I like to buy old marx trains on ebay. The way most sellers seemed to operate years ago was to try and describe the condition of an item, and tell you the flaws. They often took 4 or 5 pics, to show the item from all views. If they took only one pic, they at least showed you the worst side.
Not any more. I have noticed a disturbing trend, only one picture, the best side, often blurry. A vague description of excellent, or good for the age, or played with condition. When you email to ask questions, they will act like they know nothing about trains and give answers which can be taken more than one way. You may ask about 3 or 4 aspects of an items condition, only to be bitten by the one problem you did not think of. And they usually charge a lot for the shipping, which discourages asking for refunds on inexpensive items. It seems to happen a lot these days. oh well, caveat emptor.
If I buy on ebay and have a question which is not sufficiently answered by a reply email, I'll ask for photo's. The best thing you can do about that is give neutral feedback. A negative feedback results in a negative feedback for you, but a neutral feedback with the good description (item worse than advertised/ seller not honest about condition/ etc) will do the trick.
Normally I browse through someones reputation first, because for me a return is not possible. I've bought a fair amount of trains with ebay and my experiences are mainly very positive.
If someone is not clear about it, doesn't give sufficient information, can't give more photo's, etc, then leave it!! You can ask in advance, and form an imige of the sellers behaviour (with help of the feedbakc) before you make a bid. If you don't feel right, don't buy.
I had a steamer in mind, asked which sound system it had and the answer was: "I think it has railsounds" Yeah, of course. What are the sounds in the railsounds I asked. "A bell and a whistle I guess" came back. With these kind of answers you CAN expect a signalsound or mechanical whistle. Obviously I didn't make a bid.
On one picture of another item I found a blurr on a truck. I asked if it had any damage or rust, because of the blurr. "I picked the foto from somewhere on the internet, I don't have a camera of my own, but it's exactly like it and it has no damage". Well thanks, but I'm not bidding.
It's sometimes hard to let something go, but there hasn't been any item that didn't show up in another auction later on.. Sometimes a bit of damage does the trick; I picked up a observation car for my postwar santa fe set, without scratches or dents and without missing parts apart from the nameplates, for $36.. (and that is the original aluminium silver dawn observation car)..
Keep your eyes open and read carefully before you buy and don't make a bid unless you are satisfied with the information supplied! (And ask shipping charges is andvance!)
Yep...I have been shopping E-Bay lately and have noticed the "single-picture-I-don't-know-nothin'- about-trains" ads. Also present are the notorious "I'm selling this for my Grampaw who rarely played with it" ads. I bought a Lionel GP-9 from a seller that showed all sides of the loco and offers a refund. I also paid with VISA card. So I am pretty well covered. Note that ratings can be VERY deceptive. A seller with a 99.1% good rating may not accurately reflect what the seller is really like if he is a very high volume seller. And for low volume buyers like myself, one crummy rating can be a killer. Buying on E-Bay is ALWAYS like walking through a minefield.
Dep
Virginian Railroad
I have been lucky so far. I bought my sd60 off ebay. I can't say it was perfect (the pin holding the back knuckle was missing) but the price far beat any problem with it. That's the big thing for me. I can't really afford to buy all new but I love this scale. I've done Ho and it's ok but o rocks. I hope to keep my luck but as long as the prices are right I'll keep comming back and just hope for the best.
BTW ruddfan...I have a what seems to be pretty old marx tender that I can't really use. It has the plastic flip couple thing??? Sorry, I know less about Marx than lionel and as you can tell by reading my other posts that's not much. I had not heard of marx until it got this tender in a box of other lionel stuff. Funny thing was that i bought it for the tender because ebay said it was lionel. :) Oh well, i got a lot of track and two steam locomotives (cheap plastic ones) CHEAP so it evens out. Not sure of the markings but i can look if you need one.
daan wrote: Keep your eyes open and read carefully before you buy and don't make a bid unless you are satisfied with the information supplied! (And ask shipping charges is andvance!)
