Ebay - The latest "Reality Show"/ Spectator Sport!!

[klcarroll]

"Reality Show" or "Spectator Sport": ....There's no other way to describe it!!

I was just outbid on an RCBS #3 Shell Holder!! .....The guy who outbid me is going to pay $13.50 + $3.99 shipping!!!!!

(EDIT: ....I should mention that my max bid was $4! ....Others bid it up to $13.50!!)


Who was it who said; "There's one born every minute!"?????:bigsmyl2:

Kent

[jameslovesjammie]

P.T. Barnum?

[GrizzLeeBear]

The other day I saw a Lee 6 cavity 9mm TL RN mold was over $66 on Fleabay!

Insanity.

[klcarroll]

HA!!!!!!!!!

The final selling price for that #3 shell holder was $20.50 + $4 shipping!!!!!!

That's only 2.5X retail even if you bought directly from RCBS!

Un-Frickin' beleivable!!!!!!!!!!!

No wonder this country is in financial trouble!

Kent




P.S. .....I think I'm going to start buying shell holders from Mid-South, and selling them on Ebay! (LOL)

KLC

[Dean D.]

Yeah, I hear ya. I bought an RCBS shellholder for my 44-40 at my local discount sporting goods store and paid a whopping $3.98 for it. People who buy that kind of thing on ebay must not have any clue of its value.

[Shiloh]

How many of these folks have there Buddies Bid things up?? I have also looked when out bid, and they seem like legitimate purchases.

Do you have any idea how many auctions I have lost because I won't get into bidding wars??
There was a set of LEE 8mm Mauser dies a while back I had a top bid of $15 plus shipping if I won. They went for $44 plus shipping. Good Condition USED DIES !! Mind boggling what some folks will pay to WIN an auction.

They go for $34.98 from LEE, $19.99 from Midway. Unbelievable!!!

Shiloh

[mike in co]

what is an rcbs #3

mike in co

[briang]

People will register a second account just to run up their auctions. i have lost many an auction and received second chance offers within mintues, they aren't even trying to hide that they run up prices. I don't even bother auctions anymore unless its something weird and hard to find.

[JSnover]

I don't even bother auctions anymore unless its something weird and hard to find.
Same here. Good place to find sellers with online stores but beyond that it's a joke.

[Shiloh]

People will register a second account just to run up their auctions. i have lost many an auction and received second chance offers within mintues, they aren't even trying to hide that they run up prices. I don't even bother auctions anymore unless its something weird and hard to find.

You know, I have had the second chance offers myself. I did take advantage of one.
I got it for my high bid before I was outbid. I recall it being a 3 "D" cell MagLite flashlight. I don't suppose there is anyway of knowing if it was a "Puffed Up" auction is there??

My last won item was a neck die in Dec. Before that it was in Aug of 2007. When E-Bay decided not to sell cartridge brass or various other gun related stuff, I said to heck with them. I never bid over 75% tops of what something cost new, and postage does influence my decisions. There are some exorbitant shipping charges by some vendors on E-bay. About 85% of my bidding was gun or shop related stuff.

http://www.gunbroker.com/ Is where I have been going. :)

Shiloh :castmine:

[codgerville@zianet.com]

I buy a little stuff on fleabay once in a while and enjoy watching the feeding frenzy. Some crook has an RCBS Little Dandy they are trying to sell as a Uniflow. I've bid on a few Lyman molds, saw some go for almost double the new price. I quit.

[briang]

You know, I have had the second chance offers myself. I did take advantage of one.
I got it for my high bid before I was outbid. I recall it being a 3 "D" cell MagLite flashlight. I don't suppose there is anyway of knowing if it was a "Puffed Up" auction is there??
snip


Normally if you get a second chance offer quickly after the auction its a "puffed up" auction. Most sellers will allow the buyer a couple of days to pay, so if you get it sooner than that its probably puffed up. There is also a way to check the % of total bids the high bidder has with a seller, if you see a high % that's what is going on. I don't remember exactly ho to do it but it has something to do with bid history.

[FN in MT]

Noticed a Lyman ingot mould going for about $30 the other day. Nearly double what Grafs, or others ask for one.

Moments ago a #35863 4 cav mould block went for $91.00 and change. Then add in the $9 shipping fee. And I've recently seen COMMON Lyman moulds go for double what Grafs sells them for.

Does make a guy wonder if these "sellers" have accomplices that bid items up, or people are flat stupid?

FN in MT

[Kuato]

I've seen people "puff up" auctions. Not only on Ebay but other auction sites too.

[EDK]

I run the section on moulds daily and bid the ones I want at minimum so I can easily check them on MY EBAY. My limit on a common one is half of retail unless I REALLY REALLY WANT IT. It has to be NIB or really exotic to go retail...LYMAN 429640 and 357446 (four cavity) are my current wish list. I know where I can get 357446 for $86 (ouch!) and maybe we'll get a group buy on 429640.

