Maybe it's just me, but in looking at the cake decorating items for bid at ebay, everything I am finding, is just as cheap buying brand new at a craft store once you add in their shipping costs? Where is everyone finding the good bargains on ebay that I keep reading about?
Bargains do come along. You have to look and wait for them. Of course I had a friend that got out of the cake business (before I got into it 
) and she sold her cake pans, tips, etc on ebay and got more than she paid for them!
Debbie
I agree - I'm in the UK and I get most of my cookie cutters from the US. The exchange rate is so good at the moment that it's pretty much half the price that it is here.
I have to agree with practiceandpatience , I dont know if anyone else has noticed this but it seems like to me that a lot of sellers come in and bid which is their right to do, then relist the stuff in their ebay store or just relist it again and to me its so easy for them to bid over someone just trying to get a good buy it makes it hard to win one. I know you can still luck up and win ,it seems its just getting harder to do.Most of the time I can go buy it new cheaper ,especially with a 40% off coupon 
JMO 
Thank you for the replies, I thought I was missing something, or possibly I was looking under the wrong catagories, (though I have tried just about any wording that could be associated with cake decorating!!)
I have really noticed in the last year or so that the deals are fewer.You have to check almost daily!! If you do find a great deal the bidding becomes so high you say forget it anyway!! I like the BIN option so I don't have to get into bidding wars!
I don't buy from ebay very often, although I got an awesome deal on my KA mixer. But lately the shipping and the bidding wars far outweigh my desire to buy off of ebay. I'd rather wait for a 40% off coupon from Michaels or Hobby Lobby and get new stuff!! Besides I rarely see Magic Line pans on ebay (they are awesome!) but I'd love to get rid of my wilton pans!!
I agree with Kiddiekakes. The deals seem to be getting fewer and you have to check nearly daily. Ebay is a good place to get retired pans which is really the only thing I use it for unless I find a great deal. Actually, I just got a complete set of beveled pans for $27 (including shipping) with BIN but then I check nearly daily because I am looking for specific pans that I can't get at the craft stores.
My son has a collection of hard-to-find out-of-print books, and we now have all but two of them, and those two are in the $100+ range so I'm sure it will be a long time before he finishes the collection, haha.
Anyway, I found several of the books he has on eBay by intentionally misspelling the author's name in my searches, or misspelling the main character's name. If someone hasn't proofread their post, it could be to your advantage. For example, instead of searching for "Rick Brant" I searched for "Rick Brent" and found a few of DS's books that way.
I'm not saying it's easy to misspell "cake pan" 
but this might help you in other searches on eBay. Like if you want a cake book by a certain author. One person's spelling error has often been to my advantage.
Deanna
really good deals are getting harder, but if I do find something I like, I click on the "watch it" and I watch the bidding. I also check the buying history of who is bidding to see if it;s worth it to outbid, taking into consideration the retail price and shipping. Also, if there are no bids, I wait as close to the end of the auction before I bid to avoid a bidding war or "blind sheep" effect. I've purchased some vintage cook books and Wilton Yearbooks and tips this way.
Sometimes, instead of looking under "cake decorating", look under cake pans, wilton, or even baking supplies. I have been able to find some fantastic buys under those categories.
I wonder, though, how many of us are bidding against each other for certain things? I'm sure I've called someone a name for stealing my bid without knowing that they were a CCer!
too funny!!! Thank you for the new search ideas.
I buy often on Ebay, but I look for HUGE lots. like this I save on the shipping, but I always compare prices with the stores around here. When I find a good deal I buy it. Sometimes when I get huge lots with some stuff I already have, I sell them back on Ebay, if it's something I won't use. I usually start the bids low, because I already got a great deal on the huge lot, so it's just to make someone else a great deal! I always end up buy from the same sellers anyway...
Have fun!! and have great day!!
I've gotten a few good deals on ebay. I was wanting the 3-tiered mini wedding cake pan set. Good heavens, those things were going for anywhere from $30-60!!! I just kept watching, though, and managed to get one for under $10 (must have been great timing!). I also use ebay, not for great price deals, but for a time saver. Sometimes, it's just easier for me to buy it on-line and have it delivered, than to try to fit a trip to the supply store into my schedule. If I order it enough in advance, that is!
My second home is ebay...I did nearly all my Christmas shopping on there last year-got some good deals. I also signed up for newsletters from ACMoore, got a 50% off coupon, printed about 10...bought something every day. I got my fondant for $10 a box (I needed 5) and square tiers for $15. Then, this week select pans were on sale, 50%, so I bought another set of 4 teir (12,10,8, and 6) for $14.99. We also have a Michaels, so coupons for either are good at either place...but Ebay sure is convienent! Shop on ladies!! Brenda
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