I have recently bid on several varieties of figs on Ebay and have noticed a trend. I have lost several bids by close margins and for every fig I have lost by a close margin I have received a second chance offer. I am just wondering if this is because the sellers have multiple cuttings and want to sell them all at once and not necessarily at the highest price, or are there people out there just trying to run up fig cutting prices? I don't mind since I took one of the offers on some JH Adriatic cuttings, but it has just happened so frequently it made me curious. Maybe I am too paranoid:-)

Hey Brian, for the most part, it's easy for the seller, if they have multiples of what they are selling. Saves them time and fees too. As always, try to make sure that the seller is reputable, and that the offer comes through ebay. 

That was my first thought. It does seem like it would be easier that way. The people I have bid from are all forum members. Thanks for clearing that up.

I feel that most of your second chance offers are from a very generous seller since he could get a much higher price by relisting them, he is not out to make big bucks. Maybe I am being too giving in my opinion but I know of this one seller that this holds true to, he wants to give fig enthusiasts the opportunity of getting some quality varieties that are true to name at a fair price.

Great Topic, I would think that 2nd chance offers are offered when the auction goes high. I had done well on one auction and offered 2nd chance to others. I have avoided auctions lately because of low bidding. I make sure the cuttings are the best, cleaned and individually wrapped. I look at it as extra cash for gasoline.

I've used second chance offers dozens of times.  I've often sold things where I have multiple sets available and, like Gary said, it's just easier for seller and buyer to make a deal on the spot.  I've sometimes made second chance offers to bidders even in fourth place, depending on how the auction went.  I'm often somewhat surprised that bidders don't accept since they had just shown a desire to purchase the item at the price being offered to them.  I think it's either because of lack of familiarity or suspicion.

I believe the situations where false bids take place like Enigma suggests is extremely rare.  If you study auctions closely enough, you can often tell who is bidding by their feedback history.  Such false bids would be quite obvious and eBay also takes such violations very seriously.  I was almost taken in by a scam about 14 years ago on eBay but then noticed the sales history were similar inexpensive items and didn't follow through on my purchase and later the Postmaster General contacted me in regards to the scam carried out by this seller so I've looked at sellers and bidding history carefully ever since.  I have never again seen any problems even though I've participated in many purchases.

I believe eBay could do a better job by explaining the second chance offers to potential buyers so that aren't so skeptical.

I have bought and sold items using second chance. It's convenient if you have multiples of a single item. List one item and it sells you can still offer second chance and sell a few more with out re listing, or waiting for another listing to end .

It seems like there are more sellers legitimately using the second chance tool as a selling method than not. I looked back at the selling history for these items and it doesn't look like there was any manipulation since there were different buyers in each case.

In the future I would like to trade varieties and cuttings, but right now most of my trees are very young and small so the few cuttings I do get from them will be turned into trees and gifted to friends and relatives. Until I have something to offer in return I will stick to ebay. It seems weird to me too ask for cuttings even though there is nothing wrong with it at all.

Those "second chance" offers are done to keep prices high.
If they actually listed the ten items on ebay, the prices would likely be lower.
With only one item listed, and possibly some shill bidding help, it causes the bidding to be higher for that one item.  Then give others the "opportunity" to buy at that price without holding another auction to actually test the market.

Interesting observation but I purchased a second chance and made out very well, and another buyer made out even better than I did on a second chance. The variety is really hot, selling for way over $20 a cutting ($160 for 5), the other buyer paid $40 for 5 and I paid slightly more. Other sellers still are getting way over $20 a cutting every time it is listed. And, I bet if I listed the 5 today I could get over $100 but I have waited too long and am very fortunate to get it, and very appreciative to the seller who gave me this opportunity.

Wayne,
I am pleased that I was able to purchase the variety I wanted at a price I was ok with. It seems like the second chance system is what I would go with if I were listing multiple cuttings at once. We are living in a golden age of figs when you can get the variety you want at your doorstep within days. If people are abusing the system I will just avoid those vendors.

I usually don't accept a second chance offer. I would rather see the item re list and take another run at it and maybe get it cheaper. When it comes to a new variety of fig cutting I usually get swept up in the bidding and go higher then I wanted to in the first place. If I miss out on the variety then I go after others that are not as hot this year and will go after the original variety later in the season or next year when its cheaper.

Mike

Chuck has the right idea .

