Positive eBay Experienes
KellenCoin
Posts: 1,236 ✭✭✭✭
There are a good amount of negative eBay experiences on this forum - scammers, odd return stories, etc.
I am curious: What is an exceptionally positive eBay experience you have had, buying or selling?
Thanks!
Fan of the Oxford Comma
CCAC Representative of the General Public
2021 Young Numismatist of the Year
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For one, I buy way to much on eBay. But sometimes the seller will just throw something in. Thought I was getting one tobacco pocket tin, and they sent two. Sometimes its just some wax packs or something. Theres way more good people out there than there are the bad ones. Just keep an eye out for the bad ones!
I've done over 50,000 transactions on eBay (mostly as seller). The number of bad experiences is less than 20.
I purchased an 1815/2 Capped Bust half dollar on eBay (an expensive purchase for me). Even though the coin was PCGS graded and CAC approved, there was a bit of nervousness on my part (whether or not the listing was 'real'). The seller was a professional, but not well-known dealer (you know, those folks we love to eviscerate for all the evils the world ...) and everything went quite smoothly with clear, respectful communication and quick delivery.
Outside of numismatics, I purchased a set of NOS wheel caps for a classic Italian sports car, and one of the four arrived with minor, manufacturer-induced scuffs. Being compulsive, I went back to the eBay seller (car dealership) and asked for a replacement. The parts department rep got back to me immediately with a polite, professional response, sent me a mailing label for the return and then after the item was returned, replaced the part at no cost. Not only did the postage and insurance cost more than the replacement part ... he managed the replacement in the midst of hurricane Irma! Dang!
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
Sold a 1884-cc Morgan in ANACS-65 for about $100 more than I thought it would bring. I was almost sure it would be returned, be it remorse or otherwise, but it didn't boomerang on me so that was pretty good.
Collector, occasional seller
The kind of items I look for, exotic tokens and medals, can only be found on Ebay.
Ebay has helped immensely with my research on the Egyptian Magic Coin and other odd items.
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
Most Ebay transactions are handled successfully. Roll back the fees to 2002 and I would once again be a fan.
Good experiences, but buyer beware, must read all of the details.
My good experiences outweigh the bad by 100+ to 1. I buy and sell there, and while I agree with most people that eBay is greedy and often stupid and I get tired of their crap, it is still the best (and sometimes only) place to buy and sell some really cool stuff. JMHO.
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
I have been sniping unattributed rare die varieties of double dimes on ebay this past year or so, have almost a complete set now. I got a 1876 BF-3r real cheap a few months ago, it was listed as an 1875 quarter. Picked up a few other R-4 to R-6 coins on the cheap on the 'bay which I probably wouldn't be able to afford if they were properly attributed by professional dealers.
Well here goes.....
1) bought a 1913 type one buffalo nickel as uncirculated and it slabbed as matte proof-64 by pcgs (2014)
2) bought a 1915 buffalo as uncirculated at it slabbed matte proof-64 by pcgs (2016)
3) bought a 1916 buffalo as uncirculated and it slabbed matte proof-65 by pcgs (2016)
4) bought a 1917 buffalo nickels as uncirculated and is slabbed matte proof-63 by SEGS. (2016)
5) bought a 1936 buffalo nickel as uncirculated and it slabbed satin finish proof-64 by pcgs.
6) bought a 1913 type one buffalo nickel unattributed and it was slabbed as a 3 & 1/2 legged (die #2) by SEGS, MS63.
7) bought another 1913 type one buffalo nickel unattributed and it was recently slabbed by pcgs as a 3 & 1/2 legged
variety, original die number one in MS60 condition.
8) long time ago I bought a raw 1913 type two buffalo nickel as uncirculated on eBay and had it slabbed as PR63
by SEGS.
As more and more collectors lists their stuff on eBay, as well as dealers, many varieties slip thru the cracks and are
available for purchase at a bargain price. Keep on looking, never know what you may find unless you look once in a while.
a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
My experience is similar, over 18,000 transactions also mostly as a seller since 1997 and I can't remember a handful of bad experiences.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
I can reach a world-wide audience of buyers, while sitting at home in my underwear.
Years ago I purchased two elaborate Middle Eastern jambiya (curved daggers) in velvet lined boxes in a GSA surplus property auction. They were apparently given to US officials or diplomats and they were either not able to keep them or didn’t want them. One was from Oman and the other from Bahrain.
