Heya
I am seeking a bit of advice regarding armor shopping on ebay. The Australian ebay page has close to nothing for our hobby.. which basically leaves US ebay for me...
I had a look around here:
http://listings.ebay.com/aw/listings/list/all/category2588/index.html
Quite a lot of stuff.. but how does it come most prices are on retail level ? Why are so few people bidding.. and (wtf?) why are so many people trying to sell their built models on ebay (quite successless by the way) ???
What are YOUR experiences with ebay ???
:) thx
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armor shopping on ebay ?
maxpain
Member Since: April 03, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 - 10:53 PM UTC
staff_Jim
Publisher
Member Since: December 15, 2001
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Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 - 11:15 PM UTC
max,
I am as befuddled as you are about all the people selling built kits. But I have seen quite a few actually being sold (with rather healthy bids too!). I mean if there was a really well built diorama or something I might like to own it. But with eBay photos it's ussually hard to tell if the kit is really that well built. And often you can tell that they are NOT.
As for the prices I think all of eBay is becoming less about bargins and more about people bidding things up too high. Oh well....they will learn when they see them cheaper at their local hobby store or at another online seller.
I wonder why there aren't more aussie eBay'rs using the service? Is Internet connectivity a problem for people outside the more dense population zones?
Cheers,
Jim
I am as befuddled as you are about all the people selling built kits. But I have seen quite a few actually being sold (with rather healthy bids too!). I mean if there was a really well built diorama or something I might like to own it. But with eBay photos it's ussually hard to tell if the kit is really that well built. And often you can tell that they are NOT.
As for the prices I think all of eBay is becoming less about bargins and more about people bidding things up too high. Oh well....they will learn when they see them cheaper at their local hobby store or at another online seller.
I wonder why there aren't more aussie eBay'rs using the service? Is Internet connectivity a problem for people outside the more dense population zones?
Cheers,
Jim
GunTruck
Member Since: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 - 11:24 PM UTC
I shop for armor stuff on e-Bay regularly. The prices are close to and above retail in most cases. I only bid to what I consider reasonable - which is why I don't get a lot from there and I think you don't see a lot of bidders because of that and the propensity for snipers to inflate the prices of the items up for bid. I agree with Jim here too - it isn't about bargains anymore...
I do look, with amusement, at the built models up for auction. Like Jim said, it is difficult to ascertain the quality of a finished model presented there - poor photography and all - but not that difficult for me to pass on by quickly based on what I do see! I couldn't tell you why so many modelers try to sell their stuff there - I've never even considered putting one of my finished models on e-Bay for auction. I don't know why anyone would...
Gunnie
I do look, with amusement, at the built models up for auction. Like Jim said, it is difficult to ascertain the quality of a finished model presented there - poor photography and all - but not that difficult for me to pass on by quickly based on what I do see! I couldn't tell you why so many modelers try to sell their stuff there - I've never even considered putting one of my finished models on e-Bay for auction. I don't know why anyone would...
Gunnie
pipesmoker
Member Since: January 31, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 - 11:29 PM UTC
I've been buying and selling on eBay for about 4 years. It seems to me in the last year to year and a half, in the models section anyway, ther have been more dealers and hobby shops listing their items; at darn near retail. There are still bargains there, but you must look.
Unfortunately, max. The shipping from the US to Oz is quite high, and a lot of US sellers don't ship out of the country. I noticed a couple of sellers from Hong Kong and Korea are also listing. Link Models comes to mind. See if you can find any of their auctions, email them and get theri shipping charges. Their prices seem OK, but shipping to the US is $14.00. (I'm working from memory here......). It may be lower to you.
HTH
Unfortunately, max. The shipping from the US to Oz is quite high, and a lot of US sellers don't ship out of the country. I noticed a couple of sellers from Hong Kong and Korea are also listing. Link Models comes to mind. See if you can find any of their auctions, email them and get theri shipping charges. Their prices seem OK, but shipping to the US is $14.00. (I'm working from memory here......). It may be lower to you.
