E-Bay is weird

ZombieArmy · 10-29-2018, 06:17 PM - **3 Likes**

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

**twilhelm** · 10-29-2018, 06:22 PM - **1 Like**

I couldn't agree more. I was looking for another Spotmatic body so I could send my user one in for repair. I saw several go for $45 or more body only. I ended up with one with a 35 3.5 and 150 4 plus a Pentax hard case for $26. Everything was in mint condition, and he had some great photos up.

These are the reasons I still keep an eye on Ebay!

ZombieArmy · 10-29-2018, 06:53 PM

Originally posted by twilhelm

I couldn't agree more. I was looking for another Spotmatic body so I could send my user one in for repair. I saw several go for $45 or more body only. I ended up with one with a 35 3.5 and 150 4 plus a Pentax hard case for $26. Everything was in mint condition, and he had some great photos up.

These are the reasons I still keep an eye on Ebay!

Wow what a steal! I'd love to get a hold of the 150 at one point, such a peculiar lens

hks_kansei · 10-29-2018, 06:58 PM

Ebay is odd, but great a lot of the time for cheap things.

My most recent purchases, other than a few LPs, have been an 80s CD player, and an old solid state amplifier.

The CD player was advertised with one bad picture and as "not spinning up"
I paid $25 for it, and replaced one $2 drive belt and now have a matching CD deck for my hifi.

The amplifier was also $25 and works 99%, just the treble knob isnt working.
It was just a cheap one to use on my computer since proper PC speakers tend to be quite expensive, and also not very good.

automorphism · 10-29-2018, 09:19 PM

Doesn't sound weird to me. There aren't many people bidding for these items and they're located in many different countries so you'd expect a lot of price fluctuation.

ZombieArmy · 10-29-2018, 09:37 PM

Originally posted by automorphism

Doesn't sound weird to me. There aren't many people bidding for these items and they're located in many different countries so you'd expect a lot of price fluctuation.

But the other one had 17 bids!

photolady95 · 10-29-2018, 11:04 PM - **1 Like**

And as the sticky in General Talk says, no photography, I've moved your thread to the appropriate forum, that being General Photography, please try to remember that.

Not a Number · 10-29-2018, 11:38 PM - **1 Like**

A lot of it depends on the ending time of the auction. Auctions that end during "prime time" on evenings or afternoon on weekends generate much more last minute bidding than auctions that close in the mornings on weekdays. Most of my best "scores" were auctions that closed mornings weekdays.

Then there is always "auction fever" where people get overwhelmed by the excitement of bidding and don't even think of looking for other auctions of the same item.

Docrwm · 10-30-2018, 02:12 AM

Congratulations on your first Tak!

**PJ1** · 10-30-2018, 02:33 AM

Congratulations! That is a great lens. Once you start using it you will be impressed I am sure. I got my 8-element a couple of months ago. It was almost mint too. There were only one or two other bidders. I swooped in the last 10 seconds and (like you) got it for a good price. I think it helps sometimes if the lens description is a bit vague because that reduces the number of interested lookers. The IR mark and lens number is the only way to tell what you are looking at.

KX-Digital · 10-30-2018, 02:36 AM

Originally posted by ZombieArmy

..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.

Maybe i should ask you to bid for me.

When i check on eBay all it offers me is items double those prices. The site filters what yoy get to see. It filters items out that, according to ebay won't ship to me, but also others. I had items in my watch-list that i found on ebay.com (or ebay.de) which won't turn up if search with its name on ebay.nl and vice versa although the seller does have my place in its sending options.

Originally posted by twilhelm:

was looking for another Spotmatic body so I could send my user one in for repair. I saw several go for $45 or more body only.

$45 for a Spotmatic, here one has to add a 1 in front of that figure and then those are the cheap ones damaged and with scratches and partially working, the fully working you have to replace the $ by a € (that is add 25%) and the minty ones go higher.

robiles · 10-30-2018, 02:50 AM

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)

victormeldrew · 10-30-2018, 03:23 AM

The issue is that buyers don't know how to use ebay auctions properly. Rather than deciding what their (actual) maximum is, putting that in and then waiting with fingers crossed, they hunch over their keyboards putting in a series of hopeful bids one by one in an attempt to 'WIN' (ebay's term) the auction like winning a race. By the time they look up, they've gone way past a sensible price, way past their actual maximum, and way past BIN items' prices and into the new item territory...but still feel good for 'beating' everyone else. An example of winning and losing at the same time.

A good example is a (very good condition) used GRII that I was watching that ended up going to £470 in an auction, when right there was a brand new with warranty GRII for £509 - morons.

**savoche** · 10-30-2018, 03:29 AM

Originally posted by ZombieArmy

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

Congrats! I have a feeling it won't be your last...

But yes, bidding on ebay is a rather unpredictable exercise. I don't participate much in bidding these days, but when I do I always use a sniper - it makes my life a lot easier

hks_kansei · 10-30-2018, 04:19 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by victormeldrew

The issue is that buyers don't know how to use ebay auctions properly. Rather than deciding what their (actual) maximum is, putting that in and then waiting with fingers crossed, they hunch over their keyboards putting in a series of hopeful bids one by one in an attempt to 'WIN' (ebay's term) the auction like winning a race.

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.