I listed both on eBay and next morning I received a message from an eBay member in Oman. He informed me he was a collector of such things and it looked like the box with the Bahrain coat-of-arms contained a dagger that appeared to be from Oman and the box with the coat-of-arms of Oman contained a dagger that appeared to be from Bahrain. After a few more back and forth messages and some further research it turned out he was correct.
Where else but somewhere like eBay could this happen?
No, he didn’t buy either, but thanks to him I was able to list those correctly thereby avoiding a potential shipping and return nightmare and both reaped a significant profit when they sold.
This is just one of the interesting positive stories I could tell about eBay experiences over the years.
it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide
I've done about 3,000 transactions and almost all of my experiences are good or better than I expect. I've had 1,000 good transactions for every bad transaction. Even the few bad transactions were eventually resolvable to my satisfaction, so I have not really had a terrible transaction to speak of. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones.
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
...I try and make my eBay customers happy...which usually means I end up losing a little bit of money...but this isn’t my game, just playing in it for fun
No, I think your experience is typical. It mirrors mine. It's just that people tend to dwell on the negative, on those rare instances when something bad happens. And, frankly, sometimes we mess up and that results in the "bad experience" but people don't always want to own their mistakes.
Frankly, the same is true of USPS that gets a bad rap. I send thousands of packages per year all over the globe. And, at most, there are a handful of shipping problems per year. Yet if you talk to some people, they make it seem like it's a miracle if a package gets delivered at all.
I bought a car out of Columbus, Ohio about 15 years ago. Still enjoying it as it has been a great car.
Ebay is getting more expensive each year, but it's still the best place for me for buying and selling.
Selling - highest prices I can get.
Buying - I can still find that 'money-making' gem once in a while.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
Stories ? Show me the coin.
There are a few bad apples that usually don't get very far with the higher priced items with their system. There are sellers who unload their problem and other hard to sell items on ebay. Others overprice certified and other items, hoping that unknowledgable buyers will float their boat. I try to sell quality material around Greysheet though selling there including postage averages 11% with the discounts. I would hope that there would be a way to warn unknowledgable sellers giving away rare and valuable coins, someone is losing big on improperly listed collectibles. And you can get excellent deals on electronics, better than Amazon.
In the past.... yep, back when ebay was fairly new, I purchased quite a few things... really had fun sniping. I have always been happy with my purchases. I read the horror stories here and it tends to put me off, but my personal experiences have been good. Cheers, RickO
I'm an amateur compared to many of you but approaching 1500 transactions with few problems.
I've have nothing but good transactions on e-bay over the years. I've probably bought over 100 "PERKINS tokens" and other items on e-bay - I collect tokens, counterstamps, medals, etc. with my last name Perkins on them, including cities and streets with Perkins as part of the name. I've had a lot of fun putting together this collection over the decades.
Here's an example. This is a unique token (only one known to me in 30 plus years of collecting Perkins Tokens) from Perkinstown, Wisconsin, issued by Ernest Westrich, and Good for 5 Cents in Trade in one of his businesses.
....
Photos courtesy of W. David Perkins.
W. David Perkins Numismatics - http://www.davidperkinsrarecoins.com/ - 25+ Years ANA, ANS, NLG, NBS, LM JRCS, LSCC, EAC, TAMS, LM CWTS, CSNS, FUN
Removed posting as somehow it got posted twice.
W. David Perkins Numismatics - http://www.davidperkinsrarecoins.com/ - 25+ Years ANA, ANS, NLG, NBS, LM JRCS, LSCC, EAC, TAMS, LM CWTS, CSNS, FUN
100% positive for me with coins and about 95% with all other purchases.
I once sold two very different draped bust large cents on eBay, while shipping I accidentally swapped the two, the buyer of the $60 coin got the $300 coin, and vice versa.
Both customers were extremely understanding and accommodating, and returned the coins same day as receiving. I sent them both some extra silver coins to make up a little for the mistake, and one actually sent them back with a note saying it wasn't necessary!
It happened early on in my career, I was either 15 or 16, I learned alot from the experience in several aspects.
Ebay rating +4163,
I make a very good living, primarily from ebay sales.
I built a profitable coin business on ebay.
Glad we don't have video hook-up here.
"Power Screwer" . The best compliment I ever got from Russ (RIP).
In over 3000 e-Bay transactions I can only say that 5 or 6 were unpleasant.