litefoot
Addicted to ArboristSite
Everything Stihl will bring premium prices on ebay. All other brands (with few exceptions) are a crap shoot.
Where did I go wrong?!?!
- Thread starter hoss
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Chris J.
Addicted to ArboristSite
Bowtie, what is/are your eBay user name/names? I ask because I'd like to avoid your auctions if you list items on eBay.
I feel for you Hoss! When you are selling something that isn't super popular its like rolling the dice. The above comments are all good. I didn't search for your auction, but when I am selling something that isn't super popular I choose a longer auction to give more people a chance to see it.
Dok
Dok
harrygrey382
Addicted to ArboristSite
I don't get it - what's the difference between this and a secrect reserve price? All you're doing is avoiding a few ebay charges, the end result is the same...
You could abuse it - as in start a bidding war to get the price higher and higher. But he's not suggesting this, just using it as a way to set a reserve without trying to upset peoples stupid ideas of not bidding when there's a reserve. I see no moral issues if you don't abuse it.
I feel for you - I watch 076/076/070s go for silly money here, generally in the £259-£300 range. I sold a rebuilt (well, new piston, rings, carb kit) good running PHO 075 three months ago. It went for £163. Now an 051 with no chain just went for £350 (the starting price). WHY?? I didn't set a reserve or high start price, but I wish I'd done something...
Sometimes people have to have something, sometimes no one can be bothered. I huess you've just gotta keep listing it. When you look at completed listings, sometimes you see the same listing going for twice what it didn't sell for...
I bought a landcruiser seat for $40 a couple of months ago (lots of bids), I just sold it (auction's second week running) for 1 bid, $0.99. You can get them at the wreckers for $250
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toddstreeservic
ArboristSite Guru
My opinion-- use bigger font and different color in your description. Use less detail in your description --most buyers don't read past the 2nd line. Your feedback is less than 100% which is a red flag to some. I have seen my auctions do better with out a reserve (i have lost $$ on a couple though)
Maybe try listing it here in the tradin post? Where people appreciate a full rebuild?
Maybe try listing it here in the tradin post? Where people appreciate a full rebuild?
toddstreeservic
ArboristSite Guru
:agree2:
hanniedog
Addicted to ArboristSite
As said using a shill bidder is not legal. You expect people to bid on their own stuff at a consignment auction. But doing it at any other auction be it live or via ebay is wrong. I watched a 36" OTC wrench "sell" over and over. Unless this person had a dozen to sell, there was a shill involved.
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Chris J.
Addicted to ArboristSite
Does eBay follow-up to see if money actually changes hands between sellers & winning bidders? I would think so since non-payments cut into eBay's $$.
If not, it'd be easy for sellers to use shill bidders. If the shill bidder doesn't stop early enough, they would "win" the item, the seller simply wouldn't follow-up for payment, & could relist the item. :monkey:
If not, it'd be easy for sellers to use shill bidders. If the shill bidder doesn't stop early enough, they would "win" the item, the seller simply wouldn't follow-up for payment, & could relist the item. :monkey:
I concur with the Reserve pricing. There are simply a lot of potential buyers, myself included, that don't have the time to piss around with Reserve auctions. I'd rather know right up front what the seller wants for the saw. There are simply WAY too many sellers who thing that everything they have is gold plated with a silver lining. I know EXACTLY what the market will bring for items like chainsaws, and so do many other potential buyers. I don't want to spend a week watching an auction just to discover the seller has unrealistic expectations.
Basically, your starting price should be the very least you can live with, and let it run from there.
I would also estimate these days that nearly 100 percent of the auctions we see running for chainsaws listed by "power sellers" are "boosting" their own auctions. The reason I say this, is that they will start the bidding at $1, for a saw worth several hundred dollars (or more). How do they know that they woln't end up selling it WAY under the current market value.
I've actually followed and bid in quite a few of these saws, and never once to date won a single auction. As soon as you hit it with a bid, you will immediately find someone bidding against you trying to "boost" the auction.
Since we no longer know much about the folks we are bidding against, difficult to assess if they have an association with the seller? I have noticed, however, that some give up an association by the log on names that they use. Recently, and I woln't post the EXACT log on names of the seller and bidder, but it was something like 1hotrod70, and the bidder was logged on as 2fastcar69. Makes one wonder if the same person doesn't own both accounts? (I'd bet a couple of weeks pay they are related)
In any case, good photos are a must, and a brief but detailed write up about the saw, with a good story line as to how it is coming up for sale. Keep in brief, but try to "sell" yourself and the saw so folks know that you aren't dumping some junk on them. Try to keep your write up like a resume, not more than about one page.
