With Dave's recent YT blog about sub 100 dollar scopes.

[Dark Prognosis]

This is crazy but when I bid on that Hitachi within 2 mins I am outbid by the same guy, lol.

The last bid was within 45 secs he out bid me and that is just crazy.

Blah!  You want to wait till the last 3-5 seconds before putting in your max bid.   

Heheheh, sniping was killed by fleabay a few years ago as it extends the auction or so it did to me the last time I tried it.  Anyway I am now just being a douche and trying to make him pay out the nose for it because I know what he is going to do with it.  I don't like people bidding on stuff just to flip it when honest people need it.  Don't like that in the housing market that cost me many a home over the last 7 months since my wife passed away and I sure don't like it with this.

edit: I sent in for more information from several people and all but one contacted me back with an answer.  The one that didn't I asked a simple question of them and it was that they had 2 for sale and only one picture of one unit so which one would we be getting since no two are identical?  They haven't answered me yet.

[Seg]

I find the best eBay strategy is to drive up the price as early as possible. Just decide what you're willing to pay, and put it down right away. The longer the price stays low, the more potential snipers will zero in on it. Fend off competitors early, seems to keep the snipers at bay. Works for me.

At the very least, you'll be outbid sooner, freeing you to bid up your next choice auction. And it is far less aggravating to be defeated by a legitimate bid early on, than to be the one to get sniped at the last second. Let someone else take that bullet.

Sniping is stupid.

[Bored@Work]

I find the best eBay strategy is to drive up the price as early as possible. Just decide what you're willing to pay, and put it down right away. The longer the price stays low, the more potential snipers will zero in on it. Fend off competitors early, seems to keep the snipers at bay. Works for me.

Since eBay doesn't show your maximum bid, just the one step above the second largest bidder, and competition often just shows up in the last minute (the snipers), a big bid at the start it does not really help in fending of competition early. The competition doesn't see that you put down a huge sum.

The action is in the last seconds. Snipers, especially the ones using automatic software, are not deterred when there is a visible $1 bid at the start of the last seconds. And all they see of a large bid is often just that, $1. Just like you, they have a maximum price in their mind they are willing to pay. The difference is only that they try to place their bid at the latest possible moment.

Sniping is not about gradually finding out the highest existing bid of your competition, and trying to stay just 50ct above it - that is what eBay will anyhow do for you. Sniping is about trying to make sure that no one can raise his bid above your bid should they have a change of heart at the last second. It is about excluding slow(er) bidders.


I do like to use this fire-and-forget strategy for items I am only mildly interested in, because it is a bit less hassle to just put in a bid and then continue with my life, but I don't think it raises the chance to win. I think it lowers your chance, because it gives the seller more time to play tricks. Like having a buddy placing a big bid to check how large your bid was, then withdrawing or canceling that bid, and getting another buddy to place a bid just below your maximum bid. Or withdrawing the item as "damaged" if they figure you haven't bid more than $1.

There is just one algorithmic advantage in bidding early. If I remember it correctly eBay prefers the early bidder if there is a tie between two bids. But that is an unlikely event, especially since people like to add a few random cent to their bids to get above those bidding nice values like $1.00 or $1.50.

At the very least, you'll be outbid sooner, freeing you to bid up your next choice auction.

This is risky because of the shenanigans plaid on eBay. Like I wrote, if the bid above you gets canceled or withdrawn it can happen that you are suddenly in the lead again.

[eurofox]

Hello instruments geeks 


I'm building my lab during the last 2 months and acquire several instruments, I'm a long time ebayer (more than 10 year) and build up some experience, let me give you the following advice when you want to buy something:

1/ In a auction never start bidding, keep for the end and use if possible a bid snapper, some are free on the net, don't use one on your PC, it need to be close to the internet back bone and react the last second or even less (some are working in the last fractions of seconds but they are not free)

2/ Many instruments are acquired by German people who do business in electronics and instruments, they hunt on the German Ebay but as well on the USA ebay, usually not in Asia. They sometimes drive the price on the level that a private user let it go.

3/ Don't be afraid buying is Asia, I don't have any bad experience with that. Always check the ebay rating, check the negative feed back, this is valid for all country's.

4/ Try to buy instruments outside ebay if you have contacts, I got my TDS784D this way, mint instrument full with options for a decent price.

5/ Pay by paypal, it save me already 2 times, one time on ebay and one time ordering a service that I never got.

6/ Don't be afraid to buy in another country, from USA to Europe by using USPS prices are quite OK and delivery time acceptable, as an example a box of 12 kg from New Mexico (USA) to Belgium price was 76 US$ and from door to door in 9 days (including customs clearance of 2 days). Always ask to add a proforma invoice (or any document that show the value, check in your country what is needed) otherwise it can stay for 2-4 weeks in custom clearance. Ask to add insurance is usually not expensive.

