Thread: eBay Experiment, Redux

Why would it be mean? If something is for sale on the open market it is for sale, a lot of the straight razor buyers on ebay are either members or at least have visited this forum to do some basic research, if they haven't they're not too smart.
Myself, I don't care if somebody posts a link to an auction or not. If I want a razor I'm bidding on it what I want to pay, the only exception is if I have an agreement with somebody else not to bid on a particular thing.

The way I see it, advertising here on SRP probably doesn't make as big a difference as we tend to think. A great deal of the members here would have trolled the bay looking for razors anyway and would have found the razor on their own eventually. Just my opinion.

Yes! True, I saw both your points quqi and Theseus, both the man was try to get clean numbers from the outside market, I guess what I should have said, throw out the bids from us that know of the experiment, that would be the hard part but would give him the numbers.

Interesting. But this may be a bad time to do it. I've noted that the prices being paid since Christmas are very high. Not sure if this is a seasonal thing or that the 'markets' are up too!

I'd guess you need to do it about 30 times to find out how reliable one thing is vs. another (BIN vs. bid price).

I'm sure it varies some, though I don't generally look at BIN stuff at all, and I've bought my share of razors that are in similar condition to that one.

I do have some experience selling tools, though, where the tool in question is something only one or two looker on ebay would want at a time - things like 200 year old panel raising planes, etc. In my experience with that, probably 2 times out of 3, I would get a higher price starting the auction at a penny and letting it go with no reserve. The times I didn't were easily made up by the times I did. Two cases, specifically:

* John Bell panel raising plane (to make door panels, etc - for the unitiated) - back when ebay charged to list, I listed the plane twice for $150. it was in used and typical worn condition, but nothing defective. Blew through about $7 or $10 of listing fees or something, nobody was interested. I took it off, and then a week later figured I didn't care what I'd get for it, put it up at a penny. The final bid was $175. I think with some things, the psychology that someone else finds it at least as valuable as an incremental amount from what you're bidding helps.

* Stanley 55 (this is not so uncommon, many for sale at once) - I had one in great shape, near perfect and with original box and absolutely complete. Tried like crazy to sell it for a flat rate of $400, then $375, then $350 and nobody wanted it. I listed it for a penny and it sold for $555 plus shipping. The guy who got it was ecstatic with the condition when he got it.

I've had other things, like a plane that should've gone for $125 go for $80, etc, but all in all, for the level of hassle that I can avoid by putting up an auction instead of a BIN (i.e., it sells no matter what), I'll go with the auction.

Good pictures - a picture can never be too good, but easily bad enough to affect the perception of something in a negative way - and a description that doesn't say negative things (unless they're warranted) is important, though with an auction. When I started on ebay, I wanted to be the "good guy" by pointing out ever condition issue on a tool I was selling out of my collection. People see a list of 5 good things and 5 minor cosmetic condition issues, and all they think is 5 condition issues and go to the next auction for a tool in worse shape, and buy that because nobody talked it down.

Instead now, if condition issues are cosemetic, I take very good close pictures of the cosmetic issues and mention to look at the pictures for condition and confirm that there are no other issues that may not appear in pictures, and that I guarantee a no questions return if there are. If there is a major condition or use issue, then I still mention it - but you expect to not get much for that kind of stuff, anyway.

All in all (i'm not a seller for income), I still buy 5-10 things for every 1 that I sell, but when I want to offload something, it's been nicer to do it with auctions and learn from what causes people to get the wrong idea when you comment on something minor (people interpret it for the worst).

Its a nice razor but i really think "shave ready" should be in the title for sure!! Thats a selling point!

Always go with auction! like you said ive sold a Stanley Everlasting chisel years ago i mean one chisel for $245 dollars
simple procedure the chisel was at $65 dollars 20 seconds from ending, one bid for $240 another for $245 both bidders wanted it
and put a huge number to make sure that they would get it, and i was the lucky seller!!! At that time you could buy a chisel like this one from 40 to 100 only takes two bidders!!

Originally Posted by Martin103

Its a nice razor but i really think "shave ready" should be in the title for sure!! Thats a selling point!

I personally stay away from almost all ebay auctions that call the razor "shave ready". My reasoning is that who knows what they did to the razor to make it "shave ready". For all I know, they didn't hone it past the 220 grit Norton oilstone they picked up at Home depot for $5. However, if a seller has a good reputation across multiple sources, i would consider buying "shave ready" from them.

I saw a razor on the bay last week and in the description the seller was saying something along the lines of I don't think this razor is shave ready but it's sharp it probably needs (he then quotes three or four grit sizes) and then stropping with chrome polish on some leather, he then said, but I don't really know anything about razors. No kidding mate!

Originally Posted by Theseus

I personally stay away from almost all ebay auctions that call the razor "shave ready". My reasoning is that who knows what they did to the razor to make it "shave ready". For all I know, they didn't hone it past the 220 grit Norton oilstone they picked up at Home depot for $5. However, if a seller has a good reputation across multiple sources, i would consider buying "shave ready" from them.

Well when i first started using straights i got a razor shave ready from ebay from a reputable seller and it was great!
And it still is, ask questions, ask for more pics, and if your not sure just dont buy it. There is reputable seller on ebay,
that have straight razors in shave ready condition and if you did buy a razors that was shave ready and honed on a 220 grit oilstone,
you would leave a negative feedback for everybody to see!!!
Most shave ready razors on ebay look pretty good!