When did ebay get so expensive?

[rallying83]

I used to be quite a regular on ebay, but its getting very hard to find a bargain there anymore (obviously I am referring to models). The starting bid on a 1:43 WRC model was 50 pounds! Which is about $100. And that doesn't include the outrageous shipping from Singapore.
Have been ordering a lot more from online stores rather than ebay these days.

[Tumbo]

which car was it that you were after rallying83? There are still bargains on ebay, problem is that some cars are now rare and that of course causes market increase- good if you are selling, bad if you are buying :( as i've seen w/ the 2002 Rally GB winner.

[toddy05]

I first got into ebay about 2 years ago now and at first I used to get some great bargains but now it seems like everyone is onto how good ebay is (thanks to the Current Affair and Today Tonight shows that do the obligatory where to find a bargain story every 6 months when current affairs is slow).

Prices now seem to be either retail or dearer in a lot of cases. Some obscure or unpopular things may be cheaper but the amount of times I have been able to pick it up cheaper via retail brand new or even garage sales is outnumbering any bargains I am coming across now.

The amount of people operating out of Hong Kong charging US dollars and then $20 postage (for items like hats) is starting to cheese me too especially when you know the hats are not genuine and they are fee dodging by setting a low price then getting a high postage charge.

The other thing I hate is when people don't put a postage amount on it. Fair enough if it is a largish object but for things like hats or clothes that will easily fit in a satchel it is a bother and if you take the risk like my wife did getting a hat from the US she got hit $17.50 USD postage on a $4.50 hat. Thankfully to the guys credit he refundeed $6 when we kicked up a stink. We had tried to get a postage amount off him but the auction was closing quick and we figured it couldn't be that much.....

Retail is less bother and no more dearer in most cases.

[Nick Short]

Nowadays everyone's an expert on prices, so you don't get the surprise bargains you used to a while back. I gave a book on Ferraris at Le Mans to a charity shop just before I discovered eBay (it was a birthday present 20 years ago, and not very well laid out), and have since found out it's worth $150+. I won't make that mistake again, and it seems nobody else does either. I use eBay not to find bargains any more, but to track down hard-to-find items (old car magazines, diecast, gems, rare XC Falcon bits, out of print books etc).

[passenger]

the day the first idiot put a bid on , its been going up since someone will always pay a price for it if they want it ...:D

[inter]

Originally posted by rallying83
I used to be quite a regular on ebay, but its getting very hard to find a bargain there anymore (obviously I am referring to models). The starting bid on a 1:43 WRC model was 50 pounds! Which is about $100. And that doesn't include the outrageous shipping from Singapore.
Have been ordering a lot more from online stores rather than ebay these days.


Hi rallying83, there are a couple of lancer evo 5 ( 1/43 ) that are reasonable on ebay at the moment.

hope this helps

inter

[toddy05]

Come to think of it I just remembered my two best bargains were the red covered employee edition of the hardcover Monaro book. (the black public edition was retail and overpriced at $65) I got both on ebay for around the $45 mark each at separate times a year apart. The first one I got for me and I loved it so much I kept an eye out for another one for my best mate for Christmas, he will love it.:D

[Dragferret]

I've found Ebay great for finding old motoring memorabilia. I've found stuff I haven't seen in decades of searching swap meets. Sure I might pay a bit more but time is money and I can search from the comfort of home.

[Nick Short]

I think that's what eBay is best for now, unless you collect something nobody else is interested in (celebrity nose hair clippings or something). It is the best place for almost anything you can imagine, and every scarce thing will turn up there one day, so if there's something you've always wanted, or you want to find something you once had and never thought you'd see again, then eBay is the place......For cheap stuff try the local Cash Converters, but don't expect a box.....

[inter]

This is not too bad for a collection,

item no# 7025551068.

not so expensive.

inter

[wayno]

Bargains are still available. You just have to be prepared to walk away when a car gets too dear. There will always be another one.

[jager]

There will always be scam artists, but for the most part you can find just about any new Minichamps, IXO, Ebbro or Spark release cheaper on eBay (with postage) that any model shop in Australia.

[brchi17]

Bargains are still available. You just have to be prepared to walk away when a car gets too dear. There will always be another one.

How true !!! Why only days ago I was bidding on a Schumacher 1/18 which sold for $175, which was more than what I wanted to pay & then I was able to pick the same model up (from a different seller) less than 24 hours later for $99.95 :D !!!

cheers. :)

[luckystudebaker]

I prefer to buy locally as I like to keep my money 'within' Australia. I also like to see what I am buying, so ebay does not benifit for all of us. You may think that buying from ebay is cheaper than a buying from a retailer, BUT ebay is much more risky.

[Patterson]

I prefer to buy locally as I like to keep my money 'within' Australia. I also like to see what I am buying, so ebay does not benifit for all of us. You may think that buying from ebay is cheaper than a buying from a retailer, BUT ebay is much more risky.

hehehe...anyone would think you're a retailer ;-)

[BB]

I prefer to buy locally as I like to keep my money 'within' Australia. I also like to see what I am buying, so ebay does not benifit for all of us. You may think that buying from ebay is cheaper than a buying from a retailer, BUT ebay is much more risky.

