Fellow Ebay bidder's hostility?

[simbrooks]

Has anyone else had this happen to them whilst bidding for stuff on ebay? I would think that dirty/trash talk were fine on the field in football or the like, but amongst bidders?

I have had it happen a few times to me that people have sent messages (fellow bidders) which have not been very polite and sometimes downright insulting for no apparent reason apart from your bid was higher than theirs. Some have written calling me dumb for bidding a certain price for something, which of course is still a reasonable price for that item. Typically i look around the internet, at LDS's and know the cost, either sale or MSRP of all the items i bid on, i take into account tax or shipping and handling (either from online stores or the ebay auctioneer's estimate of shipping) and usually count that as additional benefit. I work mainly from pre-sales tax prices (ie the price you see in the store) and work out a margin depending on age or any other factors (replacement of parts etc) to come up with my max bid, then take a bit off that and try to see where the auction price goes before putting in my ultimate max price if bidding gets that high. However once the price goes over my max price i leave that auction alone, which makes me wonder why these people are so annoyed or full of hate during these auctions.

Any other stories?

 

[String]

Part of the "MUST WIN" mentality that makes ebay great for selling second hand stuff far in excess of its real value.

People lose sight of its real value and it becomes a competition between them and the other bidders. The result is the price increases way beyond what it should.

Work out what its going to be worth second hand and stick to it. Put an initial bid in maybe 20% less than that then increase to your maximum bid about 30 seconds before the auction finishes. Do not go above that, not even "Well its only £5 more..."

 

[busraider1]

I've also had indifferences with people on ebay regarding prices. Not my fault someone doesn't want to pay for something that i consider a bargain. Even though it's still more money than someone else wanted to pay, it's not mine/your fault about that. I'd say take it in stride. some people are just not as educated, and lack social graces, and will say the darndest things. I hope you didn't renounce your bid, over ideal threats.

 

[oversea]

I've also had indifferences with people on ebay regarding prices. Not my fault someone doesn't want to pay for something that i consider a bargain. Even though it's still more money than someone else wanted to pay, it's not mine/your fault about that. I'd say take it in stride. some people are just not as educated, and lack social graces, and will say the darndest things. I hope you didn't renounce your bid, over ideal threats.

People get into the "Thrill of victory" a specific instance was a set of grips for a pistol. Brand new from a shop they go for 20.00. THe local shops did'nt have them in stock (2 week back order) so I went to ebay there was a battle and went for over 45.00 plus shipping. I don't get it. 2 day later, my shop got them and I paid 20 bucks. I don't get it.

 

[SueMermaid]

The world is full of crazy people who need hobbies and/or lives. I had someone call me just to tell me I had "some nerve" asking the rent I was asking for my house. I thanked her for her input. The silly cow. :blahblah:
Ebay has a way of reporting user like this, I think, if you are feeling harrassed.

 

[wstein]

I never had that happen to me. And I have bought a few things on ebay. Guess the stuff I buy no one else wants.

 

[simbrooks]

I wasnt sure you could report that kind of stuff, but actually there is a section on there where you can report a mis-use of email due to it not being used to facilitate an auction - which this last one was definately in the catagory of.

 

[divebomb]

A lot of items do get bid up past what you could just buy them for in a retail store. And it's kind of ruined the opportunity for people to get bargain prices on stuff.

Having said that, there are still bargains on Ebay, people have the right to pay whatever they want, and in my opinion other bidders should never contact you. It just seems like bad manners if nothing else.

Bid on!

Beck

Has anyone else had this happen to them whilst bidding for stuff on ebay? I would think that dirty/trash talk were fine on the field in football or the like, but amongst bidders?

I have had it happen a few times to me that people have sent messages (fellow bidders) which have not been very polite and sometimes downright insulting for no apparent reason apart from your bid was higher than theirs. Some have written calling me dumb for bidding a certain price for something, which of course is still a reasonable price for that item. Typically i look around the internet, at LDS's and know the cost, either sale or MSRP of all the items i bid on, i take into account tax or shipping and handling (either from online stores or the ebay auctioneer's estimate of shipping) and usually count that as additional benefit. I work mainly from pre-sales tax prices (ie the price you see in the store) and work out a margin depending on age or any other factors (replacement of parts etc) to come up with my max bid, then take a bit off that and try to see where the auction price goes before putting in my ultimate max price if bidding gets that high. However once the price goes over my max price i leave that auction alone, which makes me wonder why these people are so annoyed or full of hate during these auctions.

Any other stories?

 

[gfisher4792]

Speaking of bidder contacting other bidders, there was a news item about a month or 2 ago (I can't find it on the web right now, but I'm still looking!) that one bidder was so mad that he lost to another bidder that the loser drove halfway across the country to try to buy the auction from the winner (it was vintage clothing or something like that). The winner wasn't home, but his wife was, and when she refused to listen to the loser, he forced his way into the house, grabbed up the auction items and ran off. Needless to say, he was arrested a short time later. Scary.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I used to sell unwanted junk on e-bay. I loved it when there would be a bidding war on something which would result in it going for way more money than it's worth. People are competitive and sometimes they get ugly.

Once I was bidding on a pair of old salt and pepper shakers. Well with about 12 seconds left I submitted a last bid and got them. The guy I was bidding against was so angry they did last second bids on several other auctions I was bidding on. So they ended up with lots of stuff the probably didn't even want.