Cool piece to spark some conversation... But so is that (insert engine with DCC sound here for $255), lol Sent from the magical mystery box
That was interesting. Really only 7 bidders for those 33 bids, some auto generated, and the winner seems to have come in with one bid right before closing. While I probably wouldn't bid that high for that particular item, I know I have overbid on items. It tells me there are 7 collectors of those things in which that one would have completed their collection, and thus was worth the $255. In an N scale world of maybe 70,000 modelers, that makes literally 1 in a 1000 are crazy enough about that trailer to bid. Who hasn't got that one item that they just HAVE to have?
Oh, no, they did fire engines too...?!? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-7-Hi...Fire-Engine-/281768253206?hash=item419ab25716
Yet another ad which does not let folks know the engine is non-operating. I don't recall, is "Mini-Trains" a "Hi-Speed term? Or this just the way this seller describes their treasure?
That would be the old AHM MinitrainS HOn30 line. Which has been resurrected by a fellow in Germany, much better quality and is selling very well: http://www.minitrains.eu/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-SCALE-LOT-OF-4-PASSENGER-CAR-STORAGE-BOXES-CASES-/331622984760 I can understand the need for some boxes, but not that much need for ones that are slightly damaged and probably don't correspond with the cars you have to put in them per se. I find a chunk of foam rubber provides much for cushion for far less.
This is the kind of listing that really annoys me just looking at it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-N-Scale-Train-Arnold-Rapido-Frisco-Lines-Crane-Car-/121725690235 How are you supposed to "examine the pictures carefully to assess the condition to your own personal standards", when the pictures are all blurry?
With all of their micro-managing, it's too bad that site doesn't have a way to complain about sellers who upload poor quality views.
Per the auction, "Great Deal"... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-Train...ack-5-piece-/291525223054?hash=item43e041e28e
I've never quite understood selling $5 items and the like on eBay. By the time a Seller takes time to make pictures, post an ad, box up the item and drive to the post office to mail the thing, his earnings are minimal if any. It just surprises me that Sellers have this sort of time on their hands.
I have sold a few N scale items for $2.99, $3.99, 2 cars for $4.99 or $7, plus $2 or $3 for first class package shipping. Maybe it's just a fixation with thinking something didn't fit my layout or needs but "too good to throw away." Even sorted through the old Arnold Rapido style trucks-and-couplers I removed to replace with MTLs, so the cars I sold for "1975 prices" at least had some trucks and couplers. But it's all stuff somebody could use. Stuff really bashed up gets tossed. I have lots of old stuff that doesn't meet modern state-of-the-N-scale art but it fits what I want to model and meets the "1 1/2 foot rule." (Some HOers are satisfied if a missing or inappropriate detail is not detectable over 3 feet away. For my N scale, I modify that to a 1 1/2 foot rule...)
I have often bid on a lot of cars/engines because I wanted only one thing I then sell off the rest and most times cover my cost+ shipping of the original price. One example. A guy had poor quality photos of a bachmann 2-8-0 and a group of cars on the Feebay ,when I checked closely I saw it was a spectrum, so I bid and I won the lot for $22.00 with shipping kept the 2-8-0 and sold the cars and made about $23.00. This way my hobby is sorta self supporting. The engine did run poorly but after some gear cover screw adjustment it is a smooth and quiet runner
A ten dollar sale with free shipping usually nets around six dollars. The time vs. money tradeoff is a consideration. Unless, of course, you try this... http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-Atlas-255...led-package-/261996244573?hash=item3d00316e5d $12.94 Economy Shipping cross country? $13.55 for Priority Mail?
This is an example of where the lead picture could have been of the lot of items (since lots of multiple items were just mentioned). Nothing wrong with the listing otherwise, just a possible learning point. http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-SCALE-QUA...SHOVELS-ETC-/381360511548?hash=item58cadb9a3c
But if you drive to the post office with 10-15 or more of those $5 items once a week, then you might be onto something. It's not much different than a vendor at a model railroad show selling $5 items. Those guys pay ever rising table fees, most likely parking(around here it's everyday but set up at $5 a pop, vampires they are), gas, time involved, etc as well. And they don't have to "negotiate" with those select few who try to buy everything for a dollar. I tell my friends that do that there is a chain of stores for them. But by using eBay, they probably don't get a good return on one item. But selling multiple items, there is where that it pays off. Now if someone is just selling one or 2 items they don't use anymore on ebay for $5, then yes, too much time.
The few instances I sold stuff over the internet, I just hit the post office on the way out of town to go to work, not a lot of time taken. Not having to punch a time clock does have its advantages... Sent from the magical mystery box
