The ebay humor thread got me to thinking. A lot of people mock and ridicule insane ebay pricing on a few items. For example- an old Life Like GP38 plastic frame for $200 (when they are worth 5 to many people). My answer to this is: ACCIDENTALLY buying things on ebay is possible. Yep. That's right. It is currently possible to ACCIDENTALLY buy something on ebay (and I wish ebay would change it- but since they make a commission/fee on each sale, they have no reason to change it). Consider: 1. On a regular auction- you bid--but it is not yours yet. And a confirmation/warning screen comes up reminding you this is a contract and if you bid and win, you still need to pay. In fact, if you LOSE (come in second) you could STILL win and be obligated to pay if the winning bidder's bid is negated or fails to pay. yada yada yada. You click OK, and NOW you are in the running. 2. If you have an auction that is Buy it Now- pay NOW, then a screen comes up and says, Until you pay, someone else can slip in under you and get this. So pay soon. 3. Howeverrrrrrrrrrrr......... plain old buy it now...... when you click on the Buy It Now button, it is YOURS. No confirmation screen. No warning. No reminder that this is a contract, etc etc etc. Think anybody ever ACCIDENTALLY clicks on something? Well, I am ebarrassed to say that I did it- I wonder if anyone else has? It is really hard to describe how it happened... and I'm embarrassed to describe this..... but I was up late one evening. I was pretty tired - and at 51, I'm at a stage in my life where I can nod off sitting in my chair (I could never sleep in a chair when I was younger). So I'm on ebay. I'm looking at a brass loco that is a unique/rare prototype but runs like cr@p being older technology. Hmmm. outrageously over priced. If the price was a good bit lower... nod...... hmmm..... nod ...... CONGRATULATIONS! You just bought this item!!!!!!!!!!!! (surge of adrenalin..... I'm wide awake now!!) Yep, it is possible. One stray click and it is yours! CONGRATULATIONS! Now in my case, the seller was a wonderful and reputable person. I embarrassingly said what happened, we went through the ebay system and mutually concelled the auction. But what if.... What if the seller refused to cancel the auction? I was prepared to buy because the mistake was mine. I hate this feature I've horribly discovered about ebay by a very bad experience. And I just wonder, do these people with insane prices do this specifically for people like me? Or people with tremors? Or kids.... or people who don't know what they're doing. I'm not sure. Just wondering. (I hope my story brought a smile to you. I can laugh about it now.... but it wasn't very funny when it happened-- nor when I told my understanding wife the next morning. Chessiefan wasn't too upset about it because he probably hoped I get it, and give it to him for an expensive Christmas present!).
I never logged on, until seeing something which was a must to buy. That way you can't accidently bid.
Now that is funny! It wasn't on a credit card by chance was it? Then it would actually cost you alot more.
I think another angle is a person who is not familiar with model trains doesn't understand that an older plastic Life Like GP38 is not the same as an Atlas GP38, even though in their eyes they look similar. Thy price their junk accordingly, sometimes not even realizing that it is not the same manufacturer. Then there are others who are probably not naive, just dishonest.....
I know that feeling. I sold my OMI MILW #E-79 Little Joe, #18 of a production of 21 for my wifes engagement ring.
Yes and then there are also people that sell those Readers Digest SP and Alaska train car sets for high $$$$ prices. I had a complete SP set and put a $5.99 starting price on them, just to get rid of them. I was laughing all the way to the bank when 2 fools jacked the bid up to OVER $75!!!
I don't understand what you are talking about. When I look at ebay, I see auctions and "Buy it now" listings(as well as auctions that have a buy it now price), but I do not see any that say "Buy it now - pay now". Any time I click on a Buy it now button, whether the item takes bids or not, I always get Commit to buy screen.
Same here, as far as I can tell. So it would take two "unconscious" clicks, at least. But then, we all seem to have our moments....
Well at least you know it only cost you $1,500 to hit the back button. Unlike if you went through with the wedding and then hit the back button would cost you alot more $$$$. As Eddie Murphy says, HALF!!!!!!!
I did that once on a drunken bet when I was a teenager. A little over 20 years later, I figured a way out. I retired! LOL Seriously, I only use Ebay for BUY IT NOW. I type in the search bar for an item. As soon as the searched items appear, I click on the BUY IT NOW button, then I start scrolling through the items. I got shot down (lost) on so many items when bidding back in the 90's. I finally decided, if I wanted it, I would BUY IT NOW. Otherwise, what's the use. (IMHO) Now, if I could get passed the "having to wait" for that thing in the "snail mail", I guess I'll be okay. I hate buying something, and not going home with it.
I have steadfastly refused all eBay attempts at making me a 1-click bidder or whatever they call it. It has meant missing a few things, but it has also prevented me accidentally buying anything, too.
A couple of corrections to the OP's list. 1. If you bid on an auction and at the final bell, your bid is not the highest, you did not win the auction and do not have to pay for it. If you bid on an auction and even though your bid is not the highest bid, you could still win the auction if either the high bidder retracts his bid or the seller deletes the high bid. If the result of either of those actions is that you become the highest bidder at the final bell, you win. 2. There used to be Buy It Now listings (and maybe still are, but I haven't seen them for awhile) where if you use the Buy It Now, an immediate payment is required to complete the transaction. They call it Buy It Now with Immediate Payment. Some sellers use these because of the all the non-paying bidders and the hassle associated with reporting them, etc. 3. Unless you have something special setup, when you click Buy It Now, you get another screen asking you to confirm. As one other poster said, there might be a single click Buy It Now, but I haven't seen it. Lastly, if you accidentally win something, either in an auction or Buy It Now, you can request the seller cancel the transaction. The seller has to initiate it with eBay, eBay sends it to the buyer to confirm it and the transaction is null and void. The seller gets a Final Value Fee credit and they have to relist the item.
I have seen and gotten the PAY NOW once in a while as a buyer, picking a buyitnow item. I think its an option, and might only be available to Stores. Like I never have seen that option given to me when I list a BIN, but then I use turbo-lister, and due to vast rumors, I have never updated my turbo-lister for maybe 2 years.
I've been using eBay for over a decade, and I have never seen a situation where it was possible to win--or buy--something with just one click. I am highly suspicious there's more to this story than the OP is letting on...
I have had a couple situations with Ebay and have yet to receive any refunds. Buyer protection is a spoof. Still waiting for my refund
