Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ebay investors beware
vanity | 19 Jan 05 | self

Posted on 01/19/2005 2:55:35 PM PST by Lokibob

Read this.  Ebay sellers are up in arms, mass resignations.
 
 
 


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: auctions; ebay; investment; move2bidville
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-75 next last
To: SoDak

I frequent a couple of pro guitarist sites and have relationships with many of the regulars...in fact, some of them have become good friends and I meet with them regularly.

With that said, purchases of guitars on EBay have been notoriously risky and I know of MANY people that have gotten burned by not receiving what was represented for sale (clear-cut fraud) and a few have payed for items they never received at all.

I have seen (as many others) photographic evidence and the related EBay auction info and have seen some of these rip-off artist victimize several people before EBay even acknowledged complaints...some of these fraudsters were even actual brick & mortar music stores, and most still operate on EBay (sometimes under new accounts).

I wouldn't spend $5 on EBay after seeing so many horror stories, and FYI I spent over $40,000 in Pro Audio gear so I am quite an experienced buyer. ;-)

The sad part is, I have some awesome vintage gear I'd like to auction as well, but it's getting too difficult to sell things on EBay too from what I hear...LOL

The only hope for online music instrument auctions online for most of us pro-musicians is with certain forums, like the one at Seymour Duncan, which usually ends up in a face-to-face transaction to assure no one get ripped-off...


41 posted on 01/19/2005 3:45:51 PM PST by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: bvw

I have head for the past month that Craig's List is being purchased by ebay. Isn't that something!


42 posted on 01/19/2005 3:47:07 PM PST by seeker41
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob

I just checked out "bidville" and couldn't get ANY of the musical instrument pages to load, the server kept given me an error message...OOPS!


43 posted on 01/19/2005 3:49:09 PM PST by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Veracious Poet

Not ever purchasing equipment like that, I have no basis for an opinion. I have purchased what I consider to be high end computer and electronic equipment ($5K). When I buy anything that's more than $100 I insure the auction, as long as the insurance still leaves the selling price a bargain. Also, some sellers are bonded, which increases my confidence. It's something one is either comfortable with or not, and with your friends' experience, I wouldn't blame you from steering clear I guess. I have enough musician friends to know it's way easy to get ripped off in a person-to-person transaction even.


44 posted on 01/19/2005 3:52:40 PM PST by SoDak (hoist that rag!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Veracious Poet

Thats strange, because I just visited the music section and all that I pushed came up. Hmmmmm what can I say?


45 posted on 01/19/2005 4:01:07 PM PST by Lokibob (All typos and spelling errors are mine and copyrighted!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob

Well, I got one page to load (electric guitars), but when I went back I couldn't get any page to load...LOL

"Unfortunately, we are unable to service your request at this moment. Please try again at your convenience."

http://www.bidville.com/errorpage.html

Reminds me of the internet circa 1995 when I was on 33K dial-up. ;-)


46 posted on 01/19/2005 4:06:42 PM PST by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob

Well, I got one page to load (electric guitars), but when I went back I couldn't get any page to load...LOL

"Unfortunately, we are unable to service your request at this moment. Please try again at your convenience."

http://www.bidville.com/errorpage.html

Reminds me of the internet circa 1995 when I was on 33K dial-up. ;-)


47 posted on 01/19/2005 4:06:58 PM PST by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob

ping


48 posted on 01/19/2005 4:12:31 PM PST by ViLaLuz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Veracious Poet

I am extremely wary of Ebay. I once bought a $3100 video camera on Ebay. The seller had an excellent reputation, but he failed to ship 8 or 10 cameras to people who had paid for them. Nothing really happened to him even though we all tried to have him prosecuted.

Every authority said he was simply a bad businessman and we were just out of luck.

I still buy and sell small items, but I am too afraid to go for any big items.


49 posted on 01/19/2005 5:35:45 PM PST by arjay (If the NYT is against it, it must be good for America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: arjay

Too many stories like that one out there...isn't it typical though?

All the sheeple herd into one place and when a couple of get picked off by wolves the rest don't even look up.

Now it appears the pasture of ignorant bliss itself is looking to get their cut, how typical...LOL


50 posted on 01/19/2005 5:40:09 PM PST by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob

The shipping prices can be outrageous. Sometimes I wonder if the Seller is covering the actual cost of the item if he does not sell it at a premium. I also wonder sometimes if sellers don't have shills; since I can go almost anywhere on the site and bid and there is usually someone new bidding against me. I am not accusing anyone; but I do wonder.


51 posted on 01/19/2005 5:44:54 PM PST by freekitty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: arjay

I know someone (not the sharpest knife in the drawer) who purchased a JAGUAR on eBay.

It died.

Nuff said.


52 posted on 01/19/2005 6:36:40 PM PST by Dashing Dasher (Because I fly, I envy no (wo)man on earth. - Anon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Dashing Dasher

Is that a joke, or are you serious? LOL


53 posted on 01/20/2005 12:49:00 PM PST by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Veracious Poet

I SWEAR!
He bought a Jaguar on eBay and was shocked when it died.
It was practically new.

Buyer beware?!


54 posted on 01/20/2005 1:20:48 PM PST by Dashing Dasher (Because I fly, I envy no (wo)man on earth. - Anon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: SoDak
"no way to pass fee increases along at an auction."

Not true...I set a minimum bid or I can use the reserve option.
What I sell on Ebay now is at a "buy it now" price.
I set the price.
55 posted on 01/20/2005 1:29:24 PM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Lokibob
"I haven't really looked into overstock, concentrating right now on bidville. "

All well and good, but how many buyers go there?
I would guess less then one for every thousand that go to Ebay.

It is like having a store in Podunk, compared to one in a big city mall.

The Ebay sellers that will hurt are those selling commodity goods, with multi listings...Makes no sense to me, but I guess they make sales.
56 posted on 01/20/2005 1:38:46 PM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

But if your price increase, along with the shipping cost, drives the price of your product beyond what the local retail price is, you won't sell anything.


57 posted on 01/20/2005 1:40:51 PM PST by SoDak (hoist that rag!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: freekitty

"I can go almost anywhere on the site and bid and there is usually someone new bidding against me."

Not only that, but there is a service that you can use.
They bid for you, and will post a bid within the last few seconds of the close.
My daughter just used it to buy a digital camera.


58 posted on 01/20/2005 1:43:38 PM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: SoDak
"But if your price increase, along with the shipping cost, drives the price of your product beyond what the local retail price is, you won't sell anything."

I do not sell commodity goods.
I have a fixed price on an item for Montessori Schools.
I do OK with it.. I have sold on open auction and it has sold from a low of $45 to a high of $120.
I now sell as buy it now for $75 + $10 for 2 day priority mail...I just sold one today that was listed yesterday :)

I also sell collectibles and antique items that I have no investment in, and happy to get what I can.
I had an old post card that I would have been happy to get $5, but it sold for $120.
59 posted on 01/20/2005 1:52:47 PM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

The general point I was trying to make is that in an auction format, it isn't as easy to build new costs into your business because people bid to the price something is generally worth. On the other hand, if there are 20 stores in town that all sell bread, and theres a spike in wheat prices, they all raise prices to cover the new expense, because the entire retail outlet for that product has been affected.


60 posted on 01/20/2005 1:56:36 PM PST by SoDak (hoist that rag!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-75 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson