VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Vendors & Suppliers - Parts Ebay as a Vendor (long post)

More and more I see that ebay auctions are showing up For folks looking for hard-to-find old Chevy parts

lil'Johnny,Alot of very true words.I think I may be in the middle of one of the bad 1/3s right now.Can only hopr for the best...chef-

What is so bad if they post it, or "troll it" If you are looking for the part it is a help. Some of us can't live on e-bay, and only can look at it when we get a an hour or two in the eve. Let me know it is for sale!
John

I post some Ebay items that I think a member may be interested in, I buy on Ebay ocassionally, items that aren't available readily from a vendor, and I don't bid enough to get burned.

I would never buy anything over $100 that I can't inspect or get another VCCA member to inspect items near where they live...., they have been good about that for me.... and never pay for ANYTHING if it isn't right... don't worry about bad feedback, worry about the money! Always send a personal check thru the US Postal service and keep copies of everything. We should work together to that means.

In this day and age of "if something goes wrong I must blame some one or the government" for the wrong or the failure to protect us from God only knows what, when you get burned on ebay the person you see in the mirror is the one to blame, and then pass the word about who burned you, maybe it will help some other smuck (like me)from getting burned, just maybe. It worked for the Kessler's thing....

John 348/340hp,
Well they are a for-profit vendor

">>> So imagine if we forum folks started our own mini-auction here in this VCCA chat room. Only registered forum members could Sell or Bid and we would be "protected somewhat" from rip-offs by the "feedback" of our VCCA Chat forum "community"."

Would you please expand on this idea? :confused:

johnny f.,

I've never sold, but have bought a lot of things on ebay, including two antique vehicles, so far...by your reckoning, I'd better stop now, since I've reached my 2/3 statistical quota...I would agree that a healthy dose of skepticism & in-depth questioning/additional pics helps you to know what you will receive...finally, assume the condition to be on the lesser range, that way, you won't overbid or be too disappointed...

epi

Like Gator I would like for you to expand on your idea of having our own auction on this site. Sounds interesting ! I also have a question for the members of this forum concerning the "For Sale" and "Parts Wanted" section of this forum.There seems to be new parts submitted daily but very little action as to selling or buying. What in your opinion is the cause for this, prices too high, non desirable parts, limited participation etc.? Your opinions please.

Dandyd

Lil Johnnie, I did not even think of it that way. Good point! I was just looking at it from a pure point of view. Like "I am auctioning a set of 348 1187 Heads dated 5-12-60 see e-bay number 1234567890" now that you mentioned it I did not know that was going on. I do like a "Bay watch" thread, this way we can tip each other off, or even announce our stuff when we put it on. You are right it should be in the classified section
John

Gator: the concept of a VCCA Forum auction was just an example

johnny f.,

yes, I agree with you on the improvement of the classifieds by breaking them into subcategories...

perhaps, and this is more directed at bill barker, even if sellers could be asked to use a standardized titling sequence, such as "year(s)" "model/body style" "part" "price"...then one could more easily scan down the listings and locate items of potential utility & interest...

finally, I also think there should be an expiration date placed on the ads to delete the corpses...

epi

I've bought a few hundred items off eBay and sold some. I belong to VCCA and a few other clubs and get lots of collector car magazines. I go to car shows too.

We have to face it, eBay is the place for rare parts. I used to get Hemmings, but its pretty much turned into more of a vendors catalog. I've found lots of stuff on eBay I've never seen listed elsewhere. This may even be the waning days of the golden age of eBay collector car parts. Since eventually, all them garages will get emptied out into eBay listings. It does seem that the rarity has gone down some over the last couple of years, and prices up. Probably, eventually, eBay will be like Hemmings. Lots of commercial vendors with dozens of ad variations.

I guess I've been really lucky in never being ripped off the mandnatory 1/3. My ratio is more like 10%.

Unfortunately, it is true that when you do get ripped off, there is absolutely no recourse. I had an incident last summer where a vendor blatently ripped me off. (Then gave insulting feedback.) I work at a computer all day so I went after this con artist (studiocowboy) with a vengence. Filled in every eBay complaint possible. Forwarded his insulting emails. Contacted Post Office, FBI, you name it.

No one cares. There is just too much commerce going on. Occassionally, crime rings get uncovered and make news. But a dishonest vendor ripping off an occasional buyer can pretty much get away with anything. (Especially if its less than $25 a shot.)

That said, the other 90% of my buys went pretty smoothly. And probably 10% of those were outstanding buys for hard to find items I only saw once, or were mislabled and wound up a great buy. (Like my NOS wiring, dealer poster, broadband radio, and assorted vintage speed parts.)

And if you have real money to spend, you can find extremely rare parts. Right now there's a 41 passing light on there. And I've seen 41 NOS compass, fog lights, exhaust tip, scuff boards, arm rests, etc. (All over my price range. *Compass was $1600.* But interesting to see show up.)

