Desktop Computer Packages

Ok so there's this computer on ebay Awesome deal and no bids, Please read details...10 points for best answer!?

I think the seller bought the computers in bulk and is selling them for a profit. He has 100% positive feedback from 8,000 members. I read the term for the sale and am satisfied with the computer. There is no reserve price. Here are the specs: "Up For Bid is one LIghtning Fast High End HP 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 HyperThreading Desktop Computer System with a Huge 500GB SATA Hard Drive, 3GB of RAM, a nVidia Geforce Graphics card with an astonishing 512Mb of DDR2 VRAM, a 20x Dual Layer DVD-Burner, and much, much, more!" Included is an 8500gt graphics card and the COA for windows xp. I checked the details on the cpu and it runs at 800mhz fsb 3.4 ghz with HT...which is fine for what I do, and I can always OC and/or throw in a C2D with a good mobo It is an HP. But it has zero bids so far and is at the starting price of $0.01. What happens if I win the auction...let's say for something hypothetically ridiculous, $1.00...since it has no reserve, would they have to sell it to me for the price? Also shipping is free to the continental US.....Thanks So would they be forced to sell me the item because it has no reserve price even at $1.00???

Public Comments

1. With no reserve,yes,highest bidder wins,no matter what the bid is.You know it will never go for that low though right? You should try to find out what it's really worth and put in a bid that will win it.If you put in a bid of $200,you still only have to pay what the high bid needs to be.I wouldn't bid yet though,wait until there is only a day left on the auction and keep checking the bids.
2. Yes, the seller is obligated to sell it at whatever the highest bidder price is (subject to limitations they stated in the auction such as no out-of country bids or no bidders with zero feedback) However a couple of things will happen - 1) There will be a last-minute (last second, even) flurry of bids. This is called sniping, where someone outbids you at the very last moment. There is even software that does this automatically. 2) The seller might withdraw the item if they are not getting the bidding they like - using a lame excuse like "item no longer available" or "Item has broken". They are not supposed to be allowed to do this but eBay is lax on enforcement. 3) Watch out for inflated shipping charges, you may win an item for $1.00 and pay $90 in shipping, only to find out when the item arrives that the shipping only really cost $20. I am suspicious of free shipping on a computer, it costs too much to be practical. 4) Of course, there is always the risk of an item being sold with a hijacked account, and you'd never get the item. Insist on payment by PayPal, and insist on shipping with insurance, tracking and signature on delivery, so that you can show that it never arrived if it is a scam. If the auction asks you to contact them with an email address outside of eBay, or says don't contact them through eBay's message system, then it is 100% a scam.
3. Yes seller is obligated to sell the item at the high price in the moment of auctions end no matter if is $1.00 dollar... Is his/her obligation and IF they don't have no reserve price is better...IF the shipping said free it has to be free... At the past I won MP3, Video Games and the seller honor the price at the end of the auction IF my bid was the last one and the auctions end. I buy items like that...BUT NOW you have to be more careful because since eBay change there rules about feedback everyone is POSITIVE AND THAT IS NOT GOOD.
4. Yes and no. If there is no reserve, the seller has to sell for the highest bid. But, most sellers aren't stupid. There is either enough money built in to "shipping and handling" to cover his cost in the computer, or either through a "dummy" account or by using a real friend, he will keep topping your bids until he is satisfied with the price. EBay does not like this, they would rather the seller be honest and put in a real reserve or starting bid. But a lot of sellers would prefer it the other way. This should not deter you from putting in a bid, though. You never know. I bought a Visioneer flat-bed scanner for $2.50 USD and only $10.00 S/H. Found out later it was a birthday present, and he already had an all-in-one-machine, and just got tired of having the unopened Visioneer in his way all the time. There are WIN/Win deals to be had. It doesn't cost you anything to place a bid. But, as with all auctions, decide before you start bidding what your top dollar is. DO NOT go one penny over that price or you will get caught up in "bidding frenzy: and end up paying TWICE what the box is worth. Sometimes it is no a trick, and there are some great values. I have sold some top rate tools for 20% of there real value, as I can't use them, my son doesn't want them and I want the space in my garage back!