I agree with Daan. If you are not sure, don't bid. Or if you insist, use an amount based on the worst possible scenario.
Sellers that use vague descriptions accompanied by poor pictures are only hurting themselves in the long run, as those items will not attract higher bids from more knowledgeable buyers. Even if the item is perfect, the description must convey this message to the potential buyer.
The use of the word "mint" is often an overstatement especially from novice sellers. If it comes in a tattered box and has bent handrails or is dirty (but never run on track) that still does not qualify as mint! Grade items yourself, as far as possible, by asking the right questons and viewing pictures.
Good afternoon all,
I have only been "bit" on eBay once. I bought a non-powered Lionel Santa Fe Alco that was "mint" in the box. They only showed one side and the plastic on the truck was broken off on the other side. I know it was not damaged in shipping as the part was just gone. I tried contacting the seller, but I got no response. I never left a feed back on that one. All the other transactions have gone well. I have gotten some good deals from time to time as well. I bought a 1989 Lionel Std. Gage Christmas car for around $20 once, and a restored 341 observation for about the same price. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
You are bidding on a Lionel 3656 Automatic Operating Cattle Stockyard Set, with 3 Cows, track lockon, Photocopy of Original Instructions, and 364c Controller
Overall, this in an excellent buy and will make a nice addition to your current collection. Has been tested and works!! Any questions are welcome, and please bid with confidence after looking at my feedback.
Here is a real life item I bid on and won - a picture was on the listing - feedback was 99.9 positive - how do you think it turned out??
hoothoot wrote: You are bidding on a Lionel 3656 Automatic Operating Cattle Stockyard Set, with 3 Cows, track lockon, Photocopy of Original Instructions, and 364c Controller Overall, this in an excellent buy and will make a nice addition to your current collection. Has been tested and works!! Any questions are welcome, and please bid with confidence after looking at my feedback. Here is a real life item I bid on and won - a picture was on the listing - feedback was 99.9 positive - how do you think it turned out??
Can be very good or very bad. Simply because you didn't tell how many items the seller has sold before (feedback depends on that), if he's familiair with toy trains and knows what he talks about. Also you don't mention asking him of a picture from the other side to convince yourself of:
A: Does he really own the item he's selling,
B: How does it look on the other side.
(You could even ask the seller a video (most camera's have video possibility) of the working cattle car. It's a bit odd to ask, but why not? You can convince yourself it's working..)
But since he mentions that it works, I guess he knows how it should work, so he knows a thing or two about toy trains. I would have asked for the other side picture. This item won''t catch multiple hundreds of dollars, but I've seen a few auctions on the German ebay board where adverts where copied and placed on "hacked" names with good feedback. The seller didn't own the thing he was selling, and only wanted to make quick money. So next time, ask for another picture, not being on ebay, to be sure it's like advertised and the seller is really the owner.
So another warning; don't bid on expensive or very rare items offered by sellers which have been out of business for over half a year in advance, or started selling stupid prullaria instead of expensive things. It's just logical thinking; how can you build up a nice feedback? Sell 25 cheap toy cars at $1 dollar each, a few buckets and some clothes and soon you'll have a 99,9% positive feedback to cover your sale of a very expensive and rare toytrain you don't own. They won't use cars or bikes with it, because no one will buy that without seeing it in reality first..
It seems that you're constantly ripped of, but that is not the case. Just as in any other online shop, only buy if you're completely satisfied and know what you want to know.
ruddfan just in case you did want to know...the tender is a southern pacific lines. I can send pictures. No numbers or anything. Metal trucks and wheels. I can send pictures. I just don't have any need for it and I know I like extras around. If not I probably end up putting on lionel trucks to use as a spare for my engines.
Have a great day all and again great site and great people!!!!
