thebigloo's Batman #1

[ciorac]

Restored book with tanning pages sells for: $8500. It was bid up earlier today to over $12000. When you check the bid history you see that Dave apparently canceled the bid of a "zero feedback" bidder who had bid a ridiculous $29000. But the sad irony is that anothet "zero feedback" bidder was allowed to push the book up high enough that the eventual high bidder had to pay $8500, when from the looks of it, if the shill hadn't been bidding he could have saved $1500 on the book.

 

Does anyone else find this weird. I'd be a little perturbed if I were the winner.

 

User ID Bid Amount Date of bid

 

batmanbatmike( 53) US $8,500.02 Oct-01-06 19:18:19 PDT

 

johncullyhanna( 0 ) US $8,400.02 Oct-03-06 23:59:00 PDT

 

johncullyhanna( 0 ) US $8,200.01 Oct-03-06 23:58:24 PDT

 

johncullyhanna( 0 ) US $8,000.00 Oct-03-06 23:57:51 PDT

 

johncullyhanna( 0 ) US $7,195.01 Oct-03-06 23:57:29 PDT

 

comickid40( 59) US $6,995.00 Oct-01-06 18:54:31 PDT

[showcase4]

Bill,

I took a look at that auction, and it does appear that the zero feedback bidder cost the legitimate high bidder about $1,500 by inflating the price with shill bidding. Real shame that with Ebay you can create blocks to prevent certain bidders from bidding, i.e. if they have recent negative feedback for non-payment, but you can't block zero feeback bidders.

 

Just like in all areas of life, a few bad people can really screw things up for the rest of us.

[G.A.tor]

hello all...

the "johncullyhanna" ebay id has bid on 4 other batman items (all sub $100, with them winning one, which is from my friend Steve and Toynk)...I am sure I can contact Steve and he will give me the id or for ethic reasons, at least the zip code of the person that pays for the item...could be interesting, or the bids could be completely legitimate...

rick

[aardvark88]

The coverless Batman 1 sold for around $1,925 which is fully valued at 26% of Ostreet good. Strong sale price.

[action1kid]

That was a high price for a heavily restored book.

[Filter81]

That was a high price for a heavily restored book.

 

Yeah, the winning bidders of some of those auctions probably were high based on some of the bids that were placed..

 

I feel like contacting this seller and asking him if I could pay him something to offer some of my books to the underbidders of a few of those auctions. I have some of those books in identical or nicer conditions that I'd happily sell for half of the price some of those auctions reached.

 

I'm assuming this seller is very well-respected in the hobby, because he was able to get EXTREMELY aggressive prices on almost every book he listed today.

[Filter81]

My favorite though was probably the Batman 1 heavily restored VG reaching the same price (even after shill bidder was removed) that my CGC 8.0 copy finished for on eBay less than 3 weeks ago.

[CentaurMan]

I'm assuming this seller is very well-respected in the hobby, because he was able to get EXTREMELY aggressive prices on almost every book he listed today.

 

Uh, yeah, I'd say he's well respected. If you don't know, it's Dave ('the Dentist') Anderson.

[ciorac]

That was a high price for a heavily restored book.

 

Yeah, the winning bidders of some of those auctions probably were high based on some of the bids that were placed..

 

I feel like contacting this seller and asking him if I could pay him something to offer some of my books to the underbidders of a few of those auctions. I have some of those books in identical or nicer conditions that I'd happily sell for half of the price some of those auctions reached.

 

I'm assuming this seller is very well-respected in the hobby, because he was able to get EXTREMELY aggressive prices on almost every book he listed today.

 

You are right about that Adam. Maybe we should let Dave sell our books, pay him a 15% commission and still come out WAY ahead!

 

[ciorac]

hello all...

the "johncullyhanna" ebay id has bid on 4 other batman items (all sub $100, with them winning one, which is from my friend Steve and Toynk)...I am sure I can contact Steve and he will give me the id or for ethic reasons, at least the zip code of the person that pays for the item...could be interesting, or the bids could be completely legitimate...

rick

 

It will be interesting to see how that turns out Rick.

[Filter81]

Uh, yeah, I'd say he's well respected. If you don't know, it's Dave ('the Dentist') Anderson.

 

The eBay ID looked familiar but I couldn't remember from where. Does this possibly explain the high prices? I'm assuming he probably has way more connections than your typical eBay seller.

