Oct. 23, 2000

Those of you who are web-savvy enough to have found this column on the Field Reporter site have probably also discovered on-line auction houses such as eBay, Amazon, or Yahoo.

In the Aug. 14 Green Girl column, The Green Girl reviewed the advantages of on-line vs. in-person auctions. If that didn’t convince you to start Deere hunting on-line, maybe this week’s column will!

To hunt "real" deer, you usually have to wait for a certain time of year (season), own a gun or bow, buy a license/tag, and spend a week out in the woods. But today’s technology makes "Deere hunting" a 24/7 international business. Shopping through on-line auctions opens you up to a worldwide network of sellers and an incredibly ripe market for memorabilia.

A basic search on eBay rings up 4,615 "John Deere" items for sale (as of 10/20/00, 14:30 PDT). Out of the 1,245,511 items listed in the Collectibles category, there were 2,474 specifically on John Deere. So that’s only about half of the available John Deere goodies! The rest are tucked away in the zillions of other appropriate categories. (If you’d like to be overwhelmed, click here for a list of all the available eBay categories.)

However, much of what you’ll find for sale on eBay can be bought almost anywhere. There are lots of readily-available and recently released items listed. For example, you can find zillions of tin replica signs and trays, fake marbles, Mary’s Moo MoosĆ figurines, Franklin Mint items, and John Deere Kids toys. You can also find plenty of miscellaneous household goods such as cookie jars, comforters, salt and pepper shakers, lamps, and light switch covers.

Would you believe it’s also possible to buy a real life-sized tractor on eBay? 630star.jpg (15900 bytes)

Yep. Whether it’s rusty, restored, or doesn’t even run, you can buy and sell actual equipment on-line. In fact, there’s a "rare 4050 high crop model" available for $25,000 right now. No bidders have bit on that one yet so get your checkbook out if you’re interested.

The Green Girl doesn’t quite understand how you pay for something that spendy…up the credit limit on your favorite piece of plastic? Just write ‘em a check? Or go to the Post Office with a big bag of bucks and get a money order?

According to eBay’s rules, there’s a special policy for bidding on things over $15,000. You have to "verify" yourself with a credit card to "ensure bidder integrity." It says your credit card isn’t charged but chances are if you bid on something and don’t pay for it, they will charge your card before you can close the account and move to Mexico.

The cost of shipping is another on-line bidding issue to consider. If you buy a large, awkward or heavy item, the cost of getting it from Timbuktu to you may add up in a hurry. Factor that into your maximum bidding price or you’ll have a shocking surprise after it’s too late to back out.

While it’s possible to buy several real tractors for as little as $1,000, you may want to get a smaller version of the real thing for that price.

In fact, there are several pedal tractors selling for $500 or more! Check out this beat-up, worn-out antique Eska 620 model from New York currently selling for $565 with another week to go.
	Here’s another 60 pedal tractor that comes complete with bird droppings and plenty of rust…it can be yours for at least $565.
Tinier toys — 1/16-scale tractors and implements — can run almost that high too. A couple full sets of Ertl’s fancy Precision Classics toys are bringing $1,200-1,500 for 16 toy tractors. Actually, that’s probably a pretty good deal, considering that some individual tractors bring almost $300 each and most of the earlier ones fetch around $150 at minimum on their own!
	Some of the premium-priced collectibles include train sets and 1950s versions in excellent condition. These items are likely to ring up the register to the tune of nearly $500. For example, a collection of nine toys made in the 1950s is now selling for $475.
Most of the toys on the eBay market are made by Ertl but on occasion, some rarer versions surface. One set of 830 diesel tractors made in 1991 by Stephan Manufacturing is selling for $700. While these two are in pristine, never-played-with condition, most of the toys up for sale on eBay have been played with in the dirt/sand, and as a result, are slightly rusty, missing a few parts, and/or wear peeling paint. Still, many toy collectors would swear that they’re in good condition and worthy of such a price tag.

Besides tractors (full-sized and toy-sized), you can also buy other modes of transportation on eBay, including John Deere lawnmowers, snowmobiles, and bicycles. If toys aren’t your thing, and you don’t need a whole tractor, you can probably find enough parts and pieces to build one! Extra parts are always in demand in the restoration process. From magnetos and carburetors to seats and headlights, you might find just what you need at eBay!

You can also find plenty of Operator’s Manuals, Service/Technical Manuals, and Parts Catalogs for sale. Much of the information within the pages of these books serves as an excellent resource and reference for restoration projects. They also can help fill in the blanks with dates and details about other pieces of memorabilia. So if you’re planning a restoration or like to read these things for fun on a cold winter night, start shopping eBay!

Make no mistake…eBay is an incredible opportunity to take your "Deere hunt" on a 24/7 global mission. Just don’t get carried away with too many clicks of the mouse! For maximum safety, follow The Green Girl’s top five tips for safe bidding on eBay:

For a unique on-line auction experience, check out an Amazon LiveBid auction run by Aumann Auctions. Gather ‘round your computer this Saturday (October 28) at 10 am CST to participate in an auction run in real-time without making a road trip to central Illinois. You can hear the call of the auctioneer, place bids with a click of your mouse, and watch the progress of this literature and memorabilia auction without leaving your house!

The Green Girl's top 20 signs of eBay addiction:

Truth be told, The Green Girl’s eBay experience has escalated to an almost unhealthy level. However, I know I’m not alone! Chances are, you’ll find yourself relating to more than one of the following signs of addiction.

You might be addicted to eBay if you have:

...set your alarm clock for 3 am so you can log on to protect your bid.

...called someone a naughty name for outbidding you at the last second.

...wondered whether all those "shady characters" are really the people selling the stuff.

...questioned your sanity related to the price of a bid more than once.

...changed all your clocks to "eBay official time (PDT)."

...bid on something even though the picture doesn’t show up correctly.

...purposely run up the bid on something similar for which you paid more.

...done the "Deere Dance of Joy" upon winning a bid at the last second.

...laughed out loud at some city slicker’s description of a piece of farm equipment.

...rolled your eyes at the word "antique" or "vintage" used on something made in the past decade.

...gritted your teeth each time you’ve clicked on a description that uses the word "L@@K."

...considered upgrading to DSL service instead of dial-up so you can always be on-line!

...turned up the volume on your email alert so you’ll never miss an Outbid Notice.

...made My eBay your default home page.

...emailed a seller to correct their description with accurate dates or details.

...clicked on the HELP button hoping to find information about an eBay Auction Addicts Anonymous (EAAA) support group.

...gone beyond just being a buyer to selling stuff as well!

...come to rely on "convenience cash" from PayPal or Bidmate and wished you could pay all your bills like that.

...earned a "Shooting Star" Feedback Profile for more than 10,000 purchases!

...created a UserID with some combination of the initials "JD" or the words "John Deere."