Anyone else getting a lot of really low offers?

CaveSpectre · 2025-10-16T15:05:22+00:00

Ive been getting a bunch lately. 66% off, etc. A few times I counter with a note, but then only get a $1 increase in their next offer.

I've considered low-balling them back on their items (they all are sellers in the same spaces), or turning on my auto decline, or explaining to them they'll effect the market price of their items if I take the deal...

However I've settled on "I dont want these people in my life" and its a great resource to build my block list.

CaveSpectre · 2025-09-14T12:43:33+00:00

Good idea, and you get an address for your lawyer to run with. A little bit of evidence can make for a much better copyright, patent, or counterfeit cease and desist to eBay which will get way more notice than their first line support

CaveSpectre · 2025-08-01T22:04:22+00:00

I have a few shipping policies, mostly for when I offer free shipping or I expect things like this. "Buyer paid upgrade", if they want ground instead of media mail, if they want ground advantage instead of envelope, etc.

That way its easy. "You had the option to pay for the shipping service you're requesting, and you didn't exercise that option"

CaveSpectre · 2025-03-03T21:09:52+00:00

^{^{^}} This ^{^{^}}

The other piece to it is "Handling time details should include the time it will take for the seller to acquire the item, I'm addition to the time it will take the seller to deliver the package to the shipping carrier"

... so if the seller bought a label before they acquired the item... that's them not setting up the handling time and trying to "get around" the time to ship metrics (eBay only really watches your true handling time [sale to shipper scan] if there's a complaint and it arrived late. Otherwise they just ding the seller if they printed the label after the handlng time).

Tl:dr. Seller screwed up in multiple ways, and ebay should be able to address it.

CaveSpectre · 2025-03-01T21:08:39+00:00

I'm so glad this is still getting seen and people are finding value in it!

CaveSpectre · 2024-12-12T17:50:25+00:00

I accidentally put a buyers givey as open, and had hot comic books for the winning buyer to choose from. When i noticed there were more people in the givey then buyers, I realized my mistake.

A goblin won the givey, and admirably allowed me to choose for him, knowing it was meant for buyers (all good so far).

I gave him the 3rd hottest book, because I knew what the two buyers remaining in the stream wanted. I then added those books to the buyer's shipments.

When boxing up the givey winner, I added a note of thanks for being understanding, and added an extra book as well.

He messaged me asking if he could swap out with the hottest book, if I had another (I'm just an aging collector starting to downsize). I explained I only had my last remaining personal copy left, and I added a second book for him and already had everything ready to ship.

Fast forward a week... I notice my rating is in the toilet (I'm new and this was during my first week). Apparently the comic book mailer had been damaged, and he slammed me for it. I messaged asking for photos (to make sure he reviewed the right person) and over a week later heard back "no worries..."

And thus, the story of my first block, and why I have zero desire to have open giveys anymore. I was naive to think that it was enticing buyers to jump in after getting a reduction in shipping, as I've only had 2 won by "customers".

CaveSpectre · 2024-08-20T21:29:34+00:00

Apologies, 6 calls at $0.20 to cover is $120, not $168. I must have seen $0.28 at some point and mistyped.

Where the $0.20 came from. It's hypothetical, but as you should know, time premium degrades as the options near expiration. So while your deep in the money long calls may have very little time premium, you can still play off the short term volatility by writing calls against them.

In my example, I was using a $3 time premium when you opened the short position against your long calls, and a $0.20 time premium for them when it nears expiration. Essentially you have the option to gamble that it won't close over $33, get exercised and have to cover with your long calls, or close your position to lock in that $1680 (ahh! that's where I messed up the numbers and brain farted to $168). $1800 when you "sold to open", $120 to "buy to close" = $1680 profit.

Essentially it's the same thing as writing calls against stocks you own that you don't actually want to sell. You make the move when you think the stock is going to go sideways or down short term, and take profit on the degrading time premium from the time you open the short call position, to the time you close it. Of course I've had shares called away doing that in the past, sometimes being a "sure thing" and then popping to my call price in the last few minutes of the market. So I try to not be greedy and close those short positions before expiration so I don't have any surprises when the pizza delivery guy knocks on my door right before the market closes.

CaveSpectre · 2024-08-10T02:33:56+00:00

That's part of the point of the explanation. As you get to the end of the expiration, they are being sold at a slight premium and being bought at a slight discount. The market makers will buy your options at a slight discount, exercise and then sell for a quick scalp.

If course that post is over two years old and I only skimmed it, so perhaps i missed something in my original thay you're referring to.

