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Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

Messages
18
Location
USA
A gray Borsalino Allessandria in a 7 1/2, I would have bid much much higher than $125 had it stayed in auction, we may never see another one of those again, or it may be a very long time until we do, foolish seller probably could have got around $300.
 

rogerstg

A-List Customer
Messages
325
Location
Rhode Island
Gripe;

Once again I've seen a hat I wanted to bid on disappear only to find a completed listing for a very low Buy-it-now price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-BOR...DE-IN-ITALY-/261994606057?hash=item3d00186de9

Somebody obviously talked an inexperienced seller into a rippoff. Really getting sick of this so I am now contacting the sellers of all size 7 1/2 vintage hats on ebay and telling them to not fall for this and will offer pricing advice if necessary. I'm going to do this from now on, every descent vintage hat I catch will be warned against this. It's one thing to find a great deal that everybody missed or was unwilling to take a chance on and make a profit. Fine. I've got no problem with that. I don't like seeing people get suckered and worse, me and others here not getting to bid on great hats in even harder to find sizes.

AFAIK, once the item has a bid, the Buy It Now option is removed and it can't become a "Buy It Now" if not one already. All you need to do is place a bid on the item.

Roger
 

facade

A-List Customer
Messages
315
Location
Conklin, NY
Gripe;

Once again I've seen a hat I wanted to bid on disappear only to find a completed listing for a very low Buy-it-now price.

Somebody obviously talked an inexperienced seller into a rippoff. Really getting sick of this so I am now contacting the sellers of all size 7 1/2 vintage hats on ebay and telling them to not fall for this and will offer pricing advice if necessary. I'm going to do this from now on, every descent vintage hat I catch will be warned against this. It's one thing to find a great deal that everybody missed or was unwilling to take a chance on and make a profit. Fine. I've got no problem with that. I don't like seeing people get suckered and worse, me and others here not getting to bid on great hats in even harder to find sizes.

I'm sure the sellers would be more appreciative if you simply made a bid or made your own buy out offer. You obviously saw the listing and had a chance to bid. Being upset over losing one's chance to snipe just seems like sour grapes.
 

buler

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,380
Location
Wisconsin
He got a good deal,good for him.Nothing wrong with that.

Unless you were someone who thought the auction would go thru the normal process and you were going to bid on it. If the hat was not initially listed as a buy it now and someone went "under the table" and asked the seller to put a BIN price on it so they could buy it for a good deal, then those who were going to participate in what they thought was a normal auction might not agree with the "nothing wrong with that".

B
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
Unless you were someone who thought the auction would go thru the normal process and you were going to bid on it. If the hat was not initially listed as a buy it now and someone went "under the table" and asked the seller to put a BIN price on it so they could buy it for a good deal, then those who were going to participate in what they thought was a normal auction might not agree with the "nothing wrong with that".

B

I do it all the time and get great hats that way

sometimes you snooze you lose

blame the seller for agreeing to it
 
Messages
19,409
Location
Funkytown, USA
I understand the frustration, though. The only time I've done it is for items that have cycled through once or twice. Perhaps I need to change my tactics, Moon. No wonder you're getting the good hats!! ;)

Doesn't the seller take some sort of hit for pulling an auction down, though?
 

photogravity

One of the Regulars
Messages
148
Location
Central MD
AFAIK, once the item has a bid, the Buy It Now option is removed and it can't become a "Buy It Now" if not one already. All you need to do is place a bid on the item.

Roger

In many cases, that is correct. If the seller has a reserve, however, the BIN will remain. Once the reserve has been met, the BIN goes away.
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
I understand the frustration, though. The only time I've done it is for items that have cycled through once or twice. Perhaps I need to change my tactics, Moon. No wonder you're getting the good hats!! ;)

Doesn't the seller take some sort of hit for pulling an auction down, though?

when I do this I am not trying to be slick or snipe anyones chances ... I am simply inquiring to see if the seller is interested in a price I offer

sometimes they take it
sometimes they don't
sometimes they say they would if there weren't a certain amount a watchers

I always exhaust all my options and it is never intended to undercut anyone else or with dastardly intentions in any way

it is simply an option I am giving the seller

I am an aggressive bidder and buyer ... it is in my nature

but never am I out to offend or undermine anyone
 

tommyK

One Too Many
Messages
1,789
Location
Berwick, PA
For the record folks, there was no buy-it-now option. It was a regular auction. then it disappeared and I found it in the completed listings with a buy-it-now for $125 that wasn't offered initially. If you think this is fair business, fine. I contacted this seller and told them they were robbed and what I would have bid. I'm contacting all these sellers and warning them about getting swindled as well. I'm going to do it with every vintage 7 1/2 I catch.
I've already gotten feedback from sellers. One told me of 4 offers they had right out of the gate for $55 and $75 on an early 50's NOS Royal Stetson size 7 1/2 with open crown,2 3/4 brim and box. Thankfully, they knew better. I promise you no one gets that hat cheap. In fact I may just put $200 bids on every vintage 7 1/2 that come along regardless of whether I want it or not. It's all good, right? No more buy-it-now's for anybody.
 
Last edited:

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

I think it is perfectly fair to contact a seller and make them an offer... The item is for sale.
It is entirely up to the seller whether they get what they want for the item or not.
I see this as business and I'm not trying to help anyone make money.
If it is someone I know... Sure

But I also understand your frustration Tom

Sure glad I'm not a 7 1/2 ... You're all fired up

:)



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

buler

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,380
Location
Wisconsin
when I do this I am not trying to be slick or snipe anyones chances ... I am simply inquiring to see if the seller is interested in a price I offer

sometimes they take it
sometimes they don't
sometimes they say they would if there weren't a certain amount a watchers

I always exhaust all my options and it is never intended to undercut anyone else or with dastardly intentions in any way

it is simply an option I am giving the seller

I am an aggressive bidder and buyer ... it is in my nature

but never am I out to offend or undermine anyone

In my opinion, doing this is undermining other bidders. You stated in a previous post, "sometimes you snooze, you lose". Honestly consider what you meant by that.

B
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

What I meant is if I can contact the seller and make him an offer that is fair in their mind why wait around for six days to bid in the final seconds at 1AM on a Monday .
The hat is for sale and I'm offering the person selling it real money.

If you want to sit around and wait for things to come to you that's fine.... I like to go get it
And there is nothing wrong with offering

They don't have to take it



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

rogerstg

A-List Customer
Messages
325
Location
Rhode Island
In my opinion, doing this is undermining other bidders. You stated in a previous post, "sometimes you snooze, you lose". Honestly consider what you meant by that.

B

How can you possibly undermine other bidders if there were no other bidders???
Unless you mean people that delayed bidding in order to snipe, which is another strategy designed to get things at a better deal.

Then there's the ethical dilemma presented if someone bids $200 something they consider a $400 item just to shut down Buy It Now, and wins. Do they pay $400 or take the good deal of $200? ;)

Roger
 

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