FOUND! A truly honest EBayer.

Check this one out.

 

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A non-collector talking about dunking a coin in acetone?
How unusual.

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FOUND! A truly honest EBayer.


Another oxymoron gone!

Thanks for the laugh.

 

I BELIEVE THAT MOST E-BAYERS ARE HONEST. I would say 80% or more.

 

I agree.

 

I use ebay as a seller and a buyer. I am as honest as they come, honest. I have been ripped off once though. Based on the number of different sellers I've dealt with I would have to say that 80% is a low estimate.

 

I believe that there are more honest dealers than there are dishonest dealers, but where are you getting that figure of 80% from?

 

Depends how you count them.

Though I generally agree -- I've done a few hundred buy transactions on eBay, and only been ripped off perhaps about 5 times. Most of the time I've been able to get most, if not all, of my money back from either PayPal or my CC company. On more valuable items, I usually do at least a little bit of research on the seller, and don't generally bid on "too good to be true" items..

However, there're a good number of easily detectable scammers and potentially dishonest sellers that I haven't dealt with, so they aren't counted as I haven't had the displeasure of working with them. Nevertheless, they likely account for quite a few of the listings on eBay that more experienced eBay-ers would quickly pass over.

Just because we haven't dealt with them doesn't mean they aren't there..

 

I have done hundreds of transactions...never been taken...have had a hard time with maybe 2 dealers who made good in the end...so my personal track record on ebay would be easily well over 80% satisfied and the dealers were almost all honest.

 

Problem is that means I got a 1 in 5 chance of getting ripped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That assumes a random sampling...certainly less chance if you are careful.

 

80% is a very low figure. It's that 3-5 % that make the rest look bad. Ebay figures indicate that 3% of ebayers represent 80% of all neg feedbacks received.

 

I'll buy that. It sounds as good as any other figures on the subject.

 

The problem is how many of those 3% to 5% are the so called "power sellers"; and I understand EBay protects and backs them to the hilt when dealing with someone that has had minimal transactions.
Not sure this is true but from what I have heard about EBay I find it NOT hard to believe.
Maybe someone with more EBay experience than I can clairfy the "power seller" protection thing?



"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

 

:hail: Amen, I was ripped off by a "Power Seller" named SLQMAVEN and it was over a small purchase under $10.00 bucks. I sent him the proof set back and just asked for a replacement or credit. He went off on me with foul language and gave me a negative for something I paid bought and paid for, so I gave him a negative, to make a long story short I sent ebay his foul emails and proof of payment through Paypal.

Well, he told me that my neg would be pulled and it was! His on me remains though, my only one to this day. At that time I had a low number of buys. So, I too think that the POWER SELLERS do have the power with ebay.

 

without doubt you need to be the one watching out for yourself there, no one at ebay is looking out for you. I wonder how many people who got scammed did so because they were not careful or didnt know what they were doing yet. Not to say its in any way their fault, just that one needs to know what they are doing because its a fact there are people who are looking to rip you off....like the guy selling old zapped ancient roman copper cheapies as gold. If it looks fishy, too good to be true... I just wont bid, rather pass up a good deal than get ripped. I might get advice from people in the know if I want it bad enough.

Just real quick I will mention the only things bad that have happened to me:

1. Guy selling Indian Annas...I buy one, the one in his listing isnt the one I received...I write him telling him I want one just like the one pictured...he sends another that is. Never use him again but got what I paid for plus a lesser quality Anna.

2. Bid on a coin, later think it is fake. I do not confront him on it being fake but instead tell him my financial situation has changed and I wish to back out of the bid. He allows it...possible problem solved.

3. Had never bought uncleaned before. Bought some and got them and there weren't many good ones in my opinion. So I say this to the seller and he sends more that were better. I then later find out that compared to many ucleaned sellers, the guy was well above average...felt bad

4. Way over paid for a few items either because I didnt know the worth of the item or just wanted it bad, allowed myself to over pay...or I didnt read shipping and realized I was paying 6 dollars for a coin I could get cheaper elsewhere with far less shipping. But these were my fault.



When I saw this coin I was slobbering for it. I looked around for more examples and most I found at the time were in far worse shape for far less than what I ended up paying. Not knowing much about notgeld I paid well over what I eventually found similar quality coins for sale elsewhere...just didnt know the right places to go. I STILL maintain that this coin, in this condition is still not that terribly easy to come by cheap but have found it for sale for far less than what I paid....not broken up though as it is an outstanding coin and estimated book values dont often reflect the market..Still havent found what I think is an equal quality pilot version of this coin.

In fact I think the only time I was ever truly taken was when I bought a coin in person in Rome. I was still very new, saw a Domitian sestersius and bought it, find later that it is, without doubt, a fake and I should have known it.

 

I think a lot of the problem does lie with the power sellers that KNOW they are not giving what they promise.

I don't bid that often but when I do it usually includes real good communication between me and seller before I bid. If I ask a legit question and get no reply I do NOT bid. Simple.

Really only been ripped off once in my ebay "infancy". Bought a roll of average circulatd Standing Liberty and Barber quarters. Never realized that scratching initials into coins was that big back then because over half had that problem. Took my lumps on that one and sold them as junk silver eventually.

I HAVE returned coins on a few occasions and managed to get positive feedback while leaving same. Guess I got lucky there.

Best one was when I won a nice uncirculated 2 Cent Piece. Got the coin in the mail and it WAS nice only problem was that it was an 1865. Guy thought he still had the 66 as it turned out.
Told him I did like the 65 just wasn't willing to pay as much. I shot him an offer and he promply sent money back for the difference.
Could have been disastrous but as it turned out we both kept level heads and both walked away happy with positive feedbacks.

Guess my whole point is to ask questions. I verify return policies and anything else I can think of. I also tell sellers up front that I will return coins so if they don't have what I'm looking for just tell me and I won't bid. Saves us both time in the long run.

 

My experience as a power seller edited - that's a no-no is that ebay will give just a tad more leeway in the case that rules are violated. We will recieve an email explaining a violation rather than a suspension. I bid on one of my own items to get my 1st feedback when I set up a buyers account, and was warned against shill bidding, others would get suspended.

I do not believe we are allowed to break any rules. Power sellers also enjoy being able to get live help ( a human ) and also are given an actual phone number to humans as well.

On the scale of powersellers, I am a bottom feeder, only 3-4K a month in sales, whereas a seller like Abon, I really cannot speak for. Anybody looking into my feedback will see, not all ebayers are bad. I am quite proud of mine.

My one negative was 2 years ago from a buyer that claimed non delivery after signing my signature confirmation slip upon delivery. I refused to reship ( a high end semi key Lincoln ) and he negged me. 3 months later he sold the coin on ebay. Paypal did stand by me on that one as I had proof of delivery. Had he claimed " not as advertised " instead of non delivery, he might have been able to get my $$$ too.

 

Haven't gotten ripped off yet in my first 6 ebay auctions. Keeping fingers crossed for more good luck!

 

Did I say 3-4 a month? Oops sorry, not quite there, I was thinking of something else I guess. I wish...