All Poster Forum
Common Poster Subjects => The Dealer/Auction House/Seller/Buyer Round Table => Topic started by: Carson on February 03, 2010, 11:18:03 AM
-
What are your favorite eBay seller tricks?
ex: eBay seller lists $300 poster at $1200 then has a partner place a single bid right at $1200 early in the week to create the illusion of interest at that price. If no one bites the sale is void at no loss to the seller or his partner.
List some of yours faves.
-
Canceling your auction because the ending price was to low and using the excuse that when they checked their inventory the poster must have already been sold because they couldn't find it. But, really almost any excuse will work. Ebay never goes to fight for the bidder in these types of cases.
I hate it when the seller charges $20, $50, and even $100 for shipping just to make their profit in a sneaky way instead of just listing all the profit in the original item. Half the time you pay a ton of money for shipping and handling, then when it shows up at the door it is packaged in gift/present wrapping paper tube that is so thin you can dent it by just holding it. I pretty much hate it when I see shipping and handling charges in excess and then it shows $1.80 on the package when you get, it's like dude, it really costs $30 for you package the thing, come on.
When the seller falsely advertise their items saying one artists did it when everyone knows good and well it wasn't done by that particular artist. But it helps get their item seen because they are hot at the moment. That is a shame because you never know when a newbie will buy it thinking it is what it is stated as. I see this a lot with Tyler Stout stuff right now, but it's been done with others before.
Chad
-
The artist approach is a new one to me. So they're including a well known artist's name in the auction header so eBay searches will direct more views to their auction? Or are they flat out saying in the auction description "this piece was done by, eg, Tyler Stout" when it was truthfully done by a different artist? Yikes.
Yes, inflated shipping ranks #1. Some sellers will explain "ship cost + time and handling fee" but actual shipping cost, only, is the only way to buy.
-
Just using the name in the headline tag for higher hits with ebay searches. Then if you read for 3 paragraphs of stuff then you find out that it was done by somebody else. I've personally seen this about 5 to 7 times in the last 2 months. I usually try and email them to correct, but you can tell very quickly that many of them know what they are doing.
Chad
-
I ran into the same problem looking for mid-century modern furniture. Try searching "Eames" and you'll get a million auctions with pieces that, after reading a few paragraphs in, are eventually described as "Eames-Like" or "in the style of Eames" or something similar. Drives me bonkers as well.
-
Re shipping...If a seller is asking a ridiculous amount, I always say, no problem if that is what it costs you to send, but when the parcel arrives, I expect to see that amount (or close enough to it) on the parcel. If not, a refund for the difference is expected. Most of the time they come back with a more reasonable shipping price.
-
Check out the headline on this one.
Ebay Listing of Wolfman (http://cgi.ebay.com/Alamo-Drafthouse-Wolfman-Ansin-Poster-Stout-Fairey_W0QQitemZ300393757889QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Prints?hash=item45f0dcfcc1#ht_500wt_1182)
-
Laughing.
OMG that is hilarious. That is the greatest. And without having the item in hand, no less.
Yes, I fully see what you mean now; surprised they didn't include "Britney Spears" and "Angela Jolie nude" to the title.
-
And without having the item in hand, no less
It always suprises me when people bid on these kinds of auctions. What if it gets damaged or lost in the mail?
-
Yes, I fully see what you mean now; surprised they didn't include "Britney Spears" and "Angela Jolie nude" to the title.
I bet adding that to the tag line would help get traffic to the item page. I'm no longer shocked by anything done on ebay these days.
Chad
-
Check out the headline on this one.
Ebay Listing of Wolfman (http://cgi.ebay.com/Alamo-Drafthouse-Wolfman-Ansin-Poster-Stout-Fairey_W0QQitemZ300393757889QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Prints?hash=item45f0dcfcc1#ht_500wt_1182)
LOL .. I came in here to link to that auction just for you Chad !! Beat me to it though ! :P Take all the fun out of it why dontcha ! ;)
-
LOL .. I came in here to link to that auction just for you Chad !! Beat me to it though ! :P Take all the fun out of it why dontcha ! ;)
I try. ;)
Chad
-
Just using the name in the headline tag for higher hits with ebay searches. Then if you read for 3 paragraphs of stuff then you find out that it was done by somebody else. I've personally seen this about 5 to 7 times in the last 2 months. I usually try and email them to correct, but you can tell very quickly that many of them know what they are doing.