HTH
maxpain
Member Since: April 03, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 - 11:48 PM UTC
Well.. Australia has a population of only 20 mio people, also the density of computers isn't as high as in the states which would explain why there is a lot less going on here on oz-ebay..
Have a look yourself... (its sad)
http://listings.ebay.com.au/aw/plistings/list/all/category1191/index.html
When I had posted my question I thought - damn, what if these fellas here all sell their built models on ebay... lol.. good to know you guys find it as strange as I do.
Especially as building the models is the fun part (as opposed to looking at it).
Pipesmoker - I will have a look for those bargains, but you are right. Shipping internationally makes it a lot less attractive compared to local prices.. especially since many of the ebay armor auctions seem to start of around retail price level anyway...
I only ordered a couple of Eduard detail sets internationally so far coz those are hard to get here... I think that stuff comes from czech somewhere..?!
Reading this forum since some weeks it looks to me as if most of you must have a huge collection of unbuilt kits collecting dust.... maybe we should encourage ppl to use these forums for trading/selling more than so far..
:)
Have a look yourself... (its sad)
http://listings.ebay.com.au/aw/plistings/list/all/category1191/index.html
When I had posted my question I thought - damn, what if these fellas here all sell their built models on ebay... lol.. good to know you guys find it as strange as I do.
Especially as building the models is the fun part (as opposed to looking at it).
Pipesmoker - I will have a look for those bargains, but you are right. Shipping internationally makes it a lot less attractive compared to local prices.. especially since many of the ebay armor auctions seem to start of around retail price level anyway...
I only ordered a couple of Eduard detail sets internationally so far coz those are hard to get here... I think that stuff comes from czech somewhere..?!
Reading this forum since some weeks it looks to me as if most of you must have a huge collection of unbuilt kits collecting dust.... maybe we should encourage ppl to use these forums for trading/selling more than so far..
:)
herberta
Member Since: March 06, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 12:58 AM UTC
Hi there
Ebay has become less of a place to find bargains, as others have mentioned.
Shipping to OZ and other places is VERY expensive. It's much cheaper for me to order from HobbyHQ or other Australian sites than to order from US internet shops!! Even with shipping. The exchange rate is a huge factor of course.
Now, I've bought and sold on Ebay, and recently I've sold a few built kits. I sold a couple of built kits, and did OK. There is a market of wargamers (I think) and collectors. I am moving soon, and built kits always get destroyed in moving, so I tried that market. Built kits that fetch high prices (not mine!!
) are award winners, or by "known" builder/sellers. I'd never buy a built kit, but I am happy to sell them!!
I'd be very surprised if it would be any cheaper for you to buy kits from US ebay in $US and with the high cost of shipping as compared to buying from NKR models, HobbyHQ or some other Australian based dealer. Tamiya, DML and even Revell Germany kits are cheaper out your way for us here!
Ebay has become less of a place to find bargains, as others have mentioned.
Shipping to OZ and other places is VERY expensive. It's much cheaper for me to order from HobbyHQ or other Australian sites than to order from US internet shops!! Even with shipping. The exchange rate is a huge factor of course.
Now, I've bought and sold on Ebay, and recently I've sold a few built kits. I sold a couple of built kits, and did OK. There is a market of wargamers (I think) and collectors. I am moving soon, and built kits always get destroyed in moving, so I tried that market. Built kits that fetch high prices (not mine!!
) are award winners, or by "known" builder/sellers. I'd never buy a built kit, but I am happy to sell them!!I'd be very surprised if it would be any cheaper for you to buy kits from US ebay in $US and with the high cost of shipping as compared to buying from NKR models, HobbyHQ or some other Australian based dealer. Tamiya, DML and even Revell Germany kits are cheaper out your way for us here!
GunTruck
Member Since: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 01:08 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Their prices seem OK, but shipping to the US is $14.00. (I'm working from memory here......). It may be lower to you.
Good memory - I won a 1:35 scale Apache kit auction from a Korean hobby shop - and shipping to the US ran $14 bucks...