Become an active participant on the forum and get to know other people especially fig growers in your town or  city .
There are many ways you can be a positive addition to the forum and that generosity will come right back at you .
You will not see anyone on the forum who has been growing figs for years think that $20 for a cutting is a decent price because they know that this years hot variety is next years old news , and they could get it from a friend for nothing in a year or two .
I have cut back my collection to about 40 varieties , and had over 100 trees up until recently . Most of those trees were gifts from people I got to know locally . What I do is pay it forward and ask those people to do the same if they can . This is the spirit which made this forum great , however recently I notice way too many posts with people plugging their latest e-bay listing and its getting old .

John

I'll say it again.  Shill bidding is very rare and there is nothing fishy about second chance offers.  It also doesn't keep prices higher.  When I offer a person a second chance and they accept, they are automatically one less bidder on my next auction.  I've had people decline a second chance offer and turn around and pay more for the same thing on my next auction.  Many times.  That is a fact.  And sellers don't set the prices, people that bid crazy prices do.  I've had high prices paid for my auctions and I've paid high prices for many items I wanted as well.  Some of us don't spend big money on much else so it's a source of enjoyment to acquire nice things.

I allways accept a second chance and don't think twice about it. I have bought a lot of cuttings and plants for higher prices but most of these growers have invested time and money in obtaining these varieties. One day they will be common, until then I just want to buy one more and I'm going to quit buying. Yea rite!

I don't do second chance offers because every auction is different. usually I just contact the person under the high bidder and arrange another sell for a smaller plant at the price they bid or for fewer cuttings. I put out listings that say things like (dan's fig tree do not bid unless you are dan). thats my way of giving a second chance offer. Also if members of F4F tell me they are from the forum I usually throw in something extra.                                            
                                  

I sell on ebay, and I share cuttings with forum members. last season i sent out 67 flat rate boxes just for postage to new members. so you guys out there saying that forum members that sell on ebay are driving thier price up with false accounts kinda erks me. i sell and donate (sales of live plants). yes i do make some off of it. but as said as a plant dealer on ebay i have to pay fees, pots for my potted plants, soil for potted plants, electric for the lights that make sure trees are ready for spring, shipping supplies, computer supplies, taxes, and time. i dont have to grow my figs or other plants organic but i think it makes a better finished product. i donot donate with cuttings i sell as i use that to replinish pots, perlite, soil, bti, ect. for the comming year. now think of me what you want. im not getting rich by any means, and i like many other sellers have contributed ALOT to the forum.

Im right there with you Garden Whisperer.

I personally would like to say thank you to every ebay seller that has helped me so much. I can say the most of y'all are super generous. Just my experience.

      I have never suspected an auction was being run up by false bids but many times I have looked at the automatic bids and have found there seems to be me and one other person battling out for the win. Others have stopped bidding long ago while we keep bidding and drive the price up cause I hate to lose. This is also why I usually don't take the second chance offer. If it/more goes back to auction I figure I have albeit a small chance but none the less a chance that who ever I was driving the previous auction up with wont be bidding again and maybe the price wont go as high. The seller deserves every penny they can squeeze out of the auction after all this is not a free hobby. I have splurged on lots of eBay items. If you ask my wife most of it was stuff I have never had a need for. I have never had hard feelings about how much figs and cuttings go for, I know its not a cheap hobby. I have bought from a few different F4F members ( usually ones that I see contribute ) through auction, buy it now or best offer features. I have seen the great quality cuttings and care the F4F members have shipped me. My most recent was a nice mixed bunch of cuttings from garden whisperer, Good eBayer, nice cuttings and I was happy with the price. Like I said I know this is not a free hobby I have learned the hard way splurging on eBay and try to show more restraint now when I start bidding.

Mike

Actually it is a very cheap hobby if you don't get caught up in bidding wars for twigs , that many of us have tons of after pruning .

John

I never won an ebay auction but just as well.  In the last few weeks I have gotten loads of cuttings from members.  Some consider rare ones.  Just hope I can do them justice and not kill any.  

When I decline a second chance offer it is usually because I as relieved not to have won an auction....I think it is pretty easy know when there is something fishy and I've been using ebay since they had a list of 5 categories, gosh just looked it up I've been on here since 01. I have made hundreds of purchases and only had a very few problems. Ebay and paypal have always been good at sticking up for you when someone is pulling fraud.