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Watching, But Why ?

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Here's what's puzzling me, how come a record on ebay can have 80 watchers but ends with one low bid?

Why are people watching records they presumably have no interest in buying? Is this a common practice ?

I suspect I know why some folk do this, but I'd like to hear others views

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  • Drewtg
    Drewtg

    I watch some records just to see what they eventually sell for and how many bidders. This gives me a guide price (not value) for some of my records. Thought everyone did it.

  • KevH
    KevH

    Records already tucked away,hoping it'll go thru the roof.?

  • Markw
    Markw

    I watch loads of things with little or no intention of buying because I am a nosey sod.

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I watch some records just to see what they eventually sell for and how many bidders. This gives me a guide price (not value) for some of my records. Thought everyone did it.

Yeah seems to be for just tracking values or curiosity, I figure 10 watchers =maybe 1 bid

On Discogs it seems to be worse, umpteen people "want" when there are several for sale,  at least 1 on every continent for about $10. What's holding us up!!

Over the years here are 3 items i watched and forgot to bid on and they never got a bid

 

Virgil Henry on Tamla  Ex+  start price $9.99

Uk copy of Darrell Banks  I'm the one who loves you vg ++  £9.99

Bobby Hutton Lonely in love   M     $9.99

 

Each one was re listed and went for loads more money

We're programmed to monitor the record market. Record collectors do it by instinct. Dealers have to do it for a living. Not everyone is valuing their collection or timing when to sell an in-demand item. Partly, it's mere curiosity or something to read on the iPad permanently glued to the hand. Usually, I can't be bothered to add the thing to the Watch List as it's easier to bid - this enables you to receive reminders to bid on records you knew you couldn't afford in the first place. Terribly sad but it passes the time pleasantly enough...

  • Author

Over the years here are 3 items i watched and forgot to bid on and they never got a bid

 

Virgil Henry on Tamla  Ex+  start price $9.99

Uk copy of Darrell Banks  I'm the one who loves you vg ++  £9.99

Bobby Hutton Lonely in love   M     $9.99

 

Each one was re listed and went for loads more money

 

When I first started on ebay (when it was in it's infancy) I found and bought about a months worth of records on the first night. Just as I was about to switch off I saw an Empires "Youre On Top Girl", starting bid 150 dollars. I was dog tired but still remember thinking, ' blimey, this ebay lark is easy. I'll get that when it finishes tomorrow'

Of course like you said I forgot to bid in time and it ended with no bids. Since then I've done it hundreds of times, but I've never let myself down as badly as that (good job really cause I promised myself if I ever bought a ridiculous bargain, say a four figure record for ten dollars, it would be a sign my collecting days were over)

I can't afford at the time so add to watch,also I'm not always sure of record,eventually I go through list and delete.sometimes it's because my memory fails me and it helps me remember the track,nothing sinister.

Here's what's puzzling me, how come a record on ebay can have 80 watchers but ends with one low bid?

Why are people watching records they presumably have no interest in buying? Is this a common practice ?

I suspect I know why some folk do this, but I'd like to hear others views

 

I don't know about others but I watch sometimes so I know the current value of records I own, or maybe one I'm thinking about selling.

I don't know about others but I watch sometimes so I know the current value of records I own, or maybe one I'm thinking about selling.

Same here

Also ......i've often spent up on the first 2 ...no cash left for the others in the list !!!

as I can no longer hear tunes at work sometimes i'll 'watch' and then have a listen when im home..and forget to delete if theyre not for me or go above my price..which reminds me ive got pages to delete in my ebay!

Here's what's puzzling me, how come a record on ebay can have 80 watchers but ends with one low bid?

Why are people watching records they presumably have no interest in buying? Is this a common practice ?

I suspect I know why some folk do this, but I'd like to hear others views

I think you have misinterpreted "Page Views" with "Watchers" Only the seller will know how many people are watching it. I've just sold a Beatles demo for £664 and i think that only had about 60 watchers but around 500 page views. I think the most amount of watchers i ever had on a soul 45 was about 50 on the Purple Mundi I sold a couple of years back. To get 80 watchers and not sell is virtually impossible i reckon :huh:

I watch to see the finish prices. When I am after records for my collection it makes sense to know the prices they go for.

