eBay ebb and flow

gburch · Post by **gburch** » Sat May 16, 2009 2:07 pm

Well, I've been at this a few months now and, having engaged in a spasm of eBay buying to try to "catch up," I'm not buying as much as I was a couple of weeks ago. But I'm still looking -- refreshing the same searches a few times a day: "1:18 ultimate," "1:18 BBi," "1:18 XD," "1:18 21st," "1:18 Motorworks," "1:18 WWII" ...

I think I've been seeing everything that's listed on eBay. And I've noticed that there seems to be less listed now than there was a few weeks ago. I don't *THINK* it's because I'm looking for fewer specific items now that I have acquired quite a few of the things I'm looking for. The "1:18 ultimate soldier" search, for instance, was regularly returning 70-80 auction hits a month ago. Today that number is 47. All the others seem to have reduced by a similar proportion.

Was there a spike of listings right around the time I jumped in, which was precipitated by reading about the demise of 21st C? Have the sales driven by people losing their jobs or losing value in their 401Ks ebbed? Anyone else notice this?

Threetoughtrucks · Post by **Threetoughtrucks** » Sat May 16, 2009 2:21 pm

I think both the stories of the demise of 21C and the economy caused the surge in selling.

I have noticed a surge in selling simply because I have found a ton of items I have been after for a long time with little results. In the last two months (not including the grand I dropped in Monkey Depot) I have spent alot on big ticket items, not just 21C, but DML and Hasbro. As a matter of fact, as recent as last night, on a big ticket item I've been after for a year looking for certain items at reasonable prices.

TTT

Pa Deuce · Post by **Pa Deuce** » Sat May 16, 2009 2:39 pm

I've noticed the same - got a lot of great deals in Feb/March, but the supply seems to have died off after the 'stampede' - official word that 21st was clearing out their inventory

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Sat May 16, 2009 4:06 pm

I noticed that when there was an announcement of the P-40 Flying Tiger being re-issued at TRU last year, all of a sudden there were plenty of Motorworks, and blue box ones being offered on ebay.

I wonder how long it will take to see some Lucybelle's and and Putt Putt Maru's flooding the market for reasonable ending prices before JSI's release of them?

Sky Ray · Post by **Sky Ray** » Sat May 16, 2009 5:32 pm

Interesting, I noticed this too today when I was at a toy show. I was thinking that it was probably due to the news of 21CT demise that spurred the sales. About two months ago there was a mass abundance of everything in 1:6 and 1:18 scale for 21CT and BBI at most of the dealers I was going to, today I saw virtually nothing.

Buckyroo · Post by **Buckyroo** » Sat May 16, 2009 7:22 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ultimate-Soldier-21 ... 7C294%3A50

I was just thinking this week that the number of listings are dropping. In addition to the 21st Century and economy factors, one would think that the season change has some people out doors now and not in the house doing winter type activities. It is a sellers market here now. The link above was for a Gunther Rall 109 that just closed today for over $300.00. Right now it is tough to find a good deal. It is likely to remain that way with the low number of listings.

But, like most of the Ebay watchers, I will keep cruising the site looking for that odd item that eludes the masses and might turn into a good deal.

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Sat May 16, 2009 7:33 pm

Yikes! I'm going to have to tell my buddy who has it.

The GR ME-109 is the one I wouldn't mind them re-issuing. The one I'm missing of course

AMERICAN_GRENADIER · Post by **AMERICAN_GRENADIER** » Sat May 16, 2009 7:53 pm

i think many collectors are selling because they need the cash. right now theres over 642 items that come up under ultimate soldier. although many arent accurate. i just picked up an xd eileen for 39.95 BIN.

gburch · Post by **gburch** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:00 pm

AMERICAN_GRENADIER wrote:i think many collectors are selling because they need the cash. right now theres over 642 items that come up under ultimate soldier. although many arent accurate. i just picked up an xd eileen for 39.95 BIN.

No way!

AMERICAN_GRENADIER · Post by **AMERICAN_GRENADIER** » Sat May 16, 2009 8:09 pm

couldnt believe it myself. it had just been listed!

pcoughran · Post by **pcoughran** » Sun May 17, 2009 9:28 am

I've also noticed a decline in listings and higher prices in general. I think maybe with the announcement of 21st going out and not much new stuff available, more people are wanting to hold on to what they have for now. If they are getting rid of it they want more for it, and people are willing to pay more for it apparently without the ability to go down to TRU or WM and pick something up and many online etailers being slim on everything.