Is ebay turning into a non-auction site?

[Jetfire in the sky]

So I spend hours and hours scouring ebay every week and I reckon in the last 12 - 18 months more and more buy it now/best offer auctions are coming up, to the point now where items that go to auction are in a minority. I am referring to Transformer items here.
This is more evident once you get into MIB/MISB and big ticket items. Also, and I think I read this on a blog somewhere, it seems that certain sellers Worldwide have cornered the market on certain awesome G1 boxed stuff and therefore control the prices and we have seen these types of things artificially go up.
I rarely see items that I am after go to auction.
I guess a of way to combat this is to go for the best offer option if available. Honestly I have been very surprised with some of the accepted offers or well priced counteroffers that I have received compared to their list price. So I encourage forum members to put in a cheap price because you never know your luck, you get three goes at it, so why not.
I have noticed that a lot of these listed items can sit at the same price for months and even waiting for it to be relisted doesn't mean the price will come down. I have even seen prices go up after no one buys it!!

Just food for thought

[Cat]

They've been trying to do this for years, to move things to a more Amazon-like format.

[lancalot]

yeah i always do the best offer ...and usually you get around 10-20 dollars off so it like free shipping

[lancalot]

It mainly the shop that have the buyit now anyways... and some time they do offer sale (20-30%) as well on the item ... i just bought a yamato figure and that was 30% off storewide and now the sale finished for the shop it back up to a high price...

[Trent]

Easiest way around it is dont buy G1 :P

But yes you are right. It's not just G1 either, go look up Takara MP Skywarp for example. They are all outrageously priced unless you get the occasional 'outsider' auctioning/selling for a reasonable price.

[DELTAprime]

I've been putting up with BIN for the last 4 or so years. If your like me and a collector that missed buying the stuff instore that doesn't get reissued often or at all like RID and AEC you pretty much have to put up with BIN.

[Omega Metro]

I've always used BIN and prefer it. Never won anything at an auction and such a long tedious wait with a big disappointment at the end.

[Gofigure]

I've always used BIN and prefer it. Never won anything at an auction and such a long tedious wait with a big disappointment at the end.

100% agree. That has been my experience since 2003

Only once or twice had achieved satisfaction at auction

Always best offer or buy it now. Saves time, energy, and heartbreak

[GoktimusPrime]

Easiest way around it is dont buy G1 :P

I get around it by not using eBay.

[theshape]

I think people are scared of an item selling for less then they want.

I saw this one a few days ago

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/370881784...84.m1423.l2649

I bet it cost that to send it to AFA and to have it graded