TradeMe - Some people are so stupid [Archive]

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 09:39

I've been a member of TradeMe for however long now... and always though a lot of the crap on there is either simply "crap" or for the most part, overpriced.

I got my first taste of "oh buying that was stupid", about a year ago when I was watching an auction for a fishtank ordament. A little tortise/turtle holding a "no fishing" sign... thought it was cute and so I bid on it... was very proud of myself, won the auction, and including postage the ordament cost me $8. Sweet yes? No.

The day it arrived in the mail, Sam had gone to the Warehouse and brought pretty much the exact same ordament (except a lobster) for $4.

In short I lost $4 if I had just gone to the Warehouse. Since then I've done my research completely on every item I've brought off trademe... If its a bike part I call bike shops for quotes on new and second hand parts... same with everything else I check out on there... lesson learnt.

Also learnt to NOT bid on anything until the closing 2 minutes. Why help push the price up further?

Anyway... So I've listed some things on TradeMe, one of which being a product I brought from The Warehouse for... $22. After heaps of stupid questions, over 1000 veiws and 60 people have the item on thier watchlist... the auction is up to $50 now and had just 45 minutes left, so no doubt it will go up a few more dollars until it closes...

Just crazy... Couldn't help but laugh when I saw that this morning...

Remember people, check out prices before you bid on shit otherwise people like me (seller) will be laughing at you

*is so stoked at my profit for this auction*

jrandom

3rd April 2007, 09:41

check out prices before you bid on shit otherwise people like me (seller) will be laughing at you

*is so stoked at my profit for this auction*

Stop.

Think for a moment.

What you're doing may not be illegal, but do you really want to be that sort of person?

Smorg

3rd April 2007, 09:44

well done on contributing your bit to making Tard me the festing cesspit that it is

crashe

3rd April 2007, 09:48

So post up a link to your profit making scheme.......

Let us all see what you are selling........

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 09:54

lol sure but I'm not answering all your funny duddy questions...

Its a cheap as hell skateboard...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=93455692

well done on contributing your bit to making Tard me the festing cesspit that it is

thanks :)

The Stranger

3rd April 2007, 09:56

What you're doing may not be illegal, but do you really want to be that sort of person?

Yeah, fark that.
Fancy making a profit.

imdying

3rd April 2007, 09:58

Thanks for the lessons in common sense Captain Obvious :whocares:

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 09:58

Fish.... yes I do

RantyDave

3rd April 2007, 09:58

I've listed some things on TradeMe, one of which being a product I brought from The Warehouse for... $22. After heaps of stupid questions, over 1000 veiws and 60 people have the item on thier watchlist... the auction is up to $50 now and had just 45 minutes left, so no doubt it will go up a few more dollars until it closes...
So: going to the warehouse, buying some piece of crap, bringing it home, getting bored of it, putting it on tardme, dealing with questions, getting paid for it and shipping the bastard for $30.

I think (I hope) my time is worth more than that.

Dave

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 10:01

RantyDave

3rd April 2007, 10:06

$30... are you getting it hand delivered in a limo?
No no no no no ... $30 for the whole shitfight. From hopping on the bike to go to the warehouse in the first place to the last thread on KB discussing how you're going to be rich ... RICH ... RICH I TELL YOU!!!!

YOU MOCK ME NOW, BUT JUST YOU WAIT TILL I'M...

or something like that.

Dave

Beemer

3rd April 2007, 10:10

Trade Me, like all things, has its good and bad points. I've managed to buy paperbacks in good condition for less than half the price they are new - and in many cases a lot cheaper than second-hand bookshops too. I've also managed to get rid of a pile of stuff I no longer used - like a food dehydrator! I bought it for $84 new and it eventually sold for $112 - did I feel guilty? A little, but then I set the reserve at half what I paid for it so it wasn't my fault two people really wanted it and kept bidding.

If you are buying, you have to be strict with yourself and not bid above what you think the item is worth unless it's a one-off and you know you can't get it anywhere else. As for paying $8 for something worth $4, tough, but when you factor in your time and petrol costs going to the Warehouse to buy the item, you probably didn't lose too much cash!

I have been selling some shoes for my sister and am amazed at what people are prepared to pay for them. We figured $15 at the most for them, but one buyer paid $82 for a pair she had been given for free, and were only worth about $30 new in any case!

I think it's a great place to get rid of the kinds of things that you can't get rid of elsewhere. Case in point - I had a Statue of Liberty moneybox that was a gift from a friend overseas. Absolutely hideous, made of some heavy grey metal and a real dust collector. I put it on with a $5 reserve and someone paid $31 for it! I've also sold Tupperware for more than what I paid for it - merely because people don't want to have a party or get constantly bothered by a dealer just to buy one small item.

