most of us badmouth ebay...

GoldenEyeNumismatics · January 21, 2007 8:16AM

but how many of us sell on ebay also? I sell on ebay, but also admit that there is a lot of crap out there.

SilverEagles92 · January 21, 2007 8:18AM

I do occasionally. eBay is FULL of crap.

NumisOxide · January 21, 2007 8:23AM

I sell on there also, but you do really have to filter out a lot crap to find the "good stuff".

p8nt · January 21, 2007 8:26AM

I think the majority of us, including myself, sell on Ebay.

Hyperion · January 21, 2007 8:28AM

people make fun of it, and their % take, but it provides an extremely visible venue for schmoes like us to sell to a HUGE audience where otherwise, we'd have NONE.

that goes for ebay, and if ebay didn't exist, whatever else would rise up to take it's place !

Colorfulcoins · January 21, 2007 8:35AM

I don't badmouth ebay - its a great place for a knowledgeable collector. Given its sight-unseen and there are predators a-plenty, if you don't know what you're doing (like anything else), you are on your own. However, I consistently find good bargins and that keeps me coming back. I also sell and quite a bit of what I sell is in the $10-150 range which is a sweet spot for ebay.

LindeDad · January 21, 2007 8:41AM

I buy and sell there. But it sure taught me the value of PCGS plastic. It is just that you need to learn the warning signs and heed them.

AUandAG · January 21, 2007 9:16AM

When I was young all I could afford was crap. That's how most of us got started.
Pocket change and ugly fill the slot crappos. I personally think ebay has a place and
it's a big, no BIG, coin store. You can get anything and everything from the crap to
the crapper

all at one stop shopping. GO EEEEBAY!

bob

DHeath · January 21, 2007 9:21AM

My experience with Ebay has been quite good, and it makes EVERYTHING liquid.

Omega · January 21, 2007 9:23AM

Yup, I sell. Only had one bad experience and it turned out o.k. after a few headaches.

ttown · January 21, 2007 9:29AM

Some of the best Pocket Watches I've seen have been on the Bay. It's really opened up the collectables markets on hard to find items and in many fields you have knowledge of what you collect you get some real deals.

mrmom · January 21, 2007 9:33AM

Without ebay I would have never gone into coins

long live the ebay and the US mint too

David

TwoSides2aCoin · January 21, 2007 9:37AM

21Walker · January 21, 2007 9:43AM

I have never bad mouthed EBAY. I only sell once a quarter, describe the coins accuratly, don't make money on shipping and offer a return. I take descent pix of the coins. People bid, one wins and pays (never had a NPB & only one return which I refund promptly). Their charges are something we have to live with.

On the buying side, I buy alot on EBAY. You have to look at what is a good deal, avoid the 'no paypal' folks and the jerks that charge $4 -$6 for shipping. You also have to keep away from the high negative feedback sellers, the obviously Chinese dealers. Oh, and did I say common sense has to kick in?

I think EBAY for us collectors is the best thing to come along since sliced bread in that it gives the collector a resource to unload coins with out going to a dealer (possibly one) in you neck of the woods that will give you crap as he/she knows they have a monopoly!!!!

Rick

jabba · January 21, 2007 9:47AM

E-bay is a big mine field that if navigated correctly can yield some nice coins.

ajia · January 21, 2007 9:56AM

....avoid the 'no paypal' folks and the jerks that charge $4 -$6 for shipping.

I'd be happy if all they charged for shipping was $4-$6, as long as it was sent in a bubble mailer with ins.
$6-$9postage, then shipped the coin wrapped in paper towels & an envelope with 90C postage is what pisses me off.

Still, I buy quite a bit, but rarely sell through eBay.

notwilight · January 21, 2007 10:03AM

Good point. The loudest criticism comes from the most infrequent users. I defend ebay as a safe place if you use common sense.

As for shipping charges, just compare total prices. The coins I shipped yesterday cost $14 incuding insurance.

As for paypal, everybody has an opinion on whether paypal sucks or paypal rules so I accept it but don't require it. It's very hard to make everyone happy. I fully understand why some sellers don't take it. Those who don't understand this probably haven't looked at fees lately.

--Jerry

StampAlarm · January 21, 2007 10:06AM

I like to consign coins for eBay. But, I've been losing money. So, I found an old fashioned mailbid auction where I get charged a straight 6%. I put the same type of coins...stuff like PCGS graded, circ, 32-D & S 25C and 38-D 50C...just collector stuff in there that I was consigning for eBay and doing great with it. The last coin I bought on the net was off of Yahoo auctions.

