General Cycling Discussion - Ebay. Any Good Deals Left?

Ok, so I think Ebay has established itself pretty clearly as the world's online auction place. There was a time where it also used to be a place to get a good deal on something. However, I think it is very rare that a person gets a good deal on an Ebay auction. At least it is rare to get a steal on their. I routinely bid on bike stuff and am amazed at what everything goes for. I have been watching hydration packs go for 75% of and over retail. Why pay near retail prices for something that may not have a warranty?

Bikes sell for less than retail but they are also used and I have watched a number of bikes sell for near new prices even though they are used. I watched a used 2004 Trek 4300 sell for $300. I also saw one in a LBS for $319 the same week. I am just about ready to give up on ebay.

Anyone share the same feelings? Are there still steals out there?

On my last buildup, I was monitoring prices of lightly used Shimano components on Ebay (with shipping) against what it would cost me to purchase new. In the end, I bought all new stuff from Performance using their 20% coupon and saving the shipping. The total cost came close enough to what it would have been on Ebay to make it a no-brainer.

There are deals to be had on Ebay but you have to be knowledgeable and patient shopper to find them.

55/Rad

Yeah I agree... we were talking about this at the shop the other day... most stuff even used goes for close to retail, sometimes over what you pay for retail, and then theres the exorbanate shipping charges in many cases. I bought a Camelbak on there for about $20 below retail, but it was a Buy-It-Now, brand new, and the shipping charge was reasonable. Come to think of it that was the last bike item I bought off there.

I'm sure there are still some good buys but overall I agree, the real deals are rare. The last time I tried to buy a part (bb) on ebay I ended up getting it from Nashbar for less than I could have purchased it at auction.

One disturbing trend I see is the same frame being sold several times. I often "watch" vintage steel frames to see what's out there and I have seen several frames turned around 4-5 times. Sometimes the history of the frame is noted in the info but often times it is not. I guess the days of buying a frame from the guy who owned it for the last 15 years is over. Of course I will continue to try to find a sweet deal.

That has been my experience...used items selling too close to retail to be worth it. It's great if you're a seller though.

Occasionally I find some good deals, but I remember even when ebay was brand new I put up a Pentax ZX50 SLR and sold it, a year old used, for the same price the guy could have gone to the store and bought it for... not my fault - they all bid it up... I never do that... I put a bid in on something, and won't go 10 dollars over retail including shipping. For example, I got a pair of Truvativ cranks for about 12 dollars less (not counting the retailers shipping) than I could have gotten them from Cambria (who had a sale on them)... however, I would not have budged a dollar higher.

I am seeing the same thing. Auction prices are going to close to retail. If I am going to pay retail prices I might as well go to the LBS that way if there is a problem I can return or exchange it. Good deals on Ebay takes alot of patience.

Even in electronics it goes that way....I got over-zealous and payed (after postage) retail for a Palm Tungsten E which had some scratching to the back panel...kinda felt bad after the auction, but oh well, i have an MP3 player and organizer in one now...cool beans...cool beans...

but the point still stands...too easy to go overboard and pay too much on ebay, so just be careful, especially on last minute bidding.

I guess it really depends on what it is you are looking for.. I for one do buy a lot from ebay, but I always investigate and see what the actual retail price is, I wont bid on any item that is at least 75% of retail, UNLESS I cant find that item somewhere else.
For instance I buy all my cycling clothing from two ebay sellers, I get BRAND NEW Bianchi Bibs and Jerseys for 1/2 of what my lbs or Bianchiusa sells them for. One of the guys I buy from gave me a free jersey from his ebay store with his company logo since I buy from him all the time, so it does have its perks.
Its simply the idiots that go on ebay and nickle and dime the bids up, I dont understand, I go to ebay to get something as cheap as I possibly can, so why do these guys keep bidding against eachother when there is 6 days left raising the price? Is it that they want to see their name as high bidder or could it be they are a friend of the seller and are just raising the price for him??? I wait until the last 10 seconds and if the item I want is still within my price I place my max bid and I win every time. So all in all yes there are still some good deals out there, especially if its something you really want and cant find somewhere else, you just have to know how to play the game.