Accept personal checks, MO's, cashiers checks and Pay Pal. You narrow the field again by limiting funding sources.
Ship overseas and to Canada, opening up the market for more potential buyers.
Be reasonable with the shipping charges. WAY, WAY, WAY too many folks are trying to make an additional $20-40 on shipping. That agravates the ship out of many buyers, like myself, who have a commercial UPS account and know exactly what it costs to ship anywhere.
At the bottom of all of my auctions, I write a few lines that we pride ourselves in 100 percent positive feedback, and that the buyer will receive the exact item in the auction, in perfect working order. If not completely satisfied with it, return it AS delivered for a full refund.
Ya, once in a while you'll send a saw to some moron who should have stayed in his recliner and just paid the propane bill, instead of wondering into the woods not knowing jack crap about how to operate a chainsaw. He'll drive you nuts with questions, EVERYTHING about the saw will be messed up, and end up wanting a refund. If you want to be a successful seller, it just goes with the territory......Cliff
Basically, your starting price should be the very least you can live with, and let it run from there.
I would also estimate these days that nearly 100 percent of the auctions we see running for chainsaws listed by "power sellers" are "boosting" their own auctions. The reason I say this, is that they will start the bidding at $1, for a saw worth several hundred dollars (or more). How do they know that they woln't end up selling it WAY under the current market value.
I've actually followed and bid in quite a few of these saws, and never once to date won a single auction. As soon as you hit it with a bid, you will immediately find someone bidding against you trying to "boost" the auction.
Since we no longer know much about the folks we are bidding against, difficult to assess if they have an association with the seller? I have noticed, however, that some give up an association by the log on names that they use. Recently, and I woln't post the EXACT log on names of the seller and bidder, but it was something like 1hotrod70, and the bidder was logged on as 2fastcar69. Makes one wonder if the same person doesn't own both accounts? (I'd bet a couple of weeks pay they are related)
In any case, good photos are a must, and a brief but detailed write up about the saw, with a good story line as to how it is coming up for sale. Keep in brief, but try to "sell" yourself and the saw so folks know that you aren't dumping some junk on them. Try to keep your write up like a resume, not more than about one page.
Accept personal checks, MO's, cashiers checks and Pay Pal. You narrow the field again by limiting funding sources.
Ship overseas and to Canada, opening up the market for more potential buyers.
Be reasonable with the shipping charges. WAY, WAY, WAY too many folks are trying to make an additional $20-40 on shipping. That agravates the ship out of many buyers, like myself, who have a commercial UPS account and know exactly what it costs to ship anywhere.
At the bottom of all of my auctions, I write a few lines that we pride ourselves in 100 percent positive feedback, and that the buyer will receive the exact item in the auction, in perfect working order. If not completely satisfied with it, return it AS delivered for a full refund.
Ya, once in a while you'll send a saw to some moron who should have stayed in his recliner and just paid the propane bill, instead of wondering into the woods not knowing jack crap about how to operate a chainsaw. He'll drive you nuts with questions, EVERYTHING about the saw will be messed up, and end up wanting a refund. If you want to be a successful seller, it just goes with the territory......Cliff
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
It's all in the write-up mang. 
I sold a Jonsereds 70E with a 28" windsor speed-tip bar and full skip chain for $265 bucks. It was a free saw that I put about 50 bucks into. Ran like a scalded dog and pulled that 28" chain just fine. I rebuilt the carb, put new fuel line and filter in it. Replaced the rear handle, and cleaned the hell out of it
I had good clear pictures. I even linked a youtube video of me makin' a few cuts with it.
You have to be a good wordsmith for things to sell... when you write it up, pretend you are selling it to joe blow that knows nothing about saws. When you do a write up on a saw on ebay like you are writing it to all us saw nuts... you lose out in a market.
No reserves... think of the lowest amount you will take for the item and just start your auction out about 25 bucks below that. So in the even it doesn't go higher you aren't out any money, or piece of mind.
I listed the 70E with a starting price of $50 bucks...
I also sold a McCulloch PM610 with a 24" bar and full skip chain for $225 on ebay. Like I said... It's all in the write-up, and don't use a reserve.
Gary
I sold a Jonsereds 70E with a 28" windsor speed-tip bar and full skip chain for $265 bucks. It was a free saw that I put about 50 bucks into. Ran like a scalded dog and pulled that 28" chain just fine. I rebuilt the carb, put new fuel line and filter in it. Replaced the rear handle, and cleaned the hell out of it
I had good clear pictures. I even linked a youtube video of me makin' a few cuts with it.
