eBay Bloopers
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The fun side of eBay - looking for mistakes
Here I will share some of my favorite eBay bloopers and things to watch out for - buying or selling - on eBay. Unfortunately, since my site is not set up for selling, I can't mention some of the rediculous prices I have seen, but there is a lot of other fun to share. I have made a few myself by not doing my research before putting something up for bid.

Do your homework
I think this is the biggest area to watch. Check other listings and completed items before bidding on something just because it says it is rare and valuable. Just because they have never seen one before doesn't mean it is either rare or valuable. I often see "rare" Argus C-3's. It's a little hard for the camera that at one time held the record for most made of any 35mm camera model to be rare. Many items appear with a starting price as much as 10 times what others are going for of the same description. Mint in the box can add value, but many of these are just everday condition like their much more reasonably listed counterparts. While you are doing your serious looking, stop and laugh at the absurd while you are there. It will make eBay more fun. Saw a fun one recently.  The listing was for a "Kodak Duex 35mm Camera"  In the description it mentions "..takes 16 pictures with Kodak 620 film.."  This last is correct.  Often terms are thought to be generic that are specific. In this case, all cameras apparently are thought to be 35mm.  Working in a photo store, you still see a lot of elderly that call every camera a Kodak.  Among non-photo people there is a lot of confusion over what constitutes a rangefinder, a viewfinder and an SLR camera.  I once called up the general category of  35mm SLR's.  In the low end, there were almost as many viewfinder cameras as SLR's.
Research before listing
Above I warn the buyer, now I warn the seller. If you have some rediculous prices, what will the people looking think about the others. I avoid dealers I find are consistently high. Before I got to buying on eBay, I didn't think much about it. No bids, then come back lower - if what we had in the item would let me. When I realized what high prices did to my concept of other dealers, I decided I needed to do more research on items I list for my employer to keep him from looking bad. Don't go crazy on shipping either. People do watch it, even though some sellers think they don't. Another item, I try to avoid having a reserve unless necessary.  I know I will bypass an item with reserve and bid on a "no reserve" listing if I have a choice, and from some of the bidding I see, I am quite sure many others do the same. A hot item is going to get bids regardless, but there are a lot of common items out there that the buyers have more than one choice on and a reserve can leave potential buyers saying why bother trying to find out where you have to bid to before you reach the reserve. Use it if necessary - it does keep from giving items away below their value - but think twice.
Reread your copy
We all mispell words. If you read through what I have on this site, you will find grammatical errors and spelling errors. I know, because I regularly catch them and correct them. But it can be fun, and sometimes a concern even, when you find errors. I regularly find Bolsey cameras spelled Bosley. If you are looking for a Bolsey, check both spellings for listings. I saw an Argus C-3 listed as an Ansco. I saw an Agfa Ambi Silette listed with a 50mm f2 Schneider Xenon. That would be a unique one-of-a-kind. The illustration showed it just had the standard 50mm f2.8 Agfa lens though. Sometimes an existing illustration is used so you don't know whether to believe the copy or the picture. I usually shoot every item so guarantee accuracy of illustration. One of Wolfe's customer's was disappointed when I accidentally wrote 62mm for a 67mm filter. Illustration was right, description was wrong. So I am as guilty as those I am picking on. But that doesn't keep me from watching for bloopers, even my own.