The picture looked good the description sounded good he had a reasonable amount of feedback 700 plus - sold lots of Lionel - the piece is just about worn out (probably works) not only is paint missing - its got rust all over it - the plating has worn off the metal troughs the cows vibrate in - no mention of rust or plating worn off - paid $37.00 including shipping - probably worth - maybe ten - I will repaint it and use it on the back side of a layout as the second pen (one for loading one for off loading - you live and learn and ask more questions!! Haven't left feedback yet but will probably leave nuetral as suggested above.
Dan
statistician wrote:I agree with Daan. If you are not sure, don't bid. Or if you insist, use an amount based on the worst possible scenario.
statistician wrote:Sellers that use vague descriptions accompanied by poor pictures are only hurting themselves in the long run, as those items will not attract higher bids from more knowledgeable buyers. Even if the item is perfect, the description must convey this message to the potential buyer.
Absolutely. I've gotten some bargains this way, by picking up pieces with bad photos and descriptions. But I keep my bids super-low when I do this. I got a prewar 1680 tanker for $1 this way once. (Plus shipping, of course--but it still cost me less than $10.) It wasn't perfect but it looked better than the picture.
Get shipping charges up front though! One time someone tried to charge me $30 to ship a mixed lot that would easily ship for less than $10. I got greedy and overanxious, bid without asking, and got burned. I protested and ended up getting him to ship it for a reasonable rate. He relented because he could tell I knew what I was talking about (I took some similar stuff, put it on my postal scale, weighed it, added a pound to be generous, and quoted him exact shipping). But it was a pain.
If I want something badly enough I'll ask for a shipping quote but usually, if it isn't quoted, I move on to the next item. There's always another one. Bid low, assume it's worse than it is, and if you lose, bid on the next one that comes up. You'll win one eventually.
I just got burned...
I purchased a Lionel 2423 Hillside (black stripe) that 'needs a good cleaning'.
This thing looks like it has been sitting in puddle getting rained on. Mud caked, trucks and wheels are rusted, one axle is broken with a wheel missing, and one collector is broken. It didn't look this bad in the picture.
It still cost me $23.98 delivered.
His feedback is 100% with a 108 items sold.
I'm still mulling over neutral or poor. I need to calm down a bit.
Kurt
kpolak wrote: I just got burned... I purchased a Lionel 2423 Hillside (black stripe) that 'needs a good cleaning'. This thing looks like it has been sitting in puddle getting rained on. Mud caked, trucks and wheels are rusted, one axle is broken with a wheel missing, and one collector is broken. It didn't look this bad in the picture. It still cost me $23.98 delivered. His feedback is 100% with a 108 items sold. I'm still mulling over neutral or poor. I need to calm down a bit. Kurt
Sounds like he just got himself a not positive reaction.. Mail him to tell him this was not what you could expect from the description and photo, if he not responds or acts like "mwhoa, I couldn't care less" give neutral feedback with "Item was junk, not just dirty" or something like that and get over it.
To give a few of my experiences: On a dutch sell site I found a Lionel 2353 with 2 aluminium cars. I didn't know a thing about it, the seller didn't know if it worked, but I gave it a shot. For 270 euro's I was the new owner and much to my relief the trains worked. My first try on ebay was a k-line s2, $38 dollars. Turned out it was completely worn out and the e-unit was missing. At the same shop, K-line mp-15, new out of the box for $50 and some cars. Gave neutral comment on the s2 (I repaired it for $4 dollars, the cost of 2 new motors and a rectifier) and all the others positive. A Lionel sd-28, factorynew with pullmor motor, $90 dollars, positive feedback. K-line double alco's, factorynew $90 dollars (bit expensive though) but positive. Williams 6 axle rectifier, factorynew with true blast II (expensive one, bought on the dutch ebay 160 euro's) positive. MTH 2-8-0 with mechanical whistle $89, factory new, without box. Positive. MTH Alco, new with protosound 1 $149, positive (installed new battery before running), MTH GP38-2 new, with protosound $138, positive (but also new battery), the silver dawn observation $38, positive. But I have huge shipping charges, witch I don't count in with these prices.
