Re: [Leica] EBay experience

["Bill Ferris" <billferris@worldnet.att.net>]

I bought a Noctilux on ebay.  New in the box at the seller's minimum
price---about what they sell for used when you can find them.  I was the
only bidder because he set a very high opening price.  Many bidders like to
work up to a price rather than bid the maximum they are willing to pay.

I have purchased used Hasselblad lenses below reserve price when reserve has
not been met.  Both of these from a dealer.

Bill
- -----Original Message-----
From: David W. Almy <dalmy@mindspring.com>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Sunday, February 14, 1999 8:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] EBay experience


>> Andrew Morang wrote:
>>
>> Can any of you relate your experiences with e-bay?  I have seen what
>> appear
>> to be some remarkable bargains listed.  I have not yet tried bidding
>> because I am suspicious.
>>
>
>Andrew,
>
>I've bought several items through Ebay and have yet to have a bad
>experience. Paid $187.50 for 120 rolls of Kodak Royal Gold 400 (135-24,
>for stuff around the house -- better granularity than Kodak Gold 100!)
>which arrived as advertised. Bought a complete black Contax G2 set, and
>(seperately, both times) a Biogon 21 and the Hologon. The set and the 16
>were bought "off line" after the auction closed and the reserve wasn't
>met in both cases. The sellers agreed to a lower price via email and the
>deals were done.
>
>Some advice. Spend several months studying how Ebay works. It easy, but
>the time invested will help you better understand what's going on.
>Remember that Ebay is a "blind" (you can't really see who's really
>interested) auction which is timed. Consequently, you can't really know
>how it will end until it does. Case in point: re the film above, I
>thought it a steal at the prices that were being bid. One guy really
>wanted it. I didn't bid until 40 seconds before the end of the auction,
>at the highest price I was willing to pay. That trumpted his highest
>price (to date) and he didn't have time to reconsider. So I got a deal.
>Evil, but effective and fair, as we all play using the same system.
>
>Second, don't get carried away. As has been pointed out, good equipment
>sometimes is available at better prices from reputable dealers. They are
>the prefered sellers. Prices do sometimes "get above the market."
>
>Know what you want, know the market, look for undervalued items, and
>have fun. (By the way, the film seller above made two mistakes; he
>forgot to use the word "film" in his description, so anyone looking for
>film wouldn't find his and he should have broken up the item into
>several blocks. Who but a Lugger wants to buy 120 rolls of anything?
>Hence, the undervaluation, to my advantage.)
>
>Have bid on several Leica items (on-topic!) but have yet to get any of
>them, having sometimes been outbid by other Lugnuts!
>
>Cheers,
>
>David W. Almy
>Annapolis
>