Gunnie
pipesmoker
Member Since: January 31, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 01:28 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Reading this forum since some weeks it looks to me as if most of you must have a huge collection of unbuilt kits collecting dust....
LOL...I'm gonna build them I tell ya....(quoth me to my wife....)
pipesmoker
Member Since: January 31, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 01:29 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Good memory
Well, gunnie. I've been accused of using faulty equipment when I rely on my memory...LOL
GunTruck
Member Since: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 01:31 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextReading this forum since some weeks it looks to me as if most of you must have a huge collection of unbuilt kits collecting dust....
LOL...I'm gonna build them I tell ya....(quoth me to my wife....)
LOL - I don't consider myself a collector at all
I buy 'em to build - I just can't build 'em as fast as I buy them!That's my line (to my wife) and I'm stickin' to it!
Gunnie :-)
drewgimpy
Member Since: January 24, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 05:42 AM UTC
the one thing I would like to see on E-bay is a limit to the times you can post an item. It has gotten so clogged up with retailers posting 100 items at a time at a couple bucks below retail (which is about $4 above retail when you add the shipping). they get maybe 1 bid on the whole lot and then post it all up again as soon as the bids over. You get a dozen people doing this and there is a lot of crap to fish through to find a good deal. The good deals are there, just a lot of work to find. If they would put a limit on the # of times you could post an item it would get rid of all this, at least help I think. or maybe they could classify the people who run stores in a different way and you could cut them out of the search. I am finding more and more that squadron or someone like that is reliable, quick, and you don't have to hope someone esle doesn't get what you want.
m1garand
Member Since: February 08, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 05:44 AM UTC
Quoted Text
the one thing I would like to see on E-bay is a limit to the times you can post an item. It has gotten so clogged up with retailers posting 100 items at a time at a couple bucks below retail (which is about $4 above retail when you add the shipping). they get maybe 1 bid on the whole lot and then post it all up again as soon as the bids over. You get a dozen people doing this and there is a lot of crap to fish through to find a good deal. The good deals are there, just a lot of work to find. If they would put a limit on the # of times you could post an item it would get rid of all this, at least help I think. or maybe they could classify the people who run stores in a different way and you could cut them out of the search. I am finding more and more that squadron or someone like that is reliable, quick, and you don't have to hope someone esle doesn't get what you want.
I agree. I rarely shop on E-Bay anymore. I just window shop every once in awhile.
Sabot
Member Since: December 18, 2001
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entire network: 12,596 Posts
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Posted: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 06:53 AM UTC
I've been using eBay since about 1996. It used to be that you could browse the entire model kit category (no breakdown of car, boat, plane, military back then) in about an hour. I used to browse daily, grabbing "yard sale" model kit items (my son is gone & left these unbuilt kits in the closet....) at real great prices. After eBay took off in about 1998-99, the category split into cars, aircraft, etc., and it now took hours to just look at "military" category. Some where around this time, "brick & mortar" stores started listing their store stock at about MSRP. I see why they do this, it's because they need the revenue to stay open, plus the cost of an online webstore is high.
Today, I use eBay to search for a specific kit/detail set. I will occasionally search "Going, Going, Gone" to see what's ending right at that moment. The reason why kits are not getting the amount of bids they used to is that bidders are more savvy, that is, before the My eBay Page and the "Watching" feature, bidders would either have to write down the auction information or bid just a minimum amount to track an auction. Everyone bidding in 25¢ increments makes for dozens of bids. Today, these folks watch the auction, and if they really, really want it, then they use a sniping program to bid once real high in the closing (6 sec) seconds.
Today, I use eBay to search for a specific kit/detail set. I will occasionally search "Going, Going, Gone" to see what's ending right at that moment. The reason why kits are not getting the amount of bids they used to is that bidders are more savvy, that is, before the My eBay Page and the "Watching" feature, bidders would either have to write down the auction information or bid just a minimum amount to track an auction. Everyone bidding in 25¢ increments makes for dozens of bids. Today, these folks watch the auction, and if they really, really want it, then they use a sniping program to bid once real high in the closing (6 sec) seconds.
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