ebay gloves

[Rickybulldog]

Hello all,

For the past couple of months I've read many posts about gloves on ebay and some pros/cons to new ebay rules and procedures. I was wondering what do you guys think about practice of ending an auction early? I've noticed that a lot of sellers have been offered $50 bucks for gloves that would go for much more than that. It appears to be a growing trend. I try my best to contact the seller and encourage them to let the auction run it's course. Sometimes I make it and sometimes it's too late. I think ending auctions isn't fair to the other glove collectors, but that's just me. What do you guys think?

[offsidewing]

Yes, "Buy Low" tactics in an eviornment driven by a "Sell High" website.

I don't see anything wrong with ending an auction early, provided the seller indicates they are open to offers in the description. The "make an offer" is the way to go. But, in ebay's attempt at returning stock holder confidence, they've made the listing fees a little silly for BIN with make an offer.

People tired of getting sniped, only to see the broke impulse purchaser list it three weeks later when "rent is due" or the "car is broken" typically make offers.

I'm not into collecting stuff much, but it seems like ebay isn't the best place for collecters to look. Budget minded collectors will typically lose most auctions by informed sellers. You're further screwed if your purchace threshold is determined by probable resale value (then you're not really collecting, you're trying to invest).

I think it's funny how stuff gets recycled on ebay. I put a dumpster dive Pro-HF on last spring. About every 3 months I see it pop back on ebay.

[GloveGypsy]

eBay is what eBay is.

Dude, it's Saturday night. Haven't you something else to worry about?

I mean, like, who cares if some buyer gets a ball glove for $14 cheaper than if he was a gentleman and rode the whole auction to the end?

[Rickybulldog]

I don't understand the Saturday night comment. When I posted it in the afternoon California time. So, I'm going to leave it at that. This post is not a rant. I just noticed a trend and am just simply asking the thoughts of others. I hear what you're both saying and see your points. I'm not talking about $14 dollars cheaper. I'm talking about high end gloves or valuable gloves (i.e grover alexander model/pepper martin model) that should go for 200+ being asked to end at 50 bucks.

[ebbets55]

RBD,

I’m not trying to judge anyone as it’s not my place but I personally can’t stand it and I have never done it. It’s not O.K. for sellers to take advantage of buyers and conversely, it’s not O.K. for buyers to take advantage of sellers. I watch gloves and don’t bid on them right away when I first see them. Sellers can see how many people are watching their auctions from their My eBay page. If I’m a seller and I see a bunch of people watching my auction, then I’m not going to end it early. I never have and never will.

I don’t have the time to be around eBay all the time and certainly can’t run my life around when an auction is going to end. It’s just not that important to me. I value my free time more than the possible discount on a glove. If I see something I’m interested in, then I watch it and if I’m still interested in it a few days later, then I’ll set it up for a snipe. I hated the practice of sniping when it first came out because I always lost to snipers and it pissed me off. Now, I just throw my best bid out there and if I get it, I get it. If another sniper comes in over the top, then he is willing to pay more for it and I can’t complain because that’s a true auction running it’s proper course. I can handle that but I can’t handle the fact that I have a huge snipe placed and the seller ends an auction early to someone trying to take advantage of them for like fifty bucks. They are losing out on a whole bunch of potential end bidders like me and I personally know many, many people who only bid that way. Since I couldn’t beat them, I joined them. If I happen to win something over someone, then it’s nothing personal or spiteful as I probably placed my snipe before the weekend or sometime else early on and I don’t pay attention to who the high bidder is. I just can’t.

JD

[vintagebrett]

I'm with JD - I hate the practice of ending an auction early, especially if there are already bids on an it - for sure, it is one of my biggest pet peeves about eBay. I think we've discussed this before but part of the blame lies with the seller - if a bunch of people are asking you to end an auction early then you got to know you have something good and should let it run. The big bidders usually wait until the end as we all know.

My dad lost out on a Schmelzer's 1B mitt that he was high bidder on a couple weeks ago to an ended auction. It had been running for a couple days and had about 5 or 6 bids already. Seller still decided to end and sell to someone, probably for less than they would have gotten.

[Rickybulldog]

Thanks for the post Brett and JD. I hear you. I didn't choose this post to judge people or accuse. I just said "the practice" and wanted others' thoughts.

