Wheels within wheels

I have noticed a 'trend' on Ebay of model shops bidding for loco's & rolling stock from other model shop's Ebay sites !

Is Christmas coming ?

Reply to
Dragon Heart
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"Dragon Heart" wrote

Really? I don't see any trends on eBay at all - it's the strangest market I've ever traded in.

John.

Reply to
John Turner

Indeed! Before it got too expensive, I'd see second-hand stuff going for more that the same thing new in our eBay shop! It still amazes me when custoners come in having bought, say, an s/h aircon compressor when no other parts of the vehicle are listed, and they are surprised when it doesn't work!

Richard

Reply to
beamendsltd

What's the old saying " a fool and his money ..... " I have seen many 'reports' of Ebay customers not getting what they expected. One who thought he'd bought a Playstation II got a list of dealers offering a discount and another who thought he's got a cheap Hornby steam Scot' only to get a box with a bottle of water and a lump of coal ! Many items must go round and round.

It's a pity Ebay don't appear to take a stronger stance on these type of traders.

Don't Hornby still have their own auction site ? They used to have strict rules on what could and could not be put up for auction .... mainly designed to protect their dealer network.

Chris

Reply to
Dragon Heart

"Dragon Heart" wrote

I believe that the Hornby auction site was quietly closed down some months ago probably due to lack of support. There is another site

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but I have no experience of this.

Perhaps I have been lucky but after 74 purchases I have left 73 positive recommendations (well justified) and only 1 neutral.

A small number of sellers will advertise deliberately misleading descriptions with a very small piece at the very bottom which gives the game away.

My advice is to read every word of a description and check out the sellers feedback. I would never risk bidding a large amount on an advert from a new seller or one with a positive feedback score of less than 95%

DW

Reply to
David Westerman

Ebay has long gone the same as the car boot, great idea but many have lost the simple idea of got something spare to sell, then put it on EBAY and get back a few quid. Want to buy somehting but not doesnt need to be brand new, then get it on EBAY and save a few quid. Thats what the adverts suggest - isnt that the model on which its based.

Professionals (not referring to open traders) who buy/sell without even opening the box - is it called churning ? Like the odd comment of 'just clearing out my Dads old stuff, not a trader' from the person thats done

2045 transactions in the last 6 months !

The gamblers who must win at any cost - theyre the ones so caught up they pay more for 2nd hand than they would for a new item.

Then the rest of us who either demand a bargain or want to get as much money as possible. But you cant have the basic idea of both parties to the transaction being happy with the result on that basis.

Amazingly you hear lots of stories of people that have made a packet selling or got a great bargain, but so few of the ones that got screwed or might as well have taken the item to the charity shop.

The (social) problem with EBAY is its just too easy. Sit down, hit a few keys, throw away a few quid in seconds. Same as online gambling.

Nope, havent bought anything cos both times tried got trounced by people willing to pay lots more than me. Anyway my buying pattern is based on what I want when I want (ok have a reason to buy) not when the item is available. The excitement comes from the product not going hunting for it.

Cheers, Simon

Reply to
simon

Exactly - it can be addictive.

Has anyone started a chapter of eBayers Anonymous?

I've only ever bought ONE thing on eBay. It was not very expensive, though not a huge bargain once I paid for shipping, but it got me something I wanted at what I considered a fair price.

Reply to
MartinS

Here in New Zealand we have a local version called "Trade-me". My technique is if there's an item I would like, as opposed to one I "need", I put a minimal bid on it. I win sufficient auctions to get my wife annoyed at the number of parcels that arrive. Where there's an item I "need" I put in a maximum auto bid of the price I'm prepared to pay and then forget it. (I don't NEED anything at auction, so nothing is imperative)

Greg.P. NZ

Reply to
Greg Procter

Got a couple of WiFi cards for my Netgem freeview boxs that I could not source anywhere else from a trader on Ebay and have been very happy. A bit causious about buying anything from non-traders for all the potential pitfalls and experiences I have heard other people have had.

Chris

Reply to
Chris

I can see why it would be addictive but it does enable you to look for something that might take a long time to find unless you really want to attend loads of swap meets or ring up traders regularly. As a youngster I fancied an Underground train but never even saw let alone got a chance persuade anybody to get me the Ever Ready one. One evening I typed Ever Ready Tube train and He Presto there was available. Put in a bid and got the item at a reasonable cost. I was under no illusions of what I was getting ,a 1950's tinplate toy which even allowing for that crudity is highly inaccurate But it does make an interesting comparison with the EFE product of today. The other Item I wanted was a Triang Sydney suburban unit. Finding one in the UK where they were never sold ASFAIK would be highly unlikely. At least with Ebay I can see if any are available in Australia. As it happens they do appear there from time to time. However they must be sought after as the prices have been way to high to justify an indulgence.

G.Harman

Reply to
oldship

I once purchased 3 cars for $20 I think, at a club auction. No one else seemed to know what it was, so I was the only bidder

;-)

I on sold it to a friend for $30, I only wanted my $20 back, but he insisted, as I had no interest for myself and indeed I only bought it on his behalf.

It was definitely a bargain in 1980/81.

Kevin Martin

Reply to
Kevin Martin

There is one for sale in the UK at the moment on a dealers web site. 3 car set to which a previous owner has added a fourth car. The asking price is in excess of £1300 which I think is more than 3000 Australian Dollars.

G.Harman

Reply to
oldship

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