The Energon Pub

I've never bought anything off eBay before, but I've begun considering buying some things off there since they're very hard to find. But when I see dozens of auctions selling rare or expensive imported figures like G1 Jetfire or THS Black Convoy for 1 cent , I wonder why they are virtually giving them away? They seem to be legit. Shipping is fair. Feedback is good. The only problem I can find is some don't ship outside the US. I don't get it.

Two things keep that in check: the gimmick factor, to attract as much interest as possible so that there's no way in hell one of those will be won for a cent, and gouging on shipping charges. It's an auction site, not an online store, it's very unlikely that a popular, high-ticket item sells for its starting bid.

And that's not including the whole aspect of sniping, shill bidding, Buy It Now, Best Offer, and so on.

Don't forget how you've been winning a bid on the winter camo Ruiniation for three days with $25 to go before your reach your maximum bid and then just as your computer refreshes at the end of the auction you find out you lost it by a dollar in the last like .54985 seconds. Damn it.


But shop around eBay a little, you'll find a ton of what you're looking for, for all kindsa prices and stuff.

Dagon wrote:But shop around eBay a little, you'll find a ton of what you're looking for, for all kindsa prices and stuff.

Also, check the completed items list for whatever you're looking for to get an idea of what it's going for.

I ebay a little too much. My 2 cents:

The great thing is that there are great deals to be had. Just be careful. Make sure you have pictures to your satisfaction of any item as I have received items that do not look as pristine as they did in the blurry pic. Also, watch out for KOs. As long as you are reasonably careful you should be fine.

Also, don't bother bidding on anything till there are 10 seconds left. Its a waste of time and just serves to drive up the price. Just wait till 10 seconds left and throw in your max bid. This is the time frame in which all the action takes place anyway.

Good luck.

I concure with bonger. You want that deal, wait until the last 10 seconds to bid your max (sniper). If you lose out, then you are not tempted to pay more than your are willing. if you win, then So far buying has been pretty good.

I also agree with shopping around and seeing what things go for. If it's a rare item, then I recommend trying to snag it when there is a small influx(by that I mean, for example, black starcream who goes for about 250 usd suddenly has five up and you can get him for 70 usd.)

Anyway, that's how I play the game.

Same here. Patience is the key. Don't get caught up with HAVING to get the first one you see, or you'll be broke in a day.

Bonger, are you from Boston?

Yup, live in Waltham these days, like 15 min down the pike from boston.

I recommend you go to Ebay to buy only if you really cannot find them outside but be prepared to pay high price for very rare items...I do agree to bid only during the last 10secs as I learnt the hard way when I first explore in Ebay and make my bids. I lost during the last 15secs or so...Thats a good lesson to learnt Shipping fee varies depending on the country to ship to but of course there are spooks who charge unreasonable shipping rates...All in all, register with Ebay first to get started and apply a PayPal account if possible. Transactions is fast and easy and usually the preferred method.

ebay has been good to me and much of the general advice is solid.

Wait until the last 15 min and throw your max bid. Many others do the same so the highest price still comes out.

Patience is rewarded and remember it will show up again in all likelyhood so don't break the bank.

Watch for payment method and shipping charges.

If they accept MO only make sure to read their feedback to make sure they are reliable. So far I've had good experiences.

ebay is the best digital rummage sale and for our hobby its great to find old things, not so great for new releases.

I sell and buy off Ebay often and while I've had no problems, I know plenty that have. So if you're thinking of buying, here's some tips:

- Watch whatever item it is you are interested in, and don't place a bid until the last few minutes. Why? It helps keep the price down until the end of the auction and allows other bidders to know how much interest there is in it.
- Check their feedback rating. In most cases, buyers want to keep it as high as possible. Do not buy from zero feedback sellers no matter how good it sounds.
- Sellers that offer .01 or ridiculously low prices on the auction yet have dramatically high shipping are sellers who are technically cheating the Ebay system. Ebay makes most of their profit off the percentage of what the item sells for, not for the shipping.
- Pay for tracking and insurance and kep that information handy at all times.
- Stay in communication with the seller often.
- Pay for your items by credit card or Paypal, even money order. Just be it something that can be traced. Checks take too long and cause problems.
- If you pay by Paypal with your credit card and you still have problems or do not receive the item or it's not to your liking (damaged, wrong item, took too long), you can contact your bank within 6 months and file for a chargeback and you will get your money back within 72 hours.
- Feel free to ask the seller if the item shown in the auction is the one that is being sold. Most times sellers use stock or company photography. If it is not the same item, ask them to send you a clear picture and describe the item, contents and packaging clearly.
- Again, if the item arrives and it is not what you bid on, keep to friendly terms with the seller. It'll make life a little bit easier if you ask for a refund (and never ask for a refund on shipping). If they are unwilling to refund you or attempt to make you happy, then file an immediate claim with Ebay.

Honestly, there are a lot of risks in buying items this way. I'd say most people have positive auctions than negative ones. Stick to these and you should be okay.

Dagon wrote:Don't forget how you've been winning a bid on the winter camo Ruiniation for three days with $25 to go before your reach your maximum bid and then just as your computer refreshes at the end of the auction you find out you lost it by a dollar in the last like .54985 seconds. Damn it.


But shop around eBay a little, you'll find a ton of what you're looking for, for all kindsa prices and stuff.

that happen to you too??? i lost out to a guy with (-1) feedback, sitting on the auction like i was. bye bye camo ruination

i've been ebaying for years, it's a great resource if you can't find a lot of stuff locally. definitely wait til the last minute to bid, because that's when it matters most. i've sold items that'll sit at my starting price for 6 days then start to go up the last day. that's mainly because ebay organizes by end time, so your stuff doesn't show up on the first page til then.

UltraPrimal wrote:I see dozens of auctions selling rare or expensive imported figures like G1 Jetfire or THS Black Convoy for 1 cent , I wonder why they are virtually giving them away?

1 cent is probably the starting bid. Remember that it is an auction, so the price will go up depending on how much people want it and are willing to pay.