I just picked up a pair of castelli yfuso bib shorts, retail 200$, got them for 93$ shipped to me. The deals are out there occassionally but I have noticed prices getting right up around retail and going over in some cases. Like someone said earlier, you could use the performance 20% off and get a better deal than ebay. Sometimes it seems the only way to get a good deal is to use 'buy it now' when the price is good, otherwise people will bid it through the roof half the time.

I tend to like to give the buyer deals, even if it's not on bike parts. I was doing a trade online for a network card and I threw in free goodies that were worth more than the card itself.

I may be selling some misc. parts on ebay soon, like 8 speed EZ fire shifters($14) , Suntour SR crankset and BB($28), 8-speed SRAM cassette($9), Alivio rear derrailluer(freebee, PM me with your info if you want it. Will ship USPS 1st class or priority for free). Keep your eyes peeled or PM me if you want a deal on these parts.

-Garrett

Well, this isn't the time of year to buy bike stuff on ebay, it's the time to sell it. Seems to me that the best time of year to buy is Jan- Feb, after everyone's spent their Xmas load but before everyone remembers they have a bike in the garage and might like to ride it now that the weather's getting warmer.

Ebay works well for the buyer if you're patient. Seems like most everything comes up a few times a year, and if you wait and lurk, you can get a good price. Also, any bid before the last fifteen seconds or so is too early. I've recently picked up a Phil Woods track hub with cog and lockring for 70$ and a Var 30 Bottom bracket remover for 40$, both of which I'd call exceptional deals.

Like Bianchi Rider stated...it all depends on what you're looking for.

I've been purchasing items from eBay regularly for the past couple of months. Many of these items were purchased at retail or a little less. I have found I don't like getting into bidding wars on any items that are going to close out near actual retail...what's the point?!

The big benefit of eBaying is finding items that are NOS, those gems that are no longer made. NOS Suntour, Campy, Modolo... it's all out there. You may end up spending a little more, but you'll be getting a glittering piece of cycling history.

i got a fizik pave saddle for 25$
and a really sweet genuine Pierre Cardin wallet & keyholder set for 5$!!!

neither of those are really steals in an appreciable scale, tho...

i think the real benefit of ebay now is the wide selection and ability to make sales... its not so much a place to get good deals but one to find whatever youre looking for

Its simply the idiots that go on ebay and nickle and dime the bids up, I dont understand, I go to ebay to get something as cheap as I possibly can, so why do these guys keep bidding against eachother when there is 6 days left raising the price? Is it that they want to see their name as high bidder or could it be they are a friend of the seller and are just raising the price for him??? I wait until the last 10 seconds and if the item I want is still within my price I place my max bid and I win every time. So all in all yes there are still some good deals out there, especially if its something you really want and cant find somewhere else, you just have to know how to play the game.

I bid on plenty of items and lose all the time. What's killing Ebay is all the Shilling that's going on that site. In case you don't know, shilling is when a seller has someone (a friend) bid up the price to get you to pay more. I had two sellers contact me after I lost wanting to sell me the product off line. The situation is getting out of control.

I bid on plenty of items and lose all the time. What's killing Ebay is all the Shilling that's going on that site. In case you don't know, shilling is when a seller has someone (a friend) bid up the price to get you to pay more. I had two sellers contact me after I lost wanting to sell me the product off line. The situation is getting out of control.

I've often wondered about that. I wonder how they keep from getting stuck with the item though? IOW, what if your "buddy" is the high bidder. I suppose it would be a chance worth taking if the item is pricey but I am mostly talking about the cheaper items.