7/ When it is possible to propose a price always start as low as possible, usually they propose a new price that you can accept or not.

8/ When you buy an instrument that is not working always be very careful, sometimes could be very hard to repair, sometime need proprietary components that are hard to find and very expensive or not available anymore, always check first that maintenance/repair manuals are available.

This is my ebay experience and I hope that is useful.

eurofox

[sync]

This is crazy but when I bid on that Hitachi within 2 mins I am outbid by the same guy, lol.

The last bid was within 45 secs he out bid me and that is just crazy.

This is how ebay works. Maybe you should look for alternatives. craigslist? surplus stores?

[Dark Prognosis]

This is crazy but when I bid on that Hitachi within 2 mins I am outbid by the same guy, lol.

The last bid was within 45 secs he out bid me and that is just crazy.

This is how ebay works. Maybe you should look for alternatives. craigslist? surplus stores?

Yep.  Where I am currently living since my Mrs. passed away in Feb is a crap hole place.  They don't fix anything they just throw things out that might only need a switch to fix but here they just buy new and throw the older one out.  So, you can't get test equipment, it is very hard to get even parts locally as everything has to be ordered so I just order it online myself and screw the local BluffCity electronic bastards.

On fleabay I know one such tactic is for the seller to use an alternate account to bid their other account's auction up and hopefully drive it up to a point they really wanted in the first place.  So, I do not trust any auction anymore.

[Dark Prognosis]

With 1 hour to go someone brand new came in and outbid the other 50 cent increment person and it is up to $155.00 now (a person with only 4 feedbacks).  I can't wait to see what happens to the price.

[rdl]

Minimum bid is $2.50 so unless a bid is higher, every other bid will end with .50

Only $15.95 shipping to me!
I'd like to know how this guy is going to ship it that cheap.

[Dark Prognosis]

Minimum bid is $2.50 so unless a bid is higher, every other bid will end with .50

Only $15.95 shipping to me!
I'd like to know how this guy is going to ship it that cheap.

A contract with the shippers as he does a pumping business with a lot of shipping.

12 mins left and it is still at $155.00.

[Dark Prognosis]

... but at $138.50 that is over my budget so he is getting a sweet deal if everything is really in working order.

I can guarantee that this will go for much more than the current bid.
After the item ends go back and have a look at the final flurry of bids.

Auction is over and there was no flurry of bids just one over that one guy who was outbidding me so he didn't get it (glad of that) and if feedback numbers are indicative of anything the one who did get it probably needed it.  He had only 4 feedback and paid $155.00 for it.

[Dark Prognosis]

There is a guy who I found via Ebay that is within 10 miles of me and he gets tons of working and non working scopes and makes his living off of ebay by selling them.  What I wonder is where around here does he get them from?  He isn't going to tell me and that is for sure.

[Dark Prognosis]

BINGO, I got him.

"are you looking for analog or digital as I have several scopes that I have yet to list one is a sencore 100mhz and there are several of the leader model 522 and 508's that are 20 Mhz.these are all analog...
I also have several disassembled tektronics digital scopes that are totally disassembled that all need the B&C connectors replaced. They don't make that type of connector any more so it would be a challenge to replace them but not impossible.

thanks"

My reply to him was:

"B&C? I have never even heard of that before just BNC connectors.

Just looking for a really cheap used, and working, 100mhz analog scope. I came back to Memphis after my wife suddenly passed away in Feb so I am not sure where places to get used test equipment are at around here but my mother said there is a place out by the airport and I will check that out soon.

I know if I wait long enough something will show up."

His immediate response to me was:

"As you took the time to correct my b and c connector with such precision and arrogance I believe I will be blocking you as a buyer immediately. please do not contact me any more I was only trying to offer you some product that you could use and afford."


Damn, a tad touchy because I honestly didn't know what a B&C connector was as I have seen some really old scopes that didn't have the standard BNC connectors so I thought those might be it especially with him saying they don't make them anymore since I know BNC connectors they do.

I think my mom was spot on and this dude is getting these out by the airport so I need to go take a trip there (just up the road actually) and see what they have.

[george graves]

Ahahahahha.....

That guy is a butt-head.  It was good for a laugh though.

[Dark Prognosis]

Ahahahahha.....

That guy is a butt-head.  It was good for a laugh though.

  He did block me too and my family came over tonight and had a heck of a good laugh over him too, lol.

He weirded out when I first sent him a message asking about his scopes I ended it by saying I will be watching him and be seeing you.  Well, he mentioned that I was a weirdo and I will never see him and I swear I could see him closing the blinds and locking the doors.  I did send him one other message to tell him that my watching him was as a seller as Ebay has a watch seller feature and I left it at that.

