Why Watch a BIN Auction?

[peteguy]

I was wondering what some of the reasons would be for pipe buyers to watch a "buy it now" or "best offer" style auction. My wife is selling a purse on the bay and she showed me the auction last night. It is a BIN or Best Offer and it had 6 watchers and has been running for a few days. I told her I had no idea why someone would watch and not just make an offer but I knew I would get some great answers here.

 

[griffonwing]

In case they were mulling it over and wanted to come back to it after a decision was made?

 

[clickklick]

To see if it actually sells at the BIN price.

 

[pipestud]

I watch those on occasion. If I think the BIN is too high and my offer is rejected. I may keep watching it to see if it stays up awhile, and the seller finally drops the BIN to something I think is more reasonable. At that point, I might buy it or send another offer to see if the seller is ready to accept it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Other times, I think the seller is just fishing. We've all seen that happen with sales offers here on the forum that are way too high, but the seller says he is willing to "entertain offers.".

 

[cigrmaster]

I watch them to see how long they have been listed. I watched a guy who had pipes on ebay for over 2 years. He finally got real in his pricing and I bought.

 

[xrundog]

I initially think "I don't want to pay that at the moment". But I'll put it on a watch list and might look again later to consider if my first impression still holds. I might buy later or delete the watch. And if someone does buy the item before me I have an idea of how readily the item sells at that price.

 

[pitchfork]

I do it because I know it drives the curmudgeons crazy.
No, I do it for the same reasons listed above -- either I'm mulling it over and/or I want to see if the price will change. Mainly, it's just a quick way to remember it's for sale in case I want to buy it later.

 

[peteguy]

I knew I would get some great answers here. Thanks everyone!

 

[ssjones]

Some don't make sense, I eventually delete them. Others have reasonable BIN prices that just go unsold for whatever reason and sellers lower their price and/or relist. I've also made and had offers accepted for BIN ads that went unsold.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I watch the BIN listings because I'm doing exactly what was noted above... mulling it over, trying to make up my danged mind if I want to buy the pipe or not. And then sometimes it's to see if someone was crazy enough to pay 400 dollars for a 100 dollar pipe

 

[kibo]

Sometimes I don't have the spare cash at that moment, so I tag a Watch on it. If it is still available and I want it when I have the cash, it gets bought. If the item ends before I can get it, the watch tag gives a link if they relist the item.

 

[username]

Or your waiting for payday.

 

[misterlowercase]

Sometimes I'll watch just to see if something priced on the higher side will sell,

like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-SEALED-Original-Rare-Collectable-BALKAN-SOBRANIE-SMOKING-MIXTURE-Tobacco-Tins-/131779906723?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=xIsUHo6MeM8ug05hc2l6jG%252BjqFE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

-​

Sometimes,

especially when I'm lacking funds,

I'll watch something to see how quickly it sells,

in this case,

it sold very quickly:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Antique-Unopened-Tobacco-Tin-Craven-Mixture-Carreras-London-England-/111970722171?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=xIsUHo6MeM8ug05hc2l6jG%252BjqFE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

-​

Sometimes,

when I'm too lazy to download an image for the archive at the given time,

I'll put it in the watch list so I can go through later in a sweep along with everything else

when I'm in the mood for gathering images for the archive,

I "watched" this one because I have an example of that lighter

and was interested in the box & paperwork...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950s-DLI-Flamingo-Bakelite-Grenade-Flintless-Table-Lighter-/401100627684?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=xIsUHo6MeM8ug05hc2l6jG%252BjqFE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

-​

...another example of my lazy ways,

this is an active auction but the price is too high and the baccy is obscure anyway,

but it'll make a good addition to the Godfrey Phillips image archive,

when I finally get around to dl'ing it LOL...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291723367763?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

-​

I find the whole involved activity to be very enjoyable,

finding rare never-before-seen stuff which has been dragged outta the attic or something,

but it can also be frustratingly sad when your budget is somewhat tight,

like this old Ben Wade from a couple of hours ago,

I bid on it but lost,

consoling myself by the fact that it wasn't a sandblast specimen can only go so far,

as those old chubby stubby billiards really get me,

and the case too,

and it's a Ben Wade made in Leeds which don't often show up in such fine condition,

and to add, it has a rather unusual silver hallmark from Sheffield,

not seen very often either,

sigh,

good thing there are still about a million and one more pipes out there to be found somewhere!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Cased-Ben-Wades-Butterscotch-Amber-Briar-Silver-Collar-1920-Estate-Pipe-/111968570223?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=xIsUHo6MeM8ug05hc2l6jG%252BjqFE%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
::

 

[jamesrsmithjr]

Because, when I see it at 1am, after a couple glasses of beer, I just might want to think about it with a clearer head...
Or if the price seems a tad high, hope the price is lowered or it doesn't sell and gets relisted..

 

[cigrmaster]

I will also watch BIN's in the category of pipes I buy so I can see what prices are going for. I then don't pay too much for something. I have been watching a smooth Rad Davis listed for 395.00 and it has been sitting for a couple of months now. It is from 2006 and Rad will tell you his pipes back then were not as good as 2007 and beyond. I think the pipe is worth 150-175.00.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rad-Davis-Smooth-Lovat-Tobacco-Pipe-/172161536912?hash=item2815a09390:g:~2oAAOSwB4NWwOYB

 

[peteguy]

Because, when I see it at 1am, after a couple glasses of beer, I just might want to think about it with a clearer head...

HAHAHA
Great stuff everyone - thanks for sharing some of your insights.

 

[disinformatique]

What Pipestud said plus I do it all the time