Chad
I know a guy was doing that on the James Rheem Davis Lost Boys poster.
-
My personal favorite are those douche bags that place a huge snipe shill bid and then send you a second chance offer the next day once they have found out your max bid.
-
..place a huge snipe shill bid and then send you a second chance offer the next day once they have found out your max bid.
Wow. That should be as high as #2 on the trick list. In fact I'd say inflating shipping is often #1 complaint for the reason so many never realize when they have been bumped/shilled.
That trick sums eBay well. It's not enough to shill. No. They want your max to the penny. The insider deliberately overshoots the buyers max bid to realize amount of your max -- then PMs to say they'll accept your max bid in a second offer. Nice. What do they typically say to explain the second offer? "First buyer didn't pay.." I'd guess.
-
Yeah top bidder didn't pay. I always tell these people I found it much cheaper else where. This has happened to me maybe 3 times.
-
That's why I never made second chance offers on eBay and don't have them on my site. In the 1% of auctions where I can't collect, I re-auction the item starting at $1. Sometimes it goes for half as much the second time, sometimes it goes higher!
To me, a second chance offer is a "you've been shilled" offer, or a "you massively overbid" and in either case you should always say "NO WAY"!
Bruce
-
And thanks for doing that, Bruce. It's reassuring for the buyer.
Here's something I still don't understand: How do these eBayers who use a second account to facilitate the shill, invisible reserve, other tricks, get a second eBay account? Some of these guys like Egbert have 3 and 4 different eBay accounts. Does eBay allow you to abandon old accounts and start new ones? Do they use a friends credit card and address to re-register?
And no details required. Better said: does eBay legitimately allow multiple accounts or not?
-
ebay probably will allow multiple accounts, however, if you can access a different ip and have different email addresses which are both easy to get, then you can easily do it
if you use the same ip address, email etc.. you are found out pretty quick
-
Thanks, Rich. When I registered on eBay in 2001, even then, I was required to use a credit card to register so even if you register from a different location you still have to use your credit card to register so I don't get how/why eBay allows the same card name to register multiple accounts. They should only allow one account per name/person.
-
once i was told the winner didnt pay. the second time, i was told the seller had another of the same item. both times i told them just to go ahead and relist it. one of those times, the clown tried the SAME trick on the SAME item. i told him that i would buy it for my initial bid, and he did not respond.
-
Thanks, Rich. When I registered on eBay in 2001, even then, I was required to use a credit card to register so even if you register from a different location you still have to use your credit card to register so I don't get how/why eBay allows the same card name to register multiple accounts. They should only allow one account per name/person.
husband/wife...........my wife and i have separate ebay accounts. different credit cards attached to the same bank account. same mailing address, same IP. there has never been an issue.
-
Thanks, Rich. When I registered on eBay in 2001, even then, I was required to use a credit card to register so even if you register from a different location you still have to use your credit card to register so I don't get how/why eBay allows the same card name to register multiple accounts. They should only allow one account per name/person.
only if you wanted to sell did they need your credit card
I closed my seller account years ago. but I opened a bidding account which I use and I have no cc on file
-
I should have also said.. and the account is registered to MoviePosterBid and not my name. So on some levels, my account at ebay is very anonymous
-
So Egbert, or whoever, have no real difficulty opening multiple accounts but surely eBay doesn't allow members to bid on items being sold by a member of the same IP. That would surprise me even for eBay.
I suppose at days end the truth is on the wall: Caveat Emptor. If you're going to eBay use a sniper, know what you're willing to pay and stick to it. If you find yourself paying a cent more than planned then, as Jimmy Buffet says "it's your own damn fault". Fair enough.