This is a better guide to what things are going for than any of those price guide books. They are out of date while being printed!

  • Author

I think you have misinterpreted "Page Views" with "Watchers" Only the seller will know how many people are watching it. I've just sold a Beatles demo for £664 and i think that only had about 60 watchers but around 500 page views. I think the most amount of watchers i ever had on a soul 45 was about 50 on the Purple Mundi I sold a couple of years back. To get 80 watchers and not sell is virtually impossible i reckon :huh:

Hi Vince, it's not only the seller who can see how many people are watching. I'm not the seller of these but for example today, Jimmie Bo Horn = 140 watchers (22 bids, 11 bidders) Candi Staton = 78 watchers (10 bids etc), Sherri Taylor = 74 watchers. Dusty Wilson = 71 watchers etc

These are not page views, I just put JBH on my watch list and it increased by one.

I noticed that too. With some auctions you can see how many other people are watching it. I guess it's on .com only?

I tend to watch things to get an idea what they sell for and also to see how many bid on them.

Also just to check on the conditions of things going through and get an idea of the general quality and quantities around.

Sometimes I put a bid in, other times I don't - or just forget!

I guess different people will have different reasons, as already mentioned above.

I usually put a sniper bid on and sometimes keep tabs on the price through watch.

Most folk watching will be doing ti to get an idea on price, whether they own it it or want it.

Some will also watch in the hope to get a bargain or at least within their price range to what they value the record at. If it goes over that, then they won't bid. Thankfully, not everyone is impetuous when it comes to record buying. Bit of patience brings reward.

On Discogs it seems to be worse, umpteen people "want" when there are several for sale,  at least 1 on every continent for about $10. What's holding us up!!

 

On discogs I usually add cheap records to my watchlist to try to save on postage. They make it easy to do just that.

On discogs I usually add cheap records to my watchlist to try to save on postage. They make it easy to do just that.

Am I being a thicky and getting this all wrong or what.

At random from your page

https://www.discogs.com/buy/Vinyl/Hank-Carbo-Bad-Luck-Funny-How-Times-Slips-Away/128529589?ev=bp_titl

Now 39 people "want this" which I assume is the same as "watching",  quite a popular little number so in theory someone could break down and buy it at any time

There are 4 for sale, all in decent nick, yours being at the cheaper end.

Mail in Europe eg is $8 and lets assume its the same if you buy 1 or 2 more

Assuming you were watching that, do you wait till there is something else you have that you want and hope that this is still there

when you find the other something?

Or would you buy it and have him hold it until such other thing that you want shows up, in which case it shouldn't still be up for sale?

 

Am I being a thicky and getting this all wrong or what.

At random from your page

https://www.discogs.com/buy/Vinyl/Hank-Carbo-Bad-Luck-Funny-How-Times-Slips-Away/128529589?ev=bp_titl

Now 39 people "want this" which I assume is the same as "watching",  quite a popular little number so in theory someone could break down and buy it at any time

There are 4 for sale, all in decent nick, yours being at the cheaper end.

Mail in Europe eg is $8 and lets assume its the same if you buy 1 or 2 more

 

Some sellers add small amounts to the shipping cost, probably depends on their local shipping rates. I can usually get four copies sent for $8 within Europe.

 

Assuming you were watching that, do you wait till there is something else you have that you want and hope that this is still there

when you find the other something?

Yes, as long as I don't consider the item to be too rare, cheap or in-demand.

 

Or would you buy it and have him hold it until such other thing that you want shows up, in which case it shouldn't still be up for sale?

Usually not.

 

I add cheap records to my wantlist in hope that the seller has one or more of these in stock. If you go to the list of copies for sale ( https://www.discogs.com/marketplace?release_id=2504692 ) the number of items on your wantlist will appear in the "seller information" column as a link. This way you can see all the wantlist-items the particular seller has in stock. Having a big wantlist will make it easier to find records to add when you're placing an order.

 

(If the price is good I'll order the copy I was looking at even if the seller doesn't have any of my other wants.)

 

Some sellers add small amounts to the shipping cost, probably depends on their local shipping rates. I can usually get four copies sent for $8 within Europe.