You have to be a good wordsmith for things to sell... when you write it up, pretend you are selling it to joe blow that knows nothing about saws. When you do a write up on a saw on ebay like you are writing it to all us saw nuts... you lose out in a market.
No reserves... think of the lowest amount you will take for the item and just start your auction out about 25 bucks below that. So in the even it doesn't go higher you aren't out any money, or piece of mind.
I listed the 70E with a starting price of $50 bucks...
I also sold a McCulloch PM610 with a 24" bar and full skip chain for $225 on ebay. Like I said... It's all in the write-up, and don't use a reserve.
Gary
PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
:agree2:
Me thinks Bowtie ought to delete that post. Seems like a good enough guy but stepped on a nerve here. I'm not condoning what he suggested.
PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hoss,
I seen that saw for sale, and when I was reading it I thought it might have been you selling it. The description was a little wordy, informative, but maybe cut back a little bit. Like Gary said, sell it to the masses. Try to sell it to your neighbor or a guy in Kansas that thinks they need a saw that big. Most people don't look at saws for the collector's value, so sell it as though you would a new 390xp or something like that. The saw is definitely worth $300 to someone. Throw it up in the tradin' post and see where that gets you.
It is getting close to shopping season, maybe try to re-list closer to Thanksgiving. People will be thinking about presents.
and good luck. It is a nice looking saw.
I seen that saw for sale, and when I was reading it I thought it might have been you selling it. The description was a little wordy, informative, but maybe cut back a little bit. Like Gary said, sell it to the masses. Try to sell it to your neighbor or a guy in Kansas that thinks they need a saw that big. Most people don't look at saws for the collector's value, so sell it as though you would a new 390xp or something like that. The saw is definitely worth $300 to someone. Throw it up in the tradin' post and see where that gets you.
It is getting close to shopping season, maybe try to re-list closer to Thanksgiving. People will be thinking about presents.
and good luck. It is a nice looking saw.
I've always wondered how much to say about a saw I rebuilt. You know that quality of the work you do, but the buyer doesn't. Saying too much might actually hurt you. Just a thought.
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
It will Brad... joe the homeowner don't give a rip about a ported cylinder, or titanium bar nuts... or max-flo air filter systems.
Gary
Gary, excellent comments. The write up is essential.
Some time ago I sold a top handle Echo 301, in great shape. At the time our auction ran, there were at least a half dozen other 300's, 301's running. Most of the other adds just said Echo 301 chainsaw, good condition, runs.
I included a nice write-up about our saw, mentioning that it was purchased new a few years ago to clear some land so we could build our house, and had seen very little use, no longer needed it since our house was finished, etc. Included some nice pics of the saw, along with our lines about 100 percent positive feedback, and fully guarenteeing the saw to start, and function perfectly.
We got around $160 for the saw, none of the other auctions running at the same time busted $100 for nearly identical saws......Cliff
Some time ago I sold a top handle Echo 301, in great shape. At the time our auction ran, there were at least a half dozen other 300's, 301's running. Most of the other adds just said Echo 301 chainsaw, good condition, runs.
I included a nice write-up about our saw, mentioning that it was purchased new a few years ago to clear some land so we could build our house, and had seen very little use, no longer needed it since our house was finished, etc. Included some nice pics of the saw, along with our lines about 100 percent positive feedback, and fully guarenteeing the saw to start, and function perfectly.
We got around $160 for the saw, none of the other auctions running at the same time busted $100 for nearly identical saws......Cliff
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
I have been told that I could "sell brass knuckles to Ghandi."
But in actuality, it's not about blowin' smoke up someones arse... it's wording it so it doesn't sound that way...
Gary
But in actuality, it's not about blowin' smoke up someones arse... it's wording it so it doesn't sound that way...
Gary
It will Brad... joe the homeowner don't give a rip about a ported cylinder, or titanium bar nuts... or max-flo air filter systems.
Gary
That pretty much nails it right there. Save the ported saws and fancy stuff for the crowd on this site. Sell your stock saws to Joe the homeowner and be totally up front about the condition and what you've done to it- good or bad.
harrygrey382 said:
People can see if there's a reserve price set on an item, or if you start the price at a certain level. People can't see if you're using alternate accounts to bid your item up. Shill bidding is the same as over describing an item's condition, or saying that something is included when it isn't. It's a tactic that goes back to the days of snake oil salesmen and Ponzi schemes. Honesty pays the most dividends, and it keeps paying over and over.
PB
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have been told that I could "sell brass knuckles to Ghandi."
But in actuality, it's not about blowin' smoke up someones arse... it's wording it so it doesn't sound that way...
Gary
Tact is the word your looking for Gary, in other words telling someone to f**k off and have them shake your hand and smile as they walk away.
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