jasperofzeal wrote: I've had pretty good luck with buying and selling on eBay. However, on a recent purchase, I bought 3 freight cars from somebody. When they arrived, they were in "kit" form, even though they were assembled in the sale pictures. Now don't get me wrong, if they truly were kit form I wouldn't complain. The reason they ended up in kit form was because the seller didn't properly package the models and they ended up falling apart in the trip to my home. Two of them looked as though they were rolling around in their boxes, but the third one looked like it was purposefully damaged. I ended up emailing the seller and sending him links to the pictures I took of how the trains arrived. He said I could return them if I wasn't happy with them and he would refund my money. I would have returned them, but it took him well over a week and a half to send me my purchase. I paid for priority mail, even though the postage marked on the box stated media mail. His "honesty" in advertising (because I know for a fact those models were broken way after he took his sale pictures), the lie in shipping price and his wording in his emails didn't instill a sense of trust in this person. So I opted to keep the cars and consider them future repair projects. I didn't leave this guy the deserved negative feedback because he held my feedback hostage, so I know if I left negative feedback, he would have done the same to me. Here are some pictures of one of the models. The first is how he advertised it (his picture) and the second is how it arrived (my picture). Enjoy and learn!
I've had pretty good luck with buying and selling on eBay. However, on a recent purchase, I bought 3 freight cars from somebody. When they arrived, they were in "kit" form, even though they were assembled in the sale pictures. Now don't get me wrong, if they truly were kit form I wouldn't complain. The reason they ended up in kit form was because the seller didn't properly package the models and they ended up falling apart in the trip to my home. Two of them looked as though they were rolling around in their boxes, but the third one looked like it was purposefully damaged. I ended up emailing the seller and sending him links to the pictures I took of how the trains arrived. He said I could return them if I wasn't happy with them and he would refund my money. I would have returned them, but it took him well over a week and a half to send me my purchase. I paid for priority mail, even though the postage marked on the box stated media mail. His "honesty" in advertising (because I know for a fact those models were broken way after he took his sale pictures), the lie in shipping price and his wording in his emails didn't instill a sense of trust in this person. So I opted to keep the cars and consider them future repair projects. I didn't leave this guy the deserved negative feedback because he held my feedback hostage, so I know if I left negative feedback, he would have done the same to me. Here are some pictures of one of the models. The first is how he advertised it (his picture) and the second is how it arrived (my picture). Enjoy and learn!
My biggest problem i have had is that some have wrapped the bubble wrap too tight on 40 year old riv plastic and have broken all the railings off.
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
Dave Vollmer wrote:I bought model train stuff on eBay while at war (Iraq)... does that count?
I recently tried to sell a movie camera on ebay, a person purchased it under the "buy it now" purchase option, he wanted me to send the camera to africa even though he was from the U.S.A. That got my spidy sence going, I checked ebay...he was only an ebay member for 1 day then cancelled his ebay membership. I had sent him a estimate for shipping before I had a chance to investigated his ebay account...he sent me an email "apparently" from paypal saying he had paid me $375.00......$100 over the total amount requested (apparently another scam were they claim they accidently over paid you..(from a fraudulent credit card)..you return the over payment (From your good paypal account) and they are $100 richer. I checked my paypal account and there was no money deposited into it. Upon reading the fake email from paypal a little closer...it stated that the $375.00 was being held in my paypal account and would be released upon them recieving a shipping tracking number......nice try...I told the guy to pound sand and reported him to ebay/paypal...all they could tell me is that they had dealt with this person before....if you spidy sence is tingling........say pound sand....lol
From personal experience, I also can testify to NOT doing deals outside of eBay. I bought a car on eBay; it arrived 2 days later, nicely packaged, great transaction. The seller then contacted me and asked if I had a need for any more cars. Being in a club that recently lost the member who owned most of the cars, I did. I was told I would be getting 76 "high class Atlas and Walthers Gold Line modern cars, with metal wheels and Kadees". I paid and got a box full of Athearn blue box, Bachmann, and LGB cars, most of which had plastic wheels, roofwalks, and missing or broken parts. Certainly not high class or modern. I contacted the seller to try and negotiate a settlement, and he promised to send 20 more cars. They still haven't shown up, even though he still sends emails promising that he sent them. When I disputed the transaction, Paypal told me they cannot issue a refund based on the quality of the goods received, but did refund a portion of the payment because the seller failed to ship items as promised. The Paypal folks told me to NEVER do a transaction outside of ebay, if someone offers you a deal like this, have the seller set up a private auction so only you can bid on it. That way, if there is an issue, they can refund you your entire payment, because there is a written description of what you are bidding on, and you can prove you didn't get what you paid for. I could have goten the entire amount refunded instead of 10%.
