True or False

[mintacular]

The only chance of getting a really good BIN $ is if you happen to spot the listing within minutes/a couple hours of being listed...If you don't happen to be searching at that time it will be snatched up by someone else. Any BIN that is still sitting on eBay after 1 day probably is not much of a deal. True or False?

[scmavl]

On a BIN with no Best Offer, I think that is true in many cases. You can still find decent deals from time to time. I found a graded Ted Williams last week that was 30% less than the next cheapest BIN, and it had been there 3 days. I pretty much got it at an auction price. But a "really great deal" is usually gone pretty quickly.

[JamesGallo]

I think it depends on the issue. A very popular set like T206 your likely right, but I think something more obscure might slip by.

There is also a difference between a steal and a reasonable price. I think some cards sit a reasonable prices because there just isn't massive demand or no one is looking at the time.

I think a lot of the odder set can get by many searches, I have gotten a few REALLY good deals even when an auction ran it's full course because the card was either not listed right or because the set is not main stream and in the ebay sea no one found it.

James G

[Robextend]

I would say most likely true on a BIN without a best offer option.

Recently I was able to pick up a Tolstoi Bender No Trees at a great BIN price only because it had been newly listed a few minutes before I found it.

[quinnsryche]

False. I have made many deals on ebay for cards with no best offer. I just go ahead and make an offer anyways or ask if they can do any better and the dealer almost always knocks something off (sometimes even 50%, yes it's happened). It doesn't cost anything to ask and you might be suprised. Ebay isn't as evil as some would make it out to be.

[vintagetoppsguy]

I would say true on most items. I always search eBay by "newly listed" items first for that reason.

[usernamealreadytaken]

Obviously true. Just look at our very own BST. The best stuff at the best prices is usually gone before you see them posted. Has happened to me a hundred times.

[rhettyeakley]

I'll repost what I posted in the other thread...


False

Not everyone knows everything about everything. If you do some hunting there are good buys on ebay via BIN.

Also, when you say "good deal" are you referring to something underpriced that you can then relist on ebay and double your money? If that is what you are looking for then you will not find those unless you are johnny-on-the-spot when they first get listed. However, if one is a collector and is searching for a card they need there are many sellers on ebay with reasonable prices. Personally, I sell a bit on ebay and don't feel like I am trying to gouge anyone as I set what I feel is a fair price and actually sell quite a bit through ebay, my stuff isn't graded so it is tough for the less knowledgable collector to research as they can't rely 100% on VCP to tell them if it is a "good deal" or not.

[dstraate]

I think this is similar to stock investing temperment. If you are looking to flip quickly, it's doubtful that you'll make enough to offset fees. However, it is possible to make a really good buy that will pay dividends the next time there's a spike in market prices. That involves market timing and everything else, but if you're a collector trying to piece together a few projects, there are always better times to buy than others.

[mintacular]

I guess "good deal" is a bit subjective. What I was referring to was not "flipping" i.e. a clueless seller that listed a card erroneously but more so a buy that is at or 10-20% below market price ex: "Yay, I just bought a PSA 6 Frank Robinson RC for $100 and know that in a few years if I decide to upgrade that I can resell it w/fees and "make my $ back". It seems to me that eBay is no longer the place for these deals but instead the place to sell if and when you can get a true deal "on the streets."

[Section103]

I bought one of Rhett's Canadian Goudeys within hours of his listing. I dont know if it was a "bargain" exactly, but it was definitely a fair price and I was thrilled to get it.

[Bridwell]

I'm a pretty active buyer on Ebay. I checked my history, and of the last 100 pre-war items I bought, 23 were BIN's. However, 18 of the 23 BIN's were negotiated to a lower price. I had only 5 where I did a BIN at full price.

There's a few deals to be had, but not many. Auction prices seemed a bit lower in 2010, so I felt I got better deals winning auctions than doing BIN's.

Any other opinions on this? In 2011, prices seem to be rebounding somewhat.