Ebay opinions

Another new guy here.
I've been collecting for about 15 years off and on. Due to my location and family/work commitments, getting to a coin show is a rare experience for me. Over the past few months I have started more actively scouring Ebay and think I've made some good purchases. I was hoping to hear input on members opinions and experiences with both buying and selling online.
It seems like I could be much more involved in the hobby this way but I don't want to lose my shirt doing it.

 

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ive got some good stuff on ebay, especially sets and certified coins, you just have to be careful and do some research

 

Ebay can be a good place to buy coins , but it can also be a nightmare . You should get Scott Tvavers book , Coin Collectors Survival Manual , it's a must read for any collector , but runs you through buying coins on Ebay , and with all the counterfeits and bad pictures and wild claims some make , it'll save you money in the long run , plus that is just one of of many areas it covers .
rzage

 

Ebay is a must for some of us who live in a coin collecting black hole. Best thing is to to research you purchases before you bid. Get someone who has a good feed back score. You will build some relationships with some real honest dealers.

 

I buy on eBay when the correct coin gets listed.
"Correct" coin for me means:
- issue/date/mm/grade that I need for my collection (no impulse buying)
- slabbed by PCGS or NGC (I do NGC Registry Sets so this is necessary)
- correct price (my max bid is about halfway between the greysheet and Coin Values values)
- seller has feedback that demonstrates reliability (enough feedbacks [50+] with a high rating [98+%]). And other indicators such as no excessive difficulties recently (if so, then I have to review each bad f/b individually and try to read between the lines).
- if I'm waivering about whether to bid, I JUST SAY "NO"!

I see lots of good coins on eBay but 80-90% of the time the bidding blows pass my max.
I just say, "I pass. Maybe next time the price will be correct for me".

 

I Think it depends on what you buy and who you buy from. Every purchase from eBay has been a good one for me, but there are definitely red flags that defer me from a sketchy auction.

 

I've purchased hundreds of coins on ebay with only one bad experience. In that case, it was only a dollar coin and no big deal. I did leave her a negative feedback. As mentioned already, do your research prior to buying. Read the description of the article very closely. The shipping can cost more than the coin so factor that into the equation. Only buy coins with good pics and make sure it is a pic of the real coin. I only buy coins from sellers with feedback ratings over 99% and usually ones with ratings above 99.5%. Also, I only buy from sellers with over 100 transactions. Always give a feedback once you receive and inspect your coin(s). Feedback is a key thing for everyone on ebay. I only buy from sellers that use paypal. If you have to write checks and wait to have them clear, it is a real pain. Also, I pay very quickly via paypal to assure my 100% rating. I would never buy coins from sellers from certain countries (China comes to mind). I like ebay and buy lots of coins and other stuff. I've actually had less success at auctions and coin shows. ebay allows you much more time to look at the pics and read the description. You can also do it from the security of your own home.

 

If you buy from eBay and use PayPal to pay for the items marked "and your full purchase price is covered" you are guaranteed satisfaction or your money back (usually including shipping one way). All you should be out is your shipping and some time. What better deal do you think you can find elsewhere?

 

I left negative feedback on seller and he came back and added to FB he left,that I tried to swap coins when asking for a return.Also it occurred to me that people probably also view people who leave negative feedback suspiciously.That's just the feeling I got.It's those stars that ebay counts as to what discounts or fees are set for sellers.

 

I found you don't get any kind of deal if the seller refuses returns.

 

A seller can't refuse a return if you use PayPal no matter what they say in their TOS.
And the only official payment method according to eBay is PayPal.

If the buyer and seller negotiate a different payment method outside of eBay channels (MO, personal check, cash, etc.) then the buyer loses his protection.
In fact in these cases the seller can file a NPB. Now the buyer is REALLY stuck.
Of course if the seller can't prove delivery (D/C, Registered, etc.) then the buyer can file a NPS. Now the seller is REALLY stuck. Remember, this (D/C, Registered, etc.) is for the seller's protection.

And then there's the SNAD. That's a whole 'nother can of worms.

 

I have found that PayPal refunds everything you do not like - including shipping and restocking fees. Ask wmsjewelers.

 

Thanks for the advice. I had forgotten that I have this book I have the forth addition though and am concerned it may be a bit dated. I give it another read.

 

Does anybody sell much on Ebay. I've found some good deals on coins I don't need though that tends to use up my cash. I only have 12 feedbacks so far.

 

I filed claim with ebay the seller would not answer emails,refuse contact and ebay came back and said seller does not accept refunds,which is what his auction and numerous others say.So I filed a claim and they reach him and he told them I tried to swap the coin for another before returning it.I had not ever got a response from here.Ebay says they would represent him in my dispute against him on his behalf.I got nothing,it went his way.There was some mumbo jumbo about you have to return something to get something at the end of their decision but the case had been closed according to them.

 

I have developed some good relationships with trustworthy eBay sellers. I have a few that specialize in what I collect and whenever I'm ready for another purchase, all I have to do is call them or send an email and they either have or will get me what I want at a reasonable price with no eBay involvement or fees. Relationships with dealers that you trust and respect are the name of the game for most successful collectors.

 

About the same thing happened to me. The was about the last ebay auction I paid cash with. There is only maybe 1 or 2 sellers I will pay with cash. Now I use a credit card. The reason is because my father bought a fake coin in a auction with no return and when he called paypal they said no returns in the auction - he said fine I will just call back my credit card company and dispute it with them. They changed their mind and refunded his money completely - and they did not even make him send the coin back. So I was burned once by paypal and I will not let it happen again. So use a credit card - then if happy with the coin send the money to the credit card. I still follow a lot of what Kanga stated - I skip a lot of auctions(even graded) because of bad pictures.

 

Can I get your opinion? I was curious if anyone has seen this before.

1918 Walking Liberty Half - Ebay item 370313670596

Coin has something between her right sandal and TRUST.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Chuck

 

That is interesting. A die flaw would be my guess. It seems to flow from the hem-line.

 

A lot depends on what kind of coins a person is buying, and how much price matters to the buyer. Novices looking for bargains often get burned badly with overgraded raw coins, problem raw coins, or "third world" certified coins, or marginal certified coins in major brand holders. There is no set of cliches that will protect a person.

That said, some decent coins are available at fair prices. A person buying average looking certified coins in major brand holders will tend to avoid most of the pitfalls.

There are some kinds of coins that have become very dangerous to buy. Early type coins, certain key date coins are now being widely counterfeited, along with counterfeit slabs to match. These coins I would not buy from unknown sellers. It used to be that avoiding sellers from a certain country would be enough to avoid these, but the fakers have found U. S. accomplices. Most photos are not good enough to detect a well made fake in a well made fake slab. Most collectors can't authenticate with the coin in hand. This can be a recipe for bad news.