eBay Forum ???

[Robin Hickman]

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I keep running across U.S. Flag-related items on eBay that I think are interesting, curious, outrageous, questionable, etc. In other words, Flag-related items that I think might be of some small interest to the members here. NOT to sell them, but to comment on or discuss them.

BUT . . . . . I'm not sure as to WHERE to post them!

My current favorite, which ends in about 4 1/2 hours (May 02, 2010, 16:38:50 PDT), is an "AMERICAN FLAG WEATHERVANE 46 STARS". I've been "watching" it since it was first put up for auction with an opening bid of $.99.

Currently, at the time of this posting, there are 35 bids with the current bid price of $3,348.00 !!!

I've been wanting to post something about this weathervane for quite awhile but I didn't know where to post it.

Before I move on and forget :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230466840693&ssPageNam e=STRK:MEWAX:IT





There are, and have been, other "interesting" Flag-related items on eBay that I'd like to show people, but..... I don't know where to post them. If we had an "eBay" forum, I'd be able to post them there.

I don't think that it has to be ONLY for eBay items. There are other sites that offer Flags and Flag-related items.


When I say "posting" articles, I do NOT mean SPAM or "sales" type of entries!!!


Thank You!

Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[Robin Hickman]

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The final tally : 41 Bids = $8,099.00 !!!



Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[coasterville]

When I see a bid explosion like that, I have to wonder if there are legit bids that high, or some immature person ruining the eBay experience for the rest of us.

Speaking of the weather vane, One of my friends next door neighbors has something similar (meaning a weather vane whose tail is made to look like an American flag). Rather nifty idea, I think.

Any tips on keywords to use to get to the more interesting stuff and not all the listings for those using eBay as an eCommerce solution for their flag stores. (Not that I have anything against that, I have used that to source flags from time to time - notably when I bought an Olympic flag from a dealer in Canada so I could get one without the "USA" printed above the rings)

[Robin Hickman]

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Hi, Coasterville!


When looking for Flag-related items, I just use the most basic search terms.

With the antique weathervane, I believe my search term was "American Flag", or more likely, "American Flag" -bullion. I added the "minus bullion" because there were (still are) SO many silver and gold bullion "American Flag" items. For most of the year there are 700-800 items added to the "American Flag" category every day. This time of year (mid-May to July) there are usually over 1,000 items added every day!

To find items that MIGHT be of interest takes a LOT of patience and persistence! I have not, as yet, found an easy way to "filter out" the "commercial" entities. Short of using a minus sign and their eBay user name in quotes, I don't know if the IS a way to filter them out. Heck, I've never tried the -"XYZ eBay User Name" method so I don't even know if that would work!

Usually, it's a case of "recognizing" the "commercial" and/or "crappy" items and sellers throught the repetitive process of checking them out TOO many times and learning what pictures (usually stock photos) they usually use, what prices they usually use, what "titles" and "descriptions" they usually use, etc.

You'd be surprised how much the repetitive commercial and/or crappy items will STAND OUT once you learn to recognize the pics & descripts they use. Plowing down through a search results page containing 200 items is a daunting task until you learn (slowly, in my case) that 2/3 to 3/4 (sometimes more...) of the entries are stuff that you're not interested in! Of course, once you learn to recognize them, then they will no longer "stand out". They'll just sort of fade into the background making it easier for the more "interesting" items to STAND OUT !!!

The "interesting" items are usually (but not always) put up for auction by private parties who work their way through the whole process in a step-by-step manner so that each item is presented in its own unique way. The photos of the item are almost always ones they've taken themselves. The "actual" photos of items REALLY stand out from the "stock" photos of items that the commercial eBayers use!

Although I've never tried it, I suppose you could couple "American Flag" (or "whatever" flag) with the word "vintage" or "antique" to find "older" Flag-related items.

Now, let's say that I'm interested in getting an Ohio State Flag and I would like to have eBay send me a daily e-mail letting me know about all of the NEW "Ohio State Flag" entries.

FIRST, I would conduct a search for "Ohio State Flag". Once eBay returned the results (149 total as of a few minutes ago), I would set the following parameters: 200 items per page (scroll to the bottom of the page and select whatever number you're comfortable with), and sort them by the most recently added. then I would "SAVE" that search (assuming I'm happy with the results) and direct eBay to send me an e-mail every day that something new is added. Then, when the e-mail shows up in my in-box I can open it and it will tell me how many new items have been added in the previous 24 hours and show me pics & links for up to 12 items PLUS a link to the search results page.