[Irish Tim]

Brett & JD are right on with their comments on this. The reason I'm even chiming in here is that I have great example that I'm dealing with right now.

I'm selling a glove on Ebay that has about 7 hours remaining. This is the Thos E Wilson split finger that I mentioned in the 'Today I Found...' section about 2 weeks ago. I liked the glove but I just didn't feel that attachment to it (you all know what I'm talking about). So I cleaned it up and threw it up for auction.

As I type, it has 2 bids for just over $13. Now I know this glove is worth alot more than that, and apparently some other buyers think so as well. I've had a few of these "auction ending offers" come my way and I have respectfully declined. Not only do I feel it's unethical, but I would also be doing a disservice to the entire Ebay community, including myself. Of course, my item also has 18 watchers, which pretty much ensures a late flurry of bidding, so I would be foolish to take one of these offers.

I think what happens it that these shady buyers prey upon impatient sellers who either just don't know what they have or need the quick fix of cash. Either way, they are being taken advantage of. As for myself, I don't even care... If I make money- great! If I lose money- that's OK too. At least someone out there will get a very cool and rare vintage glove to enjoy. It all comes around as far as I'm concerned. Some folks just can't help themselves when it comes to accepting these auction ending offers. I say "Patience Grasshopper".

Just a newbie's .02.

Tim

[Hrking4675]

I agree with a lot of what people are saying here, but I really see nothing wrong with trying to get a deal every once and a while or make a buck. If picked up a few gloves over the years that looked cool and were a great deal, but I knew if I did not have an attachment to them or they didnt feel right, there is nothing wrong with trying to make a profit off of them. Even when Morton had the 6HF's come out I bought 3 of them to put up on eBay 'knowing the market' for them and how few people would know about them initially. Ebay is a marketplace and not an antique store, so I'd say it is what it is and there isnt really much that needs to be changed. However, there should be a better setup for sellers who want to entertain offers during an auction rather than having to cancel bids ect.

[mushroomknob]

I agree with Brett and JD. I'm glad somebody brought this topic up.It does bother me to see auctions ended early.especially when the items have bids.I have had several gloves on my watch list over the past few months only to find that the auction has ended early.Let it run its course its an auction!People are being taken advantage of with these tactics because they just don't realize what they have.If you want cheap deals go to the yard sales and flea markets

Dave s

[GloveCrazy]

The more I think about it, the more it seems like it's not only taking advantage of the seller -- when the offer is extremely low -- but it is also sort of side-stepping the glove community. I think that's the part that bothers me the most. The members of this forum are the ones most likely to be the final bidders on the good stuff, but if one of us talks the buyer into ending it early it sort of takes something away from the rest of us. I can't say that I've never tried it before, or wasn't tempted when that seller didn't know he had a Cobb and listed it in the wrong section on ebay, but I really think that the auction should determine to whom goes the spoils. Just my two cents. Another comment that I agree with is that RickyBulldog needs to start having more fun on Saturday nights. I suggest a tradefest next Saturday night at mine!

[swalt1234]

I really think you guys should worry a lot less about the other bidders on ebay and go out for a beer with Rob and Bulldog. No collector on this Forum ever complained when you got to a fleamarket early and 'stole' an awesome valuable glove from a poor unsuspecting antique dealer. In fact there still is a lot of bragging when this happens. Maybe you should just leave the glove there so the guy can get a better price later when someone explains to him what he's got!

[vintagebrett]

I disagree with the flea market analogy. A lot of dealer on eBay put things up as buy it nows - if you get it at a good/cheap deal, which many of us have done, that is fine/fair/etc. However, it's the ending of the auctions that irks me. The purpose of an auction, based on definition, is "a publicly held sale at which property or goods are sold to the highest bidder." (dictionary.com) By offering to purchase before the auction ends, you are defeating the entire purpose.

I also agree with GloveCrazy and that it is side-stepping the glove community. I think it is great when we can compete for a top notch item and the highest bidder wins. I always enjoy seeing a name from the forum I recognize as the winner because then you know the glove is going to good home.

