Buyers! Are you seeing any bargains online lately?

[grasswire]

I wondered if the boycott of eBay and subsequent move to other auction sites is creating any buying opportunities.

[Duer 157099]

1. Boycott? Is this a formal boycott or just ongoing?

I'm always seeing bargains, but I thought it was economy related.

[grasswire]

2. I'm talking about the sellers' boycott that was joined by some buyers...

...having to do with the rules eBay imposed earlier this year about feedback, as well as higher costs.

[Duer 157099]

3. Here, this proves that there's plenty of crazies left on ebay

Bid is nearly $700 (seven HUNDRED bucks) for a ... wait for it... a... MARBLE! Yes, one, single MARBLE.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPER-RARE-ONE-OF-A-KIND-NAKED-SINGLE-RIBBON-MARBLES_W0QQitemZ220248682420QQihZ012QQcategoryZ772QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[grasswire]

4. I wonder how you tell a handmade marble.

Maybe the little bubbles?

[yy4me]

5. Guess what I will be doing when I get home from work.!!

One of the few things I have from my days of playing marbles(about 60 years ago)is a basket full of my old marbles. Through family problems, lots of the things I had growing up that were keepsakes to me were disposed of by one or another parent as they fought and finally divorced. How I managed to keep this basket is beyond me but maybe it is worth a little look-see.

[Duer 157099]

6. Ooo how fun! I know I had some too when I was a kid

but they are long gone.

No wonder I never see any marbles in thrift stores - I was looking for one the other day, just needed one for this puzzle thing my son has, and couldn't even find one.

Another thing to look out for at garage sales in particular, I guess.

Let us know what you find, or post a photo of the basket full of them, it'll be like a treasure chest I bet!

[sufrommich]

7. The boycott didn't go over too well.I took part in it and

then went back to selling on ebay. I searched for a comparable selling avenue and it doesn't exist,yet. I am impressed with Etsy though. I think that will be the most successful selling alternative to ebay,at least for people selling vintage. I've already started working on my store there.
There are still bargains on ebay,but more and more vintage sellers know how to look for them and are raising the bidding prices of most mid century stuff.It's a category that is a real crap shoot right now,no one is really sure what will have future value as a mid century antique and I've seen some things go up in price only to go down again.McCoy vases that used to sell for a pretty penny have fallen out of fashion and go for a song now.Many Scandinavian pottery has become unaffordable just in the last year,the question is,does it have staying power? I don't know.Everything goes in cycles and trying to keep up with it is hard work.