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Quiting Ebay

75.172.137.127
Posted on March 3, 2017 at 20:31:13
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005
Ebay seems to favor buyers now. I sold a Jolida JD-302CRC on the bay and the buyer said the amp was defective. That it hummed, he admitted that the wiring in his old apartment was not good. But there was hum. Hum can come from many sources you just have to track it down. The amp never hummed in my system yet the buyer is able to return the amp at my expense. There goes any profit that I might have made just because of the buyer. This is my last transaction on Ebay after 12 years and 918 transactions with 100% feedback. I hope Ebay is happy....

 

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RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 3, 2017 at 23:05:14
Tweaker456
 Methinks thou dost protest too much. One bad transaction out of 919. I'll take those odds any day of the week. Would you want to keep a piece of equipment that hummed if you bought it? T456

 

Let's see, you put your "profit" ahead of your buyer's satisfaction..., posted on March 4, 2017 at 00:09:18
viridian
 ...and then complain about your buyer, who gives you money before ever receiving your item, or having ever seen it in person. Truly miserable stuff. You need to buy a few mirrors for your home. They might help you to see the source of the problem.

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 04:32:51
zelig
Audiophile

Posts: 117
Location: Connecticut
Joined: March 7, 2001
 I agree that the buyers on EBay have gotten more needy than back in the day. Expectations are high and despite the fact that one is buying used equipment, perfection can be expected. I'm over 1,000 transactions with feedback and there are more trolls than ever out there bidding and buying.

That being said, I sold a Cary CD player a few years ago and the buyer said the transport wouldn't read the discs. I took it back, relisted and sold it again. On Audiogon, I sold two VAC tube monoblocs and the buyer said that there was a hum that couldn't be eliminated and again, I took them back, relisted and sold them again.

Both times the equipment was fine but it is hard to replicate individual circumstances so it becomes part of the sales cycle.

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 04:47:25
cawson@onetel.com
Audiophile

Posts: 2383
Joined: September 27, 2004
 Put yourself in your buyer's position. You buy a bit of kit claimed to be in perfect working order. When you receive it, it hums despite the fact that the bit of equipment it is replacing did not hum. What would you do?

The guy obviously wanted to buy your stuff. It it's not up to scratch, it's surely good that Ebay offer the right to return it. What has your buyer gained by returning it? Nothing - he has wasted his time, so don't blame him - or Ebay. Dis you even go to visit him to remedy the problem or hear the hum for yourself?

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 04:54:52
BCR
Audiophile

Posts: 2446
Location: connecticut
Joined: April 7, 2009
 AudiogoN is best for selling audio gear. Give them a shot!

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 05:01:24
bcowen
Audiophile

Posts: 1076
Location: North Carolina
Joined: December 19, 2015
 I hope Ebay is happy....

Emergency meetings are being thrown together in a panic at Ebay's corporate offices right now to determine how they're going to survive after your departure....

 

RE: Buyer's Club, posted on March 4, 2017 at 05:11:33
Robert J
 Protection works both ways. I personally find it better to purchase on Ebay than Audiogon for obvious reasons. Ebay has your back. Sellers are rewarded with a larger audience to sell their merchandise. You have to accept the good with the bad. And, maybe your Jolida does have a hum; just re-list the amp with a caveat that it might hum. If the buyer accepts those terms, I think you would be able to sell the item without a return privilege.

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 05:12:01
JeffO
Audiophile

Posts: 324
Location: Raleigh, NC
Joined: June 29, 2000
 I think you're right bcowen, and I noticed their stock dipped.

What have you done AudioSoul?!?! Please rethink your decision!

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 06:25:58
fantja
Audiophile

Posts: 15524
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
 AudioSoul-

it certainly goes both ways my friend. Subpar sellers and buyers abound on the bay. In the beginning, there were more professional Sellers an Buyers...

 

I own stuff I do not try to sell. If it is not 100% I would never try to stick another audiophile with it., posted on March 4, 2017 at 07:04:15
3+4=5
 So if I had sold an item and the buyer said it was not good, I would be happy to take it back. I am a fellow audiophile, not some shyster selling stuff to make money.