BTW, this seller disappeared from ebay as soon as the dispute opened.
riogrande5761 wrote: ...As for negative feedback, I wouldn't let the threat of retaliatory feed back keep me from posting it if it was deserved. In the case of the models shown as built arriving in kit form, that is something future buyers should know about. Its a dis-service for others to not be aware that the person failed to package the items carefully as to avoid damage. If the shipper gave you negative feed back - simply state the facts in the rebuttal and let people judge for them selves. Say, items were not packed safetly and were broken in shipping. Left negative feed back to this effect and the seller retaliated with negative feed back. etc etc
...As for negative feedback, I wouldn't let the threat of retaliatory feed back keep me from posting it if it was deserved. In the case of the models shown as built arriving in kit form, that is something future buyers should know about. Its a dis-service for others to not be aware that the person failed to package the items carefully as to avoid damage. If the shipper gave you negative feed back - simply state the facts in the rebuttal and let people judge for them selves. Say, items were not packed safetly and were broken in shipping. Left negative feed back to this effect and the seller retaliated with negative feed back. etc etc
You're reffering to my case. I would and should have left that seller the deserved negative feedback. You, my girlfriend and I can agree on that. The only problem that would cause me is that there are times when I enter some auctions that the seller may state that they don't accept any bids from anyone with negative feedback. I know that they say this in order to deter potential dead beats so that way they don't win an auction and not pay. I am one of those sellers that puts the same disclosure on my auctions and even though I've probably lost a few potential buyers that have contacted me for permission to bid on an auction of mine, I stick to my guns and deny anyone with negative feedback to bid. So when I see that on another seller's listing, I assume they are going to stick to their guns as well, and so I don't want to risk getting negative feedback. This incident was a while back, so in the big picture it doesn't matter, I guess.
TONY
"If we never take the time, how can we ever have the time." - Merovingian (Matrix Reloaded)
My buying and selling experiences have all been positive so far. I did have a box come that was was not padded well and the model box was literally accordianed by compression. The model was undamaged - a testament to the packaging from the model company.
When I sell and I haven't for over a year, I always truthfully list any flaws or issues that might exist so everything is known up front.
As for negative feedback, I wouldn't let the threat of retaliatory feed back keep me from posting it if it was deserved. In the case of the models shown as built arriving in kit form, that is something future buyers should know about. Its a dis-service for others to not be aware that the person failed to package the items carefully as to avoid damage. If the shipper gave you negative feed back - simply state the facts in the rebuttal and let people judge for them selves. Say, items were not packed safetly and were broken in shipping. Left negative feed back to this effect and the seller retaliated with negative feed back. etc etc
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
alco_fan wrote: BRAKIE wrote: A on going war story is E-bay fraud letters advising me to upgrade my account or my account could be suspended..My account was closed in May 2006 by my request..Everybody gets those, whether they've ever had an eBay account or not. It's a general "phishing" scheme. I get them from banks where I've never had an account, insurance companies I've never heard of, etc., etc. They are not really from eBay, you realize, don't you?
BRAKIE wrote: A on going war story is E-bay fraud letters advising me to upgrade my account or my account could be suspended..My account was closed in May 2006 by my request..
