bad situation on e-bay

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Wilkie

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Off the point of the original topic, however, I disagree with some of you in that things often sell for more than they are worth on eBay. There is a certain amount of competiveness that causes people to bid more (sometimes) then if they were to buy the same item at a bottle show. Another thing, some are griping that people don't want to pay what an item is worth........what is wrong with that, don't we all like to get a good deal? I know I am always looking for good deals and ALWAYS make lower offers on bottles I find in antique stores or bottle shows. It's not that I'm trying to get one over on anyone, I just simply like to save money where I can. The seller has the option of refusing the offer if he thinks it's too low.
 

NYCFlasks

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I have had pretty good luck on eBay, having had the same registered name for a shy 10 years now.
Have sold some, and the prices ranged from very good for me, to very good for the buyer. All in all a crap shoot.
I mostly buy for my collection, and have had only one what I would call bad time. Purchased a peice of Brooklyn pottery, from the Charles Graham Chemical Pottery Works, and it arrived very, very poorly packed, and broken. A number of emails to the seller with no reply, so I sent it back. Checked his feedbacks, and quite a few negs, all for shipping related issues.
I heard from him, gave me contact info for his partner (the shipper). This shipper guy was a real turkey. Seems that he had been caught shipping contraband by UPS, and UPS was not processing his packages as a result, but he kept on using UPS. So all his packages were ending up the "dead letter office" so to say.
So, in the end, the seller replaced the broken item, turns out he had two of them, and I retracted my neg, and gave him a positive, as I really thought the seller went above and beyond by replacing the damaged item.
In nearly 10 years on eBay, with over 500 completed transactions, this was my worst experience, and in the end, it worked out.
 

tigue710

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I could go on and on, five bad pot stones, unmentioned, only one corrected by the seller, had a wolfes show up in pieces and never got my money, probably about 10 bottles with unmentioned flea bites and a few more with chips. Had a nice Ellenville glass works show up with cracks in the base... what else... A congress and empire springs which had a chip in the base, but the seller had put felt on the base and covered it, (what an ass), no refund, theres more, but I think that gets my point across... o yea, my last buy on ebay, a summer winter flask with what was described as a flea bite, a 1/4 chunk out of the base. The seller exclaimed that they had posted pictures and were not liable, thats when I just gave up and said no more... of about 30 damaged bottles I bought on e-bay as mint, a total of 2-3 grand spent, only one, a pot stone that cracked while being shipped was refunded, by bottleski, who also let me keep the bottle. George is a great guy...

whats wrong with selling stuff cheap you want to know? i guess you get all your bottles free. When I buy a bottle I expect to able to sell it for equal or greater value, if I sell 20-40 bottles a month, and loose money on half of them, why would I bother selling bottles? Well I dont anymore! I'll be sure to show up when your gone and offer your family 20% of what your collection is worth if thats what makes you happy! Geesh... you seem like a good guy Wilkie but thats about the stupidest thing I've ever heard anyone say...

I might of over reacted here, sorry for that. E-bay is a sore spot for me...
 

danboone

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eBay is not for everyone. I've been at it since 1997, have 100% feedback and have done very, very well selling bottles. Sure, there are bad sellers and bad buyers out there, but a little homework will save lots of headaches later. Look at feedback whether a buyer or seller...it says alot. Use the blocked bidder's list to prevent deadbeats from messing w/you again. My bone to pick is w/eBay itself. First they got you with their listing fees, then it was the percentage of what you sold, and now it's to the point of forcing you to use PayPal (also eBay's) where they slap another percentage on you as a seller. Up to now, it's been easy to state 'accept cashier's checks and money orders' in the auction narrative, but I hear eBay is getting ready to force the use of PayPal or else. That's when I retire. All in all, I've dealt with some of the most honest people in the world on eBay. Only one or two bad apples (non-payer deadbeat bidders or 'item not as described' sellers) in all my years of buying and selling.
 

ombudsman

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A philosophical question: If a bottle is listed on eBay and is viewed by (presumably) many, many prospective buyers, doesn't the selling price fairly accurately reflect what the bottle is "worth"? It seems to me that eBay has become the great equalizer, making it much harder to score real "steals" at rural antique shops; most dealers use the internet now and can see what things are "worth."