Trade Me is like any other retail outlet - if you are buying something, shop around first to see who has it at the best price!

Waylander

3rd April 2007, 10:10

:innocent:

The Stranger

3rd April 2007, 10:14

So: going to the warehouse, buying some piece of crap, bringing it home, getting bored of it, putting it on tardme, dealing with questions, getting paid for it and shipping the bastard for $30.

I think (I hope) my time is worth more than that.

Dave

Did you read the original post?
Read it again FFS.
She never said it was a money making scheme, simply that she was quitting some shit and was amazed that people didn't do a little research into what they were purchasing.

Drum

3rd April 2007, 10:20

A woman at work needed to raise enough money for a trip back to South Africa to see her family.

For six months she made repeat trips to the Warehouse, buying nick nacks, clothing etc and would resell it on TardMe. She made enough for the trip, and her spending money.

Personally, I never bid on anything without knowing the price for a new item.

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 10:20

crashe

3rd April 2007, 10:22

lol sure but I'm not answering all your funny duddy questions...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=93455692

But you just did..........

Aye Waylander.......... :rofl: looking all innocent :whistle:

Trudes

3rd April 2007, 10:27

I'm going to bring out all the old cliches, one man's trash is another man's treasure and There are suckers born every day, loads of them hang out on TM! It's really only painful if it's something I'm trying to bid on and some dipshit keeps out bidding me, but as with all auctions, you set yourself a limit of how much you think it's worth and then stop when you reach that. If someone wants to pay $60 for something that's worth $20, then more fool them!

Waylander

3rd April 2007, 10:31

But you just did..........

Aye Waylander.......... :rofl: looking all innocent :whistle:
What?

Lol I work with a guy called Blair and his intelligence is about the same as the one who asked it the first time... and second.

crashe

3rd April 2007, 10:31

Congratulations on your sale of the skateboard....... well done on making a very nice profit as well.

And the skateboard is heading to Nelson..........

I can vouch that the skateboard was in excellent condition as I have seen it.

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 10:32

But you just did..........

Aye Waylander.......... :rofl: looking all innocent :whistle:

lol yeah

I'm going to bring out all the old cliches, one man's trash is another man's treasure and There are suckers born every day, loads of them hang out on TM! It's really only painful if it's something I'm trying to bid on and some dipshit keeps out bidding me, but as with all auctions, you set yourself a limit of how much you think it's worth and then stop when you reach that. If someone wants to pay $60 for something that's worth $20, then more fool them!

I know what you mean by being outbid by someone... My trick is to just add stuff to my watchlist, and NOT bid on it at all until the last few minutes of the auction. By bidding on it myself I'm just pushing the price up.

Waylander

3rd April 2007, 10:33

BAHAHA Chris you silly bugger.

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 10:34

Congratulations on your sale of the skateboard....... well done on making a very nice profit as well.

I can vouch that the skateboard was in excellent condition as I have seen it.

Yeah my skateboard sold the second day I had it on TradeMe, but I'm going to have to relist is as I havn't heard from the buyer since the auction closed and I've sent him 3 emails. Will have to relist that one.

This one thats just sold is Sam's one... in even better condition than mine... She used it for all of... 4 minutes... mine was used for 5 minutes, then I fell off, bruised my ass and never used it again lol

msm

3rd April 2007, 10:37

I'm way too honest on TardMe. If I'm selling something reasonably new that's still available in shops, I usually put in the description how much the item retails for or how much I paid for it new. On a couple of occasions people have bid over the stated value, usually because they don't have the store the item came from in their area and they can't order it or don't want to pay the inflated shipping rates.

If I come across auctions where sellers are blatantly overvaluing and overpricing an item, I'll often leave a harmless question asking if this by any chance is the same item that they have at the Warehouse or wherever that is currently selling for $pocketchange. :innocent:

Not that there's much to be done once people go nuts with the bidding. What are you going to do, start removing people's bids so that you avoid making money?

DMNTD

3rd April 2007, 10:40

BAHAHA Chris you silly bugger.

Surely you're not referring to moi? :shit:

Waylander

3rd April 2007, 10:46

Surely you're not referring to moi? :shit:
You mean there's another chris in Tauranga riding a flaming bike?

imdying

3rd April 2007, 11:03

pete376403

3rd April 2007, 11:13

...I got my first taste of "oh buying that was stupid", about a year ago when I was watching an auction for a fishtank ordament....The day it arrived in the mail, Sam had gone to the Warehouse and brought pretty much the exact same ordament (except a lobster) for $4.

