question about buy it now motivation

[Tom M King]

I just looked at the first page of stuff I've recently bought, and 13 out of 14 ( I didn't go back any further than that) were BIN purchases. I do a search on there often for something specific, and either know what it's worth, or what I'm willing to pay. Most of the time, I can find what I'm looking for cheaper than on Amazon. I haven't sold anything on there yet, so I don't know anything about any of the fees. I just skip right over all the ridiculously priced stuff, and don't even waste time laughing at them any more.

I have offered a lower bid sometimes, when it's an option, but only remember a couple where the seller accepted my offer. So unless it's a several hundred dollar purchase, I don't spend time haggling over it.

[Pat Barry]

The bidding process was a nice little feature but with today's 'want it now, get it now' the buy it now is a natural. I bet 90% of the folks out there want it right now.

[Kev Williams]

I too hate regular auctions. As for buy it now, I've never had a problem, at least with the type of stuff I buy. Such as, when changed out all my $8-each-at-H. Delows 50watt incandescent track light bulbs (12 of 'em) for nearly-$15-each-at H.Delows dimmable 50w-equivalent LED bulbs for a $3.65 each BIN price, shipping included. Or the 33,000 btu NG/LP gas wall heater that's heating my garage shop right now, $219 to my door. You can't even buy a phony fire at H.Delows for that price. And computer cables & stuff, what would cost me $30 here in town I can get for $3 or so BIN. Yeah, they're from China, but where do you think the $30 are made? And a made-to-order neon sign for $100 BIN price, shipped? Or the $29.85 laser lenses I just bought 2 weeks ago. Best my local rep can do is $135 each...

I have scored a few deals (imo) on regular auctions-- like 13 seasons of CSI on DVD for less than $14.00, and the guy lived 15 miles from me. But most of the time, something I REALLY want I'll get outbid on, or ending up paying too much. I like my BIN, a few button clicks, done.

[Bill Orbine]

I've seen items listed on Ebay with both auction bidding and BIN at the same time. People get carried away and bid the item past the BIN price! Once the bidding goes by the BIN, the option of BIN disappears! Now, is that stupid or what?

[Jim Koepke]

I sometimes wonder if prices go above retail or the BIN due to shill bidding.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

The auction process annoys the heck out of me, because if I want to get a decent "something" that way, I have to go sign up for one of those programs that skulks around and then automatically jumps in at the last second.

I'm not going to sit there and watch. I will make a bid that is my highest reasonable offer, and let it ride. Only to find I got snaked by 32 cents or something with 14 seconds left.

Uncle.

Well said Kent. +1

[Mike Cutler]

It seems buy it now dominates ebay... But by far the vast majority are nothing more than a rip off price (with free shipping as a pathetic lure). at least thats what ive seen, and now simply filter out all buy it now... Is that the motive though? Are these sellers simply trolling for idiots? Or are they delusional to think what they're peddling is worth 3x more than what the market is paying. Enquiring minds want to know. I'm starting to see a trend where they're talked about the same way collectors were/are.

Brian
I don't know what eBay looks like in the UK, or Europe, but over here many of the name brand retailers have "eBay" stores. Most of these sites are buy it now.
If you know the value of the items that you are looking for, eBay is nothing more than another "classifieds" in the US. The little guy is being pushed out of eBay.

[Tom M King]

The first year or so, I go into the auctions and bid in the last seconds. For a while after that, I bid my max bid and watched. Now, I put stuff on my watch list. If the bid gets too high for me, I delete it off the list. If the bid is not already too high on the day of closing, I just bid my max bid and leave for the day, and it either shows up to be paid for the next day when I look, or there is no sign of it one way or the other if I didn't win. I won the bid on a couple of chisels day before yesterday, and a couple of other things. I don't even remember what else I bid on and didn't get.

[John Goodin]

I usually go to ebay for odd items I need and can't find elsewhere. So buy it now is more of a convienence than having to deal with the bidding process. I do, however, see lots of new items at the same price I can buy it for locally. That does make sense on several fronts.

[Brian Ashton]

Brian
I don't know what eBay looks like in the UK, or Europe, but over here many of the name brand retailers have "eBay" stores. Most of these sites are buy it now.
If you know the value of the items that you are looking for, eBay is nothing more than another "classifieds" in the US. The little guy is being pushed out of eBay.

Probably should have been clearer. Regular items that can be found most retail outlet are most likely cheaper on ebay. I was referring to items that are for the most part out of production or are considered vintage... I.e. "collectable" tools. 99% of the buy it now pages have rediculous prices demanded.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I think some bean counter calculated that the Amazon business model was more profitable, so hello BIN. I hate them to for the record.

[Myk Rian]

I do BIN quite often. I've seen too many auctions going over the BIN price, which makes no sense at all.

[Jim Matthews]

Search "buyer's reserve" for the nearest corollary.

It's commonplace in high end auctions.
EBay is no longer an auction site,
it's a storefront, sans the return policy.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

This one kills me. I recently watched a Gransfors small forest ax, available at Lee Valley for $125, get bid up to $165 plus $14 shipping.

It is people who live where there is a Value Added Tax (VAT) on new items, but either it is lower on used items, or they get the seller to agree to declare it as a gift, declare a lower value, or other tax-evasion tactic. Many countries have very high VAT's- as high as 50% on some items like cars.

...this is why I laugh at people that refuse to sell outside the "lower 48" (which in my book includes Hawaii and excludes Maine and Alaska, but I digress). They are losing $ because folks overseas will pay more- especially GB where the pound is strong.

[Shawn Pixley]

I use the buy it now a lot. Largely what I am purchasing is a commodity product that will be re-purposed. For instance I bought 4" of 2" diameter brass, 3" of 1-1/4" diameter, and 2" of 1" diameter to make into mallets. I am waiting for some HSS stell to make into chinken chisels. Waiting for an auction to end is silly for purchases like this.

I have seen and still ignore auctions or buy it nows for items such as planes etc... Especially if they are priced over an equivelant new item.