[MTGLOVEGUY]

Hi all, I have read and reread most of the posts and I have to say I agree with pretty much everyone. First let me say I have been on both sides of this. I personally think that as a "seller" you should know or at least have some idea of what your item should sell for, and as a buyer you should know where it is that you want to be on the item you are buying. If a person so chooses to make an offer to the seller and the amounts are where both parties need to be then no harm no foul. After all each person has the same capabilities as the other right? Here are two scenarios, 1st you are a seller and have had no bids or minimal bids on an item that has a value of 100.00 some idiot makes you an offer out of the blue to buy it now for 200.00 what do you do? let it run its course and sell for 80.00 or so or pull the auction? either way the seller still pays the selling and listing fees. As a seller do you tend to be more concerned about the what ifs and the we'll wait and see routine then compared to the "I'll pay you right now" version? What is the saying, a day late and a dollar short, or is it dammed if you do dammed if you don't? 2nd you're a buyer and the item you have been looking years for shows up finally do you take a chance before the auction starts and make the guy a crazy offer that he cant refuse just so you can get it or do you wait and hope that you get it through the bidding process? Now in my mind, if I am interested in something, I am more certain as a buyer that if I want that item I am going to try everything in my power to get it. Now as a bidder we have all watched gloves sell for prices that are both way too low and way to high, and we see items that normally would not get very many bids get way more then ever expected and vice versa. So does that mean that people are bidding up certain items? or is it that the items that have more bids are from people that we as glove collectors know and have more trust in what they are telling us in a description is more accurate? These are just my thoughts, as I said I have been on both sides, and I have sold items for less then what people have made offers for, and vice versa. Flea markets as we all know as "True Collectors" the early bird gets the worm and most deals or purchases that we have made both buying and selling have been done before the sales have started or shortly there after. I think to each his own, and even though it may not have the "flea market" appeal or something of the sort, it is still a place to sell items, the fact that Ebay does offer Buy it Now Options, as well as Best Offer options, to me, somewhat makes it ok for offers to be taken or given in regular auctions BEFORE they have a bid on them, its really no different then leaving a silent bid on an item at the local auction house because you can't make it, the auctioneer is in this case the "seller" and he see's no potential bidders or anyone so he makes the choice to pull the auction and give to the guy with the silent bid. Again I will state I find it ok ONLY if it is prior to bids being made. I hate the fees and everything that is involved w/Ebay and when I pay not only a listing fee and a selling value fee plus PayPal fees, why should I also have to pay Reserve, Buy it Now, and Make Offer fees. Not to mention the last thing I want to do is have to relist my item if it does not sell. I don't think offense should be taken if someone makes you and offer during an auction, if they do and thats not the process you want to have it sold by then just simply tell them it has already started and I cant end the auction but place your bid for X amount and we'll see what happens, but if they want to end it PRIOR TO BIDS then that is there choice. As well I dont think you can be offended by another bidder winning an item by making an offer after all you have the same ability they do, heck maybe your offer would have been more? Back to the Flea Market scene, Lets say you the "True" collector got up 30 minutes earlier then I did and made a deal, or made an offer, or bought an item outright from the dealer for the price a dealer had on thier goods or what you agreed on, and I got there late or after you made a transaction should I be mad at you the other collector, or should I be mad at the dealer? Or should I be mad at myself for not being the dedicated "True" collector for not getting my A** out of bed 35 minutes earlier so that I would beat you there? That is a game played no different then waiting until the final 20 seconds to click your mouse to place a bid. We are all here to collect and I would hope that on any level we could get the items we are intersted in be it through outright sales, trading, or bidding. Good debate topic for sure!! With that being said does anyone know who outbid me on the TruSport Box & Mitt? So from here on out I am no longer interested in any TruSport or Tryon items, therefore none of you in the glove collector community should ever have to place a bid trying to outbid me!! I lost the bid by a dollar, anyone know who it was and how I can get ahold of him or her? Oh and by the way the entire auction process when run from start to finish, In my opinion is a much funner process!!!

[GloveGypsy]

Would any of you fellow glove collectors be interested in having our own eBay-style site for collectible baseball gloves?

I could probably get it going.

It would be by membership only. All buyers and sellers would be trading with the same information and trading experience, so it would be fair, efficient, and the auctions would not allowed to end early.

-GG