As for bidding strategies. Well, I've tried them all and had them all applied to my bids. But in general, if I really want something, I bid high (i.e. near the limit of what its probably 'worth' - based on reasearch like VCCA ads, etc.). If I'm hoping for a bargan, I just watch and bid late, or low bid and hope to scare everyone else away. But when its all done, you pay more than anyone else wanted to...

One mention of advice though. Check shipping charges. Some vendors make their profit on handling fees.

So I guess, the advise in the posts here is good. To summerize: Buyer beware!

Now I just hope those truck vent shades don't bid up too high!

Jim

Over the last 3 or 4 years, I have been involved with approx. 300+ auctions, both as a seller and as a buyer. I must be one of the rare ones, but to date I have had only one instance where a part was misrepresented somewhat and the disagreement was settled amicably. If the winning bid is high, the buyer should use an escrow service, where a third party, for a small fee, holds on to the payment until the buyer receives the item and OK's payment. I have purchased items from all over the USA (shipping rates are usually too high for buying from overseas sellers) that I wouldn't have come across locally. I don't even subscribe to Hemmings any longer - anything in HMN will be on Ebay at some point and I can see it - you can't see the item in HMN. Only my opinion, but for me, Ebay is like being able to go to Hershey 365 days a year!!

-Bob

Thanks for the Information BOWTIE BOB. You have given alot of good Information for one to think about when selling parts. Thanks Don :) :) :) :)

I have to agree with Bowtie Bob. I've had about 700 dealings on eBay, and I have never been ripped off, and I have always received everything that I purchased. No problems yet! Of course, the main thing that helps is that I always check the seller's negative feedback before I bid. Of course, for me it generally depends upon the number of positives a seller has, but usually if the seller has more than 5 negatives (like Kessler's), I pass and I won't bid. For a seller with thousands of positives, I check the number of negative feedbacks that he's had in the past six months and overall as well. If I feel there are too many, I pass. I've seen sellers on eBay with hundreds of negatives and guys are still bidding on their auctions, and then they complain when they get ripped off. Like Bob, I no longer subscribe to Hemmings either, and I go to a swap meet every day of the week and I never leave my den!

Well it seems to me that if you are half as careful as you can be ,from everything I have seen so far, Not only EBay but the other auctions and sales on the vapors of cyberspace know as the www.com is the way things are drifting toward. We as a large bunch of Old Chevrolet owners and wannabe owners, from all over the continent and world get smarter and establish trust in each other we can cooperate and help each other out by shareing our experiances and also to do a check on a larger item that is near where we live for our comrades here on the site. Besides I like to go and look at some old Chevrolet junque that I didn't know about before!

Mr. Mack,
What ya say is sad but true.

Yeah, Johnny that is a pretty healthy overbore, and use long wires on 1-6 short wires on 3-4 and medium length wires on 2-5 make sure #1 is on the outside of the engine block.

Good luck with some nice Nigerian guy.

Ebay is great if you are honest and know what you are doing. I have sold over 2500 items on eBay in the past 2 years. Only problem I have had is a few non paying bidders. Just block them from bidding and put "Non-paying-bidder" warnings on them. They get three and they are off. I give a money back guarantee and only have had 3 come back in the 2 years. Send a delivery confirmation out on each package you ship and life will be easier. Where else can you sell $20,000 a year from your home or shop computer? Garage sales are the best place to find goodies. I love it when a guys wife sells his old electric train for $25.00 and I can resell it for $200 +...

Interesting post about Ebay.

I like Ebay - but the buyer really needs to be careful with the transacation.

The term NOS is used very loosely today. I bought two items advertised as NOS. Both were reproductions.

One seller sent me half my money back - a good guy.
The other seller told me to "pound sand". So negative feedback ensued.

Now, one seller advertised a tool as BRAND NEW with a warranty. When I got the tool it was 9 years old. When I confronted the seller with the info - he told me to return it for a new tool. When I asked him for the serial # of the new tool - I knew he didn't have any.

Well, long story short... I contacted Ebay. Their policy to protect sellers is awesome. You have 30 days to straighten out the deal - otherwise they slam the door on you. I even used their suggested SQUARE TRADE resolution team - guess what - it only lets the clock run out - and they are useless.

So, I contacted the FBI, the State Attorney General for the seller AND Ebay. Interesting is the fact that the seller hasn't sold anything on Ebay since - but I was still out the $$ for the used tool. The gov't agencies are nice - but I received no satisfaction from any of them. Bottom line - file a Small Claims action in your hometown. BUT - the chances of collecting are moot. Like the seller in Florida is going to show up for a Small Claims hearing!? I think not. You win - but still can't collect.


I sold the tool AS USED on Ebay - and recovered 95% of my $$. Then I went out and bought a new one at the local store.

