Ridiculous eBay Auctions

SumoLego

xwingpilot said:

@SumoLego
Out of curiosity, do you keep your LEGO sealed because you intend to resell it, or just because you prefer to collect it that way?

It depends on what it is.  For instance - I will not open the SDCC Collector minifig because I find displaying the figure in the package more aesthetically pleasing.  The fact @VorpalRyu routinely liberates rather rare minifigs is amazing to me - and I mean that in a positive way.

For my LotR minifig display, PotC display and my MCU minifig display, I couldn't wait to tear through the boxes.  I enjoy putting together displays for the CMFs as well.

I really have no deliberate plans to re-sell or trade any of my collection.  I readily admit that I take satisfaction in simply possessing them.

And I normally buy multiples of sets that I want to build.  (There's a UCS B-Wing that will one day be assembled.) It also helps that I rarely pay retail for sets.

VorpalRyu

@SumoLego, they're not as much fun to play with while still in the plastic shell, plus I know two Übergeek collectors that lose their minds every time I mention the adventures that the Jean Grey, Sam Wilson (as Cap) & the Collector get up when James plays with them. Having them out of the packet also means I can add them to scenes when doing Marvel MOCs/displays. I've be told a few times I shouldn't allowed to buy SDCC stuff, can't wait to FB photos of me & James playing the 2015 SDCC Hot Wheels Marvel character cars I just purchased off eBay, James has already asked which one I want to be when we open them.

xwingpilot

@SumoLego thanks.

It's always interesting to hear others' collecting philosophy.

I do open my exclusive minifigures, but I also photograph them first and save the polybag. I like displaying them in the plastic but do concede there's something special about a sealed collectable.

SumoLego

@xwingpilot - the 'special' part of it really is completely arbitrary and a complete social convention.  (It's not much different than a low-mileage classic car.)

I get that it may make something 'rare', but then you have more valuable collectibles that are rated by third parties for their condition - out of the package.

I'm still torn with the Mr. Gold I have on display but still in the stupid sub-bag that it came in.  If I would have gotten another before the price went crazy, I'd have one in the package, and I would have liberated the other for the display case.

xwingpilot

@SumoLego I think the special part of it for me is remembering what it was like seeing brand new sets in the shop as a kid, and occasionally coming home with one.

To be honest, this whole AFOL / LEGO collecting thing takes me back to my childhood (except thay now there's the Star Wars theme and I can afford the sets I want) :)

SweepyD

Seems it is an option the actual seller can set to have everyone show as "Private Bidder" vs the usual B***y, X***T or such

khmellymel

^ Yes, in the days before eBay annonymised bidder ID's, a Private Auction was the only way to hide bidder IDs on auctions (a feature that a seller would offer if they sold stuff near Christmas time... or stuff of a sensitive nature... or any item at all really if they felt like it ).  Now that they have introduced annoymised ID's I'm not really sure why the feature still exists, although I suppose you can still guess with the letters and the feedback rating if you know the person... ?

Bobflip

The letters at the beginning and end are different to the bidders' usernames. I think they also cause the listing title to be hidden in the feedback page, which as you say is good for items of a sensitive nature. Also Christmas presents, but I'd personally only thought of stuff of a sensitive nature!

CCC

I know this is more about ridiculous items rather than ridiculous bids, but anyway...

There was some very strange offer behaviour on some of my recent items. I put them on BIN with best offer, and that allows a potential buyer to make three offers. These items were selling at about £25-30, I wanted a quick sale so put them on at £25 with best offer. I auto-decline any offers under £20. The first item gets an offer of £22 from a potential buyer which I counter with £24, but it sells for £25 in the meantime. I list another exactly the same, again I get an offer of £22 from the same buyer and it sells for £25 before I respond. Third time, the same. Fourth time, this time I counter and he accepts before it is sold.

Nothing really strange there.

But then I go back and have a look at what other people were offering. The first time, there were quite a few offers auto-declined. Most were about 50% of my asking price. But one particular user had offered £1.00, then £2.00, then £2.50. All three get instantly auto-declined. So his maximum was 10% of my asking price. I checked the second item. Exactly the same user had placed the same offers. Same on the third and the fourth item. I cannot fathom what he was trying to achieve, making multiple offers each time at way under 10% of the asking value.

MrKettle

Ok not quite eBay but according to Facebook marketplace there is someone not 10 mins drive from me selling the old Death Star MISB for £210. This just looks like a massive con. Don't know how to link to it or post screenshot from phone but if I figure it out I will give it a go. 

Istokg

Any grading service for LEGO is like throwing your money down the toilet.  Grading and encapsulation services are fine for rare sports cards (1952 Mickey Mantle Rookie Card) or rare coins (Mint State 66 1893-S Morgan Dollar, 1 known at this condition, none higher).

But for LEGO... you are just throwing your money away.  I saw a 1966 #704 Samsonite LEGO Basic Set encapsulated with "Finest condition known" set that was selling on Ebay for $7200.  (Never did sell)....  Of course it's the finest known... the other 500 owners of this set never bothered to waste their money on encapsulating/grading their sets.