I will admit to helping "run the price up to retail" in weak moments when I recognize a shill or a crazy..."I ain't lettin' that sob get this!" It can be fun to get a couple of bidders going and watch them go crazier!

I need primers and powder a lot more than moulds. They can get a little goofy on brass over on gunbroker, but I'm not desperate for anything.


:cbpour::redneck::Fire:

[fatnhappy]

on the flip side of the coin I've gotten some gems on ebay I couldn't have gotten anywhere else. One example is a NIB 311291 single cavity from the sixties. It was certainly NIB, as a burr on the sprue plate put a fresh scratch on the blocks when I opened them. I got it for $27 shipped. I bought a 311290 ( a mould I've been watching for) for $45, a tad steep, but I'd been looking forever. It casts perfect boolits with a .302 nose and .310 body. It shoots like a house afire in all of my 06s.
My two favorite drop point knives came to me courtesy of ebay. I wouldn't trade either for all the whiskey in Ireland.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/lhsjfk3t/101_1007.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/lhsjfk3t/101_1003.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h152/lhsjfk3t/hunting/101_0870.jpg

[Duckiller]

Mike: RCBS #3 is for .30/06 or .45 ACP. Everyone should have 3 or 4 but not at $20.00 each.

[runfiverun]

i've got a few vintage #3's up for bid.
starting at 50.00.......what no takers.... i said vintage.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I've been watching some of that stuff on eBay- there are some people that think everyone else is stoopid, I guess., then the others are! I've never seen pricing like that on some stuff. But, I guess if you can't get it anywhere else then, that's where they got you. Some things do go low, though- you can never tell. I guess it's all about timing.

NICE mold & knives!

[PatMarlin]

I just sold a mold on ebay for more than it cost me new.

Great place to sell. Deals are becoming harder to get.

[PatMarlin]

awesome knives Dean ..!

[HeavyMetal]

I too run the mold section a few times a week.

It's good for a huge laugh most of the time and some times a good deal comes down.

I'm currently watching a 429303 single cav just to see what it goes for. I might bid near the end if it's not in the "Ozone Layer' as far as price is concerned. I don't need it but I do want to see what it goes for.

Yes I agree deals are becoming harder to find, but deal hunting is just like deer or chucker huntin' you got to put in the time to score!

Last month I scored a single cav mold for the 38 S&W round, it casts at .361 and works great as I recall about 40.00 total with shipping. I thought this was fair for an out of production mold.

I agree with most everyone else price's get bid up by "shills" and it can be stopped if someone got off the greed kick. I don't think that will happen any time soon.

So pick your battles gentleman and don't be sucked in on "vintage" stuff!

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Hullo All, [smilie=1:this is a good rant, hopefully all the new guys read this before they start buying like crazy on e-bay getting started casting. It is unreal, there is no way to explain most of the insane bidding, there arn't that many schills out there!!

You can buy new die sets from any of the usuall places, Graffs, Midway, Midsouth.
Huntingtons, I bid on a set of used carbide dies , watched them all week, they sold for more $$ than a new set, plus the shipping!!!

Moulds and equipment , same story, Lyman 450 sizers Very USED, going for
$90 ??? + shipping. They buy LEE moulds everyday for more than a new set costs, 1 cavity Lyman moulds selling for what you can buy 2 cavity for, 4 cavity for more than new prices. I'm in the wrong business I guess:confused:

[Bret4207]

The only time I buy dies off Ebay are when it's something out of production, like the 32 Remington dies I bought. Of course then the moron at the gun shop sold my gun I had on layaway out from under me, but that's another story. Books I still buy, tractor manuals, parts, odd chainsaw stuff and most of that is out of production too. Anything collectible like brochures for crawlers or poster type ads...out of this world prices. You can get good buys on older style clothing. I'm a sucker for older Red Head and Duxbak clothing, the stuff that you saw the guys in the 50's Field and Stream wearing. I'd buy Filson but that's out of sight on ebay too. Some things are just ridiculous- tools go high, testing gear goes high, anything NIB tends to go higher than retail.

Truth is Ebay killed off 90% of our flea markets and a lot of yard sales around here so where else can you go.

I would also note our own sales area has seen steadily increasing prices.

[cuzinbruce]

I buy and sell on eBay. I don't have any shills and I don't know anyone who does. It is crooked. You make your bed and then you have to lie in it.
As for Second Chance Offers, if you have a supply of an item that gets bids, do it. I had a case of books one time, all the same, all new. Worked fine.
There is a lot of interest in uncommon things. Just look at the number of "watchers" you get on an item you are selling. You list an item and the whole world is looking at it. Some people have more money than they know what to do with.
As for buying things, there is a lot that turns up on eBay that you would never see otherwise. Suppose you are looking for a discontinued mould, on eBay you have a chance. But how many gun shows would you have to go to to find the same thing?
Just my thoughts.
Bruce

[Bert2368]

I'm allways amazed that the folks who have the time to cruise ebay for stuff and follow their auction but clearly don't have the time to google on "item name"+price... I don't know how many auctions I've bailed on, then gone to amazon.com or others for the same item new and shipped at reasonable cost for less than the final price of that auction.

