Okay,
Lemme preface this by saying that I have been collecting vacuum cleaners for over 20 years and have been on almost every vacuum cleaner site on the internet that I could find at some point or another. I have had lots of opportunities missed, coupled with bad luck and timing when it comes to obtaining vacuum cleaners for my collection thru the obvious auctions,estate sales, garage sales, website purchases and so on and so forth.
I understand, TRULY; that finding vacuum cleaners today is harder than it once used to be. I and others here can possibly remember a time when you used to be able to walk into haunts, and other aforementioned places and literally fall over old vacuum cleaners. I know I used to.
That said for many finding vacuums thru places like e-bay have become an absolute necessity, because it's seldom the case that we ever can find what we're looking for here, or in places like sally Ann, Value Worlds and Villages and all other thrift, and junk type stores. . Seems that , as it should be people on the site here are very attached to their machines; and subsequently aren't really willing to part with them for any sum.
And that's perfectly okay...
That said, Occasionally on e-bay there comes a item that makes us salivate, and go crazy nuts trying to figure out a way we can come up with , and win said item. It's happened to me. even more rare is that once in a lifetime opportunity to buy said vacuum cleaner in NOS form, never touched by human hands, and boy does that make the auction site vibrate like a Vibra-Beat nozzle between all of us bidding for it.
I have been duped mightily by both sides of the coin, lemme explain.
I was one of the bidders on all three of the NIB Premier Swivel Top canister vacuum cleaner with Power Heads. I bid what I first thought was a "reasonable amount" and then as the price rose more and more, I literally ended up bidding a a few days salary, and chose to mortgage my life's basic needs and ostensibly my future of owning a car, and paying for an apartment to have one. I did not Need one, but I was drawn by the rarity of the thing, and the fact that I would be an owner of a NIB Premier Canister Cleaner. I bid what now I look back on , was a RIDICULOUS amount for the first and second machines, and did not even attempt to go there on the third try. Why because when you look back in hindsight, yeah you did not win the thing, but there will be others. It proves it self out time after time, and while maybe not new in box, you did not spend yourself broke trying to get it. Believe me it's far nicer to still be able to eat for a few weeks, drive around happily searching for the "real" finds, and not having it rain on you because all the underpasses are filled with out of work auto workers...in theory; than to own some shiny vacuum that to most of the world is nothing but an old klunker...EVEN in NIB format.
Then their the other side of the coin...
Years back, I was in a fierce bidding war to purchase a Penncrest Cord Reel Convertible that was offered up by another collector; and I became absolutely BLINDED by want and drove myself literally bankrupt for most of a month because I had to have this very machine. Subsequently the machine flew into the stratosphere and I still remained the top bidder because I literally bid a whole two weeks salary back then to win the god damned thing. When I got it, It wasn't what I'd hoped it would be. It WAS beautiful, and pretty, worked like a charm, was in excellent condition but it lacked one MAJOR thing. It wasn't anything more that a old Hoover Convertible with a cord reel on it. It had no special powers, and brought me a few weeks worth of pride of ownership. You know what happened to it?? Jeff Parker now has it in his collection, because in short order I hated myself silly for buying the thing, and again it wasn't doing anything more than picking up dirt, and when not in use, sat silently in the corner of my room like a totem pole. Yeah I loved the machine, but someone else who has a much larger collection and who just so happened to be missing a Penncrest badged machine, seemed like he could use it more. So he has it now.. The end..
Now getting to what I think the point of what Pete is trying to make is.... Regardless of sniping software used and allowed by Flea-Bay, you have "personally" set forth in your mind what you 'feel" you are willing to pay for the said item on the auction block.
Meaning, If you are only willing to pay the MAXIMUM amount of $75.00 for a new in box Eureka, and your outbid by 20,30,40, even a hundred dollars; it makes NO difference how that person who had the deep pockets got the auction to end.
You PERSONALLY made a choice to only spend said amount. If it was so near and dear to you, as he stated....You should have bid the most exorbitant amount that you possibly could have afforded , lets say $200.00.
If you were still outbid, that's the way the cookie crumbles guys. If you only have said amount to spend, and the auction closes for higher than your amount you have, and there are no more amounts forthcoming from you, YOU"VE lost the item, and the auction process ends.
So what if it "sniffs" out a max bid..that's the way of the world. Life is unfair. That's WHY as he was trying to get across, it seems pointless to get so angry and upset over something that you clearly had no control over.
A final thought is... If it bothers you so much that your always being outbid, set yourself up a "snipe' account. that way you are Never going to find yourself in this position of anger when you loose an auction thru the Bay...
Amen.