The first ebaybuy was a pity of the money, but I learned to ask questions and photo's. I see it as learning money. I have some ebay guides on buying but none guarantees a satisfied buy. It depends really on how much questions you ask and think negative about the item. A few other things:
"Item is from my dad, I found it in the basement" means, "It has been in a wet carboard box for 30 years and no-one cared about it"
"Slight play wear" means "My kid used to throw it around the room or make the worm gear axle turn by pushing the engine"
"A few nicks" means "I left it on the driveway while backing up the pickup"
"Don't know if it runs, have no way to test it" means "I tested it, but it only makes black smoke"
"Great addition to your collection" means "It's not good enough for my collection"
"Needs some cleaning" means "left in the house while hurricane Katrina was there"
"Needs TLC" means "Crap"
"Brand new in the box" means "It has been run, but the item is still in good shape"
"No second one as nice as this one" means "the third one will probably be better"
An advert without all the yelling and screaming about how nice it is, but a few clear shots and a clear description should be a good one, after asking a few questions. Not that every item which is not sealed in the box and brandnew is a bad buy, but with those you can expect them to be a bit different then advertised...
What bugs me is how sellers try to hold your Feedback rating hostage.
In the true spirit, honest sellers would post a Feedback rating for you as soon as they have received payment and ship the item. And you'd do likewise after the deal is complete.
But too often, they attempt to protect themselves by withholding Feedback until you've posted for them. And god help you if you give them a negative, 'cause they'll get you right back whether you deserve it or not.
I have made over 700 eBay purchases. My Feedback was 100% perfect. Until I used Buy-It-Now to make a purchase and the seller refused to accept my money and send the item. No good reason -- I think he may have typed in the wrong price, but the auction had been up for over a week and he failed to proofread his prices. Of course, eBay just sat there like a lump, collecting its fees and doing absolutely nothing to intervene and settle things.
After 89 days of waiting, I finally gave him negative Feedback. And he did so right back within 5 minutes -- as if he was watching for it. And then he had the gall to write that I was "pompous and terrible to deal with" -- when all I wanted was the item I bought for the price he had listed.
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
I agree. I avoid deals that start with..
I dont know anything about train
I am selling this for a friend
Great condition..sold as is (so what if it turns out is isnt in great condition)
Sellers with 6 negatives in six months
$12 shipping on a 10 ounce car
...in addition to what you have stated.
What to have a little fun?
Ask on of these guys with 12 negaitives why so mann negative. Bam zoom, to the moon Alice, LOL
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
This subject has been talked about a lot on this forum. I would have defended the Ebay side a year ago. A lot has changed in a year. There are sellers on Ebay who are dragging that company through the mud, and Ebay is turning a blinds eye.
The sellers rating system is a joke. Ebay needs to make it so a seller cannot hold a person hostage for a rating. It would be simple. If a buyer paid for the item within the time frame required, the worst a seller could give the buyer is a neutral. They have the software folks on their payroll that could clean this up. This would give the buyer some leverage to go after these, AS IS sellers.
I also was burned recently twice. The first was three months ago. The seller used photography and the fact I did not ask the exact question needed to find the flaw. He claimed it was sold AS IS, tough luck. I washed my hand of him and waited. After the time had expired to leave feedback, I filed a complaint with his states Attorney Generals Office. He of course received a letter of my complaint and was pissed. I simply said, “Have a good day” when he emailed me. Full disclosure laws are everywhere, and maybe this is the tool we need to combat these jokers.
I have since found buying from bricks and mortar companies is much nicer. I still search and buy on Ebay. But lately for every 1.00 on Ebay I spend, I find I’m spending 25.00 with bricks and mortar businesses. Ebays loss, but they have the tools to clean up their house.
And the second burn on Ebay, I’m watching the calendar.