Shoot, why fight it. Time to clean out the basement, garage and the back of the gun safe! See y'all on auctionarms & ebay...

[BPCR Bill]

E-bay got 'em with the marketing line "Winners on E-bay". I was at a gun show a few years back, and a guy had a nice Lyman 20x Target Spot scope for sale, he wanted $750 for it. His justification was " That's what they're selling for on e-bay". I told him to list it on e-bay, and walked away. By the last day of the show, he let me have it for $500.

Regards,
Bill

[GrizzLeeBear]

Just now I see a 3118 that is at $81 + $5 shipping (1 hour to go, so hurry, lol). You can buy the same currently available (311008) new at Midway, Midsouth, etc. for around $55. Stupidity.

I can see the demand and higher prices for molds that are no longer made, but for ones that currently being made why are people paying more than retail on Fleabay?

[Wayne Smith]

Last month I scored a single cav mold for the 38 S&W round, it casts at .361 and works great as I recall about 40.00 total with shipping. I thought this was fair for an out of production mold.


I saw that and watched it for a while. Wondered who would get it. I'm glad you did - I don't have a need for it.

[klcarroll]

The one thing I have learned is to avoid any Ebay listing that uses the word "vintage"!!!

When they use that word, ...it means only one thing: "Bend right down and touch your toes, ...and we'll show you where the Wild Goose goes!"

Kent

[JKH]

Howdy Guys!

The 9mm 6 cavity LEE mold that sold was mine, I hoped to get enough (or close) to what I would need for an 8mm FreeChex II out of the deal, I listed it with a lengthy description describing it as used, no handles, etc. It sat at a $26 dollar price for most of the auction unitl two individuals got into a small bidding war and I ended up getting $66.11 plus shipping for it, turns out the buyer was about a 2 hour drive away in my state.

I tryed like heck to sell it here at a reasonable price, had some offers for less and a few tire kickers but 2 listings and weeks of time and no-go, so I said the heck with it an listed it on e-bay and now have a new check maker on the way and a few bucks left over.

I to marvel at what people pay on there some times, especially for used LEE molds, I dont believe I have seen a single used mold sell for less than what a new one costs WITH shipping from Graf's, its nuts. I would have preferred a member here get that mold but then again I am not just going to give it away, I have made my gun hobby self sustaining and rely on selling or trading stuf to get other stuff and have managed to horse trade my way into a gun collection worth close to $20K since I was a teenager back in the 70's. I appreciate a good bargain and try my best to pass along good deals to the next guy but there are people who want everything for nothing like the ones who try to get you to come down on .50 cent item at a lawn sale, what? not cheap enough? So, I will probably list a few more things here and there on e-bay but will endeavor to offer my gun stuff to fellow board members first.

Thanks for listening.

Jeff

[cabezaverde]

Jeff,

None of us will knock a smart seller.

We will a dumb buyer.

You have no need to apologize.

[JKH]

Thanks cabezaverde, it did bother me a bit but on reflection I certainly tryed amongst the brethren so to speak.

Next item I'll put up her is an old Lyman single cavity .45acp 200grn wad cutter mold, I hope just trade that one for another single cavity that I can use. Those old Lyman's cast great boolits with little effort, I just dont like shooting wad cutters iin my 1911's.

Anyway, it certainly can be amusing watching people on e-bay, its like an auto accident, you kknow you shouldnt look but you just cant turn away from the carnage! ;^ )

Jeff

[rickomatic]

Let's see. My 401K is losing money every day. I'm afraid to even look at it anymore.
Easily aquired and in stock gun/casting items are going for upwards of 50% above retail on Ebay.
I think I just found out how to revitalize my retirement fund. [smilie=1:

[Slow Elk 45/70]

HUllo All, I agree there is never a need to apologise for making a buck, people that are paying these prices just arn't in touch with reality...like congress & the Prez...[smilie=1:So make it while you can, they will all be broke soon enough... Vintage, Rare, Treasure, pure B.S. What ever happened to "no longer in production"
or "hard to find" ??? Most of the people holding these auctions don't know squat about the equipment they are peddeling, and most of the buyers must just be bored with money to spend, Like the man said, "Great Spectator Sport":coffee:

[dakotashooter2]

It really does make you wonder if people are that stupid or if games are being played. On used items if I can't get get it for 20-25% of the local retail price, shipping included I don't even bother. I have been trying to find a deal on a Mec 600 for 410. Used ones are selling a $75-$100 or more ($160 for one) plus another $25 to $30 for shipping. I can get a new one down the road for $130.