 

Yes, as long as I don't consider the item to be too rare, cheap or in-demand.

 

Usually not.

 

I add cheap records to my wantlist in hope that the seller has one or more of these in stock. If you go to the list of copies for sale ( https://www.discogs.com/marketplace?release_id=2504692 ) the number of items on your wantlist will appear in the "seller information" column as a link. This way you can see all the wantlist-items the particular seller has in stock. Having a big wantlist will make it easier to find records to add when you're placing an order.

 

(If the price is good I'll order the copy I was looking at even if the seller doesn't have any of my other wants.)

So "want' is more like track or search than actually want, generally.

Fair enough.

Records already tucked away,hoping it'll go thru the roof.?

spot on KevH

I watch to see the finish prices. When I am after records for my collection it makes sense to know the prices they go for.

This is a better guide to what things are going for than any of those price guide books. They are out of date while being printed!

 

exactly right.

 

and when bulk of something gets found or a newish tune breaks, or something is on the up you need to stalk the thing to make sure you get the best price.

 

overpaying for tunes is not a good thing. lack of research is usually the key to overpaying

Most folk watching will be doing ti to get an idea on price, whether they own it it or want it.

Some will also watch in the hope to get a bargain or at least within their price range to what they value the record at. If it goes over that, then they won't bid. Thankfully, not everyone is impetuous when it comes to record buying. Bit of patience brings reward.

 

one thing that always amuses me is that some sellers seem to have a knack of finding three bidders with an impetuous nature on even the most common of things putting a spanner in the research and delaying your own purchase by creating a spike in the price. 

 

all this does make the day when you get something for $30 that's worth 150 quid extra special though. for me its definitely a big part of the hobby. the stalking then more stalking then buying things cheap. cant do that consistently without research, 

Edited by JNixon

I'm watching one now. I put a bid in on a record I already own, so I'm watching and hoping I will be out bid :lol:

Edited by in town Mikey

One of my recent watches went through with no bids, I was going to put a bid on but simply forgot at the time.

It came back on this week, so I swiftly put one on and within a day it now has had 3 bids and now I'm not the winning bidder without hiking the price up further!

Two things here, one is that simply no one interested in it saw it first time around.

Another is the seller has another 'bidder' who puts the price up higher, but this time overshot my maximum bid... Who knows but unless I bid again I may never know, unless someone else steps in and the price goes up anyway.

Is it worth the gamble? I guess that's an individual's choice, I'll probably just let it go and watch what happens - all part of the research aspect isn't it?

I was outbid on a Sonny Daye, whilst watching 2 of them, got the second for an opening bid of $4.99 the next day, it pays to watch

I watch loads, often exceeding the 200 limit and spilling into the Wish List.......

 

This allows me to

 

  • See what prices items sell for
  • Go back to items if I see at work or on the mobile
  • Mark items of interest that need more research
  • Bid / Buy
  • Make offers on unsold items / Ask if seller has further copies even when I don't win at that time
  • Decide which items I want most and bid accordingly amongst those I watch relative to the budget at the time

So I'd probably recommend using the facility :thumbsup:

I recently sold a record and the start price was well generous for the disc I was selling (and well known as well) I had 18 watchers for nearly a week and the day of the of the sale there was only one bid, and it was won by a known dealer.

 

Hmm...something very fishy going on at the moment I think.

How did anyone miss it? Did he end early?

 

not sure he may have and that could be the reason.

It states at top "seller ended auction due an error in the listing" or something. So you can stop kicking yourselves in the shin, you didn't miss Terry Callier for $0.99...

Not quite sure what the point in making public the number of watchers is. No doubt to start a bidding frenzy, if you know loads of people are watching. Ending in higher end price, resulting in more cash for ebay. Ah, I knew there'd be a simple enough reason...

I've sold a few records with watchers up the hundreds, Vince. Mostly classical, and they like a good old last minute sniping frenzy!

I watch some records just to see what they eventually sell for and how many bidders. This gives me a guide price (not value) for some of my records. Thought everyone did it.

I watch some records just to see what they eventually sell for and how many bidders. This gives me a guide price (not value) for some of my records. Thought everyone did it.

Exact!! Its the Same to me

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