A on going war story is E-bay fraud letters advising me to upgrade my account or my account could be suspended..My account was closed in May 2006 by my request..
Everybody gets those, whether they've ever had an eBay account or not. It's a general "phishing" scheme. I get them from banks where I've never had an account, insurance companies I've never heard of, etc., etc. They are not really from eBay, you realize, don't you?
Yup..I know E-Bay would never request updating a CLOSED account.
I get the same phishing e letters as you do to include banks I never heard of requesting verification.Of course "my" good old Pay Pal account is in dispute or needs upgrading..Sap suckers don't even know I never had a Pay Pal account..Phishing away and no bites here.I don't even open those letters!
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
When I had a e-bay account I had great success except for one misunderstanding about a payment.Simply put I sent a USPS money order..Dealer said he did not receive said money order.I had the Postal Service to run down on the money order..Results.Money order was cash by seller..Sent a copy of both sides of money order by e-mail to the seller..Seller apologized and sent a extra car for my troubles.
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Gotta love EBAY!!!
I just watched as a ''novice'' bidder paid $12 more for a used SD40 than a new one would cost!! and it wasn't even something special!! just a standard Athearn SD.....
Not too long before I watched this unfold...I won the bidding on 2 Athearn SD's...one powered, and a dummy ...NIB....for $40 [incl. s& h].
Makes you wonder if they did any price comparisons or got caught in ''auction fever''.
Oh well..........maybe they shoulda done a bit more research into MSRP and online store prices.
StillGrande wrote: Sellers that withhold feedback are a pain. What are they afraid of. As a general rule I like to post feedback when I get the money. Then the buyer knows I got it. I've had sellers, due to "volume", not ship in a timely manner. They claimed they had missed my payment notice from Paypal. I let him slide because I had bought from him before. Posting is just a courtesy. If you are so afraid of getting bad feedback on an item, don't sell. If it is a bogus complaint, they are easy to spot. More often then not there is a response to the negative feedback. You can spot a liar on either side most of the time. I just laugh when a seller waits to post feedback until I do. I do give them the benefit of the doubt though. Sometimes sellers do so much business that they just set aside a certain day to post feedback. If you sell enough at once, there is always that danger. It becomes a pain. Some sellers just have a higher threshold for it than others.
Sellers that withhold feedback are a pain. What are they afraid of. As a general rule I like to post feedback when I get the money. Then the buyer knows I got it. I've had sellers, due to "volume", not ship in a timely manner. They claimed they had missed my payment notice from Paypal. I let him slide because I had bought from him before. Posting is just a courtesy.
If you are so afraid of getting bad feedback on an item, don't sell. If it is a bogus complaint, they are easy to spot. More often then not there is a response to the negative feedback. You can spot a liar on either side most of the time.
I just laugh when a seller waits to post feedback until I do. I do give them the benefit of the doubt though. Sometimes sellers do so much business that they just set aside a certain day to post feedback. If you sell enough at once, there is always that danger. It becomes a pain. Some sellers just have a higher threshold for it than others.
I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!!!!!!!!!
R. T. POTEET wrote:One of my grandmother's favorite expressions was "Stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime." A good percentage of these responses thus far indicate that a whole bunch of you people stepped over a dollar and picked up a dime!!!
Not necessarily. You could make this argument for someone who bids on something currently available because they're drawn in by a low price and then get burned, but for some vintage parts or equipment there is simply no other option.
As it turns out, the seller in my auction is a very nice older woman who is caring for her ill husband and selling off his collection at the same time. She got confused, because she's not a model railroader, and her husband is too ill to help out. She is very apologetic, and is working on getting the item I won. Sometimes there is a legitimate explanation. Hopefully it will all be resolved soon.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
R. T. POTEET wrote:I never have and probably never will sell or order anything on ebay but I read these responses to this post with some interest and I have one question: what is "feedback"?
