So I'm selling one of my machines that I bought used and have had nothing but trouble with it. I had it up for a 99cent starting bid but a $40 reserve. Shipping was around $40 I think (was going with what other machines had listed although it was high)

In the last 3 minutes of the auction, some one messages me complaining about the shipping price and that they wanted to buy the machine.... They only bid the starting bid O.o

I gotta say, would some one REALLY think that I would let a machine go for less than a dollar? I'd like to at least get back what I paid for it.

The funny thing is that ebay does say when the reserve has not been met......

If you offer it to them for free, they'll want you to deliver it and throw in some fabric.

Don't forget to also give them a quilt you have sewn to show the machine works!!!!!! (I hope everyone knows I'm kidding)

I don't understand why people use the reserve price. Why not figure what the lowest $ you will take and add the cost of shipping to the price (offering free shipping). There has been things I wanted but if no one else bids I couldn't get my bid to go up to the reserve price. So if you wanted $40. for the item and $40. for shipping - ask $80. w/ free shipping.

If you bid the reserve price it will automatically go up to it. And because I've tried the way you suggest and not gotten any bids + paid more ebay fees for the higher starting price

Don't sweat the small stuff...I've had the same thing happen. Someone didn't want to pay for priority, flat rate shipping of $11.00, although it specified that in the auction. They wanted me to throw the heavy, large, vintage sewing machine item, in a padded envelope, after they'd won the auction. Yeah, right. I stood my ground and said, "Nope".

Exactly. The reserve price is meant to protect both the seller and the buyer. It saves the seller on higher listing fees, and the buyer can still tell if the item will be beyond what they want to pay.

In an ebay auction, the best thing to do in all situations is think about the MAXIMUM you would pay for an item. Bid that amount. If there is a reserve, and your maximum bid doesn't meet the reserve, just move on- clearly they are asking more than you think the item is worth.

If there is no reserve or it has been met, having your maximum bid in there serves as an "autobid" function, so it'll continue to bid for you if other people are bidding, all the way up to your max bid. Again, if you lose out on the item no worries- it went for more than you were willing to pay! :)

Good grief what a silly chucklehead! $11 flat rate shipping would be a steal! When I bought my machine on ebay they had pictures of how they wrapped it- it was practially mummified, and cost nearly $50, but I was perfectly fine with that...better than it being damaged en route!

O.o Crazy people

Have you tried Craigslist? I've had pretty good luck selling things there. Yes, you do get people asking you to cash a check and mail them the difference but there are honest real people that buy things there as well.