Mastro fiasco very well.
By the way, I also bought a lot of the set from Dan Schazader. Peter Spaeth was the one who got me started on the set about 6 years ago when he sold me most of the stars of the set. He went on from there to complete the set 100% and then I purchased a lot of those cards as well.
I agree that sniping is the only way to go.I will only snipe and that is the way I have been for almost a year.
Another scenario is that it is easier for lazy bidders or vindictive bidders to just check out ones bidder list than to even search for items that they want.If you bid on an item,that makes it come up on your bidder list and it is available to anyone that wants to check out your bids.
I feel that I have truly saved a lot of money and won more auctions since I started sniping.By the way,I learned about sniping on these boards.I cannot remember who turned me on to it,but THANKS!!!!!
Vic
Please be kind to me. Even though I'm now a former postal employee, I'm still capable of snapping at any time.
I never tried to imply that the cards were not nice. my implication was simply before I would spend 22k 25k 27 k or whatever the k is that day id like to see some scans. especially when the seller is directing buyers to the psa site......
I think the importance of hiding your "finds" by sniping cannot be overstated.
Many of my eBay purchases are of poorly listed cards, where the card will not show in many of the common searches that it otherwise would. Why should I bid well ahead of time on those, thus giving everyone else a chance to look at my bids and see the card?
<< <i>I can scan any card you'd like to see and send it to you. >>
Can you scan me a card of Pamela Anderson, Trish Stratus, and Rachel Weisz in a rubber blow up pool wrestling in cream of corn with a spider-monkey as a ref?
Comments
And that is, once you bid, its cast in stone. Many times I have bid early, and a day or 2 later hoped I'd get outbid. With a snipe service you can change or cancel your bid up to a minute before the auction ends, and if your manually sniping, you can have a change of heart and not bid at all. Plus if a buyer only has "X" to spend, he'll have to wait several days to see if he wins or loses the auction, perhaps in the interim, he could find something else to bid on that ends quicker....Just another scenerio to think about...jay
Website: http://www.qualitycards.com
You should just try and use it for one month and see if it's really that unfavorable to you. I use Justsnipe, and if I'd be any happier, I'd have to hire someone to help me enjoy it.
BOTR
Brian
If eBay's server crashes just before an auction you are interested in, I suspect that yours will be the least of their worries, since such a scenario would affect hundreds, if not thousands of other auctions across the spectrum of eBay at the same time. In such a scenario, it seems likely that ANY bid entered for anything could be lost, since a crashed server would render the entire system inoperable for some period of time.
The scenario you are referring to is the recent problem that affected our favorite snipe service where many of us, me included, lost and had to reload several pre-set snipes.
SW
PS - I don't mind the mild hijacking of my thread because some of the posters seem to still not have gotten the memo on why sniping works, and that's actually good for the rest of us!
Brian
If you really want top value for your set, I have 2 suggestions;
One, wait until ebay has a ten-cent fixed price special (there was one just about a month ago). They are unannounced, but if you read these boards religiously, you will get a heads-up by one of our astute members. Then you can set the price at what you want for item.....no bidding wars here though. Ebay also has free listing days if you want to go the regular ebay auction way with a buy-it-now option.
or,
Two, consign to a major auction. I sold my set in this past April's Mastro auction at just above SMR. I talked to all the major auction reps when I was considering sale, and Mastro offered no fee on consignor end, only 15% on the seller end. I just had to consider if the Mastro name was enough to make buyer pay 15% over SMR.
As was also suggested, you could have posted price you wanted on Vintage Buy and Sell thread here and seen if there was any interest before you listed.
JIM S
The numbers on this auction seem to change daily.
First it was a 22k opening bid w/ a 27k BIN
then it was a 25k opening bid w/ a 25k BIN
now it is a 27k opening bid w/ a 27k BIN.
<<The numbers on this auction seem to change daily.
First it was a 22k opening bid w/ a 27k BIN
then it was a 25k opening bid w/ a 25k BIN
now it is a 27k opening bid w/ a 27k BIN. >>
I've said it before and I've say it now, the baseball card market is very cyclical.
<< <i>PS - John, SMR on the set is $18,600. >>
Steve-
If the SMR of a straight PSA 8 set is $18,412. The SMR for the #4 set is more than $18,600.
