Purchasing on E-Bay. Just an opinion.

[Garth E.]

I've shopped on E-Bay for at least 20 years and I still feel there's a stigma attached to admitting you bought something there. There are bad deals and great deals and the more knowledge you have about what you are buying the better the experience. I'am no expert when it comes to purchasing a violin, but I have the advantage of not looking for tone (I play poorly), just a little history. Shopping on e-bay for a violin is like walking into a swap meet the size of New York. There will always be a crazy great deal for someone and if you are there at the right time or are willing to shop all the back lanes, you might get lucky. I really enjoy reading this forum as I can go shopping for a violin on e-bay now...with a little more confidence that I haven't wasted more money.

[mathieu valde]

I  think it is much worse and dangerous to buy in auctions now...  

[jacobsaunders]

1 hour ago, Garth E. said:

I've shopped on E-Bay for at least 20 years and I still feel there's a stigma attached to admitting you bought something there. There are bad deals and great deals and the more knowledge you have about what you are buying the better the experience. I'am no expert when it comes to purchasing a violin, but I have the advantage of not looking for tone (I play poorly), just a little history. Shopping on e-bay for a violin is like walking into a swap meet the size of New York. There will always be a crazy great deal for someone and if you are there at the right time or are willing to shop all the back lanes, you might get lucky. I really enjoy reading this forum as I can go shopping for a violin on e-bay now...with a little more confidence that I haven't wasted more money.

Once you have scrolled down through 20 pages of shit on Ebay, and found one that look not quite as crappy as all the others, you will still be buying worthless crap, mind you you can come on Maestronet and complain about it.

 

[Garth E.]

So true, mostly crap to those who know better. However, a lot of us will continue to buy worthless junk. There are collectors and then there are hoarders. Each has their treasure.

[RyanJ]

1 hour ago, mathieu valde said:

I  think it is much worse and dangerous to buy in auctions now...  

Ebay has a "buyer protection" system where anyone can get a free return for just about any reason within the first month or so at the seller's expense. The buyer can also send you back a pile of rocks and since there is insufficient evidence, they will always side with the buyer...

[GeorgeH]

9 minutes ago, JRyn said:

The buyer can also send you back a pile of rocks and since there is insufficient evidence, they will always side with the buyer...

I always photograph the package as I received it and as I open it. I also photograph each step of the packaging for anything I send. This has been sufficient evidence for eBay to find in my favor in situations that I have been in as both a buyer and a seller.

It would also help in any insurance claim with a carrier.

[Violinjon]

It does take a lot of patience and scrolling through nonsense, but occasionally there are decent things to be found, if you know what to look for.

It seems that my eBay days are behind me, however. I changed flats recently and a few days after I moved in, I received an email from eBay informing me that my account had been associated by them with another restricted account (whose ID they provided and which I did not recognize at all). After messaging them, explaining I was innocent (I had never heard of the associated account in question) and asking them to explain further I received a message telling me that I was banned for life and that they wouldn't give me any more information. 

What a way to treat a customer of 15+ years. I guess I'll have to find a new hobby.

The only explanation I can think of is that a previous tenant in my apartment building did something bad and got the building's IP address banned.

[L.Colburn]

2 hours ago, GeorgeH said:

I always photograph the package as I received it and as I open it. I also photograph each step of the packaging for anything I send. This has been sufficient evidence for eBay to find in my favor in situations that I have been in as both a buyer and a seller.

It would also help in any insurance claim with a carrier.

That’s quality advice! Thank you.

[L.Colburn]

3 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

Once you have scrolled down through 20 pages of shit on Ebay, and found one that look not quite as crappy as all the others, you will still be buying worthless crap, mind you you can come on Maestronet and complain about it.

 

As a bottom feeder, I’ve found ugly, dirty and abused worthless crap that (eventually) sound very nice. And that’s the thrill of it!

[RyanJ]

2 hours ago, GeorgeH said:

I always photograph the package as I received it and as I open it. I also photograph each step of the packaging for anything I send. This has been sufficient evidence for eBay to find in my favor in situations that I have been in as both a buyer and a seller.

It would also help in any insurance claim with a carrier.

Thanks for the advice. I had a violin where the buyer was so unsatisfied that he returned it in a hundred pieces... the cherry on top was that eBay sided with the buyer.