If you really want to know what this feedback thing is, here's a link to eBay's definition of it: http://pages.ebay.com/help/feedback/feedback.html. Basically this feedback thing is like a ratings system. When someone buys or sells something, the other party then posts a "report" of sorts to let others know what it was like to deal with a person. The higher the positive feedback a person gets, the more piece of mind it offers to others that want to deal with him/her. Now there are limitations to this rating system since you're only allowed a small number of characters to place a comment for any given transaction, so a very detailed report is not possible (this is usually desired when it comes time to post negative feedback). There is also the chance of getting a negative remark from someone else (purposefully or by mistake). This action alone is no big deal, but there are people out there that won't deal with anyone who has a negative strike to their name, especially if it's recent.
As silly as it seems, feedback is a part of eBay and a lot of people take it for granted. I use it to gain an idea of what outcome I can expect from a buyer/seller. It also helps to read others' comments about people to see if a person's actions are frequently good or bad.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
Over 500 transactions over 7 years or so on eBay and only 2 or three poor. Most of mine in the 5-to-30 range, vintage 1940s through 50's HO collector. (I can get today's new stuff from a brick and mortar shop at 20-30% off and he is always there. pays local taxes, volunteers on the rescue squad and employs several other people).
A lot has to do with the character oif the seller. The photos, not descriptions should be your guide. WYSIWYG. Don't assume anything. When in doubt ask early in the week. If a business venture, expect top performance, they usually have clear policies, too. Items sold by other hobbyists are usually well described to a fault and packed well. General merchandise and inexperienced sellers are the ones to watch. They know little about their items (it shows in the descriptions) and often don't know how to pack as well. And some good people dont know how to pack, period.
So when in any doubt or when buying from someone for the first time, clearly state that you value your purchase and you can tell them what you expect, to put peanuts or crushed paper, bubble wrap etc. in the inner box, etc. As for innacurate descriptions, always assume the worst and if it is still worth it to you, buy it. Otherwise another will come up soon. Know or learn more about your prospective purchase than the seller! Especially if buying vintage models. Most of the sellers at the lower part of the hobby are pretty honest, check out those ratings, the new system is quite specific and the sellers don't get to see what the buyers individually indicate!
If something is too good to be true, it usually is and others have already skipped it. (But not always!) eBay is a great resource for learning about items too, and that part is free!
I always post feedback when I recieve payment and after shipping the item. I dont live and die by this ebay account. Once in a while the buyer complains and you take care of it. I had a damaged red caboose boxcar that needed a home and it found one. The funds was refunded and it was not a problem at all. I sometimes use ebay more as a vehicle to find good homes for unwanted rolling stock, the money is secondary in that situation.
Once in a while I will learn through delivery confirmation that the item did indeed arrive but no feed back from the buyer for several weeks. An email usually clears that right up.
Ebay---YOU PAYS YOUR MONEY AND YOU TAKES YOUR CHANCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TheK4Kid
I've bought several things off ebay and have been burned several times. My rule of thumb is to spend no more than $50. The last time I bought a Tyco pipe unloader. I had one as a kid and thought it was fun. The seller said it was in good condition and operating. When it arrived it was missing several gears from the inside and there was no way it was working. There were a few places that were broken. When I gave her bad feedback for misrepresenting what she was selling she got a little upset. She told me I shouldn't have done that and that I should have given her a chance to make it right. She should have represented what she was selling correctly. I have had some really good expriences too. If someone rips you off on ebay expect nothing from ebay. They are worthless for help. There are some good sellers but there are a lot of crooks.
