December 2, 2006 | Offspring: ecstasy and agony, Retail Therapy
I used to think there ought to be a law that when you’re selling a coordinating set of something—say, matching brother/sister Christmas sweaters—you have to list them together on eBay rather than as separate auctions. Because there is nothing more annoying in this world than agonizing over how high you bid to try to secure BOTH items, as having one but not the other is useless if what you really want is the set.
But after explaining auctioning and bidding to my daughter, and winning the first sweater (much to her delight), I sat here refreshing the page on the second sweater. We watched as someone swooped in and upped the bid with 3 minutes to go. I prepared to enter my bid and she piped up, “Mom. Better wait til there’s only about thirty seconds left so you don’t get sniped back.”
I don’t know that I’ve ever been prouder.
(Yes, we won the second sweater, too. I believe this was due to our combined, overwhelming shopping savvy.)
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:40 pm
Awwww! Mothers and daughters rock. You two make a darling couple. :-)
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:15 pm
She could qualify for the eSS (eBay Sniper Seals) if she reduced her time to 19.4 seconds.
*guilty of a 13.2 second snipe or sixty. I secured an X-box for someone for Christmas with 9 seconds to go (shhhhh). Oh yeah, who’s your daddy?
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:35 pm
So so cute! I was expecting an exasperated mommy vent*, but instead got treated to puffed up mommy pride! It reminds me of how I interact with MY mom, too! (Mom-How in the world did you get that new, unblemished cashmere sweater for $3.88? Me-Well, let me tell you…)
*This is a function of reader using her own blog to release steam, rather than being any message of judgement or anything else potentially negative toward this blog’s author.
Mir, I rarely comment, but let me tell you that your blog is the one I reach for first every morning. And I’m going to Athens next weekend! Want me to stop by and say hi to Otto??
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Whoa, so shopping genes can be passed on. I’m missing one.
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:54 pm
Oh Mir… situations like that call for eSnipe! There is a small service fee (very, very small) which is so worth it when it puts your bid in for you in the last 6 seconds of every auction. You can set it and forget it, just like the Ronco Rotisserie. Congrats on the two sweater score, though. Chickadee is a very smart little Ebayer!
December 2nd, 2006 at 8:19 pm
Oh my. I am wiping away a vicarious tear of pride. Good thinking, Chickie baby!
December 2nd, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Yaaay! She’d make any Ferengi proud. Good girl!
December 3rd, 2006 at 8:54 am
Awesome. And good for her. I know you don’t show their faces, but PLEASSSSE show us their matching sweaters when they wear them!!! How cute!
December 3rd, 2006 at 10:51 am
Fabulous. What an ingenious child.
December 3rd, 2006 at 11:04 am
wow, I am totally impressed with her ebay prowess.
December 3rd, 2006 at 11:58 am
Oh, I haaaate that. If it’s a set, sell it as a friggin’ SET!
December 3rd, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Whoah. Frighteningly clever, the pair of you.
December 3rd, 2006 at 2:07 pm
Ack! I hate last minute bidders. Good job you 2!
December 3rd, 2006 at 5:04 pm
Good job on the bidding! But… matching sweaters?? You bring back terrifying childhood memories. *shudder*
December 3rd, 2006 at 9:53 pm
You’re my ebay hero. They better be some nice sweaters!
December 4th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
*smiling* Obi-Mir has taught you well, Chickadee! But, can you cut it closer than 15 seconds? On dial-up? *wicked gleam in the eyes*
December 4th, 2006 at 5:49 pm
The mother and daughter who shop together . . . how cute.