Why EBAY never ceases to be entertaining

[Marc Chevalier]

You never really know with eBay. There are always wild moments for both sellers and buyers. For instance ...



Here are some vintage 1930s green spectator shoes that I just finished selling. Now, shoes like these are extremely rare: the color is highly sought-after in suits and hats, as is the size (9 1/2 C). I've sold lesser shoes than these on eBay and gotten more than $200 for them. This particular auction was looked at more than 400 times. So ... how did it end? Not so hot. Take a look:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48862&item=8380849483

And you know what? It's fine. If eBay were predictably expensive for bidders, who would want to buy from it?


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Now, take a look at another one of my ended auctions. The hat is a good one, and so is the size. However, nothing could have prepared me for this result:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=52369&item=8257250989

And yes, it's MORE than fine! Because if eBay were predictably cheap for sellers, who would want to sell on it?

 

[shamus]

This weekend was really crazy for hats. I was watching a few and bid on a few, and they all went WAY high. Even a straw 60's hat, went for 40+! That playboy went for a bundle too.

Whats up with the crazy high hat prices.

Still a nice price on both items. I'm sure you made your money back and then some....

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Thank you, Shamus! Although the point I was making re. the green shoes was that their price was not spectacular ... and that these things happen. No problem.

 

[Katt in Hat]

There are a zillion good reasons to post our buys and sells here and not one bad one.

And you know what? It's fine. If eBay were predictably expensive for bidders, who would want to buy from it?

And yes, it's MORE than fine! Because if eBay were predictably cheap for sellers, who would want to sell on it?

It's interesting and useful and more than helpful for us to see how we; collectivly, are doing...

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I think you're essentially right, Katt .... but there are some limits to respect. For instance, here in the Lounge, we've agreed not to talk about auctions until after they have ended. This is a good policy.

On eBay, most of us are buyers rather than sellers; yours truly is an exception. The best thing we can do is to teach each other, as long as it doesn't mess with our success at buying/selling. For instance, I wouldn't share an "eBay technique" of mine if I thought that doing so would make it harder for me to buy or sell. Nor would I expect others to share their "techniques" with me.

That said, I'm all for sharing knowledge about the construction, quality, age, manufacturers, and uses of vintage clothing. I'd place this under the heading of "general information" that benefits all and hurts none. Telling folks, after an auction, that green spectator shoes are very rare is one thing; announcing that they're being auctioned right now on eBay is quite another. Do the former, not the latter.

 

[Zemke Fan]

As for the shoes...

... they were just plain butt-ugly, Marc! The buyer overpaid at $100

And, as for the hat? You're one lucky dude!

 

[nightandthecity]

I buy and sell on ebay under two IDs...been on it for several years...must have around 800 transactions. And it still surprizes and puzzles me. I regularly see top gear go for peanuts or not at all while junk goes through the roof.OK, maybe I can't tell good gear from junk (hah!) but how to explain two B3 flight jackets, same size, same condition, virtually identical search words and category listing, listed within hours of each other...one gets about thirty bids and goes for $700 the other doesn't sell for $100. I see stuff like this all the time. Which reminds me I'd better log off and go check my auctions, looks like I could be seeing some more of it soon.....

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Congrats on the hat price. My, my! People will pay absurd prices.

Pity about the shoes. i wasn't a fan of the green ones, but i thought they'd be more enticing for a collector. How did the oxblood ones do?

I've noticed that vintage menswear (except hats) has been pulling in very low prices recently - there was a NOS 20s 3 piece went for only $160 the other day. Belt-back it was! I've been picking stuff - suits, mainly - up quite cheaply. Mint condition 30s-40s suits in my size are only fetching about 50-80 right now. Where not 2 months ago, they were all (well listed ones, at least) going well over $100 - as you know!

bk

 

[John in Covina]

Economics 101 - buy low sell high.

E-bay exhibits the laws of supply and demand on every sale or on stuff that doesn't even get a bid. Even when supply is low, the demand has to be there to bring a higher price. Here we see with the shoes, that there may be many knowledgeble people that would recognize these as rare and a wanted commodity, if they are NOT looking during the time period set for bidding, then you do not connect with your target bidders. The result is lower than expected sale point.

In fedoras the pressure is higher at this time, more people are looking, and collecting. I wonder if the pressure will drop in the late spring and summer. If people are buying to wear them, are they less likely to go for a furfelt fedora during the hot weather months. Or are sellers then less likely to put them up then too?

Still there are usually a few hats that don't get the price that they could pull in because of poor quality pictures, poor or improper description, or a distinct lack of information. Each selling point, or lack thereof effects the demand. BUT for a clever collector, these detriments may offer up opportunity others will pass on, if there is enough info or you ask the right qquestion or questions. OR is it a clever seller deceptively eliminating condition problems by disguising the ad as the work of a rank amatuer?

Let the games commence!

 

[Lauren]

I know what you mean, marc. I buy and sell on Ebay too. I think we, like many people here, can see the item for historical value. Most buyers on Ebay are hunting for things to wear, or are collectors, but not nessicarily knowledgable about scarcity, especially in regards to men's vintage items. I'm really irked sometimes at how low some auctions end, just because they're not "Fashionable" or in tune with modern fashion tastes. On the other hand, I'll put up something wretched from a later date and it goes for more that I personally would have thought. Fashion is fickle. And there's a lot of studying that goes into recognizing something's rare. People frankly aren't interested in putting the time into it. Unless the public has studied something for themselves, they're not going to get it.

 

[MK]

.

I was wondering who was selling that hat. It looked very interesting....but not $300 interesting. I wish I could see it in person though.

 

[John in Covina]

A good description goes a long way.

I love the J. Peterman descriptions that paint a picture of exotic locales, a history of dedication to quality and the you can't find this anywheres else approach, all are calculated to instill a lust for the object and what it represents.

Sincerely

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Pity about the shoes .... How did the oxblood ones do?

The '30s oxblood suede shoes and the green shoes were won by the same bidder. This person ended up getting the oxblood shoes for $83. A very nice eBayer, by the way.

And guess where both shoes are going to? Japan!



I also sold two APPAREL ARTS men's fashion trade books (1932 and 1937) to the same collector. And they're going to ... France!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... there was a NOS 20s 3 piece went for only $160 the other day. Belt-back it was!

On the positive side, that suit is from about 1924. It looks nearly identical to those worn by Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd in films from that year.

On the negative side, the suit is a size 35.

On the positive side, this is not as unusual a size in Japan as it is in the U.S.A. and Europe.

All in all, not many eBayers seemed interested ...

 

[John in Covina]

Is it possible to post it on Japan's ebay? You'd be hitting your target audience with that suit.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Actually, it's not necessary. The Japanese collectors/dealers are all looking on eBay.com.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I only wish it were my suit to sell! Unfortunately, it's not.

 

[flat-top]

The '30s oxblood suede shoes and the green shoes were won by the same bidder. This person ended up getting the oxblood shoes for $83. A very nice eBayer, by the way.

And guess where both shoes are going to? Japan!



I also sold two APPAREL ARTS men's fashion trade books (1932 and 1937) to the same collector. And they're going to ... France!

I sell 40's and 50's mens stuff on Ebay, and 90% of my customers are from overseas! As far a vintage American clothing goes, price is no object for these fine folks!

 

[Lauren]

So YOU'RE the seller that was selling those. Those magazines looked great!

I'm a naughty girl. I purposefully outbid someone on a 30's suit because I didn't want it going out of the US. I wanted it anyways, though.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I was selling two of those books, but I can't claim credit for the others that were sold last week.