The PSA 9 cards included are:
# 34 Cal Koonce; #44 Wade Blasingame; #49 Orioles Rookies (Blefary); #58 Fred Talbot; #86 Les Narum; #104 Checklist; #118 Hal Lanier; #124 Tom Satriano; #128 Vic Davalillo; #150 Brooks Robinson; #189 Checklist; #210 Jim Fregosi; #303 Johnny Orsino; #325 Donn Clendenon; #361 Checklist; #373 Curt Simmons; #385 Carl Yastrzemski; #390 Bill Freehan; #398 Reds Rookies;#415 Curt Flood; #424 Gary Bell; #447 Julian Javier; #458 John Buzhardt; #486 Angels Rookies; #502 Don Cardwell; #503 Phil Gagliano; #511 Ron Locke; #519 Bob Uecker; #522 Hank Aguirre; #540 Lou Brock; #567 Tommie Aaron; #583 Wes Covington and #587 Joe Sparma.
John
--------------------------------------------
Sniping works for me because there are irrational bidders out there. Let me give an example:
Item comes up for sale with SMR at $1,000. I REALLY want the item and am willing to spend $3,000 for it. I go ahead and put in my bid for $3,000 the first day (let's say I'm first bidder, no minimum, and bid register's at $1.00).
Mr. Irrational Bidder comes along and wants to get a deal on item and bids $500 (thinking that will hold up). Bid goes to $505 (or so) and lo and behold, they are not the high bidder (I am).
Mr. Irrational Bidder is peeved. He sits around staring at his navel for the next 10 minutes or so, wondering if maybe I only bid $505. He enters bid of $750. Poor guy. Now I am high at $760 (or so).
He gets even angrier. Couple of days go by while he frets about it, rethinks his bidding, decides that he REALLY wants it, and bids SMR ($1,000). Bid goes to $1,010 (or so) and he again sees my user ID staring him in the face.
With an hour to go in the auction, he can't understand why somebody would bid so much. Maybe SMR is REALLY wrong, he thinks. He bumps his bid to $1,100 (my ID laughs back at him). He goes to $1,500 (same thing). Now he decides to wait until the last second of the auction (he has heard about sniping) and bids $2,000 (fully double SMR). After the dust clears, auction is won by me at $2,020 (or so).
Net result: he is mad as a hornet (but a bit relieved since he did not really want to pay more than $500 anyway). I am mad since if I had just sniped the auction in the first place, I would have gotten it for $505 (or so) since his $500 bid might have been the only bid of the whole week. Seller is thrilled.
If you think this does not happen, just look at the bidding pattern on 95% of the interesting, high dollar auctions (IMHO).
bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
I realized your point soon after I posted it, and meant to correct it, but just forgot. Thanks!
SW
ive noticed that it has changed 3 times now too...
27k and u cant even see pics on the reg. some of those 8's can be low end for the grade. im thinking that ebay is not a great venue for the #4 set.
<< <i>im thinking that ebay is not a great venue for the #4 set. >>
It COULD be a great venue but................
BOTR
But still lower then your initial and "highest" possible bid. So you still got a "deal". So now some people have a percieved amount of what that would go for if it came up again. Not just what Beckett/SMR says it is worth. You dont know if he got "mad". You do know he wanted the card(s) and was willing to "openly" bid for it. Unlike the "sniper" who waits in the shadows hoping that he gets the "shot" in the final seconds.
2nd good point though is the "canceling" of said snipe before it kicks in, possibly saving money.
<< <i>Unlike the "sniper" who waits in the shadows hoping that he gets the "shot" in the final seconds. >>
Aknot,
We should play paint-ball some time. Just before you get to base camp.............WHAMOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!............the snipe(r) has engaged!!
BOTR
A lot of those cards from his set was purchased from other 1965 collectors who have sold off their cards on eBay. The PSA 8s in the set are just as good as anyone elses.
Mike-
In regards to Mastro...I assume you are talking about their April 2003 eBay auction?
I agree that sniping is the only way to go.I will only snipe and that is the way I have been for almost a year.
Another scenario is that it is easier for lazy bidders or vindictive bidders to just check out ones bidder list than to even search for items that they want.If you bid on an item,that makes it come up on your bidder list and it is available to anyone that wants to check out your bids.
I feel that I have truly saved a lot of money and won more auctions since I started sniping.By the way,I learned about sniping on these boards.I cannot remember who turned me on to it,but THANKS!!!!!
Vic
Many of my eBay purchases are of poorly listed cards, where the card will not show in many of the common searches that it otherwise would. Why should I bid well ahead of time on those, thus giving everyone else a chance to look at my bids and see the card?
Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
<< <i>I can scan any card you'd like to see and send it to you. >>
Can you scan me a card of Pamela Anderson, Trish Stratus, and Rachel Weisz in a rubber blow up pool wrestling in cream of corn with a spider-monkey as a ref?
THATS a card I would like to see.