[ciorac]

Uh, yeah, I'd say he's well respected. If you don't know, it's Dave ('the Dentist') Anderson.

 

The eBay ID looked familiar but I couldn't remember from where. Does this possibly explain the high prices? I'm assuming he probably has way more connections than your typical eBay seller.

 

Virginia Dave has way more connections than just about everyone in the hobby.

[Filter81]

You are right about that Adam. Maybe we should let Dave sell our books, pay him a 15% commission and still come out WAY ahead!

 

 

thats actually not a bad idea. I'm sure he doesn't need the money, so I don't know if it would be worth his time. But if he is typically able to get these types of prices, I would think he could offer to take books on consignment for 15%-20% and people would still come out way further ahead than they would if they were using comiclink, heritage, etc.

[CentaurMan]

Uh, yeah, I'd say he's well respected. If you don't know, it's Dave ('the Dentist') Anderson.

 

The eBay ID looked familiar but I couldn't remember from where. Does this possibly explain the high prices? I'm assuming he probably has way more connections than your typical eBay seller.

 

To be honest, I think another piece of his success is that he starts these way cool books at $9.99 with no reserve. There are plenty of times on eBay where I'll see a book I want listed for 50% or more of guide and I won't bid, feeling confident that no one else will either and I'll see it again another time. Or it'll be listed with a reserve (I almost never bid on reserved auctions).

 

But when a Batman #1 is being sold at a $9.99 start price with no reserve, well, that book is going off the market within the week, and I better figure out how much I want to bid.

 

A lot of sellers don't have a cajones to start their valuable items off cheap with no reserve, but Dave does and I think it helps him big time.

[Vtcomics]

Uh, yeah, I'd say he's well respected. If you don't know, it's Dave ('the Dentist') Anderson.

 

The eBay ID looked familiar but I couldn't remember from where. Does this possibly explain the high prices? I'm assuming he probably has way more connections than your typical eBay seller.

 

Virginia Dave has way more connections than just about everyone in the hobby.

 

amen to that! Dave has so many GA books laying around....I don't think even he knows everything in those boxes!!! Jaw-dropping stockpile of material.

[ciorac]

Uh, yeah, I'd say he's well respected. If you don't know, it's Dave ('the Dentist') Anderson.

 

The eBay ID looked familiar but I couldn't remember from where. Does this possibly explain the high prices? I'm assuming he probably has way more connections than your typical eBay seller.

 

To be honest, I think another piece of his success is that he starts these way cool books at $9.99 with no reserve. There are plenty of times on eBay where I'll see a book I want listed for 50% or more of guide and I won't bid, feeling confident that no one else will either and I'll see it again another time. Or it'll be listed with a reserve (I almost never bid on reserved auctions).

 

But when a Batman #1 is being sold at a $9.99 start price with no reserve, well, that book is going off the market within the week, and I better figure out how much I want to bid.

 

A lot of sellers don't have a cajones to start their valuable items off cheap with no reserve, but Dave does and I think it helps him big time.

 

You know Win, there is some truth in that. I've been on eBay since November 19th , 1997 and every auction I have ever held was started at $9.99 and had no reserve. Got my butt kicked a few times though. The last few worked out nice.

[Filter81]

To be honest, I think another piece of his success is that he starts these way cool books at $9.99 with no reserve. There are plenty of times on eBay where I'll see a book I want listed for 50% or more of guide and I won't bid, feeling confident that no one else will either and I'll see it again another time. Or it'll be listed with a reserve (I almost never bid on reserved auctions).

 

But when a Batman #1 is being sold at a $9.99 start price with no reserve, well, that book is going off the market within the week, and I better figure out how much I want to bid.

 

A lot of sellers don't have a cajones to start their valuable items off cheap with no reserve, but Dave does and I think it helps him big time.

 

This is another possibility. I've had good luck a few times selling real nice items with a low starting bid and no reserve. Been nailed a few times too though. (The worst though was probably when I sold a high grade restored Boy Commandos 1 at $1 no reserve and ended up getting less than 8% of guide for it.)

 

After seeing this I'm sorely tempted to relist my Batman 1 on eBay tomorrow with a $1 starting bid and no reserve and see what happens. I'd probably be too nervous to go through with it though.

