I don't get it....Ebay

[Rossifumi]

Why is this bidding up so high when you can get a new one from Snap On for $90.75 and free shipping? Does this sort of thing happen a lot?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Snap-3-8-Drive-Stubby-Flex-Head-Ratchet-FKF80-NEW-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4aa994c804QQitemZ320672679940QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

 

[thesilverone]

in general, people are not smart

 

[tool whore]

It's a good point you make. The same can be said for the classifieds here. Not everyone does it, but I have seen a few who sell higher than you can buy new on the open market. Perhaps it is sentimental to them and they want to be paid for the memories. No telling. Did you get your bid in?

 

[Rossifumi]

I guess I'll buy a new one from Snap On then and enjoy my appreciating asset!

 

[canuckian]

yep. people can be stupid....or too lazy to do any research. Those dual 80 stubbies always go high for some reason or another. I've watched several of them (even a couple used ones) go for higher than they come new from Snap On.

 

[Skin]

Worldwide shipping has a big part in it. People want SO either have to pay substantially more than the US list price or dont have any distribution network at all.

 

[ducati]

Worldwide shipping has a big part in it. People want SO either have to pay substantially more than the US list price or dont have any distribution network at all.

I don't understand why you would want to buy a tool in your area that has a lifetime warranty, but no suppliers to warranty it?

 

[nato]

I don't understand why you would want to buy a tool in your area that has a lifetime warranty, but no suppliers to warranty it?

You my friend, are enlightened! I really don't understand that concept either....
Yes, it's a nice, warm, comfortable feeling knowing that you own some of the industry's finest tools, but for support....none? I can't see the other shiny side of the story here

 

[north]

I don't understand why you would want to buy a tool in your area that has a lifetime warranty, but no suppliers to warranty it?

Because you want that tool.

 

[tw33k2514]

Ebay sellers count on morons that over pay everyday. And luckily The world is full of them.

 

[mixxmstrmike]

I don't understand why you would want to buy a tool in your area that has a lifetime warranty, but no suppliers to warranty it?

Some users may not necessarily have to warranty a product... ever.

Let's take that FKF80 that's going for a whole lotta bananas right now. Using it properly, low torque & low clearance issues, do you honestly think you would break it and need to warranty it? What if the user(s) who buy it have a specific use for it, knowing full well its capabilities?

The user who buys this may use it sparingly... may be 5 times a week... heck, may be even 5 times a month! Who knows?

The point is that some people just don't have to worry about having to warranty a product because they know that they will never have to use it.

-Mike

 

[Boiler]

I had a 10 pc mac pliers set that retails for $99 go for about $125 a month or so ago, and it got sent to a reshipper. The overseas guys will pay what they must to get the tools they want, and in many cases it could be a great deal for them anyway, in comparison to their domestic tools, because of exchange rates. My only real question is, who was the second guy bidding it up?

Either way, I don't understand why people don't look at the completed auctions for some background on what that tool typically goes for before bidding. "oh, it went for 80 bucks the last three times...I think I'll just wait for the next $80 one thank you..."

Yeah ebay is full of morons but unfortunately for us sellers, there aren't THAT many overpaying morons. I like when I have tools that are $150 new (which I note in the description) and I list it for 75, and they give me a best offer of 10. I usually counteroffer at 72 and never hear from them again.

I've sold things for drastically lower than expected prices much more often than I've sold them for more than I expected.

 

[Zrexxer]

God Bless idiots. When the pink ratcheting screwdrivers came out last year, I was ordering them directly from Snap On for $49.95 and flipping them on eBay for as much as twice that. Who knows, who cares, it was pure profit.

About 12 years ago when Ducati was tearing up the World Superbike circuit, Maisto came out with a series of 1:18 scale models of various Duc bikes, which were sold under the "Road and Track" brand in the toy section at WalMart for $2.99. They were really quite nice little scale replicas, with suspension, steering, wheels that rotated, etc. I'd stop by WalMart on the way home from work each day and pick up any of the hot new models when they got them. I sold them all over the world on eBay, for as much as $29. Gotta love a 1000% markup. Now, when the feeding frenzy was over, you couldn't give them away, I still have some left, but it was good while it lasted.

 

[Daddy_Rabbit]

in general, Snap-On people are not smart

fixed it for ya.

 

[mrshaun]

funny thing is there are plenty in stock so they could order it from snap on cheaper and get it faster for sure. I bet it goes higher...

 

[leod]

because of rarity factors, you know people will buy those rare import items (like cars and other luxuries only available to that market) since they are not available at home even without warranty.

 

[kc-steve]

Yeah, I have thought about it seriously and instead of concluding that "people are stupid" I think there are many who don't have the same access most of us do. In other words, if someone lives 40 miles from tool suppliers it costs them the drive time, the wear and tear of the vehicle, as well as the high price of gasoline. I wouldn't call that being stupid.

Steve

 

[Stuart in MN]

Does this sort of thing happen a lot?

Never been to an auction before, eh? Someone paying too much for something probably happened at the very first auction in history, eBay is no different.

 

[kc-steve]

Never been to an auction before, eh? Someone paying too much for something probably happened at the very first auction in history, eBay is no different.