Jerry

21Walker · January 21, 2007 10:06AM

I'm with you all the way ajia. These people want to recoup all their EBAY & PAYPAL fees at our expense. I don't even look at their listings. The kicker here is that they say insurance is extra.

When I see this, I just move on. I have no problem with an EBAY seller that issues $6-$10 shipping when they declare Priorty shipping insurance included. Usually when this is the case and the coin warrants it, I'm good with it...............Rick

IrishMike · January 21, 2007 10:06AM

Most of the folks who bad-mouth ebay constantly bad-mouth everything and everyone but themselves. I don't take them very seriously. It has its good points and its problems, but name a business that doesn't.

dthigpen · January 21, 2007 10:08AM

<< Most of the folks who bad-mouth ebay constantly bad-mouth everything and everyone but themselves. I don't take them very seriously. It has its good points and its problems, but name a business that doesn't. >>

LincolnCentMan · January 21, 2007 10:11AM

I dont bad mouth ebay as a buyer. I'm certainly not pleased with their fees as a seller. Infact, my sells on ebay were down 75% this last year compaired to the year before solely b/c I felt their fees were exorbent compaired to the service they provide. This year, I suspect I will sell next to nothing on ebay.

-David

dthigpen · January 21, 2007 10:17AM

<< I dont bad mouth ebay as a buyer. I'm certainly not pleased with their fees as a seller. Infact, my sells on ebay were down 75% this last year compaired to the year before solely b/c I felt their fees were exorbent compaired to the service they provide. This year, I suspect I will sell next to nothing on ebay.

-David >>

Compared to alternate auction venues, and given the exposure you get, their fees are relatively low. You get what you pay for.

ttown · January 21, 2007 10:19AM

Sure beats taking them to the local coin store for a s-job.

21Walker · January 21, 2007 10:31AM

What i said as far as locl dealers...........Rick

pocketpiececommems · January 21, 2007 10:36AM

I haven't sold on ebay but I sure have bought alot of my Pocketpiece and holed commemoratives there. It has something for everyone. If you are buying you have to be carefull no matter where you buy weither it be a shops, shows or ebay or where ever.

BlindedByEgo · January 21, 2007 10:57AM

<< Most of the folks who bad-mouth ebay constantly bad-mouth everything and everyone but themselves. I don't take them very seriously. It has its good points and its problems, but name a business that doesn't. >>

Great points.

I bought and sold coins before Ebay, and became a relatively early participant there.

Nothing - NOTHING - has changed the collectables business as much as the internet. Especially Ebay.

From the average Joe who wants to liquidate a few coins... To the individual seller who doesn't want the overhead of a B&M store... To the B&M operator that wants an additional outlet for inventory - nothing beats Ebay, at least in terms of sheer bang for the buck.

You think that Ebay is expensive? Retail space is at least $2.50 per square foot... Get 2000-3000 squre feet of that, insurance, fixtures, telephone, water, gas, electric, a safe... You haven't even advertised yet...

All of a sudden a few percent doesn't seem so darn bad

21Walker · January 21, 2007 11:33AM

BlindedBy Ego...............You summed it up correctly.............Rick

Joflax · January 21, 2007 11:40AM

Without Ebay I wouldnt be a collector and would not have met some of the coolest likeminded people.
I think it has been the biggest contibutor to our hobby since the advent of the first mint

rec78 · January 21, 2007 12:12PM

I love ebay. I like buying and selling there even though i haven't sold anything lately. There are many, many, bargains for the astute knowlegable collector. Not just in coins but for almost anything. Sure you have to weed out a lot of undesirables but being able to sell or buy anything without leaving my house is awesome. And Anytime i feel like it. Day or night..
There will always be undesirables,crooks, cheats, in all walks of life. With practice (and advice sometimes from this forum), it is not too hard to weed them out.

SUMORADA · January 21, 2007 12:27PM

ebay i think does a good job in general,like the other guy said it makes everything liquid!

swest · January 21, 2007 1:28PM

I truly love Ebay and how much it has impacted our over all culture. As I sell more stuff on there, I do feel like it is getting a bit too expensive when dealing with both Ebay and Paypal. However, Ebay has brought quite a few good things to all of us. And I have to say that overall it has been a great tool for me for so many items. Heck, I use it all the time to shop price now for all kinds of things I buy at the store. So it is very value-added for what I pay to sell things.

Swest

COINB0Y · January 21, 2007 2:02PM

BlindedByEgo

Great Post!

flaminio · January 21, 2007 2:06PM

I buy and sell on eBay. Sturgeon's Law applies. The trick is knowing what the other 5% is.