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/905/61nz8wpfu7lsl500aa280.jpg)
-
I just found this old thread. Isn't ironic that the biggest thief of them all started it? It made me smile.
T
-
Hey, T...I'll bet he started it so he could learn about some of the underhanded tricks he could use on others. Does he have an Ebay ID that anyone knows of?
-
hypocrites are always the biggest whiners
-
Re shipping...If a seller is asking a ridiculous amount, I always say, no problem if that is what it costs you to send, but when the parcel arrives, I expect to see that amount (or close enough to it) on the parcel. If not, a refund for the difference is expected.
Most of the time they come back with a more reasonable shipping price.
This is a good idea and one to remember.
Although, no seller can be forced to give a refund, if the shipping they charge and the actual cost are radically different.
But i will try that, too. It certainly can't hurt to mention it.
;)
-
Ok i just sold an item on ebay. I always say in my listing to "wait for invoice with accurate shipping" cause the calculator is f-cked
The lady is from Chicago and she is not happy about the ginormous $12 shipping I am asking for. These are her 2 emails:
1 - That is... kind of dishonest. You want me to give you more money without any kind of guarantee or protection? Tell you what, you mail it UPS (my neighbours are awful and routinely rob USPS vans) and send me a picture of the postage sticker showing how much it cost to ship and the tracking number, and then when it gets here, I'll transfer the cost to you. If I just pay in an out of eBay transaction I'm not protected against fraud. I'm super wary about forgery online. Don't worry, I'm not going to rip you off, my word is my bond.
And then I replied offering to send her a copy of the shipping quote and she said "That works. Give me an estimate for UPS as well though because Canada Post uses USPS and the gangs in my neighbourhood keep hijacking the delivery vans. As soon as I get the estimate I can transfer the extra money immediately or almost immediately."
Am i setting myself up for a "did not receive" not matter what I do here? Is Chicago that fucked up? Should I cancel the sale and take the feedback hit?
-
Is Chicago that fucked up? Should I cancel the sale and take the feedback hit?
[/quote]
Chicago could have problems in certain areas - I did 20 years in the city and would occasionally have to track stuff down. Never stolen from vans, though. But if they have receiving issues on their end - that's their problem - not yours. How about suggesting tracking/delivery confirmation/registered mail, or better yet ship it to a different address they are comfortable with?
BTW- regarding this whole thread, I always tell Sellers to ship safely & securely to avoid damage (w/hard cardboard/tubes.) And I'm always mindful of the Seller's time it takes to ship this stuff (TIME=MONEY.) When I sell things on Ebay I call it "Shipping & Handling" so they are paying a flat rate me for my time.
-
I'd be careful on this one, Vick.
Her over the top descriptions and overall wording sound a little fishy to me, too. Roaming (my added word) "gangs hijacking delivery trucks" sounds like a set up (and as you said) with her potentially claiming she didnt receive the item for this reason (when she actually did) and then going on to scream to Paypal for a refund..
In the end, she has your item and her cash back.
Tread lightly.
-
thanks gents. In the end I insisted on tracking. If she really wants the thing she would have opted for a signature delivery option or alternate address like DP said. With tracking at least I know it gets to the door but it leaves me open to other scenarios, e.g. it was stolen after delivery, package was empty etc. We will see. A couple of instances of non arrivals on ebay lately - they are a real pain in the ass.
-
I thought the same thing, T.
-
here's another ebay scam...
Smokin' hot Sashee C., Manager, there to "guarantee your money back" has actually not worked at ebay since 2015 according to her Linked In. She is now the founder and CEO of a (not) cleverly named Tea company called Tea Drops.
(http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/buy/mbg/landing/hero-bg.png)
(https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_200_200/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAvDAAAAJGQwNDQxYTJlLThiMGUtNGI5NS1hYjY2LWRhZmRlMjczNDI5NA.jpg)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasheechandran
the horror...
-
Heavily photoshopped and posed pix are a huge red flag for me...
Phonies all the way. :P