Ebay prices

[Vermis]

Nowadays, I almost exclusively use the 'Buy it now' function, probably because I've become lazy, but also because I will at least know the market value of the item I'm after and can compare it more easily (as opposed to the research previously required).

Sometimes I look at the inflated prices on 'buy it now - or nearest offer' items and wonder what the reaction would be if I offered a pound.

it's not 'overpriced' if someone is willing to pay for it. and eventually someone will.  ebay is nothing compared to stubhub.

When I looked for Island of Blood rat ogres, on and off, I noticed there were badly painted examples from a couple of sellers, priced about £15-17 each. When I say I searched on and off, I mean I'd forget about rat ogres for weeks or months. When I looked again, the same badly painted models would still be there.

... and I just looked again, long after the IoB bits-splitters have dried up, and most if not all of those individual rat ogres are still there.

If they've been sitting around this long, I don't think it's just me being a penny-pincher. Maybe someone'll buy them, eventually, but that's some holding out, just to grasp a couple of extra quid.

Sometimes I think that if people are so confident in the value of their minis, they should stick a small starting bid on and watch it skyrocket. Or not. In the meantime, I have a nice big bagful of rat ogres to be getting on with.

[Elbows]

Don't get me started on the poorly painted stuff on ebay...   I understand the metals, if you sell them cheap - someone will strip them.  Plastics are a bit harder.  I am a bit shocked at the prices some people want for primed and poorly assembled stuff (often more than the box from a retailer).

I do love the "pro-painted" tags used on anything.  Some look as if the owner's dog dipped his tail in paint and smacked the table as he walked by..."pro-painted" my lily white ass. 

[Vermis]

I am a bit shocked at the prices some people want for primed and poorly assembled stuff (often more than the box from a retailer).

I honestly think it's because they think they've added value to the minis by doing the 'hard work' for you. Everyone knows the point of GW minis is whatever special rules are attached to them, not in trying to make them look good. (Though lest I be seen as GW-bashing outside the designated area, there's a bit of a different 'game token' attitude in some non-GW gaming circles, too)

Also reminds me of one guy I saw on ebay, selling bits of his not-very-well prepared GW collection. In the descriptions, he set out to justify his high asking prices because he'd already spent so much buying the merch from GW, in the first place.

[Elbows]

Reminds me of my days selling cars...

"But I put this dirt cheap floppy plastic body kit on it, and some sweet imbalanced fake chrome wheels...that makes the car worth like, way more!"

"Nope...you just killed the resale value.  The bubble gum metallic paint doesn't help your case either..."

"Yeah, but the paint's custom..."

 

[Tactalvanic]

"Nope...you just killed the resale value.  The bubble gum metallic paint doesn't help your case either..."

"Yeah, but the paint's custom..."

 

Thats a brilliant idea - consider it stolen. If I ever put any of my tat, painted, on ebay, I will completely not bother with OOP or Pro Painted nonsense.

'Custom paint Job'' every single one!

[stone-cold-lead]

Sometimes I look at the inflated prices on 'buy it now - or nearest offer' items and wonder what the reaction would be if I offered a pound.

I don't mind the BIN's and best offers in general. They tend to fall into one of three categories: Market value, a bit higher than market value but not ridiculous, and then the eye rollingly insane prices. A model that's generally worth £3 - £4 being sold with a £5 BIN isn't bad in my opinion but a seller who lists it for £10+ is rather taking the piss.

When it comes to making a best offer, if you put in a joke offer you simply wouldn't get a response. Which brings me onto my own pet peeve. When dealing with big sellers there's a tendency for them to completely ignore even a reasonable offer if it's not quite what they are willing accept. No attempt at the back and forth of offer and counter offer they'll just ignore you until your offer expires. It's usually if you try and get more than 10% knocked off the price but 15% and 20% are hardly 'joke' offers yet still some sellers won't engage.