With any luck at all, the search results page will look some like THIS :

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=%22Ohio+State+Flag%22&_trkparms=65%253 A12%257C66%253A4%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A2564&_ipg =200&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=10&_sc=1

Of course, not only will I find "Ohio State Flag" items, there'll also be some Ohio State University flag items as well.

IF I were looking for Ohio State Flags with embroidered stars, then I'd probably add the following search term to my search : +Embroidered

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=%22Ohio+State+Flag%22+%2Bembroidered&_ sacat=0&_sop=10&_odkw=%22Ohio+State+Flag%22&_osaca t=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

Which today brings me three embroidered PATCHES of Ohio State Flags! If I were to direct eBay to send me e-mails whenever something is added that matches those search terms, sooner or later, an Ohio State Flag with embroidered stars is going to land in my e-mail in-box!

If you are looking for a certain sized flag, then you could add the dimensions that you're looking for. +3x5, +4x6, +5x8, +6x10, etc.


Does ANY of that help ???


Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[coasterville]

Thanks, that means I am doing this pretty much as best I can.

You are right, after a few trips to the virtual flea market, you can spot the commercial dealers right away. You mentioned bullion, but stamps also seem to come up a lot. Some of those dealers have managed to sitck words like "vintage" into their titles.

The use of stock photos is problematic for both eBay and some online dealers. Going on your example, I see you must have noticed my hunt for good Ohio flag sources in another thread, almost all eBay and internet dealers are silent on the construction details of the flag and a stock photo. In fact, thats what made me jump when I noticed the one on eBay that had 'sewn stars' as part of the title. That said, now that I have said Ohio flag, that search is over unless I need to find a replacement for it some day. Considering I usually only fly it one week a year (Anniversary of statehood), and the flag is of a ToughTex type material, that shoulnd't be for a long time.

[Robin Hickman]

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Hi, Coasterville !


I forgot to address part of your earlier response regarding the antique Flag weathervane.

QUOTE : "When I see a bid explosion like that, I have to wonder if there are legit bids that high, or some immature person ruining the eBay experience for the rest of us."

There were a NUMBER of different bidders for the weathervane :

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=230466840693&showauto= true



Sorry about the omission !!!


Robin
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[Robin Hickman]

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Hi, Coasterville !


I tried to write a reply regarding the antique flag weathervane, but the forum's software decided that something in it required Moderator Review.

QUOTE : "When I see a bid explosion like that, I have to wonder if there are legit bids that high, or some immature person ruining the eBay experience for the rest of us."

If my entry has been "approved" before you get back then you can read it.

On the other hand, if it hasn't then all I can say is click on the eBay link to the weathervane in my original thread starter, and when you get to the page find the "41 Bids" link and click on that. Then you'll see how many different bidders there were.

Sorry about the mix-up !


Robin
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[Robin Hickman]

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NOT all that important, but here are a few of my favorite "Ohio State Flag" items currently oneBay.


Vintage Silver Enamel Charm OHIO STATE FLAG :
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Silver-Enamel-Charm-OHIO-STATE-FLAG-/230405731780?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&ha sh=item35a54075c4

Ohio State Flag Enamel Pin Pinback :

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ohio-State-Flag-Enamel-Pin-Pinback-/230457291541?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&ha sh=item35a8533315



OHIO State Flag Cufflinks - Brand New In Box L@@K :
http://cgi.ebay.com/OHIO-State-Flag-Cufflinks-Brand-New-Box-L-K-/150365266020?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&ha sh=item230277e064


And my #1 Favorite :


Merck Family's CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT Ohio State Flag
http://cgi.ebay.com/Merck-Familys-CHRISTMAS-ORNAMENT-Ohio-State-Flag-/190409246187?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&ha sh=item2c554685eb


WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!


Robin
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[Peter Ansoff]

I tried to write a reply regarding the antique flag weathervane, but the forum's software decided that something in it required Moderator Review.

Robin and all,

I'm darned if I know why the software filter sent Robin's post to moderation. Most of the time it's pretty good at separating real stuff from garbage, but every so often it does something weird. If something like this happens, and you don't see it approved within a day or so, shoot me a private message and I'll straighten it out.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled forum . . .

Peter A.