[Docrwm]

part of that is strategy.

Often with a desirable item you're bidding against lots of other people that may well have a similar upper limit to you.

This can mean that an item that you wanted to spend say $50 on goes for $52, and you kick yourself thinking that you'd have happily paid an extra $2 for it.


By putting in an under-max bid early, as the end time approaches you can gauge interest and see if you are outbid.
Then you can enter in bids closer to your maximum as the end nears.

My usual method is to within the last few seconds throw in a bid at my maximum, but with a very odd figure, like $52.83
the theory there being that since ebay only allows bids in dollar increments, if they have entered $53 it wont accept it, and they'll have to enter in $53.83 or higher. Since the bid has been in the last seconds the intention is that they will fumble the keys, or just be slow in entering the new figure and wont have a chance to click "bid" by auction end.


I've managed a few bargains in the past in that way.

I can't say you're wrong.

[victormeldrew]

part of that is strategy.

My strategy is to put my max bid into Gixen and let them do all that timing stuff.


BTW - If your max bid is $50 and you would kick yourself if it goes to $52, then $50 was not your max bid. Your max bid should be whatever you would absolutely not go over. That kind of thinking has no end...what if it then goes to $53...only a dollar more. Then $54...and so on until you've spent way too much.

[clickclick]

It really is odd, and I think it's a combination of bid fever and gotta have it now that drives some of these auctions up. I managed to snag my A* 300/4 in mint condition for a "buy now" of $299 and free shipping , and in the same time period, a really beat copy complete with multiple scratches and scrapes on the barrel and dents in the lens hood had 35 bids and got up to $256 plus $10 shipping. Feel like mine was under priced for condition, and the other one way over priced. Go figure.

[victormeldrew]

One thing worth noting for ebay buyers in the EU: All Buy It Now items (but not auction items) are covered by the distance selling regulations...which means that you can cancel the purchase for any reason in the first 14 days (after delivery, not purchase) and return the item for a full refund, including delivery. You then have a further 14 days to send the item back - so 28 days total, as long as you request the return within the 14 days.

This benefit is worth spending a little more over an auction if the option is there.

[reh321]

I've been looking for an 8 Element Takumar 50mm 1.4 for a while now because I plan on selling a lot of my "normal range" lenses and wanted a unique sharp fast 50 to fill the void that wouldn't break the bank and this one fit the bill. I've been hunting for a good copy in my price range, and today there were 2 different auctions on ebay.

One of the auctions was with poor pictures and the description left something to be desired. Missing caps, worn body. Thought this one would go cheaper but went for 128 dollars with 15 shipping.

The other auction (the one I won) had great pictures, near mint body, came with a spotmatic (which was also minty). Went for 100+12 shipping.

I don't understand this sometimes, it's like people don't even shop around. I was the only one to even bid on it.


Either way I now own a bit of history with my first Takumar ever

Apparently you are correct - people don't shop around .... and apparently they are ignorant.

I don't know how many times I've seen five identical items running at the same time, with one over-priced item labeled "very rare" and getting bids.

[stevebrot]

The other auction (the one I won) had great pictures, near mint body, came with a spotmatic (which was also minty). Went for 100+12 shipping.

Shhhhhh...what you discovered is one of the great secrets of eBay lens buying. Lenses attached to cameras often sell for less than a lens by itself. A few weeks ago, I won an auction at minimum bid of $25 USD (shipping included) for a Zenit Automat with Helios 44K-4 attached being sold as untested, for parts only, from a U.S. seller. The camera was, indeed, dead, but both were otherwise in like-new condition. I paid one-half to one-third what lens alone would have cost from a Russian or Eastern European seller once shipping is added.

Why having a body attached decreases interest is beyond me. The listing even came up in a search for Helios 44K-4. Often one has to sleuth about.


Steve

[MossyRocks]

The other auction (the one I won) had great pictures, near mint body, came with a spotmatic (which was also minty). Went for 100+12 shipping.

As an added bonus you can offload the spotmatic for like $30 to $40 with ease if you don't want it. I wish my last spotmatic purchase came with the 8 element 50mm f/1.4 body cap instead of the SMC 55mm f/1.8 one. That said from time to time I have basically stolen some things, like the pawn shop find Series 1 Vivitar 135mm f/2.3 that I got for like $25 or $30 years ago (I love this lens so I bought a second one just in case), or the Sigma 300mm f/4 APO Macro lens I picked up a few months ago for $130.

[victormeldrew]

Why having a body attached decreases interest is beyond me.

They're often listed in the 'camera' category rather than the 'lens' category and if the body is dead (or the seller can't test it) it might be listed as 'not working' - people that carefully use the filters to find the items will never find it and fewer watchers means a lower price.

[automorphism]

But the other one had 17 bids!

Also, I didn't realize the second one came with a spotmatic. That may be another reason why it was cheaper. I noticed in the past that spotmatics with fast fifties sometimes go a little cheaper than the fast fifties by themselves. I think part of the reason is that most people don't want the spotmatics and that the cheaper price basically is a price the seller 'pays' to dispose of the film camera body. I have avoided lens/body combinations myself because of the extra effort required to figure out what to do with the body.

[stevebrot]

I have avoided lens/body combinations myself because of the extra effort required to figure out what to do with the body.

I have a Spotmatic as an item of decor on my fireplace mantel.


Steve

[automorphism]

I have a Spotmatic as an item of decor on my fireplace mantel.


Steve

Haha, yes I think some of those old film cameras look very elegant, and moreover have that well-constructed feel that seems lacking on many modern products.

[Just1MoreDave]

I find it weird that bid style sales get a lot more love than buy it now sales. I remember last year there was a SMC DA 70 ltd for sale, with a buy it now price of 240€ (still regret not getting it) that did not sell for weeks. I havent seen one for that price since then. Another one was a Sigma 100-300 F4 that had the option of buy it now for (or so i remember) 280€ (one of those strange sales where buy it now option is gone after somebody bids on it), that in the end sold for more as 400€ (regret this one getting away too)

Look at the marketplace listings here. I bought one a few months ago for $200 and I don't think it was the only one. I think mine was missing the box and the pouch, which I didn't want. You may have to be quick to get the rock-bottom price, sort through sellers who won't ship to you, and decide if the HD version is worth more.

[E-man]

There are a lot of factors that can cause an item to fly under the proverbial radar on eBay. One is the category, which can affect search outcomes. The other is the ending time. I grabbed a K10D with low shutter actuations a couple of years ago for $78, including shipping, It ended very early in the morning on Labor Day Monday. I put in a sort of lowball bid before I went to bed that Sunday night and when I woke up the next morning, I was amazed to find that I was the only bidder.

[leekil]

Why having a body attached decreases interest is beyond me.

Perhaps some people are managing their GAS better than those of us on PentaxForums?