You could spend some of your profits on a dictionary - they're called ORNAMENTS (unless you have a blocked nose)

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 11:15

You could spend some of your profits on a dictionary - they're called ORNAMENTS (unless you have a blocked nose)

pffffttttt who needs to spell when you can put the profits towards a new bike... besides, you knew what I meant anyway :yes:

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 11:16

oh... and I emailed the dude that won the auction and said postage is free... that should help with the burn later on when he see's the same skateboard at his local warehouse... poor chap

sunhuntin

3rd April 2007, 11:52

Thanks Noel :)

I wasn't even hoping to get $20 for the skateboard... the reserve is $12. I didn't put a gun to the bidders heads and make them keep bidding... I'm just stoked that they did.

And Noels right, the point of my post was "check out prices before you bid on shit".

well done, pf!!

im my limited selling, ive sold 4 vintage [80s] care bears. picked them up second hand for a few bucks each. [was a huge collector when i was a kid] anyways...these ones were all uk only releases that meant they didnt make it to new zealand, unless as gifts.

sold two privately in 2004 for $650. [the girl has been trying to resell one of them ever since!] sold another 2 last year via trademe, to one person for a combined price of over $600. my reserve for those two was $30 each.

i had a rough idea of what they were all worth...but not that much!! very tempting to get on ebay and import those same bears for resale...but that would flood the market and ruin the values.

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 12:14

well done, pf!!

im my limited selling, ive sold 4 vintage [80s] care bears. picked them up second hand for a few bucks each. [was a huge collector when i was a kid] anyways...these ones were all uk only releases that meant they didnt make it to new zealand, unless as gifts.

sold two privately in 2004 for $650. [the girl has been trying to resell one of them ever since!] sold another 2 last year via trademe, to one person for a combined price of over $600. my reserve for those two was $30 each.

i had a rough idea of what they were all worth...but not that much!! very tempting to get on ebay and import those same bears for resale...but that would flood the market and ruin the values.

lol if its only you flooding the market then theres no worries... Just list one at a time.

gijoe1313

3rd April 2007, 12:37

Good ol'tardme, I'm a born sucker, but since I only shop for weird items that only other idjits like me want - it's a voluntary reduction of my tangible assets to swaps for other useless material objects!

Ooh, pretty shiny stuff ... little soldier men .... dancing flower pot.... badge making machine... must have... gurgle... :drool:

I usually do my research to find out the cost of an item retail, most times, I can't be fecked riding around and searching high and low for an item, which I can buy on 'tardme for a few extra bucks and the p&p.

I couldn't believe the cost of a transaction if you're a sucessful seller ... when I buy stuff, I keep it - not to sell later on! (that magpie thing again)

Now... what other useless material objects can I lust after and have turn up in my mailbox now? :innocent:

Meekey_Mouse

3rd April 2007, 12:52

Now... what other useless material objects can I lust after and have turn up in my mailbox now? :innocent:

Want any horse gear?? I have lots on there for sale :shutup:

gijoe1313

3rd April 2007, 12:59

Want any horse gear?? I have lots on there for sale :shutup:

OMG... you've given me an idea to resaddle a bike! :gob: Stoppit you naughty girl! Giving me ideas and all! :doh: And when I start pontificating about ideas.... they get done :shutup:

boomer

3rd April 2007, 13:01

i can't believe people are so desperate. I can, however, believe people are stoopid.

gijoe1313

3rd April 2007, 13:03

i can't believe people are so desperate. I can, however, believe people are stoopid.

Hey! I resemble both those remarks! :doh: :o

I'm stupidly desperate or desperately stupid depending on the given situation :eek5:

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 13:05

i can't believe people are so desperate. I can, however, believe people are stoopid.

I didn't quite believe it either... I'm half expecting an email from the buyer trying to pull out... I can see someone paying $50+ for a brand skateboard like (like... I dunno... some brand) from like a surf shop... but off trademe is just random...

msm

3rd April 2007, 13:15

I didn't quite believe it either... I'm half expecting an email from the buyer trying to pull out... I can see someone paying $50+ for a brand skateboard like (like... I dunno... some brand) from like a surf shop... but off trademe is just random...

Let's hope it's not just some tweenager with access to the family TradeMe account. I've had that happen three times with trades going really high with no contact from the buyer, and then an exasperated email a few days later on from a parent apologizing profusely for the tard-tastic behaviour of their offspring.

Crisis management

3rd April 2007, 13:22

Well, I hope you lot are right about Trademe, I have to sell the gixxer so I better set the reserve at some realistic value..........oooooh, about a gazillion dollars then.

Be nice, that should clear the mortgage, even with Auckland prices!

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 13:26

Crisis management

3rd April 2007, 13:32

*sigh* its quite the opposite with bikes... TradeMe's prices are pretty good when it comes to bikes

Right, I'll go for "buck the trend" then!

