# What are they thinking?



## StrikerDown (May 5, 2010)

Or are they thinking at all.

I have been looking for a set of Starrett Pin Punches like this set on the bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330428455093&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

This used set at the current bid with shipping comes to $43.95.

Right now the regular every day price at enco is $41.95, throw in the free shipping and you have a brand new unused set of punches... for less!

I have an auto search going for this item on ebay and I see this all the time (unless it is something I am selling!). What they be thinkin?

Do you guys see this very often?


----------



## precisionworks (May 5, 2010)

Not uncommon, Ray. Many people feel that if it's listed on eBay it's automatically cheaper. Often Enco is much less, sometimes even MSC :nana:

The real eBay bargains are the mislisted items, those with poor photos, etc. Some risk, but often worth the chance, especially if you buy a near new Suburban SM-5C Spin-Master (listed as a lathe) for $15. They retail at $668







In fairness, two reasons it was cheap. Seller said it was missing "the spindle", which it was not. And it was missing the stop pin (behind the number 0 in the photo). Took me 15 minutes to turn one up in the lathe. Hard to figure that the pin was worth $653 :nana:


----------



## F250XLT (May 5, 2010)

Many people think everything on eBay is going to be a great deal, this is obviously not always the case. I guess it is just lack of research on the buyers part, I have seen MANY items sell for more than you could get it for on sites as obvious as Amazon.


----------



## will (May 5, 2010)

Some people get caught up in the bidding frenzy... 

Best to always look around and see what the prices are. 

Mis labeled items are usually great buys, if you can find them. 

Try looking for that Nikkon lens, or that Cannon camera....


----------



## unterhausen (May 5, 2010)

this used to happen all the time, I don't think it does as much any more


----------



## chenko (May 5, 2010)

That damn auction portal is just increasing its percentage rates on sells again. Up to almost 10%. Now, not considering how unfair this is, this might be a reason why as time passes fewer good deals can be found on the Bay. And this also explains why I'm just not using it anymore. But I'm happy it's just screwing itself, it is just so well deserved.


----------



## precisionworks (May 5, 2010)

> auction portal is just increasing its percentage rates on sells again


They are the 800# gorilla & can sit wherever they want ... or charge whatever they please, as eBay is the only game in town.

I recently sold an item & the final value fee was 4.16% plus PayPal fee of 2.92% plus free shipping that cost me 5%, meaning that I kept 88% of the selling price. IMO, 88% of something beats 100% of nothing, and this item was worth nothing until it sold.



> fewer good deals can be found on the Bay


I surely haven't found that, and 700 feedbacks show that some of each day is spent searching. There sometimes are lower prices elsewhere, but at least 75% of my purchases are from eBay.



> I'm just not using it anymore.


I love it when someone says that as it means fewer people to bid against :nana:


----------



## darkzero (May 5, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> Many people feel that if it's listed on eBay it's automatically cheaper.


 
Exactly, that's what most of that crowd of ebay shoppers are & think. For new items, many times a vendor will factor in ebay & PP fees into the shipping or price of the part. If one were to search for the sellers store (if the info is provided), often you will find that it comes out cheaper to buy directly from the vendor outside of ebay.

I admit I'm a ebay shopper but mostly for used expensive items & I always check the price new before placing the bid. If it's not much cheaper on ebay for the item used than new, I'll just pay a little more & buy new, & in Ray's example new for even less.


----------



## gadget_lover (May 5, 2010)

Today I called a guy from a Craigslist ad. He wanted $320 for a used mig welder that retailed for around $425. He did not have the regulators or bottles to use it as a MIG, but would not cut the price

His logic was simple. He wanted to get back what he paid for it. A lot of people think that way, even if selling a car or a house.

Daniel


----------



## mototraxtech (May 6, 2010)

There are alot of people like that. Some people want to move things and others want to get the best price possible for it. You see this alot in the power sport industry. Alot of guys want way to much for their bike and others just want to get rid of it and those our the people that get rid of them quickly.

For example I just bought a 2010 KTM 450 sxf motocross bike for $6100. The bike retails for $8000 and many people were paying close to that as they didnt make many bikes this year due to the economy. So I got $1900 off a bike that hit the dealer floors 2 months ago and he only had a couple short rides on it. He also put $1000 in suspension and threw in some new handlebars, sprockets, and air filters(approx $300).

Now to the moral of this story, I was searching ebay everyday and about an hour after it listed I called him up. He wanted 6300 for it as he got a honda sponsorship and a free bike and what not. I told him the bike was already out of my price bracket and I really could only buy it if he went down since I also had to pay for shipping. He told me to make a deal so I said 6100, and I pay for all shipping charges. Needless to say this guy had is bike sold very quickly.

Now on the other hand I saw an 2008 ktm 450sxf on there a few days ago with like 20 hours on it and fairly used. Good shape but well used and it sold for $5600. Well there happens to be bike shops around the country with that same bike and they are selling for about $5500, out the door as it wasn't a popular model and came out at a bad economic time. So this person paid more for a used bike than they could of pick up the same one for a little less with NO time on it.

Sorry about using dirt bike references as that is what I know the most about.


----------



## Tom Anderson (May 7, 2010)

You need to do your research. I've actually seen folks asking prices above current retail on eBay! :thinking:

I've been working on building up my lathe tooling lately. The two goals were to reduce the cost per cut and to increase my capabilities. Until recently, I only had a few brazed carbide radius tools. I decided it was time to get some round inserts and corresponding holders. While I was at it, I found some great deals on a few other setups that increased my capabilities and should save money in the long run.

Instead of going about it by finding the tool holders and then finding the inserts, I did it it reverse. Just type in "100 carbide inserts" in the "Business and Industrial" category, and you'll find a number of entries. You can get inserts dirt cheap (sometimes, less than $1.00 a piece), and then you can simply find the correct tool holder. In some instances, you can justify buying a tool holder at regular price by the savings you've made on the carbide inserts. (Of course, getting the tool holders at a discount is even better!  )

My lathe only takes 5/8" holders so, in some instances, I needed to buy the smallest tool holder I could find and mill it down. It's not a big deal on the 3/4" holders, but I actually used my bandsaw to cut down one or two 1 1/4" holders before I used the bench mill to true everything up.






You also might want to mill the side of a really big tool holder to keep the cutting edge closer to the center of the tool post.

Here's a shot showing some of the new tool holders and inserts I've recently acquired. 






The row to the right is where the new stuff is located in the drawer. I have a few other new setups in the other drawers, too.


----------