10-29-2018, 06:17 PM - 3 Likes	#1
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	E-Bay is weird 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

10-30-2018, 02:36 AM	#11
KX-Digital Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Europe, Benelux, Zeeuwsch-Vlaanderen, Terneuzen Posts: 26	ebay craze Originally posted by ZombieArmy ..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. Maybe i should ask you to bid for me. When i check on eBay all it offers me is items double those prices. The site filters what yoy get to see. It filters items out that, according to ebay won't ship to me, but also others. I had items in my watch-list that i found on ebay.com (or ebay.de) which won't turn up if search with its name on ebay.nl and vice versa although the seller does have my place in its sending options. Originally posted by twilhelm: was looking for another Spotmatic body so I could send my user one in for repair. I saw several go for $45 or more body only. $45 for a Spotmatic, here one has to add a 1 in front of that figure and then those are the cheap ones damaged and with scratches and partially working, the fully working you have to replace the $ by a € (that is add 25%) and the minty ones go higher.

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10-29-2018, 06:22 PM - 1 Like	#2
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	I couldn't agree more. I was looking for another Spotmatic body so I could send my user one in for repair. I saw several go for $45 or more body only. I ended up with one with a 35 3.5 and 150 4 plus a Pentax hard case for $26. Everything was in mint condition, and he had some great photos up. These are the reasons I still keep an eye on Ebay!

10-29-2018, 06:53 PM	#3
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210 Original Poster	Originally posted by twilhelm I couldn't agree more. I was looking for another Spotmatic body so I could send my user one in for repair. I saw several go for $45 or more body only. I ended up with one with a 35 3.5 and 150 4 plus a Pentax hard case for $26. Everything was in mint condition, and he had some great photos up. These are the reasons I still keep an eye on Ebay! Wow what a steal! I'd love to get a hold of the 150 at one point, such a peculiar lens

10-29-2018, 06:58 PM	#4
hks_kansei Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 834	Ebay is odd, but great a lot of the time for cheap things. My most recent purchases, other than a few LPs, have been an 80s CD player, and an old solid state amplifier. The CD player was advertised with one bad picture and as "not spinning up" I paid $25 for it, and replaced one $2 drive belt and now have a matching CD deck for my hifi. The amplifier was also $25 and works 99%, just the treble knob isnt working. It was just a cheap one to use on my computer since proper PC speakers tend to be quite expensive, and also not very good.

10-29-2018, 09:19 PM	#5
automorphism Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 791	Doesn't sound weird to me. There aren't many people bidding for these items and they're located in many different countries so you'd expect a lot of price fluctuation.

10-29-2018, 09:37 PM	#6
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210 Original Poster	Originally posted by automorphism Doesn't sound weird to me. There aren't many people bidding for these items and they're located in many different countries so you'd expect a lot of price fluctuation. But the other one had 17 bids!

10-29-2018, 11:04 PM - 1 Like	#7
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	And as the sticky in General Talk says, no photography, I've moved your thread to the appropriate forum, that being General Photography, please try to remember that.

10-29-2018, 11:38 PM - 1 Like	#8
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	A lot of it depends on the ending time of the auction. Auctions that end during "prime time" on evenings or afternoon on weekends generate much more last minute bidding than auctions that close in the mornings on weekdays. Most of my best "scores" were auctions that closed mornings weekdays. Then there is always "auction fever" where people get overwhelmed by the excitement of bidding and don't even think of looking for other auctions of the same item.

10-30-2018, 02:12 AM	#9
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Congratulations on your first Tak!

10-30-2018, 02:33 AM	#10
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,484	Congratulations! That is a great lens. Once you start using it you will be impressed I am sure. I got my 8-element a couple of months ago. It was almost mint too. There were only one or two other bidders. I swooped in the last 10 seconds and (like you) got it for a good price. I think it helps sometimes if the lens description is a bit vague because that reduces the number of interested lookers. The IR mark and lens number is the only way to tell what you are looking at.

10-30-2018, 02:50 AM	#12
robiles Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Deva Posts: 311	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)

10-30-2018, 03:23 AM	#13
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	The issue is that buyers don't know how to use ebay auctions properly. Rather than deciding what their (actual) maximum is, putting that in and then waiting with fingers crossed, they hunch over their keyboards putting in a series of hopeful bids one by one in an attempt to 'WIN' (ebay's term) the auction like winning a race. By the time they look up, they've gone way past a sensible price, way past their actual maximum, and way past BIN items' prices and into the new item territory...but still feel good for 'beating' everyone else. An example of winning and losing at the same time. A good example is a (very good condition) used GRII that I was watching that ended up going to £470 in an auction, when right there was a brand new with warranty GRII for £509 - morons.

10-30-2018, 03:29 AM	#14
savoche Master of the obvious Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Lowlands of Norway Posts: 18,311	Originally posted by ZombieArmy Either way I now own a bit of history with my first Takumar ever Congrats! I have a feeling it won't be your last... But yes, bidding on ebay is a rather unpredictable exercise. I don't participate much in bidding these days, but when I do I always use a sniper - it makes my life a lot easier

10-30-2018, 04:19 AM - 1 Like	#15
hks_kansei Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 834	Originally posted by victormeldrew The issue is that buyers don't know how to use ebay auctions properly. Rather than deciding what their (actual) maximum is, putting that in and then waiting with fingers crossed, they hunch over their keyboards putting in a series of hopeful bids one by one in an attempt to 'WIN' (ebay's term) the auction like winning a race. 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.