Elcontador · January 21, 2007 2:35PM

Three or four years ago, I signed up for an E-Bay account, and spend an hour looking at coins. There was such much **** and it was so hard for me to find anything I thought was decent, that I have never been back there. I never have, nor will I ever buy a coin from that website.

thisnamztaken · January 21, 2007 5:45PM

I sell a few things there and buy a few also. I think both eBay and Paypal provide a great service for coin buyers and sellers, but like others have said, there are a lot of mis-represented, overgraded, etc. coins listed so (unknowledgeable) buyer, beware!
I honestly believe that about 85% of the raw coins I see listed on eBay are either over-graded by one or more grades or, if they are accurately graded, they are substantially over-priced! That's just a given it seems, on eBay listings.

lordmarcovan · January 21, 2007 5:49PM

Ebay is great. It is a giant, global flea market. (Yeah, I know- I've used that metaphor before.)

Like any flea market, there are good sellers and sleazy sellers. A few bargains and unrecognized treasures, and a lot of junky crap.

You just have search carefully, and exercise a little caution and common sense, that's all.

And patiently sift through heaps of trash to find the occasional gem.

LincolnCentMan · January 21, 2007 9:34PM

Compared to alternate auction venues, and given the exposure you get, their fees are relatively low. You get what you pay for.

This is true if you have no where to go with a coin. Most coins that I have now, I can sell directly without involving ebay... often directly to dealers. The bottom line is that as a customer, I can take it or leave it. And right now I tend to leave it far more than I take it.

-David

ebaytrader · January 21, 2007 9:40PM

<< 

<< I dont bad mouth ebay as a buyer. I'm certainly not pleased with their fees as a seller. Infact, my sells on ebay were down 75% this last year compaired to the year before solely b/c I felt their fees were exorbent compaired to the service they provide. This year, I suspect I will sell next to nothing on ebay.

-David >>

Compared to alternate auction venues, and given the exposure you get, their fees are relatively low. You get what you pay for. >>

Ebay is incredibly overpriced for the services and results rendered.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 21, 2007 9:45PM

<< Three or four years ago, I signed up for an E-Bay account, and spend an hour looking at coins. There was such much **** and it was so hard for me to find anything I thought was decent, that I have never been back there. I never have, nor will I ever buy a coin from that website. >>

It ain't so bad for some of us who are not as well to do as some here.

Widgets are for ebay and PEOPLE are for widgets

BAJJERFAN · January 21, 2007 9:58PM

<< Three or four years ago, I signed up for an E-Bay account, and spend an hour looking at coins. There was such much **** and it was so hard for me to find anything I thought was decent, that I have never been back there. I never have, nor will I ever buy a coin from that website. >>

First off that website doesn't sell coins, AFAIK you can't buy a coin from eBay; however you can buy from those folks who CHOOSE to list their wares there.

<<There was such much **** and it was so hard for me to find anything I thought was decent>>

From many of the comments here this sounds exactly like the big coins shows. If there is a lot of tired misgraded junk at shows doesn't it stand to reason that there might at least be a proportional amount on the Bay?

seemyauction · January 21, 2007 10:34PM

eBay is a Love-Hate thingy with me.....

I love the fact that they provide a way for people to market their goods to the world that works.....

I hate the fact that I gave them $12,000 in fees for 2006, $10,000 in 2005, $9,000 on 2004, $5,000 in 2003......it goes clear back to 1998 for me and my fees then were about $2000

We shipped over 5000 packages last year.
When you break that down the average is about 20 packages a day......

AL

Elcontador · January 23, 2007 5:43AM

First off that website doesn't sell coins, AFAIK you can't buy a coin from eBay; however you can buy from those folks who CHOOSE to list their wares there.

I know that, but it really doesn't matter who is selling stuff if it doesn't interest me.

From many of the comments here this sounds exactly like the big coins shows. If there is a lot of tired misgraded junk at shows doesn't it stand to reason that there might at least be a proportional amount on the Bay?

That's why I don't go to many shows, either.

We all have to make decisions on what is best to do with our time. I don't have the time to spend / waste looking at material which doesn't interest me. When I go to a show these days, for the most part, I'm there to say 'hello' to friendly faces. I really don't expect to see many coins which interest me. I only bought one coin at a show all last year.

JJM · January 23, 2007 6:46AM

Ive purchased about 100 or so coins off ebay and only have had 1 bad experiance, and that was with how it was shipped...

most of us badmouth ebay...

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