All well and good if the models we are after, actually make it to our shores. As for being risky, if you go about your purchases the right way, there should not be a problem. I find the chase just as satisfying as the catch. Except there has not been to much catching going on lately because I am at work or busy and missing out on the vital last few minutes.

[Road Runner 72]

I prefer to buy locally as I like to keep my money 'within' Australia. I also like to see what I am buying, so ebay does not benifit for all of us. You may think that buying from ebay is cheaper than a buying from a retailer, BUT ebay is much more risky.
You are right about seeing what one buys, tho my problem is I collect GMP & Lane "Exact Detail" 1:18 camaros & such, not just aussie cars, I pay around $150au to my door, which sure beats over $200 locally, & if a car has a flaw then I have to make a tough choice of living with it or posting it back for an exchange, which then lifts the price to just under $200au, which is why I try to buy from the same guy in the US who always does the inspection for me ;)

As well as I pick up some ERTL's for $20us & under add the postage & you have an budget car at the price of around $65au to you door than walking into a shop & paying over $80au for the same car, but the bonus of that is you have the car without the wait on the postal service.

So they are the pros n cons.

If you can save a buck on one car it can go towards your next car.

Cheers

Mike

[Martin Thomas]

I fear that we may run out of retailers. I live regionally and order a lot over the phone and net, with some ebay buys on models I can wait for.

There really is nothing better than getting into a shop, having a chat and a good, hard look at whats on offer. let the wife and kids do their thing and enjoy the peace...;)

[berkut76]

Here in the US the situation is radically different since even major metropolitan areas are pretty much without a hobby store, which carries top names in scale replicas. Thus, everything is purchased via online souces to begin with.

However, I'm buying less and less on eBay nowdays since the total prices for models are noticeably higher for the models that I want as opposed to dealer ones.

For example, I'm into Carousel 1 models. Recently, the company held a major clearance sale, and I've bought three models for $55US each plus $10US shipping for all three! The cheapest price for this models on eBay that I've seen was $75US per to say nothing of shipping charges.

This is not an isolated example. It looks like eBay PR machine convinced the overwhelming majority of folks that eBay prices are the cheapest around. The negative effect of this hoopla is that online vendors are selling their "slow" selling inventory on eBay and clearance sales are becoming less frequent and the selection is more limited.

The irnoy is that initially eBay made collecting affordable for folks like me, but might drive me out of the hobby, in combination with other factors, of course.

Regards,

Sergey

[Leigh]

I prefer to buy locally as I like to keep my money 'within' Australia. I also like to see what I am buying, so ebay does not benifit for all of us. You may think that buying from ebay is cheaper than a buying from a retailer, BUT ebay is much more risky.
Depends on IF you have a local to go to...mine is 20km away and I know others on here that don't have that luxury!

Anything less local than that is not necessarily any safer than ebay as verification of who they say they are is difficult.

That is where a forum such as this one is vital, as there are many threads warning of shops and ebay users to steer clear of...likewise there are many threads of who are good to deal with, and even the pros and cons of each dealer!

[VXfan]

I must say I do feel sorry for new collectors especially ones who want a Bathurst Winners collection!!:eek:
I started 2 years ago and I still don't have all the ones made so far.
If that 2002 winner that went for $355 is any indication of things to come,then any newbies are going to have to be prepared to part with a lot of cash.
Cheers,
Tony.
P.S. I have the 2002 car already (phew)

[Nick Short]

eBay looks like being my only option for some models - those that Biante aren't planning to get, or WERE planning on getting but changed their minds! Because my local hobby shops get their stock through Biante I'm kinda restricted......Apart from the Cecotto M3 that came and went months ago without Biante getting any, the '84 Acropolis Audi quattro is still not here despite being sold elsewhere for some time, as is the Kenwood BMW M1 and no doubt others. If I get another email saying "Sold Out" (meaning "we didn't bother to get any in") then I have to take my chances with eBay, as by the time Biante get round to telling me there won't be any of a particular model it's sold out for real everywhere else.....

[singer]

its always been expensive for the uninitiated:(

[Buffalo]

Sorry - cancel that thought ...

[Dingo]

eBay looks like being my only option for some models - those that Biante aren't planning to get, or WERE planning on getting but changed their minds! Because my local hobby shops get their stock through Biante I'm kinda restricted......Apart from the Cecotto M3 that came and went months ago without Biante getting any, the '84 Acropolis Audi quattro is still not here despite being sold elsewhere for some time, as is the Kenwood BMW M1 and no doubt others. If I get another email saying "Sold Out" (meaning "we didn't bother to get any in") then I have to take my chances with eBay, as by the time Biante get round to telling me there won't be any of a particular model it's sold out for real everywhere else.....
Nick, Biante definitely DID get their shipment of Cecotto 1991 DTM M3's. It's the Soper M3 that they haven't received. I don't want to sound like a broken record on this, but they did get a shipment of Cecotto's through.

At any rate, I've been doing my AutoArt and Spark shopping on the Wheel for a while now...