Ebay "rip" buyers--how do they set their searches?
logger7
Posts: 8,781 ✭✭✭✭✭
How do the ebay "rip" buyers set their ebay searches to pick up great deals? Is there a way to set it for all numismatic items as they get listed?
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I like to search for "1875" 20c coins via the quarters' tab. I've found some real bargains that way.
peacockcoins
Did you get that old Anacs ef40 I was going to call and ask the dealer about but sold before I could?
The reality is you either need the coins for your sets, or you know they are a good flip (and you can put the cash towards your sets). First you just need to focus down to a hand full, and check them every day and then jump when see them. But the reality is they are few and far between. Nobody is making a S**t load of cash doing this...at least I am not, but every 4-5 months I make $500 - $1000 after grading fees, etc. Right now my list is 10 coins dated before 1944. You also need to pay attention to past sales to know these coins are worth buying, getting graded and flipping. Its easy to loose money if you're not paying attention.
WS
No one has shared any secrets on this topic yet; is there any software or programs that permit potential buyers to target new listings category by category as they get listed?
On stuff I search bidding competition usually fierce.
Your question is like asking a fisherman where his best fishing spots are located.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
I have some searches that I check, but instead of eBays best match, or ending soonest, I sort them by Time; newly listed
most are auctions I tag, but sometimes see a BIN that I purchase
BIN is the best way but you never know when something will get listed so you really have to decide how much time you want to invest sitting there and refreshing to maybe get a rip.
It's already tough to find the bargains on ebay... do you really think others are going to disclose their secrets that may be successful for them? So they will then have to compete with others? Like mentioned, very few are going to tell you where their favorite fishing hole is, or where their favorite mushroom hunting grounds are.
Nice try though! Certainly if someone wants to disclose their search formulas, I'm sure there will be quite a few others who will then try using them.
Ebay allows you to do this... and they email you
No secret. Vigilance.
You already know the answer to your question. You just want a better mouse trap to mine the under priced new listings.
Or text one via a push notification.
I may have five or six searches saved for one target item using a variety of phrases since not everyone knows to list with standard industry jargon. That’s about as much detail as I can comfortably share.
Tim
“Pcgs”, auction, ending soonest.
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/publishedset.aspx?s=142753
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
I was thinking there may be some software that was available or some way to set ebay for new listings cutting out non-numismatic items.
How old of an ANACs? There are two EF40 currently listed on Ebay now. One in the old white holder and one in the yellow from a few years ago.
Pocket Change Inspector
This one.
@gtstang
» show previous quotes
How old of an ANACs? There are two EF40 currently listed on Ebay now. One in the old white holder and one in the yellow from a few years ago.
This one.
»
I jumped the gun and see you did mention you were going to call the dealer. That wouldn't have been Ebay then. Just haven't seen many ANACS 40's out there. Good luck though. Hope you come across another you like.
Pocket Change Inspector
Yup if anyone knows where I can catch 6 pound smallmouth bass in the Connecticut River please PM me.
Also can folks wait until the ebay auction is over to post additions to the Doily census so I can have a prayer at getting one for a good price? TIA 😀
But if you are fishing for--you know, fish, and you snag a chest of valuables would you share your good news?
Various searches are possible with the page getting frequently refreshed. Let's say you are looking for gold type. You can do an advanced search and enter "Liberty", "Indian" and "gold" in the search with "buy it now" items. I'm thinking there are software systems to comb through listings for promising deals.
Interesting to note the best "rippers" on CU have yet to post here. They will take their searching secrets to the coin graveyard.
Tim
Diligence, persistence and a willingness to perform the same "999 times out of a 1000 fruitless" searches over and over, ad nauseum, until one day, BAM!!!
Actually, the hits come a lot more frequently than 1 out of a 1000, but the gaps between hits can be huge. I have about 30 canned searches that I do, day in, day out, most more than once per day. I'm retired and I've got the time...
mbogoman
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/classic-issues-colonials-through-1964/zambezi-collection-trade-dollars/7345Asesabi Lutho
In the early days of Ebay the search engines were not as sophisticated as they are today. You could search for nickle and get a whole different list than if you searched for nickel. Common mis-spellings put items in a totally different category and searches like that often bore fruit. I believe now, no matter how you butch the term it gathers everything in, right or wrong spelling.
Just search “rare error penny”. You will find many treasures.
I’ll tell you for $10k. 😈
You best software is to smartly use ebay's search engine to exclude the cleaned crap coin sellers that each have thousands of listings clogging up searches.
I could tell you, but that would be a mistake for me. I can tell you HOW I do it: very carefully
.
Really, it's just persistence.
Coin Photographer.
The key is probably to find a way to exclude the biggest listers and re-listers of "stuff". One dealer told me he was checking out new listings one morning and a woman who was listing her parent's coins as buy it nows had no idea that the "s" mint Indians were worth a premium. So his $800 buy was worth north of $3000. I guess sometimes you have to check connected listings where you could really strike gold.
I'll tell you this much.
I work from home and have ebay open all day.
If you beat me to something during my working hours, odds are I was either distracted, or I let it go.
I don't exclude any sellers. You never know what some big dog will miss. APMEX sold me a 91-CC GSA for $800 a few years back.