Rod LaFrance
@more to restore, "just for parts" means "you'll hopefully find something usable on this item, but you'll have to take a good look"
@Allan Miller, Some people don't have the luxury of a train shop nearby. Of course, any shop where you can see, feel and proberun a model before you buy it, is better. But the only shops in europe (there are 4 lionel dealers, only 1 of them actually stocks a bit) are in Switserland, France, Germany or England. Nice for visiting when you're on holiday, but far too expensive to shop around when you have some money left to throw on trains. (And they have european prices, a K-line plymouth switcher cost 135 euro's ($160) in Germany and then you'll have to ship it as well (total of $180!!)..In America, with shipping included I can get one for $100, from a moneyback, full satisfaction guaranteed official trainseller on ebay, in a sealed box.)
On ebay there are also a few really big trainsellers which offer you money back, have good descriptions and a lot of photo's. It's not all crap on ebay. But ebay is a sellers place. The seller pays their bills, so they don't let them down since it's their money they're living on.
There is no other way then take a good look, ask questions and take care before you buy. (and a bit of luck). On the other hand, there are very good buys and this way it's for me, in a part of the world where 0 is only known with an h in front of it, possible to get hands on nice items I otherwise couldn't afford.
daan wrote: "Allan Miller, Some people don't have the luxury of a train shop nearby."
Yep! I would be one of those people! Closest hobby shop is about 50 minutes away, and it's not one I can frequent much because of the prices and the selection. ALL the trains I buy these days come via mail-order from all over the country.
Allan Miller wrote: daan wrote: "Allan Miller, Some people don't have the luxury of a train shop nearby." Yep! I would be one of those people! Closest hobby shop is about 50 minutes away, and it's not one I can frequent much because of the prices and the selection. ALL the trains I buy these days come via mail-order from all over the country.
Ditto for me. Closest hobby shop is HOURS away. Internet sales or E-Bay are my only sources for train stuff. I tend to stay with internet sales if possible.
I've been blessed with good esperiences on eBay. I am usually careful, but I sometimes take chances. I've gotten itmes I've been disappointed with twice (in well over 100 transactions), and both instances were my fault. As a seller, I've only had one non-paying bidder, and I resold the item without too much hassle.
When I can find what I want from a dealer--very seldom--I might use the dealer, but eBay IS my dealer, for all practical purposes. I suppose my desires are too eccentric, and very little of it is even remotely current in production.
So far so good on train stuff off E-Bay. Won a Lionel NYC GP-9 6-18563 and got it yesterday. It's perfect, even better than I expected. I have a complete Lionel 11914 NYC GP-9 Command Control Freight Set that I won and I hope it turns out as nice.
It's not only the key to be patient, it is fun too. You don't just log in, choose an item and buy it, you browse the items, look in the shops and find the best deal without having to travel. You can compare the items and find the one looking the best, or find the cheapest.
On the german ebay Ive seen a lot (Yes, a lot) of Märklin's 0 gauge prewar locomotives. Even the rare and really fine objects are for sale. You wouldn't notice them being for sale without the computer.
I'm not sure I'd call it "fun". Unless you really like gambling
So many variables as far as description vs actual condition that I end up worrying from the time I win the bid until I actually take delivery. But....that doesn't stop me from buying on there
If it wasn't for ebay and Trainz my Disney train collection would be slim to none!
I went to York to buy a Halloween General from 2005. I found one at $250 and two at $300.
No way ..... Went to ebay when I got home and got one for $96,,, IMO Ebay meets my needs at great prices and is a source for hard to find items!
just before i quit useing ebay i bought a zw transformer for $220.00 shipped to my door. When i got the transformer i had to take it to the repair shop and have it fixed. The person said in the description that he repaired it and it worked like new.
When i got the bill for the transformer it was $55.00, due to the person that i bought from had used a axle from rolling stock to put a new roller in damaged the alluminum behind the handel, used a wore out handel and the transformer has a bad whistle disk in it. when i told the person of some problems with the transformer he got mad, I learned then not to buy from ebay anymore.
Wish i had asked more questions and had asked for better pictures, live and learn form your mestakes.
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