Albino

3rd April 2007, 13:33

Anyway... So I've listed some things on TradeMe, one of which being a product I brought from The Warehouse for... $22. After heaps of stupid questions, over 1000 veiws and 60 people have the item on thier watchlist... the auction is up to $50 now and had just 45 minutes left, so no doubt it will go up a few more dollars until it closes...

Good on you for making some $$ and having some fun.

Maybe I'm old fashioned or an idealist, but I expect that when someone asks a question about the product that you tell the truth.

...was a gift from my partner, not sure where it's from.

But obviously that's not an issue, just being a small lie......

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 13:34

Right, I'll go for "buck the trend" then!

lol sweet... remember if your price is too low some random KBer will dob you in for being a nigerian scam... and if your price is too high someone will post it up and moan about it...

Bad PR is better than no PR aye? lol

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 13:35

But obviously that's not an issue, just being a small lie......

Eh life goes on

jrandom

3rd April 2007, 14:04

Eh life goes on

Sometimes, you know, I really don't like the way you come across.

But then I go back to objectifying you as a mindless pornographic stereotype, and everything's rosy again.

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 14:18

Sometimes, you know, I really don't like the way you come across.

At least we feel the same about each other minus the porn part...

jrandom

3rd April 2007, 14:27

At least we feel the same about each other...

Not really. You don't dislike the way I come across; you're just hurt by the fact that I keep taking digs at you. A small difference, but worthy of note.

placidfemme

3rd April 2007, 14:30

Not really. You don't dislike the way I come across; you're just hurt by the fact that I keep taking digs at you. A small difference, but worthy of note.

hurt? wow you have a high opinion of yourself

Sniper

3rd April 2007, 14:31

hurt? wow you have a high opinion of yourself

Its self confidence. Something men have more of than females. Nothing we are ashamed of

jrandom

3rd April 2007, 15:03

Its self confidence. Something men have more of than females.

This is true.

Give it up for the hairy-arsed bollock-bearing brigade, folks!

:Punk:

Ixion

3rd April 2007, 16:12

They sell Fish on Trademe.

mstriumph

3rd April 2007, 16:15

capitalized?

Ixion

3rd April 2007, 16:28

Capitalised

Home & living (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryListings.aspx?mcat=0004-) > Pets & animals (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryListings.aspx?mcat=0004-3319-) > Fish (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/CategoryListings.aspx?mcat=0004-3319-3326-)

I am not sure what strange sort of person would want Fish as a pet, but I have heard of people with pet snakes, alligators and toads, so I suppose anything is possible. For that matter Fish has in the past expressed a wish to have some of our stranger members as pets, so I suppose it's like calling unto like.

Sniper

3rd April 2007, 16:29

I suppose capitalised makes sense, you are refering to a person.

Ixion

3rd April 2007, 16:32

Well, there is some debate about that.

Sniper

3rd April 2007, 16:38

Well, there is some debate about that.

He doesnt seem THAT bad. Mind you, I have never met him in person, but his online personality tells me like he seems like a nice, intelligent fellow.

Ixion

3rd April 2007, 16:40

Or, fish. But one must have reservations about someone who once purportedly owned a Spagthorpe and (apparently) disposed of it in favour of one of those funny motorless motorbikes. I mean, we all know what use a bicycle is to a Fish, right ?

(Where *is* she,anyway. It's no fun poking the borak at someone who isn't here to respond)

Delerium

3rd April 2007, 16:44

Good on you for making some $$ and having some fun.

Maybe I'm old fashioned or an idealist, but I expect that when someone asks a question about the product that you tell the truth.

But obviously that's not an issue, just being a small lie......

If you dont tell the complete truth the transaction is void as you are selling an item under a pretence of being different from what it is. I beleive this is also called fraud?

Sniper

3rd April 2007, 16:45

(Where *is* she,anyway. It's no fun poking the borak at someone who isn't here to respond)

She/he/it is around, he tends to come to this thread often if Im to believe the bottom thingie that tells me whos reading the thread.

ManDownUnder

3rd April 2007, 16:52

i can't believe people are so desperate. I can, however, believe people are stoopid.

Hey I may be stupid, but at least I'm old!

Mole_C

3rd April 2007, 16:52

Haha my mate used to buy sunnies from the $2 shop and sell them on trademe. Used to get at least $25 per pair. I might have to start selling things to the silly buggers :yes:

jrandom

3rd April 2007, 19:41

(Where *is* she,anyway. It's no fun poking the borak at someone who isn't here to respond)

I did a Reverse Motu (tm) last week. Quit my job to start my own business. This is my handover week at my soon-to-be-previous employer; naturally, I'm doing my best to fuck off around the 4:00-4:30 mark, so I only had time for a few gems of online cuntishness this afternoon before going home to the asylum.