I think a lot of it depends on how much time you have to waste or how many low bids you want to place waiting for the "jackpot." I have recently just been putting up very modest bids and then moving on. I haven't "won" anything yet. Has anyone ever gotten lucky by throwing up a low ball bid and ending up winning?

I've often wondered about that. I wonder how they keep from getting stuck with the item though? IOW, what if your "buddy" is the high bidder. I suppose it would be a chance worth taking if the item is pricey but I am mostly talking about the cheaper items.

I think a lot of it depends on how much time you have to waste or how many low bids you want to place waiting for the "jackpot." I have recently just been putting up very modest bids and then moving on. I haven't "won" anything yet. Has anyone ever gotten lucky by throwing up a low ball bid and ending up winning?

Not for nearly a year or more, no... but I reckon it depends on the item still.

Just got a sweet deal on a Ti Cinelli seatpost. Sometimes, I'll buy bikes locally via Ebay and get fairly good deals.

Darnit....I woulda took you up on that shimano alivio derailer, but I have to swap out my freehub and rear cassette...now I know why shimano mega-range stuff is so popular on low-end bikes...makes upgrading a major pain in the something.

I've often wondered about that. I wonder how they keep from getting stuck with the item though? IOW, what if your "buddy" is the high bidder. I suppose it would be a chance worth taking if the item is pricey but I am mostly talking about the cheaper items.

I think a lot of it depends on how much time you have to waste or how many low bids you want to place waiting for the "jackpot." I have recently just been putting up very modest bids and then moving on. I haven't "won" anything yet. Has anyone ever gotten lucky by throwing up a low ball bid and ending up winning?

I have been waiting until the last few hours and proxy bidding using the maximum I was willing to pay for the item. I can't complain I picked up a super nice set of wheels for my son's trailer for less than $20 with shipping and a nearly new Omega Seamaster for less then half of what a brand new one would have cost. I guess yo have to be willing to look a lot and sometimes I don't have time to check back.

I rarely buy anything off eBay anymore (and never have purchased bikes/parts there).

When I do buy something I always use a sniper program and walk away. eBay just has too much world-wide exposure to millions of idiots who have no idea what something is worth, only that they want it, and now! And if you want it too, that makes them just want it more.

A year or so ago I saw a new Martin guitar strap and strap button, current production that you can buy in any decent guitar shop for about $35 that ended up going for $300 - and there were three idiots with lots of feedback (i.e. not newbies or shills) bidding on it!

John

I bid on plenty of items and lose all the time. What's killing Ebay is all the Shilling that's going on that site. In case you don't know, shilling is when a seller has someone (a friend) bid up the price to get you to pay more. I had two sellers contact me after I lost wanting to sell me the product off line. The situation is getting out of control.
I was watching some LA bars (TT cowhorns), I bid on the the last day because the auction was going to end when I was at work and no one had bid on this item yet. I think the price was $9.99 no reserve so I bid a max of $30 just in case someone else bid, at least I would have a chance since I wouldnt be there to sharpshoot my bid within the last 10 seconds. When I got off work I went to check and see if I won or lost... It said seller ended the auction early. I looked and I was the only bid and it would have been $9.99 plus s/h.
Later that night I was scrolling time trial stuff and the same seller relisted the item... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr pissed me off, that should not be allowed once a bid has been made, he just relisted because no one else was bidding and he didnt want to sell for $10. The bars should have been mine...... :mad:

Depends I guess. I bought a new watch for less than half the retail price (shipping and converting to US dollars included). I bought a used Gary Fisher with rockshox for $185 CAN after shipping. That was a steal as far as I was concerned. I still check now and then for parts and frames, although I'm not allowed any more bikes, something about a wedding to pay for, I have noticed that alot of items are going for retail price. If I bid I put in a max bid and leave it at that.