[Violadamore]

4 hours ago, GeorgeH said:

I always photograph the package as I received it and as I open it. I also photograph each step of the packaging for anything I send. This has been sufficient evidence for eBay to find in my favor in situations that I have been in as both a buyer and a seller.

It would also help in any insurance claim with a carrier.

Yup. 

[Violadamore]

1 hour ago, Mystic said:

As a bottom feeder, I’ve found ugly, dirty and abused worthless crap that (eventually) sound very nice. And that’s the thrill of it!

Yup. 

[Brad H]

Back when I bought my first fiddle on Ebay in 1996(?), Ebay was completely different - it was actually an auction site.     Most everyone started their listings with an opening bid of $9.99 because higher starting prices and higher reserves accrued higher seller fees.   By doing this, Ebay was encouraging sales.    There seemed to be much less competition and many great deals to be had.   Unfortunately (for me), I was just learning about fiddles and I didn't take advantage of some great opportunities because I didn't know enough to bid aggressively on the good stuff.  

Today's Ebay is more of a store than an auction site.   I would bet that upwards of 80% of the violin listings don't sell because of the ridiculous asking prices.   As Jacob said, you do need tall waders and lots of patience - which I have mostly lost - to sift through the muck and find a decent offering.   And you can bet that that one decent offering will receive attention from lots of folks worldwide.

 

[Garth E.]

Don't like to wait 6 days to bid and watch the crowd gather, unless I have lots to spend. I much prefer BIN if I'm lucky and can get there first. Shipping these days is the biggest deal killer.

[jacobsaunders]

2 hours ago, Mystic said:

As a bottom feeder, I’ve found ugly, dirty and abused worthless crap that (eventually) sound very nice. And that’s the thrill of it!

 

28 minutes ago, Violadamore said:

Yup. 

Two "bottom feeders"!

[Shelbow]

Make it three! I love junk 

[Violadamore]

10 minutes ago, jacobsaunders said:

 

Two "bottom feeders"

There, there, Jacob, we can't all be doing the exciting stuff on eBay.  Someone's got to be on hand to pick up the pieces when a soloist backs over their Strad.  Good thing you are, too. 

[Brad H]

6 hours ago, Garth E. said:

I've shopped on E-Bay for at least 20 years and I still feel there's a stigma attached to admitting you bought something there.

I agree, and I suppose it is because some folks know how much crap is peddled there so ALL Ebay purchases must be suspect.   Plus, musicians are told not to try to find an instrument on Ebay, and are sometimes derided when they bring their purchases to a shop.   So, as a dealer, when I tell a potential customer, "I got this great fiddle on Ebay", they may be less enthused than if I had bought it through a major auction house.

[Garth E.]

Thank-you bottom feeders. I feel much more comfortable now showing off my wayward violins. My violins are "the least of" specimens of collectability, but if there is a possible history to explore ...it's no longer junk in my eyes. I'll be posting a few more pictures of my old violins. I only have my 3/4 up right now.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Garth E.

[Violadamore]

4 minutes ago, Brad H said:

I agree, and I suppose it is because some folks know how much crap is peddled there so ALL Ebay purchases must be suspect.   Plus, musicians are told not to try to find an instrument on Ebay, and are sometimes derided when they bring their purchases to a shop.   So, as a dealer, when I tell a potential customer, "I got this great fiddle on Ebay", they may be less enthused than if I had bought it through a major auction house.

A lot of stuff from "major auction houses" winds up on eBay, and sometimes, as I recently experienced, the eBay offering is the more attractive deal. 

[Shelbow]

If you spend all day on ebay then you can get good things 

[Dave Slight]

56 minutes ago, Shelbow said:

If you spend all day on ebay then you can get good things 

Carpal tunnel syndrome and square eyes?

[Shelbow]

Just now, Dave Slight said:

Carpal tunnel syndrome and square eyes?

Sounds perfect to me, better than Netflix. 

[L.Colburn]

1 hour ago, Shelbow said:

If you spend all day on ebay then you can get good things 

I suspect we have have crossed swords at the Bay of e.

[Shelbow]

1 minute ago, Mystic said:

I suspect we have have crossed swords at the Bay of e.

Probably, I'm pretty sure I am always bidding against the same people. A lot of times I don't win things. I look in lots of different places for stuff and I prefer to buy things straightway rather than wait for an auction.

It's mainly because I have to work from home, otherwise I would be busier with other things. I'm trying to concentrate on making bows at the moment and limit my ebay exposure .