Train buying and selling on ebay...

[Jacktal]

Buying on Ebay...simple and fun.Only a few steps ...for me anyway.
Step 1:Find what I want.
Step 2:Is seller shipping to Canada?If not,sorry,he lost a potential buyer.
Step 3:Check condition of item and present price.If either is wrong,I'm out.
Step 4:Check seller's feedback ratings.Here I try to use my judgement,if there are lousy sellers,there are also lousy buyers so I read the negative and a few of the positive feedbacks.Never been fooled so far.
Step 5:Click the "Watch this item" icon and wait for near the end of auction.

By then I have a pretty good idea of how much I'm willing to pay,considering shipping and possible duty fees and taxes along the way....

Step 6:Go back to the item near the end of auction.It's already too high...I simply quit.If still within my range,I post my maximum amount right away...and hope.Call this sniping?Suits me as it has been done to me a few times and I don't feel bad about it as I believe the others don't either.
Step 7:I lost...I just feel suicidal...just joking.The worst thing in bidding on Ebay is to be emotional about it as it will have you spend foolishly and complete very bad deals.
I won!!!...great!Now I have a duty to accomplish...contact the seller for total cash outlay as soon as possible.
Step 8:Upon receiving the seller's invoice,I get the money order ready and mailed (generally the next working day).I then email the seller (short notification) to let him know payment is on way.
Step 9:Wait for my item (anxiously),generally between two to three weeks.
Step 10:Receive and inspect (test) item.Then a short email to seller to let him know the package has arrived,wether it's OK or not,and thank him for the hassle free transaction.Then I immediatly post my feedback.Deal is over,short and sweet.

I like quickly completed transactions and,based on the feedbacks I've had so far,it seems that sellers appreciate my way of doing.And I've also been treated equally with fast shipping and no bad surprises.

[red p]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

QUOTE: Originally posted by GrayLoess
If I've paid on time, then I've lived up to my part of the bargain, and the seller should leave feedback at that time. If they don't, then I don't give them feedback, period.

The only reason a seller won't give feedback after they've been promptly paid is that they're holding it back so they can retaliate if you leave them a negative.

I always post a positive feedback when I get payment as a seller. But I do find that many buyers don't bother to post any feedback. My feedback is 313, it should be closer to 400 if all buyers had taken the courtesy to post on my ID. But I guess that's the way it is.

Bob Boudreau

Bob, im one of those guilty buyers.Its just that by the time the transaction is over ,I forget about it

[knewsom]

If you are buying and selling on eBay, but would rather trade you can try http://www.TrainsToTrade.com . I built the site specifically for my fellow modeler's and it is free. You can list items, make offers through the site, and then rank the trade once it is made.

Another shameless plug, I know, but I am hoping this will catch on.

Thanks,
Kevin

[rlandry6]

5 words... Ebay is a scam.
I've had two occurences of identity theft on ebay. It's very hard to resolve since ebay will not deal with you in any way other than email.
Also, there are too many scam artists on ebay for me. Most of the sellers have picked up stuff at flea markets and yard sales, and don't have a clue what they are selling, let alone the condition it's in. It's pretty obvious when a seller says something like, "appears to have very little use". Come on, really now....
I've seen very little offered for sale there that couldn't be bought for close to the same price at an on-line store, and at least there you have a number where you can talk to a real person if there's a problem. Why risk a lot of hassle to save $5. There will always be people who scour ebay looking for 'The Deal", and I suppose that's what keeps them in business. If you're one of those people, good luck, just hang onto your checkbook, and don't whine when some shyster rips you off...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GrayLoess
If I've paid on time, then I've lived up to my part of the bargain, and the seller should leave feedback at that time. If they don't, then I don't give them feedback, period.

The only reason a seller won't give feedback after they've been promptly paid is that they're holding it back so they can retaliate if you leave them a negative.

I always post a positive feedback when I get payment as a seller. But I do find that many buyers don't bother to post any feedback. My feedback is 313, it should be closer to 400 if all buyers had taken the courtesy to post on my ID. But I guess that's the way it is.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gvdobler

If the seller waits to see what the buyer is going to write, then the seller has no confidence in what they are selling. Once I have paid for an item I have done my side of the transaction and I expect the seller to leave positive feedback, if they wait to see what I'm going to say as the buyer then I don't leave any.

Oh, I absolutely agree, that's my personal policy exactly.

