Oh come ON!

[Fitron]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Original-retro-70 ... dZViewItem

This is getting silly

[Majestyk]

It's been removed. What was it?


Jeff

[digibloke]

It was a N.O.S gold coloured Wittnauer Polara plus boxes. I guess Fitron Fiend was quite rightfully appalled at the 500pound buy it now price

It probably got taken down because the seller put cash or paypal in the description. The only thing ebay takes down faster than a suggestion of cash payments is "buyer to pay PayPal fees".

It seems to be getting easier to get away with this though...

litronix led watch for sale. Pulsar omega hamilton bulova synchronar etc :wink:

[Fitron]

Appalled? - I was gobsmacked . There's a lovely omega for ?550 (again -3rd time I think) from Glasgow at the moment. If I had that kind of cash for a watch that's what I'd buy. What I don't understand is his optimism - he recently sold the "doctor" wittnauer for about ?90 or so and that was near NOS and he's sold other leds in the past. Of course he might be waiting for someone who doesn't know much about watches but likes what he had on offer. It only takes one person to get that sale.....or had been looking at a certain New York based website with a similar stainless for $850 or thereabouts. :wink:

[Seer Taak]

I'd have to disagree FF, at least in part, but as the seller, I do have a vested interest. Please allow me to explain my reasoning:

1) First and formost. It's my first time puting something up on a 'Buy it now' + 'make me an offer format'. I can't deny ?500 is a premium price, but this is essentially an experiment, along the lines of other sellers who have placed huge buy it now prices on their watches. Does anyone remember the ?800 (I think) TV screen Imado?

2) Almost as importantly, this auction format is essentially a type of Dutch auction, where the price starts high and is finally sold for a fair bit less. As such I didn't see the logic in listing it for a reasonable price, and accepting an even lower offer. I have a reserve in my head as to what i'll sell it for, and didn't expect to hit the buy it now price.

3) Finally, thanks for the compliment on the other Wittnauer I sold FF, but I have to say it was not nearly as good as this one. It was in very good working condition, but that's a long way off near mint, and it had no boxes or papers.


sorry 4) An incidental point really. Besides the well known NY seller, there is at least one in the UK who has sold/listed this watch for ~?850 now that's astounding :) In that context, even if someone, say a new collector, did buy it for ?500, unlikely though it is, they woul still have paid less than at some places.

Well that's a bit of a big explaination, but hopfully you can see, i'm not looking to rip anyone off, or mislead them. If it doesn't sell, if I relist, then it's my mistake, and i'll learn from it :?

BTW digibloke, you are so right. Apparently it wa removed as it infringed 2 ebay rules:-

i) I had the audacity to say I would consider cash, as an alternative to Paypal, although, I guess I just know I should have included a 'by registered mail', and 'at your own risk' disclaimer.

ii) Was because of 'key word spamming'. Sellers aren't allowed to use comparitors such as LED not LCD, in their title. I didn't know that, but will change from now on.

[Fitron]

Thanks for the explanation abacus. I certainly never wanted to imply that it was an attempt at a rip off. If someone is happy and willing to pay ?500 for any genuinely described article then it's not a rip off, it's your lucky day :D
As my dad says - "if you don't ask you don't get."

[Seer Taak]

Cool. Good to hear that. No offence was taken :)

[CompuChron2]

Hi,

as a seller I get the best result with a starting price at my reserve price.

When it starts at 1$ , it rarely hits skyhigh prices , the best exemple is for the classic compuchron SS ,I've sold plenty of them , at first I started with a 1$ auction and it ended around 50-60 euros , now I put them at 89 euros starting price and they go...

It still far from the 162 $ obtain by MJ for the same watch , but my pics aren't as good (not even close) but i've invest in a camera and things are getting better..

[retroleds]

I've never entirely understood the logic behind a $1 start, with a (example) $250 hidden reserve and a $500 Buy It Now. I'm thinking - if you would refuse to sell for less than $250, why not just start there? If a bidder DOES start to get curious and starts bidding their way up to "find" the hidden reserve, they'll probably start doing it in smaller and smaller increments as it goes higher. Meaning they probably won't pass the minimum by much. Myself, I've been trying to stick with a "Start price"(minimum I'll sell for) and a "Buy It Now" for the person who wants it bad, has the money and doesn't want to risk getting outbid at the last minute. And no hidden reserves.

I don't like ebays policy that once a person makes a bid, they can't change their mind and go for the "Buy It Now" - seems very odd that you can't change your mind to spend more money? :?

[Fitron]

I believe the theory is that if you have a low start price then you'll get more people interested and get a bidding war going. This frenzy is not to be underestimated, just go to a local auction and watch whilst sitting on your hands. Indeed in Scotland this is how we sell our houses, with an offers over format leading to a blind auction style complete with snipers - great for sellers but not the buyers
I have to agree with you though, with a minimum price that you're willing to sell avoids the frustration of winning the auction but not getting the item anyway due to a reserve.

[Majestyk]

I believe the theory is that if you have a low start price then you'll get more people interested and get a bidding war going.

This is very correct! The worst thing to do is start an auction at the lowest price you are willing to sell, like a high price of $199. Always start low. The bidders will build on each other. If it's a really good watch, use reserve pricing.

It's like looking in a restaurant and only seeing a few people. It gives one the impression that they aren't good. If it's busy, more people will go in.


Jeff

[retroleds]

Maybe it's based more on the personality/psychology of the individual bidders on a particular item, than where the price started? Like on this nice Hamilton I sold last week: sat for 5 days, then without any bidding, BAMM! sold thru Buy-It Now. Someone else would have put in a bid, and then maybe a second bid at an increased maximum bid depending on whether or not anyone counter-bid. A third person would have used sniping software to try and grab it at the end. I have talked to a number of people(who are buying all sorts of items) who have told me they don't trust bidding on high priced items from some sellers...they feel that sellers sometimes are secretly joining in thru dummy accounts and bidding on their own items, just to create a perception of great activity.

"Hidden identity" auctions are a little bit odd to - sure you avoid people contacting the bidders, but you lose that whole competitive aspect of "knowing"(right ) who you are bidding against. I have participated in probably 1000 auctions which were NOT hidden I.D., and have been contacted by others maybe 10 times. And 1-2 of those were solicitations to buy something. More often it was a "do you really want that item" or " would you stop bidding, I really am trying to get this as a gift for someone" - sometimes that has been convincing. 8)

[Seer Taak]

Well, after deliberation, i've decided to put my Wittnauer up for auction again. This time, with no 'LED not LCD', or 'Payment in cash' refferences, so ebay are happy. I know it's a high top price, but I have tried to fully describe the watch, and listing type to any potential bidders. I have no expectation of hitting the buy it now price, but only time will tell what happens. Boom or bust, who knows? This will be a new experience: instead of watching an auction price creep up slowly, or jump rapidly as the case may be, i'll just wait for the folks to submit, or not submit, their offers!

[CompuChron2]

nice!but it's impossible to submit an offer , you must haveforgot something somewhere...

[Seer Taak]

Doh...je suis un grande idiot. Excuse the bad french. Thanks CompuChron. Sometimes i'm so stupid.