That's it, I'm done with e-bay

[David Dunlop]

Not certain, but weren't eBay and PayPal owned by the same people at one time and didn't they recently sell off PayPal? If so, maybe they are now short cash and tightening up the screws.

I have noticed there seems to be more flipping of items than in past years. Seen it a lot with military pocket watches that get sniped at the last second and within a week you see the new owner flogging it with a significant mark up.

David

[Bruce MacMillan]

I was watching a recent auction for a B2 spy set. The auction was still live and had bidders. The lister closed it saying the item was no longer available.

The same item has now been listed by a different vendor for 4 times the previous price. It seems that ebay has become a place to advertise your wares and then make a deal privately, thus avoiding all the fees.

[Mike Gray]

I agree with the aspect of flipping items. Have seen it happen too often in the recent past now. And, the reserve bid is a killer too. You think you have aced a bargain in a bid, but the item is removed and re-listed. One other thing, there are no measures in place to prevent a vendor from getting a different email account and different ebay account, then bidding up his own item. Just my two cents worth on this. Thanks Bruce.

[Bruce MacMillan]

I followed the new sale for the B2, it had a BIN price of 3500 GBP. It became "no longer available" as well. I calculated by closing the auction and selling privately the lister saved 250 GBP or 520 bucks Canadian. Not small change.

I agree with Bruce P. I think the little hobbyist seller is being forced out and replaced by online marketers.

Is there an alternative? Selling to our peers via groups like this is one avenue but the exposure is small. However I personally would rather deal with the people I know though than try to make mega bucks online. A lot of my radio kit went to friends and fellow Western Command members quite cheap before I relocated. A few Brits here did ok as well.

Bruce

[Harry Moon]

Originally Posted by Bruce MacMillan

I followed the new sale for the B2, it had a BIN price of 3500 GBP. It became "no longer available" as well. I calculated by closing the auction and selling privately the lister saved 250 GBP or 520 bucks Canadian. Not small change.

I agree with Bruce P. I think the little hobbyist seller is being forced out and replaced by online marketers.

Is there an alternative? Selling to our peers via groups like this is one avenue but the exposure is small. However I personally would rather deal with the people I know though than try to make mega bucks online. A lot of my radio kit went to friends and fellow Western Command members quite cheap before I relocated. A few Brits here did ok as well.

Bruce

I didn't buy any of your radio gear, just your Cam nets. you were more than reasonable. Ever coming back for a visit?

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

As I said in my title - I'm sorry I have to agree, E-bay and Paypal started off as a good concept to sell stuff people to people as a good idea that seemed to work well. Until the money started to be the driving factor.

For years I was a bad ebay customer I'd decide what an item and its shipping cost was worth to me and that is what I'd bid to start. Almost never entering a second bid, and yes there are certain things that I really wanted that I would pay more for.

Like many of you I have watched stuff be offered then suddenly disappear to come back at a higher starting price.

I still have some searches looking for particular items but I stick to my rule now of what is it really worth to me and that's all I'll bid. I have not done any new searches in at least a year because from my way of thinking they have reworked their search engine to make searches less specific so that you have to look at a lot more stuff. Also the number of totally unrelated items that will come up in a search just goes to show how people have learned to game the system. Does ebay care only if they don't get their cut.

Cheers Phil

[Mike Gray]

I WAS eye-balling an almost new tech manual for PRC-10 radio on ebay for only 0.99.
However, shipping via USPS is $27.50!