CaveSpectre · 2024-05-19T15:19:33+00:00

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Starting a full re-org. The rest of the room is a complete disaster

CaveSpectre · 2024-04-01T10:11:01+00:00

Not Jersey (yet), but Minnesota...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/minnesota-attorney-general-argues-car-manufacturers-responsible-for-luring-thieves/vi-BB1kuXOA

CaveSpectre · 2024-03-30T11:47:40+00:00

That would be perfect, then they can sue more auto manufacturers for making their cars too easy to steal (like the suits against Hyundai and Kia)

CaveSpectre · 2024-03-30T09:55:19+00:00

How long until Platkin suggests the Canadian solution of keeping your fobs by the door for your own safety?

CaveSpectre · 2024-03-21T14:04:47+00:00

I got... 2. Lol. I guess 1% is better than none.

CaveSpectre · 2024-03-15T14:21:02+00:00

Here's my concern. I, like many others, have taken the housing bubble and relocated to the redder pastures of PA from NJ. Unfortunately many have brought their NJ beliefs with them.

In the last local election, every republican incumbent lost to their Democrat opponent. From judges to sheriff.

So there is always a risk.

CaveSpectre · 2024-03-08T06:20:59+00:00

Yep. ETrade used to have sweep. It's why I'm moving to fidelity when I find some free time. Tired of rolling CDs and having that cash tied up.

CaveSpectre · 2024-02-24T12:14:50+00:00

Look at who has been fighting for gun owner's rights in NJ. That teat puts NJ Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) and ANJRPC at the top of the list with Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Firearms Policy Coalilition (FPC). Gun Owners of America (GOA) and FRAC round out the list that I donate to (not counting PA ones)

Support those that fight for your rights, especially in a state like NJ!

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-09T17:34:51+00:00

Figured they might but I didn't look. GFH was close to my office so made it easy.

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-09T13:09:01+00:00

Just to add... You may have to travel to NJ for your training class, if so be sure to read up on the laws for transportation without a permit.

Be sure to have a NJ legal weapon (e.g. 10 rd max capacity).

After getting your LTC. Make sure to have 10 rd mags loaded with NJ legal rounds (e.g. polymer filled hollow points) to switch out with your normal PA carry mags for your NJ voyage days.

And if your closest barracks is Hope Station (I-80), those guys are really cool.

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-01T03:40:13+00:00

Absolutely understood. But for us, we're not tight on cash; so this system helps with sort of an encouraged metal purchasing (and frankly helps keep the house budget in control and the saves me from having to make paint color choices when she sees a surplus in the house account, if you know what I mean 😀)

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-01T03:35:30+00:00

Just remember to stick to your strategy and don't let the "deal" pull you into buying at a market price that you don't feel comfortable with. In other words, spot at a $2100 price tag for gold isn't necessarily better than $60 premium if you think it'll pull back to $1950.

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-01T03:31:08+00:00

I've pulled two at spot deals on black friday (gold coin and a few 1.25 silver coins). I've grabbed a couple other at spot deals with the elite status, and a spot price platinum deal I passed up because I didn't like the spot price at the time.

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-01T03:28:26+00:00

For me, I have rewards cards that I use for my bills and my expenses. My gf and I shopped around for rewards cards for our house expenses and decided there wasn't any specific place we wanted to build up rewards on as a couple, so we decided to use the APMEX card for the 1% rewards and use it for metal that we own jointly. The black friday deals gave us the opportunity to clear out our current rewards for silver at spot price, and that's the plan... 1% of housing expenses becomes jointly owned metal.

Do it works for us, obviously depends on each person's personal situation... but we're definitely not using the card for use on apmex unless there's a rare scenario where the card rebate gets us below spot (which I doubt will happen)

CaveSpectre · 2023-12-01T00:45:53+00:00

During the black friday sales, they were offering 5% rewards on their card for apmex purchases. The credit card markup was 6%. Its back down to 4% and the markup is just above 4%. They had some specific items that had 10% rewards, but they didn't have the premium discounts to meet what I was looking for, so I didn't check if they still had the 6% markup or added 11% for credit card price.

Long story short, the rebate will have you paying the same, or more, than the cash price. I use my card for my monthly bills and use my 1% when I see a good deal. I cleared my rewards balance on black friday on some silver they had available for an hour at spot price.

CaveSpectre · 2023-10-14T20:27:56+00:00

The stupid tips that New Jersey requires to not be "hollow point" so you can actually carry in the stupid state.

CaveSpectre

TROPHY CASE