I have bought alot of N Scale on EBay. I usually look for Brass engines that have been out of production for a while. I also look for oddball models, custom done models, or ones that have sold out. Sometimes you get lucky, and, as most know, sometimes you don't. LOL One thing I do notice, and quite frequently, is how many times people buy models at an auction price higher then what they could have spent at a place like Wig-Wag, or other on-line dealer. Many times I see a model I like, and not knowing if it is a new release or not, click on Georges web-site, and find it there, several dollars less then the going auction price. I guess the 'thrill' of winning overpowers common sense sometimes! (Of course, I am guilty myself of doing this too, before I learned to look around better!)
I just did this! I actually do not buy very much on eBay anymore but I just got caught up in a little last second bidwar and ended up paying a tad too much. This was on something that was going to go for rediculously cheap only minutes before the close. Turns out I could have gotten this through the manufacturer for a bit less. I'm now remorseful, not so much because I paid an extra couple of bucks, but because I would have preferred to give my money to the manufacturer (who I would much rather support). Russ
Amongst hunters, we call it "buck fever." Where at the slightest perceived movement, without looking carefully, up comes the rifle, and bang!!! Another hunter gets hit... We see this often, from newer auction users. They'll bid insanely on something common. I was guilty of this one time. When I was a novice. Now, well into my ninth year there, I look very carefully, first. And pass opportunity more often than not. Boxcab E50
Jerry: People get caught up in "auction fever" on E*Bay. The must have at any cost syndrome. Stay cool and run steam.....
I think just because it is there and it is something you are looking to buy. The thrill of the auction has something to do with it too! You always feel proud to be the winner no matter how much you spend. And it is on 24 hours a day! You may only be able to access e-bay once a week or less. You have to do what you have do! Back in the "old days", quite a few items were usually "out of stock". Today, that is still somewhat true. Some retailers don't keep their inventory listings on their websites up to date. After you get burned a few times, you become frustrated with shopping. I am not so spur of the moment anymore simply because I have already aquired most everything I need. The "want list" is much smaller than 10 years ago! There was a time that I could've bought something, if not two things everyday!!
I've fallen into the buying frenzy myself. Sometimes I think I lack financal self control. There are two peticular emotions that I find drive me to over bid. First is being out bid- "that so and so isn't gonna beat me!" Like it's some kind of competition. The biggest thing that gets me is the once in a life time fear. The feeling if I don't get it now, it will never come around again. I'm slowly getting past this.
It’s tough to let go of those hard to find items, but most things will come around for auction again (if not already up for auction at the same time). Patience and control are key attributes. My secret – which is hardly a big secret – is to proxy bid the highest amount I’d pay for an item (factoring in freight) and walk away. I don’t even check back until the auction is over. If I win, great. If not, then someone wanted to pay more than I would and I wait for the same item to come around again. Often times you just can’t beat a big spender without becoming a big spender yourself.
It has taken being unemployed for me to realize I don't need one of each available road number for that car. Oh well, maybe after I hit the lottery.
I wonder if getting 'stars' has anything to do with it on EBay? (More you win, the more stars you get.) Best and worse for me on Ebay........ Saw Santa Fe W&R Brass F45/FP45's over several years going for over $600! Since this is a model I really wanted, I figured $600-$700 is what I was going to have to shell out. Saw one come up, at a time I had an extra amount of money, (is it ever REALLY extra!), starting bid, $340. Within minutes, one bid. I figured it was going to climb at the last minutes, so I 'auction stealer' bid on the model. I put in $650. The day the auction was ending, still only one bid. I went to work, and when I came home, I had won the model! And I won it for $345!!! One bid, for the opening bid, and NO others! To this day, still one of my favorite models. (On the work bench right now getting 'super detailed'.) Worst........ $70 for a Santa Fe MT boxcar I thought was 'rare', because they said it was. Have bought several more of the same boxcar for $15! Bid and learn! LOL
I'm an unabashed sniper. If an item has not reached the maximum I'll pay for it, then I'll put in a bid about 5 seconds from the end. In five years, I've won exactly 18 auctions, out of hundreds of bids. All except one were about 50% of the price through online dealers (mostly LL FAs, Kato PAs, and Atlas Trainmasters). The other was a special item that I still got fairly cheaply. I don't have time to watch for those one-bid or no-bid steals. I see them occasionally (after they've closed), but I don't kick myself at all. It's better for me to work, make money, and pay a fair price to a dealer than to not work, not make money, and get a steal every once in a while.
My favorite philosophy! The wife keeps telling me she has that winning ticket. But I never see the money. Wonder where she's hiding it all? Boxcab E50
Hey, It's all about the hunt . I'm as guilty as everyone. The idea of not getting beat by a stranger.The stars !!!!!!!!!! When I got sick,I had about 35 of the little buggers. I now have 202 , & a much smaller bank acct. . Of course,you don't get more when you repeat buy.I think I have over 300 buys. I have to get better soon,or I'll be broke
I have ventured forth into the galactic satisfaction void of E-Bay and have been unhappy with most of the results. As I have stated previously, I will only bid on NIB of a PROVEN RELIABLE engine and only if unavailable through a reputable dealer. You are still much better off ordering from a dealer you trust enough to test out the engine before shipping to you or purchase at a LHS that has a full N scale track to test it on, not just a three foot section straight like at Trainworld.
I've only bid on E*Bay on one occasion successfully and received some very nice Kato F-7's and Atlas SP Trainmasters. They also were equipped with decoders as well. I know the seller quite well and knew that the loco's would be in fine working condition. Stay cool and run steam.....
I had a Kato GP50 that was broken, and it was going to be a engine service area model, but I got a new GP50 for under $30 recently and switched frames. Since it is a 'new' engine, I decided to renumber it to a Phase 1 number, (Which the Kato model is.), and here I am applying some micro sol to the new number. (3817) Once I add a few more BLMA parts, I'll post some pictures.
I can honestly say all my auction luck has been good. I have quite a few "lucky" finds and I am not ashamed that if it is something I really want, I will last second snipe. The best deals I have come across so far, a LL Mallet for $90 buy it now, a LL Berkshire for $100, and a full set of 6 of the older Bachmann 60' "heavyweights" $15 also buy it now. Working at a shop, I know what is available, what I have to pay for it and will only buy when it is rare or an exceptional deal and something I really want. I don't have anything that I really felt that I paid too much for. I do have one RR heavyweight observation that was in less than perfect shape, (horrible), but the rest of the cars in the set were in great shape and the price was cheap enough that it didn't bother me too much. [ December 01, 2005, 12:54 AM: Message edited by: skipgear ]
I would tend to agree with this. I figured at one time that about 2/5ths of my ebay purchased turned out to be disappointments. I have severely curtailed my ebay activity. I still scan the site to keep tabs on the market value of items. The good deals and hard to find stuff that used to be the trademark of N scale on ebay - that era seems to have passed some time ago. Mostly dealers unloading slow movers and itmes offered at or near the street prices one can find at the more well known etailers. Sure the deals are still there, but you have to look much longer and harder to find them, and many buyers are saavy enough to spot those deals as well so the prices tend to run up at close.