Bottomline? Be very careful when bidding on Ebay. Ask as many questions as possible to verify the exact nature of your desired purchase. I would never buy a vehicle on Ebay - unless I had a chance to inspect prior.

There are a ton of extremely rare parts on Ebay. It would take years of swap meets to find them - if you were fortunate. You just need to be cautious, be prudent with the bidding, and be prepared to be disappointed if the seller is a geek.

bowtieollie,

there was an associated press story released yesterday alleging that ebay is aware, but refuses to admit, that their highly-touted anti-fraud software is flawed...

an example in that story describes the fbi tracking a couple involved in swindling over five hundred would-be buyers of over $100,000...

most of ebay fraud involves high-end items or electronics...

as I've stated in previous posts, I've always been very lucky in buying items from $1 to whole vehicles...maybe it's the nature of the eclectic items I buy...

one's common sense is still probably the best anti-fraud protection...glad it worked out okay for you...

epi

Hey Kepi! You hit the nail on the head........common sense! It's amazing to me the number of dudes that bid on items on eBay without checking the seller's feedback first! I know of many fellows that have been ripped off on eBay and everyone of them never checked the seller's negative feedback before bidding, which is a big mistake. I know of one fellow that was high bidder on an item, and after paying for the item he checked on the seller's feedback. He had almost a hundred negatives! Of course, he got ripped off, but if he would have checked the seller's feedback first, used a little common sense and not bid, he would have saved a whole lot of money.

What amazes me is the fact that the feedback is supposed to serve a purpose....to alert both the buyer and eBay of the track record of sellers. However, there are sellers out there with hundreds and hundreds of negatives and eBay still allows them to continue. At any rate, if a buyer is careful, uses common sense and checks the feedback of every seller before bidding, and, most importantly, knows exactly what he is bidding on, then the odds are in his favor that he will not be ripped off. I never bid on an auction when a seller has more than five negatives (depending upon the number of positives he has of course), and if he has had a negative in the past six months, I won't bid then either. So far, knock on wood, I have had 100% success with the sellers on eBay. Of course, with the law of averages, sooner or later something will happen that is beyond the control of the buyer, and he will get stuck. But, as you said, the buyer needs to have his own anti-fraud protection in the way of good common sense since eBay's anti-fraud protection totally sucks. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Ebay is very up-front in advising the user (Buyer or Seller) that it is merely a forum that brings Buyer & Seller together. They really don't have any responsibility for a bad deal, but they do supply the feedback system to help the buyer make an assesment before he bids. Ebay is reluctant to suspend a Seller for a very simple reason - they make their money off the Seller, not the Buyer. Bottom line - let the Buyer beware! Check the feed back ratings BEFORE you bid.

-Bob

Bowtie Bob is absolutely correct! eBay does make their money off of the seller, therefore, many sellers that have hundreds of negatives continue to sell on eBay. I can remember.... before eBay there was Hemmings Motor News. Same thing, just a different venue. At any rate, as Bowtie Bob said, "let the buyer beware".

The use of United States Postal Money Orders is a little help. I too have done a couple of hundred tranactions both buying and selling, and only had a problem with a few non payments, other than that I have not had any problems. I think it is a much better venue than Hemmings, and it really changed the hobby, many things are surfacing that otherwise would never show up. The swap meet thing is pretty much dead here in the east. Carlisle is a waste of time, and Hershey is great, but other than that, e-bay is the way! I found even when selling I am able to reach out to the people who want it, a much more focused group Unlike swap meets (who make money of off both seller and buyer) the effort is much less to sell on e-bay, and I don't have to deal with any jerks trying to buy things for next to nothing, or bad weather, or motel rooms, or meals. So as a seller it is cost effective. To sell at swap meet it could cost over $1000, for four days, so you are in the hole before you start. I have had a few people e-mailing me looking to buy things for less before the auction ends, but then you don't even have to answer them. I don't know why people can't accept the price, either you want it or not, if I am asking too much then move on, but the haggeling part I always find insulting. Any way I love e-bay! Just like everything else, a buyer and seller must be carefull!
John

While I do have time to work on my project (won on eBay #2405746179), there's no way I would have time to scour swap meets, flea markets, etc for parts. Thank whatever deity you subscribe to for eBay.

I've won over 200 auctions and been dissapointed twice. I gave them neg feedback and they returned it. I got over it (150+) and they're no longer operating on eBay. At least not with the ID's they were using then.

Caveat Emptor. Read the descriptions. Check the pictures twice. Check the feedback. Ask questions and ask for more pictures. Know what the part is worth and be patient. There will be another one eventually.

And personally, I wouldn't buy a vehicle that I couldn't examine with Eyeball Mk1 before payment. Or least have someone who I know and whose opinion I trust check it out for me.