Sometimes I think that if people are so confident in the value of their minis, they should stick a small starting bid on and watch it skyrocket. Or not. In the meantime, I have a nice big bagful of rat ogres to be getting on with.

Some sellers do that but I've got to be honest if I was selling genuinely pricey models I'd be a little anxious about letting something possibly go for 99p. 

[The Dozing Dragon]

For me it depends on how much I want it.....there are, for example, 4 codes left for me to collect in the old Dragontooth P range....can't find them anywhere...I have to assume they were limited release at the end of the companies' trading life......if I see them I will go higher than I would if I was just starting to collect the series...I'd like to finish the set. Also, wine plays a big part in my hobby purchases.....

[stone-cold-lead]

Also reminds me of one guy I saw on ebay, selling bits of his not-very-well prepared GW collection. In the descriptions, he set out to justify his high asking prices because he'd already spent so much buying the merch from GW, in the first place.

I'm always amused by the seller who thinks that they can justify passing all sorts of 'value' onto the buyer. Somebody's time spent listing items, packing them and going to the post office, plus the expense of petrol and parking does not add any value to a model. I've seen people list all of these things on the auction pages as a way to justify their prices. They're the people who like to have a massive list of conditions and information about who they will and won't deal with attached to their auctions. I saw one seller who had some models at a reasonable price but he stated that he didn't offer combined postage because it costs him time and money to pack everything and then drive into town to post stuff. Because it's reasonable to request £20 to post a handful of models within the UK!  

[YPU]

My mum worked as a dog trimmer for a few years. She likes to tell a story about how some customers wanted to sell their dogs, they had a nice calculation of how much they had spend on feeding and housing the dogs, which clearly should be paid for by the new owners. Sure they might have been some sort of pure-bred, but they were 12 years old and incontinent.

[zorg]

Years ago, I sold both my GW Undead and my Skaven Army on ebay (and good riddance). Both were fully painted, and painted pretty badly. My first ever painted minis. I'm talking mint-green clad Skaven, or snowy white skellies. I started the auctions at 1,- EUR, because that was the cheapest way to sell.

People absolutely rushed me with their offers! I made a very decent profit, even though any LAFer would have stripped the paint off these minis first thing. Or accused me of Behaviour unworthy of a Wargamer. It was unbelievable.

What I'm trying to say is: it's not only the sellers who're bonkers. A lot of people who buy on ebay are just as crazy. People pay ludicrous prices for badly painted minis. Especially if it's GW.

[stone-cold-lead]

What I'm trying to say is: it's not only the sellers who're bonkers. A lot of people who buy on ebay are just as crazy. People pay ludicrous prices for badly painted minis. Especially if it's GW.

Bear in mind though that your 'bad' paint jobs may be miles better than someone else's best efforts and a complete ready to go army might appeal immensely to those people.

Or maybe you had a lot of OOP models that all got stripped and resold for twice the price. 

[zorg]

Bear in mind though that your 'bad' paint jobs may be miles better than someone else's best efforts and a complete ready to go army might appeal immensely to those people.

That's a charming thought

Or maybe you had a lot of OOP models that all got stripped and resold for twice the price. 

And now I feel a bit uneasy...

[3 fingers]

Little example of what I meant was the nurgle rot ringer sorcerer on eBay there's one at £14.99 and another at £24.00 and cheekily asking £1.20 postage, on a miniature that's only £8.20 new from GW itself?  Chancers!

[stone-cold-lead]

Little example of what I meant was the nurgle rot ringer sorcerer on eBay there's one at £14.99 and another at £24.00 and cheekily asking £1.20 postage, on a miniature that's only £8.20 new from GW itself?  Chancers!

It pays to keep an eye on GW's web store too as sometimes things reappear that might have been OOP. Both buyers and sellers aren't always aware of what's available.

[dbsubashi]

Stone-Cold-Lead, E-Bay is totally automated these days. BIN offers come with a minimum ( set by the seller); anything below the minimum does not notify the seller. That is most likely why you got no response. Next time I advise you send the seller an email.