Wonderful world of Ebay

[Kevin Perry]

I've been bidding on some rather expensive audio gear this week ($3.5k) and I can't believe the number of phony "seller" emails I get. They contact me saying they can sell me the same item I am bidding on for some ridiculous price. ($1400 for an item that lists new at $5k!) Whats funnier is that they always cut and paste the title of the auction into their email. If the auction is named "2 Neve 1272 preamps like NEW perfect," then they have emailed me saying they are selling "2 Neve 1272 preamps like NEW perfect that are brand new!"

So I have had fun returning their emails saying I am VERY interested and will send payment promptly....but first I'll need some info. I ask them for serial numbers for starters- then I start asking technical questions that everyone who owns a $5k piece of gear should know. The clincher is throwing in something stupid like "Is this the 48 volt or 49 volt phantom model?" Or "Is the power supply digital or analog?"

So far, no takers. Unbelievable...

[John Wheeler]

We've got a brand new - unregulated - world on our hands, and it's just beginning to take shape. Wanna buy some cheap Viagra?

[3daudioinc]

It's amazing how fast the criminal sharks have swarmed around Ebay. What's more is that they must think people are really stupid (or greedy) not to see through their tactics.

A friend was bidding on a one of a kind console (Sony stuffed with 36 channels of API modules) and got a similar email saying they could sell him the same thing. How stupid do they think we are? Do they really believe we would fall for someone offering a duplicate one of a kind console for half price?

I guess if they offer 1000 scams and hit on one or two takers, they can justify it. Do they do this for a living?

It's like the people who have figured out how to have an IM immediately pop up as soon as you sign on to AOL. "You have an IM from internet user hottypolly007@yahoo.com. Would you like to accept?" Please!

There is an incredible amount of corruption that has attached itself like a leach to the Ebay system. It's definitely "buyer beware."

[Sal Vito]

Wow,

That's messed up!

I haven't been ebay-ing much for the last two years...

My how things have changed....

[Ron]

An odd thing I've noticed is that people will win the auction at a price that is 20 dollars less then what they could buy it for in a real shop. We can beat Sam Ash, Musician's Friend and Guitar Center up all we want but they will all take the item back..can't imagine trying to do that with an ebay seller.
Kevin..if you want to see some real nutty stuff on ebay try vintage guitars.. love the vague descriptions ..appears to be all original, I've been told its a 52..etc etc!

[3daudioinc]

GC is opening up their Nashville store tonight. Seven to midnight. I was there last night for a pre grand opening event and they had some Oktava mics (large dia., side address) they were selling for $29! It's at 100 Oaks, so check it out if you're looking for Christmas presents. For yourself.

[George Cumbee]

I have had pretty good luck on Ebay so far. I must say I am amazed at how good it has been. I am just waiting for something awful to happen to me. I have bought a lot of stuff and have only had a couple that were not quite as good as advertised, but no total burns.

I just had something amazing this week. My daughter has a Jeep with a Jensen CD/Radio with that removeable faceplate for avoiding theft. Well, it has this infamous problem with the volume and tuning knob. It is like a joystick, 4 way deal. It has been a constant problem. I have epoxyed it till it just won't hardly work. Well, I got on some forums and found it to be a common problem. I looked on Ebay and saw a couple of used ones. I started bidding on one. Then I found a thread on a forum. There was a reply on there from a guy who said he had a new one, never used. He had his email address. I emailed him and he said he had just posted it on Ebay with a BIN for $30. So, I went there and did the BIN.

We wanted to expedite it. He did not have Paypal. I called Western Union. They wanted $18 to send it. I just refused to do that. I could have gotten a cashier's check but that would be slow.

He was in Charlotte, NC. I bank with Bank of America which is based there. I emailed him to see if he had an account with them so we could just do a bank transfer next day. He did not, but worked next door to a branch there. So next morning I called a personal banker at BOA at our branch. I asked an unusual request for them. Can you contact that branch and debit my account for the money and have him come over and get it. They were a bit perplexed about it, but agreed to try. They did and it worked. We got a contact name. He went over to the branch, showed some ID and they gave him the money. He sent it out yesterday UPS. I have a tracking number and should have it Fri. No charge for the money transfer

I felt that was a pretty amazing thing. In this huge country to find a part that you can't get anymore(I think)and have it on it's way from an individual less than 24hrs later. I could expect that from a supplier if you are willing to pay a lot for that service, but this an Ebay deal with someone I had just met using a keyboard by chance on a forum.

I have some other Ebay stories that are about as strange. One is a guy in England sent me 2 AMEK 9098's to try BEFORE I paid him. He had 0 feedback which bothered me and he was trusting of me based on my excellent feedback. He overnighted them FedEx and I tried them on a session and then wired him the money, $2450.00 That was pretty amazing.

So Ebay is still pretty cool in this techno world.

BTW: I am that guy that Lynn was referring to about bidding on the Sony/API console. I got not 1 but 2 offers to sell me the very same thing for 1/2 the price. Said they had it IN stock. I could not believe it.

[ December 18, 2003: Message edited by: George Cumbee ]

[Stephen Vardy]

I have had a really good run with eBay buying pro audio gear but I watch feedback very carefully and communicate before bidding on high items.

Had my first bad deal over a CD walkman. A friend selling for a friend. I didn't follow my rules. For teenaged consumer goods I am going to deal more with the dealers from now on.

This Christmas I have 4 large items coming through USPost. The boxes are arriving trashed. Two bent rack ears and 2 loose tubes so far. All well packed otherwise.

Regards
S

[Rich Mays]

I have found ebay to be alot like NYC-- keep your eyes open, watch your six, and you will likely be OK.

I did learn the hard way to NEVER buy an item without a photo of the actual item (bought a non-existent card stereo with a manufacturer's image in the listing)

Also learned about a sickening ripoff of a buyer who wired about $5k to a seller north of the border for an early U47. He is still waiting for the mic after many months. The seller refuses to comminicate and he had to hire a private detectove to confirm the seller's identity and residence. He then filed suit, but who knows if he will ever see the U47 or $$.

Escrow, anyone?

As an encouragement, however, my wife is a gold power seller with almost 3,000 transactions and only half a handful of bad checks

Rich