A little too rich for my blood

KT4HX · #1 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 12:09 AM

I will admit freely that I really like the Pro-2055, but in this case what people are willing to pay for one is nothing short of amazing to me!

Radio Shack Pro-2055 Triple Trunking Scanner - eBay (item 200511371522 end time Aug-29-10 17:06:29 PDT)

mule1075 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 10:11 AM

i have to agree with you way too rich for my blood.

DaveNF2G · #3 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 10:16 AM

You can only get good deals on eBay for items that are not popular, or from some of the stores with good Buy It Now prices.

nickbarber47933 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 10:22 AM

yeah ebay has been ran over by complete dumbasses. Half the time their prices are the same or more than retail. I have been forced to buy of craigslist.

Chauffeur6 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 11:34 AM

For a few dollars more, you can get a brand new BCT15X, which is a superior scanner anyway. The 2055 was never very impressive, the display is way too small, like most GRE built scanners. Then again, the display on the 2055 has been known to crap out on 50% or more of the units built, so I guess it really doesn't matter what size it is!

KT4HX · #6 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 1:11 PM

I've owned a couple of 2055's, and for what it is and what it does, it is a good scanner. I never had a 2055 display go out on me, though I had it happen with a Pro-97 (which I fixed). I have always wished GRE/RS scanners had a little larger display, even though I like them otherwise (as evidenced by the ones I have now). But I am often amazed at how much people will pay for older scanners on Ebay. I know what I would pay for something, and if it goes beyond that, I will just stay out of the feeding frenzy that occurs in the last minute of the auction

Eng74 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 6:51 PM

You can get a new GRE PSR-400 for the same price or the RS Pro-163 for less. The same scanner updated as the 2055 and the DCS works on it.

DPD1 · #8 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 7:19 PM

Wait... Are the days of people buying used stuff for the same price as new, or higher... returning to eBay? Should I start getting all my old junk together? :-) I've been waiting for this.

KT4HX · #9 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 7:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DPD1

Wait... Are the days of people buying used stuff for the same price as new, or higher... returning to eBay? Should I start getting all my old junk together? :-) I've been waiting for this.

I have no qualms about someone overpaying me for my equipment on ebay. I tend to try and sell it outright on here, Eham, QTH and QRZ first for a fair price (and always open to negotiation). But sometimes it can be an amazing thing to watch as the price of something used approaches the new price, and on occasion exceeds it!

chrismol1 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 7:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KT4HX

But sometimes it can be an amazing thing to watch as the price of something used approaches the new price, and on occasion exceeds it!

I always wonder what causes that?

KT4HX · #11 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 7:57 PM

It's a psychological thing. Some people see something they really want, and are determined it will be theirs. Some just don't like to lose once they make the decision to pull the trigger. Since the most brisk bidding always occurs in the last minute of an auction, they just get caught up in the frenzy and good sense seems to go out the window. Before you know it, they wind up spending more than they should.

Of course, you do have those bidders that have a very deep wallet, and it means nothing to them to overpay for something - it's only money; something of which they may have an abundance of. Afterall, a few more dollars isn't anything to them, and they now have bragging rights - at least in their own mind.

Eng74 · #12 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 8:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KT4HX

But sometimes it can be an amazing thing to watch as the price of something used approaches the new price, and on occasion exceeds it!

I can understand it on somethings that keep their value and are no longer made like a Pro-2006. When a new version is out there that has the same specs and more for the same price or less those are the ones, like this one, that make you go what?

blantonl · #13 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 8:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismol1

I always wonder what causes that?

The international audience. Remember, many of the products that are available to us in the United States are not available to the rest of the world.

blantonl · #14 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 8:55 PM

However, looking at the bidding history this one looks like a classic shill bidder. It would be hard to prove, but I've sold hundreds of items on eBay and never seen the type of bidding behavior like we see on this auction - which is a rather commonly sold scanner. I call shenanigans!

DPD1 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 9:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KT4HX

I have no qualms about someone overpaying me for my equipment on ebay. I tend to try and sell it outright on here, Eham, QTH and QRZ first for a fair price (and always open to negotiation). But sometimes it can be an amazing thing to watch as the price of something used approaches the new price, and on occasion exceeds it!

Oh, back in the heydays, I numerous times sold stuff for more than what it was going for new at that very moment. Made me shake my head, but I sure wasn't going to stop them.

Star56 · #16 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 9:54 PM

I purchase thousands of dollars of equipment on ebay every few months. Great deals are all over the place. I love ebay.

commscanaus · #17 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 7:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blantonl

The international audience. Remember, many of the products that are available to us in the United States are not available to the rest of the world.

Very true.

Trying to find someone willing to sell an Astro Saber III in the band split I require to a country other than the U.S. is not an easy task. Then to find a seller that does ship International, with a radio in good condition and a good flashcode- enter the bidding war with the locals, or try to find a BIN auction.
Also taking in to account the shipping costs and foreign exchange rates.
The Astro Saber was never used here- so getting a hold of one locally is near impossible.

The list of equipment not available locally is huge- can't get GRE scanners here either.

Having said that- I would expect to pay more than some items are worth simply because finding a seller with decent feedback who will export is not always easy.

eBay can be very good depending on what one is after.

Commscanaus.

K4DHR · #18 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 8:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismol1

I always wonder what causes that?

Gotta-have-it-itis.

If you see someone with a low feedback score start to bid on something, particularly on the first couple of days it is available for sale, you can usually forget getting it at a decent price. While I welcome it as a seller (which has become less and less frequent because of all of the fees and restrictions eBay has implemented in the past 2-3 years) it has made finding really good deals on short notice a bit more difficult. I usually have to watch a few things over the span of a week or two (given how much I buy) to find something that hasn't had its price run up.

chrismol1 · #19 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 9:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K4DHR

Gotta-have-it-itis.

If you see someone with a low feedback score start to bid on something, particularly on the first couple of days it is available for sale, you can usually forget getting it at a decent price. While I welcome it as a seller (which has become less and less frequent because of all of the fees and restrictions eBay has implemented in the past 2-3 years) it has made finding really good deals on short notice a bit more difficult. I usually have to watch a few things over the span of a week or two (given how much I buy) to find something that hasn't had its price run up.

I do see that all the time but never gave any thought to it. Those newly registered or 0 feedback buyers that put in the first few bids and then as the bid list grows all you see is their bid throughout the whole list!

KT4HX · #20 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismol1

I do see that all the time but never gave any thought to it. Those newly registered or 0 feedback buyers that put in the first few bids and then as the bid list grows all you see is their bid throughout the whole list!

Sometimes those low feedback bidders are shill accounts (as Lindsay mentioned), or family/friends of the seller who's sole purpose is to drive the price up. If one of them winds up with the high bid, they can just leave positive feedback for one another, then the seller relist it. Sometimes I see the exact same picture sets for the exact same scanners listed repeatedly by a seller. Granted, it could be for convenience sake if they are selling multiples of the same item, but it always sends up a flag for me and makes me wary.