My favorite complaint of all time was a guy who acquired a rare cartridge off an old lady at an estate sale. He bragged he got it for $10. Then whined because when HE sold it for $125, the buyer said it was defective. So the seller wrote about it all, expecting us to approve him stiffing the buyer. Since any such transaction is 'as is'.
LOL

 

With 918 Transactions You Are a Dealer!, posted on March 4, 2017 at 08:00:33
Mel
Audiophile

Posts: 2993
Location: New York City Area
Joined: February 21, 2001
 So stop complaining about the rules of the ethical business world, where buyers buy sight unseen, sound unheard. In the world of business nobody guarantees a profit on every exchange.

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 4, 2017 at 08:46:15
The Dill
Audiophile

Posts: 2199
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: July 1, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 3, 2016
 I suggest, in the future, develop a return policy to accept returns, however clearly state that return shipping is paid for by the buyer and subject to a restocking fee. I have found this works well, as buyers, if not happy with the unit for whatever reason, will re-list the item themselves thus eliminating having to pay to return it. I have seen an item I sold appear back on eBay days after it was received by the buyer for more than he paid for it.

 

Either that or a guy with a VERY large storage unit! :-) /n, posted on March 4, 2017 at 08:54:24
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
 n


First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

+1..., posted on March 4, 2017 at 09:31:20
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31879
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004
 Wonderful how people love to blame companies/procedures and "things" for their own, personal, and very apparent shortcomings.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

Then what? , posted on March 4, 2017 at 12:41:38
Doublej
Audiophile

Posts: 678
Location: Boston
Joined: January 11, 2009
 You got a better place to sell your stuff?

The Dill has sage advice, I'd follow it and keep selling on ebay.

 

918 "transactions" does not ..., posted on March 4, 2017 at 22:00:40
reelsmith.
Audiophile

Posts: 13134
Location: CT
Joined: June 7, 2005
Contributor
  Since: January 19, 2010
 ...necessarily mean 918 sales.

I'd imagine he buys too.

Dean.








reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

+ 1 (nt), posted on March 4, 2017 at 22:17:24
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 nt

 

RE: 918 "transactions" does not ..., posted on March 5, 2017 at 06:21:03
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005

Yup! That includes purchases too....

 

RE: I own stuff I do not try to sell. If it is not 100% I would never try to stick another audiophile with it., posted on March 5, 2017 at 06:25:27
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005
The amp I sold was in perfect working order. I test everything before I ship. As stated, he said he was having hum problems. This can be from a ground loop or poor house wiring. No hum when I had it. I have had experience with some buyers that made up excuses just because they wanted to try an amp out with no intentions of keeping it...

 

And finding excuses 'in advance' so you can justify anything you want?, posted on March 5, 2017 at 10:47:23
3+4=5
 Deciding in advance others are cheating you really means you should just stop selling.
IMO NO ONE bothers to buy something to just try it out.
And my opinion is just as sucky as yours. LOL

If you can't handle one person returning something... you are really being foolish to bother to sell ANYTHING.
So what if it hums only in his system. Get over it. Refund him his money and get on with your life.

So yes stop selling on eBay! The whole World is better off. Including you.

 

It happens ..., posted on March 5, 2017 at 14:40:38
reelsmith.
Audiophile

Posts: 13134
Location: CT
Joined: June 7, 2005
Contributor
  Since: January 19, 2010
 I sold a fly rod on FleaBay that was returned three weeks later because it was "defective". Buyer claimed there was a "click" in the ferrule.

That's an issue that pops up occasionally on bamboo rods when the glue holding the ferrule dries out. This can't happen on graphite rods, which mine was.

Trying to explain this to the folks at FleaBay and PayPal was only slightly less painful than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

A few weeks after I got the rod back a buddy of mine saw my buyer bragging on Facebook about going on a fishing trip and "renting a rod for free" from a seller on eBay.