If I've paid on time, then I've lived up to my part of the bargain, and the seller should leave feedback at that time. If they don't, then I don't give them feedback, period.

The only reason a seller won't give feedback after they've been promptly paid is that they're holding it back so they can retaliate if you leave them a negative.

[oleirish]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

I have been lucky in selling. I finally sold a engine that was in need of TLC. The buyer asked many questions. I think that engine will run again on his road and that makes me happy.

As a buyer, I am beginning to see a problem with buyers bidding up prices way beyond MSRP. I had a recent auction that I bidded up to exactly MSRP including the cost of shipping after finding this item and researching the prices on the net.

My max bid was wiped out by this buyer. After I walked away three people tried to "Snipe" him in the last minute of the auction. Apparently with a retail of 44.00 the final win was 87.00 indicating to me that this buyer went ahead and plunked down 100.00 or more just be sure to win the item or scare off bidders who are not willing to get into "high roller" territory.

Obviously the seller was pleased with the "Profit" on the sale.

I am about to thin my collection again soon and I am seriously considering using "best offers" as a way of cutting out the "Games" people play on ebay.

Should I adopt a new commandment #12 and call it "Thee shalt use Best Offers"

[:)]Let me know when you are thinning I'am open for a good deal,I'm allso fed up with E-BAY[:)]OLE'IRISH(jim)

[Anonymous]

I've noticed it's getting very hard to get hold of items on conventional ebay auctions - someone will always snipe the item. A better approach seems to be to use "Buy it now" options wherever possible (Have picked up a few items for very reasonable prices that way). Usual caveats about checking P&P charges, feedback, etc also apply. Often the "Buy it now" is as little as £5 more than the starting bid, and I'm usually willing to spend that little extra to ensure I get the item - if I bid on it I know I wouldn't get it for the "Buy it now" price.

[Jetrock]

I have had pretty good luck dealing with eBay sellers--but I follow the rules outlined above fairly rigidly.

One point that can be made: When possible, pay by credit card. Credit card purchases typically have another level of buyer protection. Normally I pay via PayPal and pay PayPal with the credit card--then I pay the credit card off before service charges apply.

Oh yeah: once you find sellers you like, keep a list of favorite sellers and check their auctions frequently! Once you find dealers you trust, reward them by giving them your repeat business...

[red p]

Well my problem is with PAYPAL not EBAY,although EBAY owns PAYPAL.

A while ago I won an item on ebay.After I won it the sellers payment option was PAYPAL only nothing else.
So I made an electronic funds transfer from my checking account to my paypal account so I could pay the man.
Problem is it took PAYPAL over a week to post a "EFT",in the meantime I got an email from EBAY stating that I had a strike against me for not paying on time.Seems to me its their fault.

[Jacktal]

Last january,I purchased an Atlas N scale SD-60 that originally came with manufacturer installed decoder.Price was fair and shipping quick...a no hassle deal.However,when I received it,it was evident that it was brand new as stated but when I put it on the track,it started singing a nice DC tune.Removal of the shell confirms...somebody has swapped the decoder for the basic DC printed circuit.

A simple email to the seller then a quick response saying "I'm so sorry,I didn't know this fact.I've purchased this loco on Ebay three months ago,and since I don't have a layout yet,I never tested it.I elected to go HO and am selling my N scale stuff.Please let me get back to you but be assured you'll get a decoder for this one".

And so he did.A few weeks after I received a brand new decoder,probably at his loss I fear as he told me his seller didn't want to compensate fully.I understand that it is pretty hard to believe someone who comes back to you three months after a sale,unless one knows about the flaw from the beginning.

So my advice is to test the material upon receiving,when the deal is still fresh.It probably can't stop dishonest people from doing their thing,but it will at least avoid this kind of situation.

