Quote:
Originally Posted by dpasch
If you really want to gripe about an ebay practice, gripe about sellers using other accounts to bid up auctions to see where you will go.
That's exactly why I only do last-second bidding. I'm sure there are sellers out there 'feeling out' bidders. They might get an idea how desperate somebody (especially a newbie) is to get an item simply by his 'bid behaviour', e-bay success requires a 'virtual poker face'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dpasch
Ebay sucks but, is required these days. :(D
I dunno, I was lucky so far by observing a few simple rules:
- I never bid on expensive stuff, $ 400 or so is my limit. Otherwise I would pick up/pay the stuff in person, it hasn't happened so far.
- I always contact the seller before I bid, you get an idea what somebody's like and it's also worth spending 20 minutes or so to REALLY check somebody's feedback:
- What kind of items did somebody sell before the auction in question (I saw stuff like a vintage U67 from a seller who only had $2 CDs auctions and the like, it could be o.k but most likely it isn't)
- Also check the feedback of the buyer/sellers who dealt with the seller in question, sometimes you smell something fishy there.
-Ask if you could pick up/pay the item in person, this might also help in 'judging' the seller.
- Only bid on stuff that features pics of the actual item being sold and not generic pics from say the manufacter's website. This obviously isn't foolproof but it will help.
- Check things like serial numbers, most gear manufactures are glad to help.
- Go by your gut reaction. I refrained from auctions that just gave me a strange feeling in the stomach. I might have been wrong though, who knows?
Andi
www.doorknocker.ch