Ebay Auction Watchers Vs. Anti-Watchers

doug.goodman · #1 07-01-2024, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Van

I wouldn't call it being an anti-watcher. Maybe a better delineation is active watcher vs passive watcher.

Me, I often hit the maximum of 400 items watched, but I'm likely only interested in bidding on 10-20% of these items:

1) Actively watching with intent to bid, likely using a snipe service. 10%
2) Actively watching a Buy It Now item that is currently listed too high but hoping the seller will send me an offer to buy for less. 5%
3) Actively watching an auction that is currently listed too high and if it doesn't sell for that price maybe the seller will relist at a lower price. 5%
4) Passively watching because I own a similar item and I'm curious what the current market value is. 40%
5) Passively watching because it's an interesting item and I want to see what it sells for. 40%

For me it's :
1) Actively watching with intent to bid, I bid if nobody else has bid, then I snipe (myself, no service). 65%
2) Actively watching a Buy It Now item that is currently listed too high but hoping the seller will send me an offer to buy for less. 15%
3) Actively watching an auction that is currently listed too high and if it doesn't sell for that price maybe the seller will relist at a lower price. 15%
4) Passively watching because I own a similar item and I'm curious what the current market value is. zero %
5) Passively watching because it's an interesting item and I want to see what it sells for. 5%

Casey2296 · #2 07-01-2024, 10:01 PM

My entire watch list is BIN, I've had offers which I countered at a fair price, literally $75 on a 2500 card. It's a tenouis game, as a seller once you lose "fish on" he's probably not coming back.

JollyElm · #3 07-01-2024, 11:04 PM

Some things I watch are just crazily priced, so the only reason I 'watch' them is to see if some lunatic out there will actually pay that price. Since these are usually cards that I myself own, I just want to see if there could be a decent payday in my future.

bxb · #4 07-02-2024, 05:15 AM

This has been going on for many years on eBay.

Most of the watchers are just that, watchers. The old phrase was tire-kickers.

No intention to bid unless the price comes way down.

Republicaninmass · #5 07-02-2024, 07:44 AM

It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-watcher

Kaneen · #6 07-02-2024, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-watcher

I like the way you taylored your comment.

Snapolit1 · #7 07-02-2024, 08:55 AM

I always assume that 50-75% of the watchers on my
Items are dudes selling or planning to sell the same item and they are just monitoring it to see if it sells.

Republicaninmass · #8 07-02-2024, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaneen

I like the way you taylored your comment.

Swiftly

babraham · #9 07-02-2024, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-watcher

Ha!
I only caught that because of my teenage daughter.

doug.goodman · #10 07-02-2024, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Some things I watch are just crazily priced, so the only reason I 'watch' them is to see if some lunatic out there will actually pay that price.

I call that "hitting the drunk-it-now button"

judsonhamlin · #11 07-02-2024, 05:54 PM

I think I’m about 50/50. About half of the items I watch I would or will purchase. The other half (and there are some in that half I’ve had in my watch list for over a year), just to judge price point and interest.

mannequin1 · #12 07-02-2024, 06:00 PM

I started this thread about the intentions of "watchers" on AUCTIONS, not BIN.
Of course BIN's have mostly watchers with no intention of buying. Auctions are for a limited period of time and watchers should count more.

BioCRN · #13 07-02-2024, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannequin1

I started this thread about the intentions of "watchers" on AUCTIONS, not BIN.
Of course BIN's have mostly watchers with no intention of buying. Auctions are for a limited period of time and watchers should count more.

I used to watch-list auction items that were priced too high for me in hopes they would drop the minimum in the last day/hours of auction...or they would relist the item with a lower floor.

There seems to be less of either of those instances lately on stuff I'm looking and once a few re-listings gets done with the same high floor I quit watching.

mannequin1 · #14 07-02-2024, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BioCRN

I used to watch-list auction items that were priced too high for me in hopes they would drop the minimum in the last day/hours of auction...or they would relist the item with a lower floor.

There seems to be less of either of those instances lately on stuff I'm looking and once a few re-listings gets done with the same high floor I quit watching.

There's a big difference having say 10 watchers on an auction item that ends within a week and 10, 20 or even 30 watchers on a BIN listing that has been up for 6 months or longer.

Huck · #15 07-02-2024, 08:59 PM

For me it's :
1) Actively watching with intent to bid, I bid if nobody else has bid - 15%, no sniping service.
2) Actively watching an auction that is currently listed too high and if it doesn't sell for that price maybe the seller will relist at a lower price. 55%
3) Passively watching because I have initial interest in the item but come to my senses and realize I don't need the item nor does it fit the collection. 25%
4) Passively watching because I own a similar item and I'm curious what the current market value is. zero %
5) Passively watching because it's an interesting item and I want to see what it sells for. 5%

My cynical side, believes that the " watching item" is Ebay's way of getting users to panic and buy the item.

A recent watching that occurred over the past three days.

I found the R.J. Reynolds (BIN) piece and thought it was cool. I have always liked the piece and the item comes up for sale every now and again. The water damage was a bit of a concern so I decided to watch the item to perhaps convince myself that (1) the water damage was not that bad and (2) the item was $400 cheaper and in better shape than the second Reynolds piece. While I watched, the seller excepted a best offer. Sigh.

Fortunately, I found the Old Crow piece. Yahoo! Awesome piece and an item I had never seen before. The Old Crow piece was auction format. Near the close of the auction I get in a bit of a frenzy and bid $100 over my sane amount. The final bid, was $100+ more ($455) than my insanity (for me) bid. I don't know, perhaps the Old Crow piece is worth close to $500 with shipping and taxes. Alas.

Right after the Old Crow piece went off the board, I found the Hunter Whiskey BIN piece. Again, another piece I had never seen before. I immediately sent the seller a best offer. The seller countered and a sale was made. Woo-hoo!

JustinD · #16 07-02-2024, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

For me it's :
1) Actively watching with intent to bid, I bid if nobody else has bid, then I snipe (myself, no service). 65%
2) Actively watching a Buy It Now item that is currently listed too high but hoping the seller will send me an offer to buy for less. 15%
3) Actively watching an auction that is currently listed too high and if it doesn't sell for that price maybe the seller will relist at a lower price. 15%
4) Passively watching because I own a similar item and I'm curious what the current market value is. zero %
5) Passively watching because it's an interesting item and I want to see what it sells for. 5%

I feel like Doug is reading my brain on Ebay usage to an almost perfect copy, lol. This is down to percentage everything I do as well.

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