[rrinker]

I've been buying and selling on ebay for a couple of years now. I must say, I've NEVER had a problem with items I've sold (sometimes for CRAZY prices - it's amazing what people will pay sometimes - oh well!), and none with any items I bought. I generally go by what vsmith says, and I just walk away when an item goes past what I know I could get it for from a regular retailer or LHS. I have 9 locos inmy roster now, 6 of which came from ebay - NONE of them I paid more than $60 for, and we're talking Stewart and Proto2000. My new Walther's FA's - $11 each, and they have the sticker right on the box still, $29.95. Deals are out there, you just have to know when to back off, and not get caught up in the emotion of the bidding.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Here in the "Land of Oz" I have found similair problems--ebay is (in Australia anyway) fast becoming the preserve of full time online dealers. As a US modeller I have for many years dealt with certain well known & reliable advertisers in "Model Railroader" and even allowing for the currency exchange differences & S 7 H costs, I can STILL buy the item NEW ...cheaper than ebay. My firm opinion is that ebay is nothing more than a waste of time. (that goes for most other ebay categories too)

[Adelie]

I have bought a ton of railroad stuff and some computer parts on ebay. I've had a total of one problem, and Paypal straightened that out.

1) When there is an item you want, do the research to find out if you can buy the item from an online retailer and for how much. Also figure in the shipping in this equation.
2) Also research the item with the manufacturer to make sure you know what you are getting.
3) Look very carefully at the feedbacks. Seems like almost everyone I deal with has either none or none in the last six months or longer. If there is a negative posting, read it and try to determine what most likely happened.
4) If you are happy with a frequent seller, save their name in your favorites.

My own self-preservation habits:
Only bid on items with pictures;
Only bid on items where PayPal or some other means of using a credit card is accepted;
If the description includes a long diatribe about the sellers rules, pass.

Mostly, it seems like I do business with the same group of sellers. It also seems like the bulk of my model railroad purchases are from people who do almost all of their selling in this hobby.

[knewsom]

If you are buying and selling, and want to consider trading, you can list them for free on http://www.trainstotrade.com . I developed the site because I realized that most of the things that I have sold on eBay went right back into the hobby. So why let them make a cut of my money twice.

It is up and running and I am happy to listen to any suggestions to make it more user friendly.

Thanks,
Kevin

[mikebonellisr]

all this talk about ebay problems keeps me away from bidding on engines that i would like to obtain.It looks like I'm just going to stick with reputible dealers that i've had good experience with.I don't think it's worth the hassle and the chance of getting burned.I have'nt seen too many "bargins,they are usually bidded up to close to retail anyway IMHO

[Anonymous]

I have been lucky in selling. I finally sold a engine that was in need of TLC. The buyer asked many questions. I think that engine will run again on his road and that makes me happy.

As a buyer, I am beginning to see a problem with buyers bidding up prices way beyond MSRP. I had a recent auction that I bidded up to exactly MSRP including the cost of shipping after finding this item and researching the prices on the net.

My max bid was wiped out by this buyer. After I walked away three people tried to "Snipe" him in the last minute of the auction. Apparently with a retail of 44.00 the final win was 87.00 indicating to me that this buyer went ahead and plunked down 100.00 or more just be sure to win the item or scare off bidders who are not willing to get into "high roller" territory.

Obviously the seller was pleased with the "Profit" on the sale.

I am about to thin my collection again soon and I am seriously considering using "best offers" as a way of cutting out the "Games" people play on ebay.

Should I adopt a new commandment #12 and call it "Thee shalt use Best Offers"

[Anonymous]

I'll shut up after this, but I've got to add - ebay is nothing but a giant on-line auction house and flea market, and you really have to be careful because there's a lot of people unloading their junk there on unsuspecting buyers.
I've learned that the best sellers are those with like 1,000 sales and no negative feed backs. As for those that are just getting started and only have 25 or 30 sells, if they have so much as one negative feed back I don't deal with them. As for neutral feed back, that's kind of dumb in my book. Either it's positive or negative...

trainluver1

[tstage]

vsmith,

11. Ask PLENTY of questions from the seller BEFORE you put down your first bid...

Tom

[1train1]

I am still waiting for a CN C44 (or my money through ebay) that I purchased and the seller did not ship. I paid through paypal and it's been 8 weeks. I negative experience is worth a thousand swearwords. Thanks alot to the a## from Columbus OHIO....You better hope we don't meet again or ebay finds you first.

[vsmith]

the 10 commandments of Ebay.

