Luckless ebaying....

[Steve_H_]

More often than is healthy I find myself perusing the Classic section of Ebay, convinced I will find my next project or runner at a bargain price. So far over the last two years I have bought two daily drivers (bangernomics, sort of!) but they both came out of auto trader. Also I have been looking at projects, I had a good look at a slightly worn Lotus Excel, nice car, nice owner.... Outbid! Then a Lancia Beta, odd owner, heap of a car, didn't bother. Then another Lotus, placed bid...Add withdrew!

I have to admit I find the process of viewing a car and then, going back home to bid, rather odd, some of the sellers can be equally odd, for example a bargain TVR Tasmin, popped up on the bay, on the add it said "re listed due to time wasters". I contacted the owner, got a very short reply, eventually got an address and an agreement to view. Tried to view the car and got a vague excuse. At this point I decided the guy was an idiot but still watched the auction out of curiosity. The bids came in, the car sold. Then it came back on ebay, re listed due to time wasters again.... Really? Something not right there!

I could go on, actually I will, I managed to get outbid on a slightly derelict 75 Scimitar GTE, still slightly miffed by that one. Anyway, any similar tales of wasted trips, wasted hours watching evilbay and odd buyers? Or was your last purchase painless?

[rich.]

in the past few years ive sold a few cars, one chap wanted to swop my rx7 for a tv & computer games. ive got my old van online for spares & its clearly marked in the ad problem with brakes & its rhd but the amount of call ive had from people who want to drive it 300 km is surprising.....

[JPB]

But Rich, it's the brakes that are kaput so driving it shouldn't be an issue.

Stopping it, on the other hand...


I like eBay, it serves me well, but the number of people who ask dumbass questions about an item then have a moan about their subsequent public humiliation is growing by the week!

[Steve_H_]

I like eBay, it serves me well, but the number of people who ask dumbass questions about an item then have a moan about their subsequent public humiliation is growing by the week!

So, what's your best price?

Discount for cash?

As it Turbo?

Will you deliver to New Zealand?

Can I have your bank detail, so I can transfer 1 million Nigerian Dollars from Western Union and you transfer the difference back? God be praised!

[JPB]

I've often wondered what happens if you keep the large payment from Nigeria and don't make the return payment for the con artist's change?

[TerryG]

I buy and sell quite a lot on ebay, there are a lot of time wasters but fortunately they are in the minority.
I have had offers of a Nintendo DS in exchange for an iPad 2, I always get someone asking me for a buy it now price.
What is REALLY annoying is people arranging cash on collection and not turning up then making up excuses, one bloke "won" an in car DVD player from me, 5 weeks of delaying picking it up so I reported him as a non-paying bidder and re-listed it. 2 days after I had sent it off he turned up at my house complaining that I had sold it as he was waiting to be paid. (no mention of his previous excuses of dog dying, car being stolen and some other rubbish).
Selling my 1990 Audi coupe Quattro, bloke paid £50 with paypal as a deposit and vanished. Re-listed it a few months later, 3 people viewed it, the winning bidder collected it the Saturday after the auction and paid cash no problems. Had an email from the original "buyer" almost a year later asking if I still had the car. I didn't bother replying.

I have picked up the best bargains from gumtree, turning up to view with cash in my pocket and haggling. I wouldn't sell as I hate people trying to knock me down but I don't mind doing it to others

[Willy Eckerslyke]

Gumtree does seem to be catching on as a good alternative to eBay, and not a moment too soon IMO.
Regarding viewing an eBay car then returning home to bid - I've yet to meet a seller who insists on doing it that way. Most people realise that the viewing process is a way of doing an old fashioned deal and allowing the seller to avoid eBay's fees. Wording like "Advertised elsewhere so I may end the auction early" is an open invitation to do exactly that.

[JPB]

Gumtree does seem to be catching on as a good alternative to eBay, and not a moment too soon IMO.
Regarding viewing an eBay car then returning home to bid - I've yet to meet a seller who insists on doing it that way. Most people realise that the viewing process is a way of doing an old fashioned deal and allowing the seller to avoid eBay's fees. Wording like "Advertised elsewhere so I may end the auction early" is an open invitation to do exactly that.

Exactly so, and as eBay isn't - legally - subject to the same rules as a real auction, I've found that - where cars are concerned at least - the folk who come to view armed with cash and make an offer there and then are far more likely to buy than those who view then go home to bid though in fairness to that small minority I did have that happen once from around 800 sales made since 2003.

I use Gumtree for selling certain items (computers and parts thereof for example, and then mainly because such things become lost in a swamp full of similar items on eBay) but don't let us forget who owns Gumtree. And Paypal. Yes, they are both eBay companies.

[Willy Eckerslyke]

but don't let us forget who owns Gumtree. And Paypal. Yes, they are both eBay companies.

Damn! And there was me thinking Gumtree was a genuine competitor. :x

[JPB]

Well they certainly function as such as things stand, but my concern is how long we'll be able to enjoy the relative freedom that Gumtree affords us at present, once eBay catches on to the idea that we don't pay to bring our listings to the top of the page when it's still possible to achieve the same result by deleting and reposting!