The Ebay Advice Column

[sixstringer]

You don't really have to be big time. Just dumb enough to try and flip that os gemeos print.

Bingo

[Codeblue]

Not really. Gotta be 20k and 200 transactions.

[Kramerica]

Not really. Gotta be 20k and 200 transactions.

Yeah but that's still like 80% of that mark. Not too hard to nickel and dime the rest of the way.

[soam24]

the transaction number is the key..

but hey, maybe that's why people ask for gift payments in the call out threads...

[soupysound]

why the drymount do ebay buyers place multiple bids when an auction doesn't end for another couple days? i have always been baffled by this complete stupidity. it's so frustrating to be watching an auction and see the same people keep trying to outbid one another but in actuality just driving up the drymounting price. they are usually not the ones who even win the auction. just venting... but still trying to understand the reasoning. either set your max price and leave it or wait until the end of the auction. what is the point in constantly bidding when there is still plenty of time left on the auction?

[bran]

Have always wondered this as well.

[alittle]

It's usually shill bidding.

[soupysound]

It's usually shill bidding.

while i agree that there is usually some of that going on.... there is still plenty of complete morans that are honestly trying to win the item.

[Codeblue]

[GoBluePanic]

It's usually shill bidding.

while i agree that there is usually some of that going on.... there is still plenty of complete morans that are honestly trying to win the item.

I don't think a lot of them realize what they are doing to themselves by constantly bidding. The dudes that use the 1-click bid 20 times in a row are the real brains.

[veltri]

why the drymount do ebay buyers place multiple bids when an auction doesn't end for another couple days? i have always been baffled by this complete stupidity. it's so frustrating to be watching an auction and see the same people keep trying to outbid one another but in actuality just driving up the drymounting price. they are usually not the ones who even win the auction. just venting... but still trying to understand the reasoning. either set your max price and leave it or wait until the end of the auction. what is the point in constantly bidding when there is still plenty of time left on the auction?

There could be a number of silly or not silly reasons.

1) Bid to a point to make people think that's as high as it should go. This may reduce other bidders max bid. Then snipe it. This works well with older posters.
2) Scare people away who see too many bids so don't even try to compete.
3) Placeholder bids in case you'd forget to bid later or bidding ends while you are asleep/away.
4) Fun to see you're "winning".

[padelimike]

Made my first sale from my first listing.
Can't seem to figure out how to NOT lose a little money if I want to add USPS insurance.
The ebay shipping caculator wants to figure automatically, and it doesn't reflect insured value.

[zeuscarver]

Made my first sale from my first listing.
Can't seem to figure out how to NOT lose a little money if I want to add USPS insurance.
The ebay shipping caculator wants to figure automatically, and it doesn't reflect insured value.

Just use flat rate. Charge 8-10 for a small poster (first-class mail < 1 lb) 15 for big tube (24x36). if it's more than 200$ item, or you hope it will be, maybe 18$ shipping to allow some insurance costs which can be 6$. if you total it up you'll be even i think, maybe you make 3$ on one sale and lose 3$ on another. these are just my rules of thumb fwiw.

sure calculated shipping is more accurate. i have yet to have a buyer request that instead of flat rate single cost.

buy shipping through ebay, big discount through their portal

[soupysound]

buy shipping through ebay, big discount through their portal

it's the same as the USPS online rate... but it's convenient nonetheless. they say it's an "ebay discount" but it is just the USPS online discount.

[bubbie]

why the drymount do ebay buyers place multiple bids when an auction doesn't end for another couple days? i have always been baffled by this complete stupidity. it's so frustrating to be watching an auction and see the same people keep trying to outbid one another but in actuality just driving up the drymounting price. they are usually not the ones who even win the auction. just venting... but still trying to understand the reasoning. either set your max price and leave it or wait until the end of the auction. what is the point in constantly bidding when there is still plenty of time left on the auction?

There could be a number of silly or not silly reasons.

1) Bid to a point to make people think that's as high as it should go. This may reduce other bidders max bid. Then snipe it. This works well with older posters.
2) Scare people away who see too many bids so don't even try to compete.
3) Placeholder bids in case you'd forget to bid later or bidding ends while you are asleep/away.
4) Fun to see you're "winning".

In reality, non of it should affect the final price since everyone bidding has a maximum price they are willing to pay for any given item and the highest bid wins. Of course, I am talking from perspective of economics, which I assumes people being reasonable. In the real world, however, Blue said it best just a few posts above.