That was my rod, his pictures proved it.

No doubt, some buyers on eBay are schmucks ...some of the sellers too. Just like the real world.

I buy and sell on eBay. Given my choice I much prefer being a buyer. There is very little risk, unless you are naive. There are many ways to screw a seller. I have too many stories.

When you get your amp back, if it does not hum, bring it to a friends house and see what happens.

I had a Sony integrated many years ago that hummed for me, but not at the shop I worked for at the time or at my buddy's dorm room.

Sony said the grounding scheme inside the amp was incompatible with that of the wiring of the home I was in (I'm paraphrasing, its been over 35 years).

Shoe was on the other foot though, since it only hummed for me, selling it wasn't an issue.

Good luck.

Dean.

Edited for spelling ...and I probably missed some too !




reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

Suffer little children, posted on March 5, 2017 at 17:29:28
Des
Audiophile

Posts: 2110
Location: Great Barrier Reef
Joined: August 3, 2000
Contributor
  Since: August 2, 2000
 For there ain't nuthin' that has so many tentacles out there

I'm with ya Bro!

Des

 

They don't care, posted on March 5, 2017 at 17:46:21
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 been favoring buyers a long time, thats who pays you and them. Also electronics is the worst category to sell or close to it.



ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

I wouldn't "quit" ebay - still a great resource, but you might stop selling..., posted on March 6, 2017 at 09:27:12
David S.
Audiophile

Posts: 3552
Location: Mountains of WNC
Joined: August 31, 2000



I used to sell all kinds of stuff on ebay. Frankly? I can't even remember the last time I did that. It has been well over a year. Probably not in the last 5 years.

As far as buying? Ebay is pretty awesome if you're careful & do lots of research.

Could actually make some decent money that way, IF you wanna put in the time & effort to do it. Example? My wife is a jewelry nut. She has purchased more than one piece in ebay, shipped from either India or China that had WHATEVER gemstone(s) mounted in sterling silver. These pieces come with free or next to free shipping, and her "to the door" cost is under $20. I've taken more than one to a local jeweler who (in the case of larger bracelets & necklaces) has offered me anything from $5 to $15 MORE than what my wife paid - just for the silver, and I can keep whatever stones are involved. Been SORELY tempted to order up as many examples of a particular chrome diopside bracelet & keep the stones. MY total cost for this was $11.99, including shipping. Took less than 2 weeks from India. Jeweler would give me $18, just for the silver (which he tested,) and I could keep the nifty stones...

I just need to find something similar with tourmaline, so I can rob the audiophiles! ;)

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 6, 2017 at 11:00:46
Ed Sawyer
Audiophile

Posts: 2595
Joined: November 3, 2000
 Ebay sucks for individual sellers. Almost guaranteed to get screwed over by ebay/pp as mentioned. Better off selling places like here, Audiomart, etc. (Audiogoon is wretched as well, however, so don't bother using them anymore.)

 

RE: Quiting Ebay, posted on March 14, 2017 at 09:43:30
bare
Audiophile

Posts: 1879
Joined: April 14, 2009
 Geeez.. 918 Transactions!
That's: 'Doing it for a living' levels.
Not some occasional user.
Surprised that there is surprise/outrage at a botched sale.

 

I trust the known audio community & distrust strangers, posted on March 14, 2017 at 09:51:22
Jay Buridan
Audiophile

Posts: 10284
Location: Michigan
Joined: January 21, 2004
 So, I don't buy or sell audio gear on eBay.

"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. "
― W.C. Fields

 

Stats, posted on March 14, 2017 at 11:30:04
Inmate51
 900 transactions, averaging 1 every five days, and this is how thin the OP's skin is.

Most retail stores (JCPenney, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Best Buy, etc.) would love to have only one customer issue in 900 transactions. Ha - many of them actually have "Customer Service" counters specifically to deal with customer/product problems.

What, the OP thinks life should be easy and fair, yet has a parttime business dealing with people on the Internet - WTF?

:)

 

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