ebay is a public buy/sell ground so the ethics range from slimey to fantastic. There is a ton of junk and a ton of good stuff. When you see an auction that turns you off, simply cruise on. If the seller pleads ignorance and posts a blurry picture, then cruise on or bid assuming it's junk.
Some dealers plead ignorance and they really are. It worked in my favor recently as I won a Tyco CBQ C430 that I had as a kid. It was advertised as AHM in the AHM section and came with an AHM box. The seller described it as C-6, very good. It looked mint in the picture but I bid as though it were very good. The engine I got truley is mint - never ran. I kid you not! Not a mark on it. I later founnd out she described it as C-6 because it would not run when she tested it. Of course! The thing was ceased up after 40 years of sitting and all it took was some TLC.
As with anything in life, patience is a virtue. There are a lot of good dealers on ebay who specialize in what you collect. They pic and describe stuff very well. Stick with them and wait for what you want to appear in their auction.
Try not to win a big ticket item with a dealer until after you've gotten to know him through a few nickle and dime auctions.
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