RMax1
fwright wrote:As a buyer, I have had it with seller's holding their feedback hostage to mine. I will not be doing business with those sellers any more. My part of the transaction is complete when I have promptly paid what the terms of the auction stated and required. I am owed feedback on well I completed my part. The seller is then responsible for properly and promptly shipping me the described item, packaged to avoid damage. Conscious failure of the seller to do any of the above is grounds for less than positive feedback - without impacting my feedback. Fred Wright
As a buyer, I have had it with seller's holding their feedback hostage to mine. I will not be doing business with those sellers any more. My part of the transaction is complete when I have promptly paid what the terms of the auction stated and required. I am owed feedback on well I completed my part. The seller is then responsible for properly and promptly shipping me the described item, packaged to avoid damage. Conscious failure of the seller to do any of the above is grounds for less than positive feedback - without impacting my feedback.
Fred Wright
I also hate feedback held hostage by sellers. If they don't post feedback for me in a timely manner after I pay them, then they won't be getting feedback from me when I receive my purchase. I'll do as much as e-mailing them to let them know that I got my things, and hopefully they'll get the hint to post feedback for me. If not, then I won't help out their rating either. It's a two-way deal this feedback thing.
fwright wrote:As a buyer, I have had it with seller's holding their feedback hostage to mine. I will not be doing business with those sellers any more. My part of the transaction is complete when I have promptly paid what the terms of the auction stated and required. I am owed feedback on well I completed my part. The seller is then responsible for properly and promptly shipping me the described item, packaged to avoid damage. Conscious failure of the seller to do any of the above is grounds for less than positive feedback - without impacting my feedback.
I totally agree Fred, but I'm afraid withholding feedback is the rule for sellers, not the exception. Out of many purchases I can count on one hand the number of times I have been given feedback at the point of purchase. Since I'm usually buying vintage parts, I don't have the luxury of selecting from a list of dealers, so I haven't been able to tell the truth of some of the transactions because of the damage to my rating. This is the major weakness in the rating system.
loathar wrote:A brand new Athearn turned into a used Bachman in the mail. The seller said he'd refund my $$$, but I liked it and it ran well so I kept it.
IF ONLY THIS WAS THE CASE FOR EVERYONE.....................good for you!
Neutrino wrote:I sell on eBay and I would hope that my feedback would tell the story of how I treat my customers. To me, without happy customers, I don't have a chance of continuing a successful eBay business.....
I sell on eBay and I would hope that my feedback would tell the story of how I treat my customers. To me, without happy customers, I don't have a chance of continuing a successful eBay business.....
I'm in total agreement. As a seller, I've had only one small incident. A buyer said the wheels on a Bowser steam engine had more wheel wear than my description or pictures indicated. I sent an explanation of how I graded the wheel wear (based on the old TCA standards), but offered to take it back anyway for a full refund including return shipping. Nothing more was heard except a "neutral" feedback. I'm not sure what the buyer really wanted - I'm guessing he was fishing for a reduction in price.
As for war stories as a buyer, my only negative experience was a Woodland Scenics kit shipped in its original box that was falling apart. Only the paper wrapping was holding the box together.
just my thoughts and experiences
I sell on eBay and I would hope that my feedback would tell the story of how I treat my customers. To me, without happy customers, I don't have a chance of continuing a successful eBay business.
When I first started selling (years ago) I had acquired a number of camera lenses, all Hasselblads. I posted them at 50% of their used selling prices which I researched in professional photo resources. I posted 8 various lenses and didn't get one bid on any of them... I turned around and re-listed them at .99 each. They all sold for way over the previous listing prices except for one. It was a highly desirable lens and rare enough to have been bid up to $2000! I had the most exciting eBay experience of my life as a I refreshed the page in the last few minutes of the sale as it climbed from $250 in huge $ segments to the winning $2000 bid. The winner paid immediately and I carefully sent the lens off and wallowed in my success. Then the story gets sad. The customer took the lens to a respected pro camera repair facility in New York and found that the lens had a flaw that was as costly to fix as the cost paid for the lens. The customer called me on the phone, told me the bad news and I refunded his money the day I received the lens (or I should say paperweight) back. That's how I expect to be treated and that's how I treat my customers. They're some great sellers out there, and we respect our customers and treat them as friends. At least I do.