[ciorac]

To be honest, I think another piece of his success is that he starts these way cool books at $9.99 with no reserve. There are plenty of times on eBay where I'll see a book I want listed for 50% or more of guide and I won't bid, feeling confident that no one else will either and I'll see it again another time. Or it'll be listed with a reserve (I almost never bid on reserved auctions).

 

But when a Batman #1 is being sold at a $9.99 start price with no reserve, well, that book is going off the market within the week, and I better figure out how much I want to bid.

 

A lot of sellers don't have a cajones to start their valuable items off cheap with no reserve, but Dave does and I think it helps him big time.

 

This is another possibility. I've had good luck a few times selling real nice items with a low starting bid and no reserve. Been nailed a few times too though. (The worst though was probably when I sold a high grade restored Boy Commandos 1 at $1 no reserve and ended up getting less than 8% of guide for it.)

 

After seeing this I'm sorely tempted to relist my Batman 1 on eBay tomorrow with a $1 starting bid and no reserve and see what happens. I'd probably be too nervous to go through with it though.

 

Go ahead and put it up Adam, I'll bid a couple of grand just so you feel secure.

 

[CentaurMan]

To be honest, I think another piece of his success is that he starts these way cool books at $9.99 with no reserve. There are plenty of times on eBay where I'll see a book I want listed for 50% or more of guide and I won't bid, feeling confident that no one else will either and I'll see it again another time. Or it'll be listed with a reserve (I almost never bid on reserved auctions).

 

But when a Batman #1 is being sold at a $9.99 start price with no reserve, well, that book is going off the market within the week, and I better figure out how much I want to bid.

 

A lot of sellers don't have a cajones to start their valuable items off cheap with no reserve, but Dave does and I think it helps him big time.

 

This is another possibility. I've had good luck a few times selling real nice items with a low starting bid and no reserve. Been nailed a few times too though. (The worst though was probably when I sold a high grade restored Boy Commandos 1 at $1 no reserve and ended up getting less than 8% of guide for it.)

 

After seeing this I'm sorely tempted to relist my Batman 1 on eBay tomorrow with a $1 starting bid and no reserve and see what happens. I'd probably be too nervous to go through with it though.

 

I'd say that another key element is his perfect feedback. I don't remember what yours is, Filter, but if it's below 98% or so I'd say the tactic might not yield the same results. Obviously, too, there are enough people who knew who bigloo was that it probably helped as well.

 

The confluence of those three factors (low starting bid w/ no reserve, strong reputation outside of eBay, and perfect feedback within eBay) is likely the combo that led to the very strong results.

[ciorac]

To be honest, I think another piece of his success is that he starts these way cool books at $9.99 with no reserve. There are plenty of times on eBay where I'll see a book I want listed for 50% or more of guide and I won't bid, feeling confident that no one else will either and I'll see it again another time. Or it'll be listed with a reserve (I almost never bid on reserved auctions).

 

But when a Batman #1 is being sold at a $9.99 start price with no reserve, well, that book is going off the market within the week, and I better figure out how much I want to bid.

 

A lot of sellers don't have a cajones to start their valuable items off cheap with no reserve, but Dave does and I think it helps him big time.

 

This is another possibility. I've had good luck a few times selling real nice items with a low starting bid and no reserve. Been nailed a few times too though. (The worst though was probably when I sold a high grade restored Boy Commandos 1 at $1 no reserve and ended up getting less than 8% of guide for it.)

 

After seeing this I'm sorely tempted to relist my Batman 1 on eBay tomorrow with a $1 starting bid and no reserve and see what happens. I'd probably be too nervous to go through with it though.

 

I'd say that another key element is his perfect feedback. I don't remember what yours is, Filter, but if it's below 98% or so I'd say the tactic might not yield the same results. Obviously, too, there are enough people who knew who bigloo was that it probably helped as well.

 

The confluence of those three factors (low starting bid w/ no reserve, strong reputation outside of eBay, and perfect feedback within eBay) is likely the combo that led to the very strong results.

 

Actually I think there is a 4th factor that wasn't considered by the bidders. Grading. My personal experience with his grading has been very bad. Perhaps it was an abberation though. Who knows?

 

Filter's feedback is 98.6, kinda cool isn't it?

 

Mine is 100%, but I still get hosed once in a while. It just depends on what you are selling and who happens to be on eBay looking for it at that time. I have had auctions go way higher than I anticipated or even hoped, and others that fell way short of expectations. eBay is a fickle lover at best.