Rusty Bytes Technology Tidbits by William Sullivan

Rusty Bytes # 1 published in in the Veteran Motor Car Club of America magazine, The Bulb Horn, Volume LXV  No.5, October 2004

Buying and selling on eBay (www.ebay.com).

The internet and personal computer proliferation made eBay, the world’s largest on-line auction house, possible.  On-line auctions give anyone with access to the internet the ability to see pictures, detailed descriptions, and the current highest bid for auction items.  An item is up for auction on for a fixed period, usually seven days.  During that time, buyers can submit bids above the current high.  Unless the final bid is below a reserve set by the seller, the auction item goes to the highest bid received before the closing time.  For popular items there can be a completely invisible digital war as thousands of quick fingered buyers compete to get in that last successful bid just milliseconds before the clock runs out.

eBay auctions millions of items every day, and many are collectible automobiles, parts, memorabilia and literature.  It would be hopeless to page through all this to find items you want.  Fortunately, powerful search utilities help you filter through this morass and find those few items of interest to you.  It takes a little practice but most quickly learn how to use these tools to find that proverbial needle in the haystack.

When you click on a specific eBay item, you will get more information.  An experienced eBay seller will offer many effective pictures and detailed descriptions of the item.  These are a very useful archive in themselves.  I was trying to assemble a Jag XKE last year and found the pictures of many XKE’s listed on eBay very useful to help me figure out what parts went where on this complicated car.  Of course not everything you see on the internet is true!  You still get to use your judgment about the credibility of the seller’s offering.

The seller pays the fees for an eBay listing.  Today it costs around $45 to list an automobile on eBay.  The exact cost varies because eBay has many surcharges for the number of pictures you use, for having a reserve, for premium placement of your listing on eBay’s web pages, etc.  eBay does not control your choice of reserve or minimum bid, these choices are all up to you.  If your vehicle receives any bids above the reserve, you will be assessed another $45.  The listing and transaction fees for parts are considerably lower.  The main cost for listing parts is a sales fee from 1.5% to 5.25% of the selling price should the item sell.  The percentage you pay is lower for more expensive items.  Are you confused yet?  It is a complicated rate schedule, and eBay changes it often.  But eBay does include many help pages on their site to walk you through the process.  There is no charge for bidding, but in order to bid you must register with eBay and supply enough information to allow a buyer to locate you.

The best way to become familiar with eBay is to start looking at their current offerings.  You will notice huge variations in the quality and presentation clarity of the items under auction.  Many listings are entertaining with great stories and excellent pictures of the cars.  Others postings are very poorly presented or downright unbelievable.  After a while you will learn what works in this venue.  If you want to post a major item like an automobile, I suggest you ask for help from an experienced eBayer in your local VMCCA chapter.

Is it safe to use these auctions? The risks aren’t really much different than one faces in any sales transaction.  It still comes down to the buyer and seller convincing each other that the buyer’s money is good and that the seller owns the item and his claims are accurate.  There is no substitute for face to face contact between buyer and seller – consider traveling to see the item or calling its owner before bidding on expensive items.  Occasionally buyers or sellers may refuse to complete an agreed to sale.  Perhaps someone gets cold feet or the buyer feels the item was misrepresented in the listing.  These problems are limited by the extensive feedback records that eBay collects following all eBay transactions.  Because of this feedback, most buyers and sellers bend over backwards to be sure that their actions do not produce negative feedback.  Experienced buyers and sellers check feedback thoroughly and will avoid dealing with those with checkered or non-existent eBay histories.

I have bought many small parts on eBay and sold one car.  I found it to be a pleasant and worthwhile experience. The process probably favors the seller by opening a vast, worldwide market with tools to help buyers quickly find your stuff among thousands of similar items.  This market works faster and easier than walking through miles of tables at Hershey, though it isn’t nearly as much fun.  Unlike most of the big tent live auctions, like Barrett-Jackson or Kruse, there are some genuine bargains on eBay.  Be aware, though of the logistics and costs of shipping and moving your treasure across the country, and the risks of buying sight unseen.

My free tips to sellers:  pictures, good pictures, and great pictures make all the difference, get a decent digital camera and pay attention to the surroundings and lighting; be wary of foreign cashier’s checks!  For buyers:  start to learn the lingo by bidding on small items first; try not to bid until the last hour of the auction; don’t be afraid to ask the seller questions by email or telephone.