I am weird?  Yeah maybe but I don't act like some dude who is making meth in his house either, hahahaha.

[Whuffo]

My best strategy for getting good deals on eBay requires two things: you need to know just exactly how much you are willing to pay for the item. Then, place a bid in the last few seconds for that amount. You'll either win it for your price or less, or someone else will pay more for it.

How this works: sellers usually list items for very small amounts to save on the listing fees. So if an item was listed for 50 cents, and someone put a $10 bid on it, eBay would show the current bid as $1.50; each subsequent bid raises the current bid by the bid increment, and if any previous bids were higher, then that bid is automatically increased so it's in the lead by one bid increment. So if another bidder comes along and bids $5, eBay will show the current bid as $6 and the person who bid $10 is still in the lead. It's very common for folks to go through the listings and enter tiny bids on hundreds or thousands of items; if nobody else bids, they get something dirt cheap that they can resell at a profit.

Anyway, this bottom feeding goes on and the serious bidders wait to see what's going to happen. Listings can come to a close on items worth $200 with high bids of $10; if you bid early you're giving the other bidders a target to shoot at. Much better to jump in last with your bid while they're chuckling about how they're going to get it for $6. Your bid hits, the current bid goes to $11 and you win at that price.

Don't get involved in bidding wars - all that does is drive the price up. And don't shoot at someone else's bid; you'll see that they always come back with a bid one bid increment higher. That's eBay adjusting the previous bids - and you'll see items with long lists of bids going up by 50 cents at a time. The extra activity attracts sharks and the price ratchets upward.

One bid of the most you're willing to pay at the last moment - this will get you the most wins and the lowest prices. And for goodness sake, read the listing very, very carefully before you post that bid. Sometimes the shipping is astronomical (to save on final value fees and get a good price), sometimes vital information is hidden in the small print. If you see "don't know if it works" or "untested" then it's broken. And watch for the accessories to be included; a decent set of probes will cost more than your eBay scope did.

[Dark Prognosis]

Yeah, I will attempt that but there is this little voice in my head telling me to say eff it all and just save up for a Rigol 1152E and let those scopes that are from before 1985 go to whomever wants them.  I mean I am seriously seeing prices for used POS analog scopes that are broken for 200+.  I guess if you are into them or something but I find a 30-40 year old scope with a buy now for 200 to 300 dollars as ludicrous but they sell and sometimes even the broken ones do for those prices.

[Marc M.]

I've been on Fleabay for close to 15 years.  Much of the equipment on my bench was purchased there.  Personally, I usually buy untested/broken equipment.  I always try to verify that it is at least intact - nothing physically broken (other than the occasional knob) and nothing missing.  I'd say that at least half the time there is nothing wrong what so ever with the item other than dirty contacts/switches/case, etc.  20% of the time it's a minor repair that doesn't require any parts, usually just re-inserting cards/boards/connectors.  Another 20% it does require some level of troubleshooting repair, but minor items like replacing caps.  Maybe 1 out of 10 have required spending hours troubleshooting and/or replacing multiple active components.  I recently picked up a Tek 7844 Dual Beam off Fleabay for $100 plus $50 shipping.  It was completely dead but pretty clean.  Powered it up and it had the classic 'ticking' supply caused by the supply trying to start, sensing a problem and shutting down, then trying again etc.  Found 3 tantalum caps shorted out in the power supply.  Replaced them, flipped the switch and it came alive.  So I've got an evening of troubleshooting and $4 worth of caps to get it working.  That's been pretty typical of the non-working equipment I've purchased.  So once an item has passed all sniff tests, I set my max. bid in a sniper and forget about it.  If I get it, great.  If not, there will be something else sooner or later.  Sometimes you have to have a lot of patience.  I waited for close to 3 years for a servo motor that matched the drive I had to show up at a reasonable price.  Cheap comes to those who wait - gotta have it now, be prepared to pay a premium.  Another technique I've used is placing reasonable offers for Buy-It-Now auctions.  I look at the what the same item has been selling for, taking condition into consideration, and present the seller with a fair price for the item based on my research.  I also make sure they know that I'm purchasing it for my own use, not flipping it, and I'll pay immediately with PayPal. 

[Dark Prognosis]

... Another technique I've used is placing reasonable offers for Buy-It-Now auctions.  I look at the what the same item has been selling for, taking condition into consideration, and present the seller with a fair price for the item based on my research.  I also make sure they know that I'm purchasing it for my own use, not flipping it, and I'll pay immediately with PayPal.

You meant on the Make Offer type auctions?  So, you just send the seller a note telling them this is for my personal use not for flipping it back on Ebay and how much you bid?  When do you make your highest offer and if not a make offer then when do you make your highest bid and go to bed?