That's true! I should have mentioned the usual pi$$ing contests above that occur often. I was at an estate sale auction recently where people were bidding $22 for sets of USED Pittsburgh wrenches while the nearest Harbor Freight store was less than a mile away.

Steve

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

The "collector" market is AWESOME!!! I've got an acquaintance who doesn't know how to change his own damned oil, but thinks he has to have an entire box full of Snapon, Mac and Matco stuff. I rarely trade anything in anymore, since this ***** will pay huge markups for the name.

I just recently dumped an old 8" Mac crescent wrench on him for $50.

 

[mrholeshot]

I don't understand why you would want to buy a tool in your area that has a lifetime warranty, but no suppliers to warranty it?

Some people don't think warranty is important when buying a big name brand. That is right up until they come to the reallity that no tool no matter how good is indestuctable

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

in general, people are not smart

So true............

 

[glenmore]

I sold them all over the world on eBay, for as much as $29. Gotta love a 1000% markup. Now, when the feeding frenzy was over, you couldn't give them away, I still have some left, but it was good while it lasted.

Want any Pokemon cards?

 

[low_crew_cab]

One of my favorites to see listed is the soft grip ratchet handles. They usually sell for twice what snap on sells them for. I just saw a flip style screwdriver today. I wanna say it was at $30 with bidders and i think their $18-20 new and readily available.

 

[mrshaun]

I had a customer who sell harbor freight laser levels for 3 times wht it cost. he did it for months...

 

[north]

What I have to consider when I buy from Norway:

- Will the seller ship to Norway? This narrows the pickings quite a bit even though many will when asked.

- Shipping cost. Some ship an item for $14 while others charge $30 or $45 for shipping the same item. Some will lower shipping when asked.

- Price of comparable product sold in Norway.

So what seems like overprice to you US based lot can be my rare shot or/and still be cheaper than buying same or comparable product in Norway.

And I don't mind carrying my own warranty on ratchets, wrenches, sockets, pliers and such if those are the stuff I want.
Can't buy Wright, Cornwell, Armstrong, Matco... in Norway so I have to take my chances with a furrin' buy.

 

[Shipfittin]

What I love about eBay is this

Husky 23 Pc 1/4" Drive Socket Set

Now you can go to Home Depot's website and get a 4 pack of these sets for $10.

Once you add in shipping on top of what this guy wants for that little POS tool, you could drop a couple more dollars and get an entire 1/4" driver set from Duralast.

And while I'm on the subject of these little Husky sets, they make the worst Christmas gift. I received at least three or four of them this past Christmas.

 

[treasureseeker]

EBay has its own reality. I used to sell the old push drill bits as the bits sold for lots more than the drill wit the bits. I just bought up the cheap push drills that had most or all the bits. I don’t get the price old severely rusted Snap on sockets get when they are sold in a lot with no sizes listed. I can tell from the listing that they are 12 point SAE, which doesn’t seem that useful.

 

[yaidunno]

the $99 pliers set from mac always pisses me off. i'd really like to get my hands on a set for under $80, but they always go for $120 or more. dont get me wrong, i've scored some deals on ebay, but its becoming a sellers only market for tools. i dont even bother looking at snap on tools anymore, as they usually go for 90-150% of retail. give me a break.

 

[catsteve]

Everyone.
The Value of the american dollar has depreciated against most currencies.
This is actually great news for you guys. American companies that export products are now more competative. This equals more jobs for US residents.

Ebay sellers that ship worldwide are also making a killing.
From Snap-On the FKF80 ratchet sells for over US$ 155 in Australia.

Just look for sellers that refuse to offer international shipping when looking for bargain tools.

 

[rt dak]

These picks regularly go for $50+ on eBay.

 

[spongerich]

in general, people are not smart

Truer words have never been spoken.

I had a used Craftsman vise on eBay last year. Brand new they're $60 at 1000 freaking Sears stores all over the country... they even had free shipping on them at sears.com!

Started it at $.99 and was giggling like a school girl when when it got to $55.

It ended up selling for $75 plus $15 shipping.

Like Ron White says.. "You can't fix stupid"

 

[treasureseeker]

I wouldn’t call eBay buyer stupid no more than I would gamblers. Winning an auction at a high cost must provide something they enjoy or need.

Another thought, I had someone bid close to list on a Snap on SHLF80. I don’t ship to Canada but he got around that by using a service that receives items in USA Vancouver then he picked it up from there.

 

[Skin]

its becoming a sellers only market for tools. i dont even bother looking at snap on tools anymore, as they usually go for 90-150% of retail. give me a break.

Thats 100% false. Only a very few items actually sell for close to retail most of those are because the seller is willing to ship internationally. Deals are very easy to find provided you search often and have some patience.

Lets not forget ebay swallows a wopping ~20% of your profit as well.

 

[matthew]

Only a very few items actually sell for close to retail most of those are because the seller is willing to ship internationally. Deals are very easy to find provided you search often and have some patience.

Good point. Plus you have to remember that with so many buy-it-now offers, or high starting prices, that a lot of listings don't actually sell. So it looks like a big percentage of the listings are expensive, but the percentage of items that actually sell is a little less tilted towards the expensive...

Lets not forget ebay swallows a wopping ~20% of your profit as well.

True, but that doesn't change the market value of the tool by 20% - just redistributes who gets what piece of the pie...