Since 99.9% of LEGO owners will never encapsulate/grade their sets... it makes the other 0.1% expense of encapsulation a waste of money.

Shib

CCC said:

 I cannot fathom what he was trying to achieve, making multiple offers each time at way under 10% of the asking value.

Probably someone who doesn't realise that you can set an auto decline and always tries it on

samiam391

Jackad7 said:

Um, so this happened. (I wouldn't consider this NSFW but don't click on it at work unless you don't care what your IT guy thinks of you.)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/222317286583

Glacierfalls265 said:

^ I was not expecting that...even though I was warned...

Made the unfortunate mistake of clicking on the link without really reading the comments. Spent hours trying to burn it from my memory.

Just when I had finally recovered, I received this lovely reminder from eBay... 




No longer available... devastating.

bandit778

@samiam391
The fact you now have naked woman, Lego boobs and nude girl in your recommendations may be more worrying when opening eBay in the future. :)

CCC

^^ Do you want a brunette instead?

Pitfall69

Leave it to a naked Lego woman to bring @samiam391 out of his shell  ;)

stank2k

The picture used for this auction is hilarious.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MASSIVE-LEGO-Lot-Over-50-000-Pieces-100-Lbs-Green-Grocer-Cafe-Corner-/142191425965?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276

VorpalRyu

^So, in reading the details, he is selling off some of the sets included, so the end result is....that you may or may not get the sets he has mentioned are part of this listing. Surely that is against the eBay T&Cs, right? 

sid3windr

It makes little sense to me...

stank2k

I like how he calls his collection "my babies." 

"Like all of my listings, my babies have been carefully stored in a clean environment free from pets, smoke, mold, and excessive dust."

SumoLego

I smell me some profiteering...

Jackad7

stank2k said:

The picture used for this auction is hilarious.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MASSIVE-LEGO-Lot-Over-50-000-Pieces-100-Lbs-Green-Grocer-Cafe-Corner-/142191425965?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276

Thankfully he put a link to his $90 "Stocking Stuffer Collection" which appears to be mostly random worthless polybags. Like he mentioned the original listing was  just a "Little" (like about a used but good condition nice car little) bit out of my Christmas gift budget.

SprinkleOtter

SumoLego said:

I smell me some profiteering...

Someone went to ebay, looked at the highest listed value, and went with that.

datsunrobbie

SprinkleOtter said:

SumoLego said:

I smell me some profiteering...

Someone went to ebay, looked at the highest listed value, and went with that.

There's another one on eBay with a Buy-it-Now of $998. At least 7886 is a set that came out in 2008. To me, profiteering is the 464 auctions flipping the $30 Black Friday #10697 box.

SprinkleOtter

datsunrobbie said:

SprinkleOtter said:

SumoLego said:

I smell me some profiteering...

Someone went to ebay, looked at the highest listed value, and went with that.

There's another one on eBay with a Buy-it-Now of $998. At least 7886 is a set that came out in 2008. To me, profiteering is the 464 auctions flipping the $30 Black Friday #10697 box.

Or the i###ts trying to sell them on craigslist for $75-$100. Except they're not profiting...

datsunrobbie

^I've been surprised this year, only two have popped up on Craigslist locally. One has 3 sets for $60 each, posted on Black Friday and ad is still up. The other is for $50 and was posted this morning. I saw a lot more of them on Craigslist last year. Planning on opening up the two I got online over the weekend.

MrKettle

Hmm so the person on Facebook near me who was selling an Old Death Star marked as New and in sealed box for £210 now apparently has a SSD brand new in box they want to sell for £150. Again I know it is a scam somehow but I just cannot figure out how they intend to pull it off. Tempted to ask them about it to see what they propose. 

Has as anyone else been scammed buying Lego before?

Switchfoot55

I have a few items listed on a local message board for sale. I got an odd response saying they wanted me to email their aunt who is a really big Lego collector. I hesitantly did (and sent it from a junk burner email account). The response back was a scam through and through. Something about a certified check, and they would pay me $25 over what I was asking as long as I sent them all of my information. 

........sure.........

datsunrobbie

Switchfoot55 said:

I have a few items listed on a local message board for sale. I got an odd response saying they wanted me to email their aunt who is a really big Lego collector. I hesitantly did (and sent it from a junk burner email account). The response back was a scam through and through. Something about a certified check, and they would pay me $25 over what I was asking as long as I sent them all of my information. 

........sure.........

I often wish I had saved a few really nasty viruses that I could email to people like that. Something that would format the drives on every computer that they own would be appropriate.

dragon114

here an over priced train sets http://www.ebay.com/sch/LEGO-Complete-Sets-Packs/19006/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=sarge36us

Bobflip

SprinkleOtter said:

datsunrobbie said:

SprinkleOtter said:

SumoLego said:

I smell me some profiteering...

Someone went to ebay, looked at the highest listed value, and went with that.