1. Never buy anything that doesnt have a picture of the actual item

2. Always read the feedbacks for negative comments of the seller

3. Always read the sellers neg feedback of the buyers

4. Never buy from someone with numerous negative feedbacks

5. Always verify shipping costs if none shown before bidding

6. Know what your bidding on is truely worth

7. Never bid more than the item + shipping costs are really worth

8. Once you set your max bid, walk away

9. Dont get fooled by someone bidding up an item on behalf of the seller

10. its Caviet Emptor

[rtraincollector]

Right now I feel I'm on the wrong end of a deal after writing 3 emails 1 before 2 after the sale and still no answer from seller. Now I haven't received it yet but I think what they sold me (not knowing squat about lionel HO) is either a halmark lionel engine or a bigg rugged lionel (the minatures) all I know is that its a lionel santa fe # 772 ebay auction # 5971580261. I have no idea and have not gotten any answers in here from anybody also as I did a topic lionel HO Santa FE # 772

I normally don't give feedback till buyer has as you leave yourself wide open for neg because you didn't kiss there [censored] and they found a scratch 1 mm long 1/3000 mm wide inside the shell next to the motor that you have had to take shell off to find so even thou you say this seems to be like new and you haven't seen no scratches but your not an expert and didn't use a microscope to make sure you. They say you should have seen this . LOL I know I'm going over board but had one guy and I took some good pics wanted me to give him his money back not shipping just the cost of the item because it had a lot of nic and chips and I stated so he said I should have said it was completely nicked up . There are a lot of good out there but there is just as many who want it for nothing and think you should give it to them.

[gvdobler]

If the seller waits to see what the buyer is going to write, then the seller has no confidence in what they are selling. Once I have paid for an item I have done my side of the transaction and I expect the seller to leave positive feedback, if they wait to see what I'm going to say as the buyer then I don't leave any.

[dinwitty]

The seller needs to be as descriptive as possible for the buyer's value.
I bought a Winton 2-6-6-6 that went for 400 bucks but was won buy another buyer, I asked the seller if I could purchase in weekly payments, he accepted, but the other buyer won it bought it, but he offered it to me and accepted weekly payments. Its finally here, I paid his price and he paid shipping. cool ebay workmanship there.
The seller has final say to the sale anyways, so if a bidder cannot make the payment he thought he could pay, thats buggers to him, too bad, negaticve feedback, don't
bid unless you really can pay.
Ask before the end of the bidding if they can accept other ways of payment.
Above all be respectful.
Dont be a dirge 8-}

[Anonymous]

I won an engine from a guy several months ago on ebay that was listed as new and never run, but when it arrived it was "very used" and as dead as a door nail. So, I wrote the guy I won it from and told him about it. He wrote me back and asked me if I'd like to keep the engine and have half of my money refunded. The hull of the engine was in very good condition, so I wrote him back and told him I accepted his offer. He wrote me back and told me I could go straight to hell too!... He set me up to see if I was honest-which I am, but then made it appear that I wasn't because I accepted his offer. I've never fully understood that one. Anyway, he got negative feed back and turned in to ebay for fraud. The fact is though, ebay really doesn't care as long as they get their money out of the deal. I've heard and read a lot of stories about how they always try to remain neutral as much as possible... I wish someone else would start an on-line auction house like ebay that would take more of a role in bad seller/buyer incidents and allow such things to be sold as assault rifle parts, nazi items and so forth that ebay won't allow to be sold.

trainluver1

[Anonymous]

I bought an engine late last year that was described as "custom painted" and, when I got it, I saw that it was a poor owner-paint job that needed to be stripped. I was lucky that the seller let me return it for my money back. But I might have renegotiated the price if he had offered. Since then I usually ask some very specific questions, especially about paint jobs. What gets me is the sellers who respond that I'm too picky because I want to know exactly what I'm getting. They, obviously, have something to hide.
Charles

[jrbernier]

A few years ago I had a guy get a winning bid on one of my auctions. He then tried to re-negotiate the price after the auction! And gave me bad feedback when I would not ship it to him at 'his' price. Needless to say, I returnedthe favor and gave him bad feedback as well. kept theengine, and sold it a a local train show later.....

Jim Bernier

[Anonymous]

Over the last few years, I've done a little train buying and selling on ebay like a lot of us here on the forum do. Anyway, I've noticed a trend in the last year or so that a lot more people bid an item way up in order to win it, then find fault with it after they get it and want part of their money refunded-which of course is nothing but a racket of them trying to get their item for what they feel they only should have paid for it in the first place...
I've also learned not to leave feed back until after the buyer does because it's also become a trend for people to leave negative feed back just for spite.
I now mention in my listings that I'm not falling for these things, and that all sales are final!.

Have any of you folks run into things like this ?.

trainluver1