sigh...another sucker ripped off by the bubba

[Blurdybloop]

HP-65 s/n 1605A02664 bought for $50 by the bubba and immediately turned around and offered for $389 by the bubba.

Sigh...when oh when will people learn to do some research?

[Namir]

Does anyone know of HP-65 emulators or simulators?

[Thing-a-ma-jigger]

Well, if you look carefully at bubba's history, you can deduce that bubba is likely a full-time ebayer. There's some blurb about having lost his job in one of his negative feedbacks. And now (if you check the sales history in the advanced search), you can see that he still changes his descriptions. I cannot imagine a real job that would allow someone so much extra time that they could manage that many items and changes.

[Namir]

You have a point. Also cobubba may be (or has become) self employed with income => $0.

As a self-employed consultant I took time off to sell on eBay a lot of calculators, accessories, and books that I had in my mini-museum at home. All this auction management, promptly answering queries, selling, packaging, and mailing takes time, eapecially if one wishes to expedited auction items.

Now that my auctions are basicaly over, it's back to business!!!

Namir

[Blurdybloop]

Even more amazing, someone in France actually bought it at that price!

[bill platt]

Oh, the Euro. That's what wee get for a sinking dollar. I have made 2 million dollars in the past 18 months investing in gold. Hehee.

[Peter Geiser]

So why didn't you buy it if you consider USD 50 a rip-off?

For me: what a pity I didn't see it.

Best regards

Peter

[Blurdybloop]

Quote:

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So why didn't you buy it if you consider USD 50 a rip-off?

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I already own two HP-65 calculators. I don't need any more. I monitor HP-65 auctions for other reasons.

One problem with eBay's process is that most people do not bid until an auction nears its end (for excellent reasons, if you are actually interested in acquiring the item). So, it's easy for people like the bubba to swoop in and offer a BuyItNow to a seller who's clueless as to the market value.

[Frank Wales]

I'm confused as to what you mean by "swoop in and offer a BuyItNow to a seller".

Buyers don't get to offer BuyItNows on eBay; the seller decides whether to set a BuyItNow price, and, if so, at what level. The seller also decides whether they'll entertain 'Best Offer' bids below the BuyItNow price, and the vast majority of sellers don't do this.

In general, these decisions happen at the start of the auction, before any buyers get to see it. Are you therefore suggesting that so-called clueless sellers are being persuaded to change their auction format partway through into a low-price BuyItNow one, or did you have something else in mind?

[Han]

Quote:

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I'm confused as to what you mean by "swoop in and offer a BuyItNow to a seller".

Buyers don't get to offer BuyItNows on eBay; the seller decides whether to set a BuyItNow price, and, if so, at what level. The seller also decides whether they'll entertain 'Best Offer' bids below the BuyItNow price, and the vast majority of sellers don't do this.

In general, these decisions happen at the start of the auction, before any buyers get to see it. Are you therefore suggesting that so-called clueless sellers are being persuaded to change their auction format partway through into a low-price BuyItNow one, or did you have something else in mind?

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So long as no one has placed a bid, sellers can update their auctions. One of the updates they can make is to place a buy-it-now price. So bubba asks the clueless seller if he is willing to sell at a certain price. The seller then adds the buy-it-now price and bubba swoops in to buy the item at that price.

Since bubba often stipulates he would also pay immediately with Paypal, the seller gets instant gratification knowing he does not have to wait for payment via snail-mail.

Edited: 6 May 2006, 12:12 a.m.