By the same token, the buyer can see that the overpriced bottle in a shop or at a show could be acquired on eBay at a better price. "Worth" becomes more general and less localized.
 

Wilkie

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This reply is 5 months late but I just saw Tigues comment to me and was blown away by his response. I feel compelled to reply. First of all he said that my comment was the stupidest thing he's ever heard anyone say! Really! Everyone should fork over the asking price for every bottle they want to buy? Why? Your the seller, you are in control, if you don't like the offer, "don't sell", sounds pretty simple to me. I'm not talking about eBay here, I'm talking bottle shows, antique stores, dark alley's......whatever. When I go to a bottle show, like most people, if I see something I like, I'll ask what the price is. If it is more than I want to pay, I'll make him an offer, if we don't agree, I'll politely tell him thank you and move on. I "think" this is pretty reasonable, am I really "STUPID" Matt for doing this? That was a pretty harsh thing to say in my oppinion and pretty uncalled for. Everyone is entitled to their oppinion and I am pretty sure that almost everyone would like to get a good deal, and not so they can gloat and say, "Hey, that idiot Matt just sold me this 10 dollar bottle for 5 bucks". 'cmon Matt, how "stupid" is that? If you really feel that way Matt, maybe you shouldn't put yourself in that position. I wouldn't want you to have a heart attack because someone makes you a low offer on something.
 

T D

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ORIGINAL: ombudsman

A philosophical question: If a bottle is listed on eBay and is viewed by (presumably) many, many prospective buyers, doesn't the selling price fairly accurately reflect what the bottle is "worth"? It seems to me that eBay has become the great equalizer, making it much harder to score real "steals" at rural antique shops; most dealers use the internet now and can see what things are "worth."

By the same token, the buyer can see that the overpriced bottle in a shop or at a show could be acquired on eBay at a better price. "Worth" becomes more general and less localized.



I just re-read this since this came back to the top and this is very well said. I too get a little weary listening to someone say a bottle is or isn't worth that. Whatever two people are willing to bid it up too is pretty good for me
 

Lordbud

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Besides ebay changing what is available in a retail setting for a set price (anyone checked out any California antique shops/collectives the past several years -- they're full of crap -- the good stuff is posted on ebay these days), ebay also sets those with the deepest pockets against each other for the most desirable bottles, or bottles no one knew were so desirable until a new record price is set on close of auction.

Two deep pocket collectors "setting the value" of a given bottle is unfair to the hobby as a whole, pricing new collectors out of the market. Does a formerly $10 dollar amber drugstore bottle from San Francisco magically become "worth more" because two deep pocket collectors bid it up to $200+ on ebay...?

I'm sure ebay and other online auctions have been a boon to those with top shelf bottles for sale who are in it for the money. As discussed in other threads ebay can also be hit or miss depending on any number of variables -- however any bottle not meeting reserve or high starting bid can always be sold at the next show if it's really worth what the seller's asking, right?
 

bottle_head9

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I got ripped off from mr.bottledigger1 on ebay. I sent him a money order for $22.00.He wrote me back and said he dropped the bottle and cracked it.He then said, what do you want me to do? There are no refunds on my listing and the crack really isn`t that bad. I simply replied, Just send me my money back.I never recieved my money.I even contacted him and said send the broken bottle,no reply.I went through the ebay motions and nothing was done.Somehow ebay talked me into closing the case.I was only able to leave neg feedback, thats it.I just checked mr.bottledigger1`s feedback and he currently has 10 negatives in past 6 months.Why doesn`t ebay shut him down?As far a ebay goes, I believe you can get good deals if your patient and know what your looking for.I`ve found that when I`m spontanious about my bidding, I usually end up with somethig I really didn`t want.
 

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