1. "It Pays to Get Sniped!"
Posted by Edisto on Feb-2nd-03 at 12:33 PM

For several days, I've been bidding on a couple of Lizzie Borden items offered on eBay by one of my favorite sellers, Bob Flynn.
When I attend a live auction or bid on eBay, my strategy is to decide on a top amount I'll spend on the item and not get auction fever and go over that amount just because somebody else might outbid me.  As happens all too often these days, my least phavorite eBay seller outbid me at the last minute.  No great harm done, as neither item is unique, and my top bid was (to be honest) more than I should have been paying for those items.  Would you believe two great people that I've "met" through the Lizzie community saw and recognized my eBay handle?  They emailed me with offers to sell me the same items I'd been bidding on for LESS (much less in one case) than my eBay bids.  Just one of the ways it pays to belong to groups like this one!  

(Message last edited Feb-2nd-03  12:46 PM.)

Edisto: I to have seen your Ebay handle but sadly I didn't email you next time I shall...if for nothing more than to say HI!  I followed your bidding on several items, I to am an Ebayer...sometimes a bit obessed (or so my wife tells).  And like you I sometimes bid well over that level of "reasonablility", but then again I really do want certain books for my collection. 

At one time a week or so ago you had bid on an item that I truly wanted, though I can't recall at this minute, and I purposely did not outbid you because I recognized the handle. 

Once I compile a complete listing of my books and I do have duplicates I will email you and let you know what I have.  If you wish to own a copy that is duplicated in my collection I will be glad to ship it out to you.  We can dicker on price when that time comes.

Ebay can be a phavorite place phor a phun fine of buying and selling if you are no being phanned out or is that beat out? 

BC

Edisto, when you consider the source what did you expect? Good for you in that you got some cheaper.

I too will NEVER bid knowingly against another member of this forum. I would expect the same courtesy in return.

I'm with you Harry, and BobCook. I have seen your eBay ID and didn't even try to outbid you, even if I wanted the item. I also note William's ID every once in a while and do the same thing.

It is sure neat to know that we all are so kind to each other. I think that is grand!

On another note, I was bidding on one of Charlie Crowell's morbid death scrapbooks, this time the book covered the Borden trial extensively! It was very generous of Charlie to post so many of the Borden images in his sale on eBay. This allowed me to save them all and crop them for use on my web site. I had bid up to $350 bucks!! I thought I could buy it, photocopy it and sell the photocopies at about 35 a piece and make back my money in short order. I wanted it badly but decided to be happy with the images Charlie posted.

The scrapbook ended up selling for over $500! Not in my budget!

Anyway, thanks Charlie if you are lurking around here.

Thanks for the offer.  I too have a few duplicate items that probably resulted from my buying somebody's collection of Lizzie items just to get the one or two that I didn't have.  Actually, I do have a fairly extensive collection.  These items were a couple of plays (fiction but Borden-related).  It's that sort of thing that I don't have.  I wouldn't have expected that person to withhold a bid because it was me.  I try not to bid on items if I recognize the other bidder's username, but I'm afraid I might not always be able to do that.  At least I now feel completely "phree" to bid on things that particular Lizzie buff covets.

That particular ebayer gets the boot from ebay quite often. It is those times that you can really pick up most of the "good stuff". The last time she was suspended it lasted a good month and a half. 45 whole days without being sniiped! ooh la la! Those were the days. 

I have a question for you BobcookBobcook!

Do you think Andrew would be bidding on E-bay?
This is a legit question....
What's your tale?
This may be a fun answer...

(Message last edited Feb-3rd-03  12:14 AM.)

Well Kat here's my take on it:  given the impression that we have of Father being so frugal and all I doubt very much the he would even go out to Best Buy and purchase a computer.  His grip on the fiscal affairs of 92 Second Street would be such that even given 18 months interest free and NO payments wouldn't budge the ole coot.

Yeah, I have to say not all Virgos share the same penchant for "life in the fast lane".  Whereas I -- DO -- have my spending limits A.J. would never consider bidding on items let alone actually paying for them.

But then again...was Father truly a "miserly" miserable old coot??

Ah, Andy how we would love to truly know thee.......and as usual that's my twisted tale and it's goin' to stick!

BC

I don't want to leave the false impression that I resent having anyone bid against me.  That's what happens at auctions, and I do love auctions.  I already have most of the Lizzie stuff I want, so this kind of sniping rarely happens to me these days -- at least not with regard to Borden-related items.  My real point was to say that most of the Borden buffs out there are good people who look out for each other (and incidentally know a skunk when they smell one).  The ones who contacted me after the auction were very kind to do so.  The person who sniped me is, as Stefani pointed out, rather frequently suspended by eBay.  That fact doesn't show up in her feedback, but the feedback is certainly bad enough on its own!  It pays to read the feedback comments, not just the point score.  Those left by the seller herself are particularly telling.  I don't sell on eBay, but if I did, I would block bids from that person, because I don't need the aggravation.

Edisto: I think it is out of great admiration and respect for one another here in Father's house that Ebay'ers don't trump other family members knowingly.  At least that's my take...if I recognize the handle/screen name as being of "us" I wouldn't outbid...even if the item is the last one...someone else will come up with another copy or replica. 

So.......how many Lizzie things have you?  I am in the process of cataloguing my stach...will post it soon.

BC