There's another one on eBay with a Buy-it-Now of $998. At least 7886 is a set that came out in 2008. To me, profiteering is the 464 auctions flipping the $30 Black Friday #10697 box.

Or the i###ts trying to sell them on craigslist for $75-$100. Except they're not profiting...

It's ok, we're all adults here, I don't think anyone will be upset by the word 'idiots'.

Jackad7

Bobflip said:

SprinkleOtter said:

datsunrobbie said:

SprinkleOtter said:

SumoLego said:

I smell me some profiteering...

Someone went to ebay, looked at the highest listed value, and went with that.

There's another one on eBay with a Buy-it-Now of $998. At least 7886 is a set that came out in 2008. To me, profiteering is the 464 auctions flipping the $30 Black Friday #10697 box.

Or the i###ts trying to sell them on craigslist for $75-$100. Except they're not profiting...

It's ok, we're all adults here, I don't think anyone will be upset by the word 'idiots'.

*Gasp*

SumoLego

I thought you objected to the 'Inuits' in Northern Canada selling Lego.  (The shipping is crazy!)

Or the 'ingots' or 'islets'.  Time to abort this joke.  

Jazzhands!  (Runs off stage.)

oldtodd33

For all of you non box savers. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-LEGO-BOXES-AND-INSTRUCTION-MANUALS-3450-10196-10224-10185-/152338489104?hash=item237814df10:g:md0AAOSwEzxYPsF7&nma=true&si=tGgEQeDmTAd8z5nUbmSZjQtPHQw%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

chrisalddin

oldtodd33 said:

For all of you non box savers. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-LEGO-BOXES-AND-INSTRUCTION-MANUALS-3450-10196-10224-10185-/152338489104?hash=item237814df10:g:md0AAOSwEzxYPsF7&nma=true&si=tGgEQeDmTAd8z5nUbmSZjQtPHQw%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

dead link.

MaffyD

^ worked for me:

Pitfall69

^Me too

chrisalddin

ok ok not dead , i just did not move far down the page.

dragon114

fell like winning bid was fake

dragon114

way over priced advent star wars figs http://www.ebay.com/itm/162316812994?rmvSB=true

VorpalRyu

dragon114 said:

way over priced advent star wars figs http://www.ebay.com/itm/162316812994?rmvSB=true

Saw that one on the AFOLs of Facebook group, think the seller needs to be medicated...

JudgeChuck

VorpalRyu said:

dragon114 said:

way over priced advent star wars figs http://www.ebay.com/itm/162316812994?rmvSB=true

Saw that one on the AFOLs of Facebook group, think the seller needs to be medicated...

Anyone who does that with LEGO minifigures, or any other similar toy, needs to be medicated. Utter lunacy.

chrisalddin

JudgeChuck said:

VorpalRyu said:

dragon114 said:

way over priced advent star wars figs http://www.ebay.com/itm/162316812994?rmvSB=true

Saw that one on the AFOLs of Facebook group, think the seller needs to be medicated...

Anyone who does that with LEGO minifigures, or any other similar toy, needs to be medicated. Utter lunacy.

maybe if it was MR Gold. or in the box Lester. but not a advent star wars.

JudgeChuck

chrisalddin said:

JudgeChuck said:

VorpalRyu said:

dragon114 said:

way over priced advent star wars figs http://www.ebay.com/itm/162316812994?rmvSB=true

Saw that one on the AFOLs of Facebook group, think the seller needs to be medicated...

Anyone who does that with LEGO minifigures, or any other similar toy, needs to be medicated. Utter lunacy.

maybe if it was MR Gold. or in the box Lester. but not a advent star wars.

Yes, I just about agree with you there, but it's still pretty bonkers.

Pitfall69

^Cloud City Boba Fett, Mr. Gold or any expensive minifigure I can see; especially expensive ones that are faked, but not Advent Calendar minifigures. 

Jackad7

I mean its basically a see through blown up version of the original advent calendar. A bunch of small boxes sold at an unreasonably high price and retain almost none of the value when opened. So if blowing about $60 on the original wasn't a fast enough way to burn through cash then this might be the product for you!

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

Who is their 'expert' grader? And who qualified them to be so? What is the difference between a U90 minifig and a U95 minifig. So. Many. Questions! (Including and probably most importantly) Why? Just.....Why?

chrisalddin

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA said:

Who is their 'expert' grader? And who qualified them to be so? What is the difference between a U90 minifig and a U95 minifig. So. Many. Questions! (Including and probably most importantly) Why? Just.....Why?

i'll take "Why? Just.....Why?" for 100.

answer:- "Money."

samiam391

Pitfall69 said:

^Cloud City Boba Fett, Mr. Gold or any expensive minifigure I can see; especially expensive ones that are faked, but not Advent Calendar minifigures. 

@Pitfall69- Since when did you become tolerant of AFA graded figures? I'm ashamed of you.

It's a crime to encage plastic in plastic.

SumoLego

^ I'm happy you came out of hibernation to dog our poor @Pitfall69.

(I have one of these purely as a novelty!)