I was watching some LA bars (TT cowhorns), I bid on the the last day because the auction was going to end when I was at work and no one had bid on this item yet. I think the price was $9.99 no reserve so I bid a max of $30 just in case someone else bid, at least I would have a chance since I wouldnt be there to sharpshoot my bid within the last 10 seconds. When I got off work I went to check and see if I won or lost... It said seller ended the auction early. I looked and I was the only bid and it would have been $9.99 plus s/h.
Later that night I was scrolling time trial stuff and the same seller relisted the item... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr pissed me off, that should not be allowed once a bid has been made, he just relisted because no one else was bidding and he didnt want to sell for $10. The bars should have been mine...... :mad:

You can leave negative feedback in the situation you just described.

I also discovered that sofware piracy is waaaay out of control on Ebay and sellers along with their shills outbid EVERYONE so that a sale never goes down. They later contact everyone who made a bid and offer to sell a priated version off-line and not on Ebay. It's incredible the number of scams that's going on Ebay.

like e-bay says Caveat Emptor.
As stated depends on what you are looking for.
e-bay is about the only place for vintage parts (ever try to find a pat83 Super
record pivot bolt at LBS? good luck)
There are still good deals, I got a Trek 770 frame for $25.00 plus shipping.
Paid $80. for Rudy Project Rydons.
Then again I watched a pair of plastic Cinelli bar ends (you know holds bar tape in)
bid up to $20.00 . It was a legit auction, I know the seller he put it up as a joke
with a $.01 opening price and $.25 reserve.
Dahon.Steve you can contact E-bay concerning early end of auction and relist, its against
e-bay policy.

Marty

"You can leave negative feedback in the situation you just described."

No, you cannot-- if the seller cancelled all bids before ending the auction, no feedback can be left by either party. You can contact ebay, but esp. if the seller was a power seller, they are unlikely to do anything whatsoever.

Shilling is not quite as bad as some might believe, but is generally easily spotted. It's fairly rare in the bike category, but I've caught 4 seperate sellers at it. Some good advice on spotting it is here:

http://www.basestealer.com/shilling.html

As lotek stated, ebay is "caveat emptor", so it's a good idea to take a hard look at any auction you're about to drop a substantial amount of cash on. This includes running a check on the seller's bidding habits and a perusal of his feedback, as well as ascertaining the quality of what you're bidding on. I once actually found a case where a seller I was working with had been bidding on another auction and had himself been a victim of shilling.

On most common items I can generally do far better online and in stores than on Ebay. For example, at Performance Bike, get them to pricematch the item to the cheapest online store you can find, use the 20% off coupon and if you are a member of Team Performance you still get the 10% back on the final amount. Ebay can't usually even come close to the prices you can get doing this.

The only thing I find Ebay good for anymore is obscure and small hard to find items. I have picked up things like reflective tape and adaptors for computer stuff for cheap, but that is about it.

I do however do excellent buying and selling my college books on Half.com which is part of Ebay. Generally, if I plan ahead and do things right I can get books quite cheap and sell them back at the end of the quarter for the same price. A few times I have actually made money in the process.

I was watching some LA bars (TT cowhorns), I bid on the the last day because the auction was going to end when I was at work and no one had bid on this item yet. I think the price was $9.99 no reserve so I bid a max of $30 just in case someone else bid, at least I would have a chance since I wouldnt be there to sharpshoot my bid within the last 10 seconds. When I got off work I went to check and see if I won or lost... It said seller ended the auction early. I looked and I was the only bid and it would have been $9.99 plus s/h.
Later that night I was scrolling time trial stuff and the same seller relisted the item... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr pissed me off, that should not be allowed once a bid has been made, he just relisted because no one else was bidding and he didnt want to sell for $10. The bars should have been mine...... :mad:
That breaks the ebay rules (they call it "avoiding reserve fees"). I've seen the same thing happen with a guitar amp. Report him to ebay using their automatic "generator" in the contact area - go through the menu selections to find the "avoiding fees" entry, then paste both auction numbers in the text box, separated by a comma.

If this jerk makes a habit of it they'll eventually get enough reports to investigate and hopefully kick him off eBay.

John