ebay question

Re: ebay question

Roy Anderson

>I would say 13 watchers is on the high side. Definately on the good side of average. More and more people are using free sniping programs so they can program their bid in the last few seconds of the auction so they won't stimulate a bidding war. So it's possible not to see any bids untill it's all over and then to look back and see that a magnificant fracas took place within 5-10 seconds of the end. In the meantime, they just put the item on their watch list. Confession: I do this all the time. I've been on both sides of this game.

Alternately, and I've done this also, people will see something that's interesting that they don't want to buy. They just want to see how it comes out. So they put it on their watch list. It's entertaining and educational. So any way you figure it, 13 watchers probably means you're selling something interesting.

Re: ebay question

Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.

>Hi Moses,

Good for you, I know how you feel. One of my other hobbies WAS building Formula One model cars. Just last week I sold 10 of my cars on EBay. Several of my cars had 30 plus people holding them in watch, the car that sold for the highest rice had nearly the fewest watchers...go figure. Most of the cars sold for a 20-50% increase over the posted bid a the one hour mark remaining in the auction over the price in the last 2 minutes.

It is addictive, it is exciting to sell your items too, shipping and payment are the other side of the process....I communicate a lot with my customers, I email and offer my cell number to make sure things go well...I have not had a negative transaction in 6 years and I have met some nice people too.

Enjoy your self Moses and the number that counts is the one they pay you when it clears in the bank...

Ther has been a lot of EBay advice on line, so take some time to learn what you can.

Take care,

Jim

Re: ebay question

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Moses,

Not being an e-bay seller, but rather buyer, I can tell you that I always have stuff that I have no intention of buying on my Watch List just to see what they go for, however, I'd say that with 13 watcher so far, that more than likely at least one of them (and hopefully two eh) are serious buyers.

Also, if there is something I want I'll watch it up until the last few hours before making my bid. Sometimes they go out of my price range before the end of the auction, so I let them go.

Last night I made two buys. One was a handcrank drillpress that I watched all week. IIRc I finally put my bid in with 3 hours left, and I got it for the opening bid as I was the only bidder.

My second buy was a sharpening stone that as soon as I saw it a week ago I put my bid on because I wanted it badly. I have a "deal" going with another stone buyer, that if either he or I have a bid in on a stone than we won't outbid each other, so I put my bid on that one before he seen it. It stayed at the opening bid right up until the last hour, than I got outbid, so I so I waited until about 8 minutes out and put in a real high bid, and darn if TWO more ya-hoo's didn't try to get it in the final seconds, but alas I got it, tho they came pretty close to my high bid. I fiqured if they wanted it bad enough than I'd make them pay for it. I wanted that stone and was determined to have at whatever it cost me, but if I couldn't have it than somebody was going to have to pay some long green to get it away from me. So, in the last hour it went from $25 to $80.

Good luck with your e-baying, and let us know how it goes. What cha' sellin'?

Todd O.

Thank you

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>Thanks for the response from everyone; makes me feel a little better about not having higher bids yet. I might point you in the direction of the sale for critiquing the presentation after the sale has ended.

P.S. Todd, it is not a sharpening stone, or I would email you the item # ;)

Hey Todd...

John in New Mexico

>I want to see this stone! Or at least a description. I've got a little grey slipstone from K&E from the days before drafting on mylar. Its for sharpening scalpels to remove ink from velum. Turns out it's a dirty (I think thats why its grey anyhow) translucent stone, and about the nicest fine stone I've ever used. It polishes, but is somehow aggressive at the same time. I wish it were a bench stone!

Re: Hey Todd...

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>Hi John. You may want to check the Lilly White stones Joel sells at the

Tools for Working Wood store(http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/)

they are not cheap but work just as you describe. I am thrilled with mine.JR

Hey John... Better hurry! *LINK*

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Todd likes to take his pictures down--which buy the way Todd, really bugs me sometimes. I don't get to see everything you sell, so sometimes I go check out your feedbacks to see the cool items you've sold and the pics are gone. :~( I know, it saves you some $$--still bugs me tho. ;~)

So, two things. #1, why did I buy this stone? 'Cause. Nuff said.

#2, which one you Islanders tried to bet me out of this stone and thus it jack up on me? Huh? Huh? Huh? C'mon, 'fess up you dirty, rotten, son-of-a-biscuit. ;~)

T.O.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=140071619929&rd=1&rd=1

Re: ebay question

Todd Hughes

>I don't really get to excited about the number of watches , alot depends on what you are selling. I just checked my stuff and I have 14 watches on a Stanley no. 15 block plane that has only been on it for 2 days about the same number as watching an Israel White sash plane that was put up at the same time with both having 5 days to go ....and boy that Sash plane had better go for alot more then that no. 15 !

I've notice that you get alot of watchs for saws esp. dovetail ones ,not unusual to have 30-40 maybe because lots of guys want one and hope they can get it cheap? I sold a bunch of unimat mini lathe parts and they probably hold the record for tools for watches...had a couple with around 100 watches. Sold a 1950s lesibian scrap book [nothing nasty just women dancing and etc.]once and it had over 200 watches.Sold very very well to Cornell Univ.

It is definatly true that you never know what somthing will sell for till it sells because things can really jump in the last few seconds.With Ebay like selling things anywhere you make your money when you buy the item...buy it right and you will do well. I have friends that say they can't sell on the ebay because they don't do well on it and it is because they don't know what to buy or what to pay.

....Is fun to watch your stuff climb higher and higher esp. when you got it for the cheap that is for sure....Todd

Pretty cool!

John in New Mexico

>When you said you collect these things, I was imagining old sticky whet stones found in the bottom of tool boxes or behind some old grinder. But that's a real antique! As to #1, no explanation needed, nice score. I can't own stuff like that since I'm always tempted to try it out ;).

John

Re: Pretty cool!

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Thanks John! As of right now this will be the cap-stone stone of my collection. Pre-civil war un-used condition! Unbelieveable! I won't be using it either I think. I dunno.

I didn't buy it for investment purposes, more Historical reasons I guess, but than again I dunno if that's right either. At any rate, it grabbed my Fancy, so I grabbed it!

T.O.

Re: Hey Todd...

Mike G. in sSC

>I recently got a nice Translucent Arkansas bench stone at an auction for 15 bucks. Have the original wooden box with label in lid, too. The only apology is a corner of the stone is chipped off...worthless to a collector, but absolutely great as a user. It's my "go to" stone for the final edge.

Mike G. in SC

Re: Hey Mike...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Yup, those are nice stones for final honing. Got several of them myself of various sizes.

What are the deminsions of your stone?

T.O.

Re: Pretty cool!

Ernie Miller

>Damn Todd if you are spending that kind of money I am going to have to quit sending you free bees! Ah just kidding I will still keep an eye out for the stuff that you like. Moses post a link after the auction for us to see what you sold. or send me you seller ID so I can put it in my favorites I don't buy much but if somthing comes up that I want I would pay a little more for it from a friend.

Re: Hey Mike...

Mike G. in sSC

>Off the top of my head, I believe it's almost two inches wide by about five inches long by about 3/4 of an inch or so thick. I know it's wide enough to hone my #4 iron but is too narrow to hone my #7 iron. I learned a new way to hone from a recent PW issue where you move the iron side to side instead of lengthwise.

Mike G. waiting for the wintery mix in the foothills of SC