Ripped a major variety off Reeded Edge not long ago and sold it for 7x my cost... after adding grading fees.
End of the day, I look at a LOT of trash and some days walk away with nothing. It's luck, really... but I give myself more chances to get lucky than most people so I am luckier than most...
Luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity. Prepare a lot and give yourself a lot of opportunities...
The biggest secret is to work your butt off.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
APMEX and Reeded Edge are not the cleaned crap sh*t sellers I typically exclude. Although I do recall someone years back who cherrypicked a sweet Seated Half off Great Southern Coin - sometimes some orginal, unmolested coins slip through into their listings.
A buddy of mine got MULTIPLE proof buff nickels from them.
The idiot who lists damaged coins with the damage clipped off the pics put up a 40-O H10C with the transitional reverse for $65 last year lol. Bought it and sold it for $400 to a dealer a day after it arrived. I guess it depends on how much you know, but somebody like me should NEVER block any sellers because I can pick 'em of something sooner or later if they do enough volume.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
I once found a broadstruck 20 cent piece masquerading as a quarter.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
This is the best advice you are going to get on this thread.
I don't have the time I used to for picking eBay, but there are still searches I check every day. In the past I've spent years looking for specific varieties, viewing literally every coin of a given date, scanning the new listings every morning, and sometimes all for naught. There is no magic search algorithm that will do that for you. You simply have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the occasional prince.
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
A lot of crappy sellers are where I’ve found a few gems. I particularly love poor images for varieties, gives me an edge: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten some great pics with no competition.
You just have a few listings where you know what you’re looking for, and wait, wait, wait.
Coin Photographer.
Some people want eBay to get rid of those sellers.
Luck
Collector, occasional seller
I hear ya, one just has to have patience to find the diamond in the rough with those sellers, which admittedly I don't have most of the time
Were the proof buffs listed as MS?
They were listed as MS yes.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Well it's kinda like metal detecting. Most of the time it's crap... pull tabs, etc, these are the listings that aren't worth it. But once in a while, after enough looking, you run into a treasure.
Sometimes I gamble on bad picture auctions. Makes people much less willing to bid. Got two very nice Seated Dimes for my collection recently, 1849 XF and 1875-S AU with a couple issues, for less than $50 combined.
"You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."
Just tried and found this gem, apparently owned by an alien king.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/264740103786?hash=item3da3bd666a:g:sSkAAOSwfkpdq3vO
Steve
There is a member here who has picked up a number of 11-d $2 1/2 Indians that were listed P mints; one could set notifications for those just listed but by the time you have a chance to act, someone will have already swooped down to get it. A dealer at a local flea market hates the internet, does not really research what he gets. A gold digger's husband died leaving a big collection that he swooped in and bought for $8K plus, she just wanted to get rid of it. One part of the collection were rare comic books; word got out and there were long lines of buyers at his table. He pretty much overprices everything except a few items that people can buy below wholesale. Such as an MS63 dmpl in an old PCGS holder that he listed at 63 money at the flea market; also a piece of much better national currency that he listed as high for type but not for the district.
Well it’s a hobby within a hobby lol.
For the Bay I set search string on AS for what looking for. YMMV varies like fishing. However some of my best rips from non eBay auc houses. For auc house different methodology but at end may have to beat out some other bidder in final seconds (as no AS). My Teletrade skills from old days kick in.
A scarce world banknote ripped for $26 off eBay sold from my table for $300 at show moved it at slight discount vs MV. A slabbed world silver bullion mule ripped for $28 from auc house brought $800 on the bay priced a little lower than other sellers so it would move. A gold coin ripped from auc house brought 3x cost. It’s like a football game where the other team turns the ball over leading to a score for the defense.
It’s definitely slim pickings out there especially w new breed nuclear bidders. However as they overpay and get ripped down the road (yay!) they will pay the hard way / get tuition, back off / get stomped over by the real players.
Overall it takes experience, knowledge, patience. Know of instance where auc house made mistake in description and seller got ripped rather materially so I have to wonder what they tell the seller….Friend in coin club had this situation winning big time on such an item worried auc might come back to him. They never did besides they would not have a prayer in attempting to collect it.
I once got a 83 N/C Lib Nick listed as MS for $15. The coin envelope it arrived in said “proof” and subsequently graded PR64.
I suspect that using non collector language would be a good start.. "old penny", or "old coin" or "old coin in holder" etc.... Then you have to weed out the undesirables.. I would not use the term "rare" or "Grandpas collection", however..
Fun stuff! I've had two this year... '41 proof Merc for $12.90 that graded PR65, listed as a regular ol' merc.
Grabbed a '41 Walker for $119 a couple months ago, listed as a biz strike, flip said PR65... At PCGS for grading right now after a dip.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Only post dip images I have of that walker... I did dip it white, just didn't take pics of that before shipping it out.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
The speckled toning looks good in the pic - did you dip that off along with the haze?
I have a 1940 Proof Walker (got it for $130 'cause it looked like crap in the auction) that I dipped haze off and it looks TOO white - sitting in a Wayte album for now.
I think I just lightened it a bit, can't remember to be honest. I move through a lotta coins lol.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Man, you guys are overpaying for your raw proof walkers!