Chatter/Rick -
I took a couple of months off from eBay, and was wondering where Steve was when I came back.
I do remember some of those earlier discussions - hence Rick branding me "The other Steve".
I do change snipes - here's why -
I have two prices in mind when I bid on something - my max that I am willing to pay, and what I would really like to pay for the item.
Next constraint - I now try to limit my eBay purchases to a set $ a month (hence my several month vacation from eBay as previously mentioned).
Ok - so what I do, at the beginning of the month (really the beginning of my credit card billing cycle), I place snipes at the max I'm willing to pay. Once I win enough auctions to hit my limit for the month, I go back and actually LOWER my snipes the the price that I'd like to pay (much lower win %, but if I can get it for that - great!).
At the next month start, if I still have open bids, I RAISE them back to my max and the cycle starts over again.
Now I know an eBay budget is foreign to some of you, but things are working much better for me now.
I have two prices in mind when I bid on something - my max that I am willing to pay, and what I would really like to pay for the item.
Next constraint - I now try to limit my eBay purchases to a set $ a month (hence my several month vacation from eBay as previously mentioned).
Ok - so what I do, at the beginning of the month (really the beginning of my credit card billing cycle), I place snipes at the max I'm willing to pay. Once I win enough auctions to hit my limit for the month, I go back and actually LOWER my snipes the the price that I'd like to pay (much lower win %, but if I can get it for that - great!).
At the next month start, if I still have open bids, I RAISE them back to my max and the cycle starts over again.
Now I know an eBay budget is foreign to some of you, but things are working much better for me now.
quote:
Originally posted by "The other Steve":
What happened to Steve?
ToS,
We haven't heard from Steve for about 4 months. Most everyone is gone from the old group. fordfalcons (aka Christine, currently known as Falcon Gal), as you can see Chatter, and occasionally robert are the only ones left. Everyone else is gone. I guess most people in forums are nomadic. Glad to see you back.
I almost forgot - Sara is still here.
[This message was edited by Rick on January 15, 2004 at 10:09 AM.]
I know it is hard, but just set your very max on AS and then grin an bare it. That way you do not over pay and you do not run the prices up.
I have on occassion when I was afraid that the seller might pull the item, set the minimum bid on e bay to kind of lock it in. Then I set my max on AS.
But, normally I only use ebay. But...I do make continous use of the bid group folders. You win some and you lose some. But that way you get that gizmo at your price. Of course if it is a hand made whatchamajig made in 1427, that is a different story.
But good luck, and try to avoid the nibble temptation.
"Shop" and My Snipes
I have on occassion when I was afraid that the seller might pull the item, set the minimum bid on e bay to kind of lock it in. Then I set my max on AS.
But, normally I only use ebay. But...I do make continous use of the bid group folders. You win some and you lose some. But that way you get that gizmo at your price. Of course if it is a hand made whatchamajig made in 1427, that is a different story.
But good luck, and try to avoid the nibble temptation.
"Shop" and My Snipes
I change my max bid at times too, but that's partly because the things I'm buying don't really have an easily fixed value or market price. And partly because eBay shopping is a hobby for me, not a business. I don’t have 600+ auctions under my belt – watching (and reacting to) the auction itself is still part of the fun.
When I see a plant I’m interested in, I add it to my watch list, do my research, and visit it for a couple of days to see if I still want it. AND I try to keep in mind how much I paid for the last one, and how fast I managed to kill it! If I can’t live without it, I pick a Max that I’m comfortable with and enter a proxy (or, now, set up a snipe).
But if I find myself still picking out potting soil and top-dressing after the bid has gone over my max, maybe I can squeeze a little more out of my budget...
(...except in the dead of winter, like now, when I have to settle for adding a pirated picture of it to my virtual garden...)
When I see a plant I’m interested in, I add it to my watch list, do my research, and visit it for a couple of days to see if I still want it. AND I try to keep in mind how much I paid for the last one, and how fast I managed to kill it! If I can’t live without it, I pick a Max that I’m comfortable with and enter a proxy (or, now, set up a snipe).
But if I find myself still picking out potting soil and top-dressing after the bid has gone over my max, maybe I can squeeze a little more out of my budget...
(...except in the dead of winter, like now, when I have to settle for adding a pirated picture of it to my virtual garden...)
quote:
I don’t have 600+ auctions under my belt – watching (and reacting to) the auction itself is still part of the fun.
It is fun isnt it? I think we tend to forget the fun part of ebay, sure the aim is to get a bargin, but its like being at a *real life* auction when you are upping your bid versus having a friend go with a set amount. Its not same thrill of winning. I know I am contradicting some things I have said earlier, but your posts reminded me of my first few wins and how great I felt afterwards
Aww I am allowed to change my mind - womens perogative afterall.quote:
AND I try to keep in mind how much I paid for the last one, and how fast I managed to kill it!
I am a fellow greenie/brown thumb myself, I did go out and count the fatalities in the garden the other day and it wasnt looking so pretty.
Lexie
#!, I miss Steve too. Knowing him, he is probably lurking in the background! 
#2, Shirley, do you have good luck receiving healthy plants?
#2, Shirley, do you have good luck receiving healthy plants?
Steve never impressed me as the lurking type.
I buy plants on-line all the time (not much via eBay). And I've had mixed results with shipping - some have been excelent - others poor. So I've gotten a few sellers that have been consistently good, and buy from them.
My only problem is space - I grow orchids inside and now with about 75, I have to get rid of one to get a new one.
My only problem is space - I grow orchids inside and now with about 75, I have to get rid of one to get a new one.
Hi, have you been buying any of those orchids from some of the growers in Hawaii?? Some of them used to be very good about shipping and giving growing tips. 
"Shop" and My Snipes
"Shop" and My Snipes
Again - mixed results
But have found a few good ones such as Tropical Orchid Farm on Maui, Kauai Orchids, H&R Orchids Olomana Orchids and Lehua Orchids on Oahu.
I travel to HI a couple of times a year on business, so now I go to the nursery and check out thier cultivation techniques before I buy.
But have found a few good ones such as Tropical Orchid Farm on Maui, Kauai Orchids, H&R Orchids Olomana Orchids and Lehua Orchids on Oahu.
I travel to HI a couple of times a year on business, so now I go to the nursery and check out thier cultivation techniques before I buy.