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eBay Etiquette

DRD

DRD

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1 10 Years
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Oct 26, 2014
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Newark
Over the past 3 months I have been trying to buy a couple of games to fill my new games room. So far I have picked up a TZ from ebay that was properly described.

I have found though that many eBay sellers just do not know what they are talking about, or they are liars. You ask a question like "are any of the plastics or ramps cracked or chipped", they say "no"

You then drive an hour to see it and within 10 seconds spot that two new ramps and a plastics set are required

So far I have never bid on an unseen game, but it might happen one day.

What would you do if you were told "no broken or cracked ramps or plastics", bought the game unseen (planned to pay cash), but when you arrived the machine was worse than described

Thanks
 
i`ve bought a pin unseen as a buy it now, took the cash with me to pick it up, was very happy as it was as described, however if it was n`t there is nothing that they can do if you want to walk away, offer less if you really want the pin but as sellers they can not leave you negative feedback on ebay;)
 
There is no guarantee of etiquette on eBay these days there are too many shysters
I don't even consider a machine if it originates from Blackpool and there are many other common sellers that turn out to be
crooked one way or another with blatant shill bidding ,dodgy descriptions, misrepresentation etc

I bought my first m/c (JD) off eBay and I was lucky it was a well known member selling it.
The only one (STTNG) I bought unseen was from Scotland off the old( yahoo wet paint wiki) which also turned out to be a good one.

If you must buy off the bay you must view it first or at least be prepared to walk away if its not good enough when you pick it up.

I can see a few horror stories turning up again
 
There is no pin etiquette on ebay.. simples...

Not that i'm distrusting, however if i was looking at a pin i would always buy with cash - that way you are always covered under the "nope it's not as described" banner..
 
Wow Im quite surprised by these responses - all three above me say they would turn up but then not buy (or offer less) even though they chose to buy without seeing it. Seems a bit off to me. Just saying
 
I don't see what you are trying to say Dan other than playing an antagonist role again.;)
 
I think the challenge is that pinballs are remarkably difficult to describe in a meaningful (comparable) way and with eBay, you never know whether the auction will actually see the genuine winning bidder getting the game.

To view every one you fancy on eBay could take up weekend after weekend. After burning up britain's roads, you then spot one you like on an informed basis. You then run the risk the seller does a cash deal. Or you get outbid. Or you get shillyed. Or they pull the game. So you may have travelled yet another wasted journey, even when you finally do like what you see !
 
Good point John, it is a role I enjoy. I think what I mean is that if you made a contract to buy based on some genuine photos of that machine, it's not fair on the seller to turn up and kick the tyres and suck through your teeth and say you're not paying. By clicking to buy it, you stopped someone else from buying.

I know that we are talking about buying from a stranger and that we don't owe them anything and it's not like stiffing a friend. But it's ****ing annoying when someone does it to you (happened to me with a running machine I sold). It's not fair for the seller to take all the crap.

This is why Paul is quite right when he says there is no etiquette on eBay. You takes your chances. That's why nobody likes it.
 
Simple solution - don't buy off ebay. If you are patient enough you will be able to buy the machine you want from the forum - and at a lower price.
 
cooldan said:
Wow Im quite surprised by these responses - all three above me say they would turn up but then not buy (or offer less) even though they chose to buy without seeing it. Seems a bit off to me. Just saying
Click to expand...

But.....if you have been misled regarding condition and you consider it to have been deliberate (ie not just a non pinhead seller genuinely not knowing there were problems) would you just hand over the full price?

I've bought games in the past where I've turned up and been disappointed but gone through with the deal anyway because it was 'near enough' and I wanted the game, but if I thought the above applied I wouldn't feel obligated to do so.
 
mark9 said:
Simple solution - don't buy off ebay. If you are patient enough you will be able to buy the machine you want from the forum - and at a lower price.
Click to expand...
This, this, this!

I bought Spiderman off Replicas without having seen the machine in person before, I knew because of who it was from it would be a good'un. Would never, ever even pass thought of doing that through a pinball from eBay, it's like the Wild West on there. Even if you get a chance to see one, there's so much that can be disguised on a pinball to make it look better than it really is that it may not be worth the risk. Expect the worst from any machine you look at on there.
 
Dan
I have only sold one m/c on eBay at BIN price 650 for (DM) listed all minor faults and believe me they were minor, First buyer was a complete ass#hole dreamer.
Relisted and buyer came and made various offers below BIN price but held out and buyer paid up what the was contracted to pay.
then sold it for 800 six months later.

do I want to sell on eBay again like fcuk
 
eBay is a pain the ass, but a necessary evil sometimes . I have sold and bought many machines on the bay of doom and most of the time been ok, you can get a feel for a machine and it can be quiet a rush waiting to see what turns up on the back of the courier van.
Although saying that I would rather buy and sell within the pin community every single day of the week. You should see some of the dumb ass questions I am getting on my x - dudes.
 
Pinball perils eh.....

I won a Whitewater off Ebay and drove all the way to London to pickup to find it was a real dog and loads worse than described. Told seller I was walking away as not described properly, he took it on the chin and asked me to make an offer. Did so at roughly 60% of the winning price and he agreed. Wasn't a blag, I intended to leave it behind but reluctantly went for a project (my first) rather than have a wasted journey. Drove home thinking what the hell have I taken on..... Looks great now though in its new home.

Only bought unseen from Ebay once (other than pics) at a high price and got bit hard. Most on here know the story, seller dropped names I knew to endorse his machines and talked it up to make sh*te sound like gold. It cost me another £800 to make as nice as he made out. Anything sold in Hove, check it out in person.

But anyway, you're right, I'd say it's weighted towards the dishonest or ignorant on there.
 
I've yet to buy a machine from ebay, but I still check it every day just in case something good comes up.

Have bidded on loads of machines but never won anything, they always seem to go for higher than they are worth, whether or not they are shilled you never seem to get a decent final price. One of my machines was bought off ebay by the previous owner, and was sold as described, so there are some decent sellers out there.

Will you should post them Xmen questions, should make entertaining reading :D
 
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