New to the forum! A couple questions..

[fallbackdown82]

I just joined the forum, and enjoy it immensely! A couple of quick questions for you guys, as I am new to fedoras..I just went to Byrnie Utz and bought a new black fedora that I loved. Seeing the 90 dollar tag I went for it and love it. Now that I look at it, I have no idea what brand it is. It is labeled Super Extra on the liner, and labeled as 100percent fur felt being made in Italy. It has a gold shield emblem with a falcon sitting in it, and coins below. Does this sound familiar to anyone? It is a beautiful hat, I am just wondering about it. (I will post pics soon..) Second question, do you guys get as frustrated as me at being outbid at the last minute on vintage hats on EBay? Any strategies for this?:eusa_doh:

 

[RBH]

Cant help ya out... but I welcome you to the Lounge!

 

[fallbackdown82]

Thanks! I have been coming across this forum for months, and just joined recently. I am excited to hear from like minded people!

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Welcome to the Lounge! As for your ebay question, the only thing that works for me is to decide how much I'm willing to pay, then make a bid that is higher than what I'm willing to pay.

Trying to get a bid in at the last minute is no guarantee. I've seen enormous price jumps in those last few seconds.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Trying to get a bid in at the last minute is no guarantee. I've seen enormous price jumps in those last few seconds.

I second that. I've lost plenty of auctions in the same way regardless to when I placed my bid.

Oh, and welcome to the Lounge, FallBackDown82!!!!

 

[HamletJSD]

Welcome!

Not sure about the hat ... but I know eBay can get frustrating. Particularly if you're in a size range that comes up less frequently, which typically seems to be about 7 1/2 (60) and above. A lot of people do wait until the last minute to bid or use "Bid Assistant."

The best strategy I know of is just to be patient and arm yourself with some knowledge. Occasionally a hat will be listed so poorly that few people will take the chance on it, but if you've learned enough to know what you're seeing in those pictures, you might just get lucky!

If you keep asking around the Lounge, though, you might find someone willing to give up a few of the well guarded eBay secrets, as long as you're not their size!lol

 

[fallbackdown82]

I just don't seem to find that many size 7 3/8 fedoras that are vintage. Is there someplace else you can find vintage hats? Or should I use different search terms?

 

[ScottyBlues]

Winning auctions is easy

...just put in $10,000 for the maximum bid. That should be enough to win almost any vintage hat auction. If you like that approach, let me know and I'll put a hat or two up for auction so we can try it out.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Why not call Byrnie's or stop back in and explain you can't find the brand name anywhere on the had and were wondering. SKU from the receipt or tag should let them look it up and tell you exactly what you bought.

 

[fallbackdown82]

Yeah, I am wondering about the hat. I love it, I just have not heard of them before! I really want a vintage hand bashed looking hat. I just bought an akubra federation in black too. It shipped on Mon, so I am hoping it gets here soon!

 

[imported_Silent_Speaker]

...just put in $10,000 for the maximum bid. That should be enough to win almost any vintage hat auction.

lol this could be, ah, 'potentially problematic' .

Okay, so, say you bid at the last minute $10k, bam! you've got the hat! And will probably pay $100-200 for it. But (*singsong)... imagine if just a few seconds before you bid someone else, in a similar strategy, also bid a really high amount like $5000 or some other outrageous price.
I shudder at the manifold terribilities of this strategy...

However, if you're savvy about it and use your 'low animal cunning' (as my old science teacher used to say), bid sniping (as bidding high at the very last minute is called) will win you the auction. Sure, it may or may not be 'nice eBay etiquette', but really, do you want that hat (or whatever) enough to play dirty to get it?

 

[Yohanes]

Welcome to the Lounge!

Not sure about the brand, but as far as I know eagle is used by Henschel Hat logo... but they usually make leather hat, so I don't think that's the right brand.

About ebay, well, I just use their regular tip. Just enter the max amount you're willing to afford for the hat. So if you didn't win, well, the price has already been above your limit anyway, so why bother?

But of course it sucks if, say, your max bid is $70, but the winning price is 70.50

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Second question, do you guys get as frustrated as me at being outbid at the last minute on vintage hats on EBay? Any strategies for this?:eusa_doh:

There's software & services that do that. I think they're called auction snipesn and you pay some nominal amount for the service. You enter your absolute maximum bid on a particular auction with the snipe service (not on Ebay). It doesn't even show you've bid anything at Ebay until moments before the auction ends. It goes to work shortly before the end of the auction and starts posting bids automatically in the minimum increments up to your maximum price. But that's why on some items, the prices just start flying the last few minutes before the auction ends. I've never used it but several on the Lounge swear by them.

 

[imported_Silent_Speaker]

you pay some nominal amount

a nominal amount is still an amount! bah! I trust my own mouse-clicky skills and have faith in my speedy internet server.

 

[Brinybay]

a nominal amount is still an amount! bah! I trust my own mouse-clicky skills and have faith in my speedy internet server.

That's the way I do it. I call it "watch and swoop". If I see something I really want, I put it on my watch list. Hopefully, the auction isn't going to end while I'm at work or someplace else. (I don't use any of the fancy stuff like being notified via text message if I'm outbid). I wait until the last 5 minutes then start my bidding fued. It's worked most of the time.

 

[imported_Silent_Speaker]

I believe the term for the individual is a "silent bidder", a lurking menace who pounces (or "swoops" ) down for the kill at the last moment.

Wow, the ole' 'bay really is a jungle

 

[Brinybay]

I believe the term for the individual is a "silent bidder", a lurking menace who pounces (or "swoops" ) down for the kill at the last moment.

Wow, the ole' 'bay really is a jungle

It's common practice, depending on how "hot" the item is. Most of the time though, I will decide what the most I will pay for an item is (including shipping) and just put a bid in and let it run its course. But if it's a prized item, I make no apologies for "swooping". It's even fun at times when I'm up against another "swooper".

"He who has the fastest connection wins!"

 

[HamletJSD]

It's common practice, depending on how "hot" the item is. Most of the time though, I will decide what the most I will pay for an item is (including shipping) and just put a bid in and let it run its course. But if it's a prized item, I make no apologies for "swooping". It's even fun at times when I'm up against another "swooper".

"He who has the fastest connection wins!"

Yeah, you guys always drive me nuts lol I have the fast connection, but not the patience to be there when the auction ends.

I guess I'd do the same thing if the item was enough of a "prize". But it's really nice when you put in a low, reasonable bid with a lot of time left, then come back the next day to realize you've won!!!