I haven't used Ebay since 2007 so all of this is new to me and I haven't been a seller since 2004, or 5, but the account is over 13 years old (my original account I never could log in so I had to make the new one back in 2000) so I consider myself a modern Ebay noob since so much has changed.

[Dark Prognosis]

I can't win any of these as that same guy "Member Id: b***k ( 526Feedback score is 500 to 999)" ALWAYS out bids me.  Basically he bids on most of them so he can flip them.  If only there was a way to cause him to be electrocuted the next time he touches the keyboard.

Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    2    Seller 1    <1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 2    7h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    2    Seller 3    3h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 4    4d 17h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 5    1d 18h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    3    Seller 3    <1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    2    Seller 3    5h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 6    2d 8h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 7    <1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 8    10h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 9    3h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 10    1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 11    7h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    2    Seller 12    <1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    3    Seller 13    7h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 3    15h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    2    Seller 14    12h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 15    <1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 16    1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 17    13h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 18    <1h
Business & Industrial > Test Equipment    1    Seller 19    <1h

You can't win with him around unless you bid way over what the thing is worth.

[Dark Prognosis]

I just won the auction.  I waited for 10secs to go (was more bidders happening) then hit the magic place bid button and waited until 6 seconds and placed it.  Here is what I grabbed for $34.55 + $25 shipping and I sure hope it is a decent scope.

http://tinyurl.com/p5ehj7y

[cyborg]

You should be able to find a scope for less than $120 US. I recently bought a Tektronics 2215A (60MHz) for less than $100 shipped that was a buy it now posting. I quit using ebay years ago because of the rampant/crazy bidding that would drive the price of a used item to more than the price of a new in box item. You might have to look for buy it now items as well. Good luck.

[Marc M.]

You meant on the Make Offer type auctions?  So, you just send the seller a note telling them this is for my personal use not for flipping it back on Ebay and how much you bid?

On E-Bay in the US they have a "Best Offer" option.  If the seller offers this option, you click on the "Best Offer" button which brings up a page that allows you to enter what price you are willing to pay per item and the quantity.  Note that your offer does not include the shipping costs.  There is also a box where you can add a note to the seller.  This is where I'll explain that it's for my personal use and refer to average prices similar items have sold for and point out damage/repair costs.  For instance, the Tek scope I purchased was originally listed for $150 plus $50 for shipping.  I found several 7844's that had sold in the $200 price range that were either working or included 4 plug-ins.  The sellers scope was not working and had no plug-ins.  The 7000 series power supplies are relatively complicated therefore take a lot of time to diagnose and repair.  I felt that $100 was a fair offer for the scope based on past sales (not the often ridiculous listing prices that never sell).  In this case the seller agreed to my offer and Ebay automatically sent me an invoice for the $100 offer + the $50 for shipping.  If the seller doesn't want to accept your offer, they can either decline it or make a counter-offer.  You then have the option to accept their counter-offer, make a counter-counter-offer, or decline it.  This cycle can repeat a number of times.  Keep in mind that you are contractually obligated to make the purchase should the offer be accepted by the seller. 

Another method I've used on normal auctions without a "Best Offer" option is to contact the seller and make an offer.  For example, recently a seller had 4 non-working Kikusui 35-10 power supplies (35V @ 10A) separately listed for $70 each with free shipping.  I contacted the seller and asked if he would accept $110 for 2 units with shipping.  The agreed and changed the auction to $55 w/ shipping and I purchased the 2.  I wanted one for the bench at home and 1 for my bench at work.  Someone at work saw it and wanted one.  So I contacted the seller again and made the same offer for the other 2.  He happily accepted my offer and I picked up the second 2.  I repaired them all for about another $100 in parts.  I sold one to my coworker for $150 and will sell the second for the same.  On Fleabay they are going for $150-$250 on average so it's not a bad deal @ $150. 

[Dark Prognosis]

Well, I don't think I did too bad on the scope I managed to snag.  Sure it is only 20mhz but it should handle most stuff I will throw at it and eventually I will get a 100Mhz DSO anyway.

[Dark Prognosis]

I am nervous now as the dude I bought it from hasn't even bothered to respond to me when I sent him a message.  First time a seller hasn't bothered to respond after a sale.  Most times they respond back within 12 hours but sometimes one day.  I figure I will send him another message on Monday through Ebay, of course.

Well, at least Ebay has a buyer protection program now and I have had to use it once already and there is one other I am waiting on before I file on it (I never get my items from China) as the tracking information has nothing in it and it will be almost a month since I bought it.

That purchase has until Oct 2 but the scope has until Oct 9.  I sure hope the dude isn't mad that I bought it for so cheap and might do something to it or simply not send it.  Either way thank goodness for the protection program Ebay has now or I would never use them at all.