eBay

Kurt Becker

Kurt Becker

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So I’ve been purchasing some records and equipment of eBay for this past year; generally speaking it all comes packed well and most dealers are mostly honest-with a grain of salt. A few have been outstanding people that have been helpful and friendly.

I guess what I don’t understand is if you’re selling a piece of equipment (i.e. an amp, CD player, DAC etc.) why sellers don’t bother cleaning up or wiping down the equipment. It seems so basic. Isn’t it? You’re selling equipment to enthusiasts so at least send it clean?
 
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I've sold a few pieces of audio gear on ebay over the years. It was always clean.

I assume some sellers do, and some don't.
 
While it'd be nice. If you get what you want, in the condition that's claimed, at a price you're happy with, you're way ahead of the game. IMO
I pretty much stopped selling on ebay because the seller isn't protected. And... I feel they really gouge you. 10% to ebay and 3.3% to PP:crazy:
 
Seems like CL is way worse as far as people too lazy to even wipe stuff down.
When I see dusty dirty items I figure the seller is a pig, lazy, and does not take good care of their stuff, which in turn makes me far less likely to buy whatever they are offering.
 
nj pheonix said:
While it'd be nice. If you get what you want, in the condition that's claimed, at a price you're happy with, you're way ahead of the game. IMO
I pretty much stopped selling on ebay because the seller isn't protected. And... I feel they really gouge you. 10% to ebay and 3.3% to PP:crazy:
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Seems to me that eBay pricing reflects these charges typically? I find stuff to be on the higher price spectrum with that 'auction site'....
I do agree that sellers are not protected, any complaint will always come back to the seller regardless of who's fault
 
I've been on eBay since 1999 - 22+ years. I've bought audio gear, small appliances, CDs, afew car parts, a Triumph motorcycle and motorcycle parts there.
Don't use it much these days, except for a Sunbeam mixer around Christmas, and it was superb! But - sellers vary.
I've probably had 8 or 10 bad deals out of nearly 400 purchases.
I don't worry if its not spotless when I get it - my concern is just that it works.
The Mixer was clean, but hey, I was going to bake cookies so it got a thorough cleaning first.

BTW - eBay is just another website, making money by providing a service - plenty of them out there.
 
audiocrzy said:
10% is a very fair price to get the world exposure EBay offers. And PayPal has been out of the picture for several months now.
Heavy seller since 1997 and have been very happy with what they offer.
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Agreed. A 10% cut for the exposure and transaction platform is a deal. Just know going in that your $300 receiver is only going to net you $260. Plus there is a pretty nice shipping discount.

CL is worse. People not showing up, low balling, etc.

As for not cleaning, lots of the stuff comes from charity operations, pawn brokers, or estate sale resellers. They are not in the biz. If an individual sends dirty crap, they are just lazy. Everything I sell goes out fully clean and we'll packed. I don't always receive it that way, though.
 
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Kurt Becker said:
So I’ve been purchasing some records and equipment of eBay for this past year; generally speaking it all comes packed well and most dealers are mostly honest-with a grain of salt. A few have been outstanding people that have been helpful and friendly.

I guess what I don’t understand is if you’re selling a piece of equipment (i.e. an amp, CD player, DAC etc.) why sellers don’t bother cleaning up or wiping down the equipment. It seems so basic. Isn’t it? You’re selling equipment to enthusiasts so at least send it clean?
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Great posts!

Cracking up as I’ve had the same thought in the past with some gear. It all depends on the person who is selling the gear.
 
Whenever I find a piece of equipment I can sell, the first thing I do is test it. If it's working, then i'll give it a quick wipedown with isopropyl before taking pictures. I figure it has a better chance of selling if the dust and such is cleaned off.
 
I've been culling a few CD's from my collection and had them on ebay for months. While I have sold a few, just last night I basically gave up and ended the listings. Everyone wants you to basically give them away, at least as far as coming out with anything for myself. All were bought new and were in pristine condition. By the time ebay takes their cut and you pay the post office, I was lucky to clear a buck-fifty per CD with a $5.99 (delivered) selling price. Not worth the effort, really.
 
I honestly tend to prefer when people don't mess with things. I've gotten stuff that was cleaned with the wrong stuff and it resulted in damage. Dirty paper towels, a cleaner with ammonia, and a clear plastic panel always results in a scratched up plastic panel. Send it to me with a decade of attic dust and let me deal with it. Also other people tend to run away from filthy things so I can get it cheaper :)
 
Then there is the argument that many people “like or enjoy” cleaning up their new score. Myself, if the price is right, I would rather do the prettying up.
 
The people your asking about may be the same people you notice at the grocery store or wal mart and think to yourself...geez,looks like that person has been wearing the same clothes for a week,then they walk by and you smell their body odor.
Sorry to go there but some people just don't clean,and that includes themselves.
I have a long time friend,I've know for 40 years,great guy,loving,caring and a great all around good person. He only showers during blue moons. As a friend I have talked to him about this issue,does no good.
 
jdmccall said:
I've been culling a few CD's from my collection and had them on ebay for months. While I have sold a few, just last night I basically gave up and ended the listings. Everyone wants you to basically give them away, at least as far as coming out with anything for myself. All were bought new and were in pristine condition. By the time ebay takes their cut and you pay the post office, I was lucky to clear a buck-fifty per CD with a $5.99 (delivered) selling price. Not worth the effort, really.
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Discogs. That's the answer. Setting up your shipping options and costs is a bit of a bear, but you're selling to people who are looking for music.
 
Generally, I like equipment uncleaned if it's older than say, 20 years and not sold as being restored. This way I have a better idea of how it was cared for and stored. I got a Crown IC-150 and someone had tried cleaning the front bezel and the name Crown is nearly unreadable because the cleaner was too strong. Sigh. Also I enjoy cleaning and minor restoring.
 
Could it be many ebay sellers know they potentally can get more for a "clean" item compared to a dirty dusty one?
Seems like many ebay sellers are running a business, be it big or small, and know cleanliness, good images and informative descriptions might increase their selling price.
CL sellers seem to be mostly selling an occasional (there are exceptions) item and view it more as some pocket money rather than a business where profit can be increased sometimes by such a little thing as wiping the piece down?

I bought a GW vacuum last summer, it was "pretty clean" and I plugged it in and made sure it worked before paying for it.
Got it home and spent a half hour or more really cleaning it. I enjoy doing stuff like that and the results and satisfaction are available in short order.
 
I would think that a seller who is an enthusiast would know and value the equipment, and sell it in as good condition as possible.
Sellers who just want to turn-over various stock don't want to waste time cleaning (even if it might bring more money).

If I get something that's dirty at least I know the true history of the item, and I also know the cleaning will be done using appropriate materials/processes so further damage won't occur.
 
Kurt Becker said:
So I’ve been purchasing some records and equipment of eBay for this past year; generally speaking it all comes packed well and most dealers are mostly honest-with a grain of salt. A few have been outstanding people that have been helpful and friendly.

I guess what I don’t understand is if you’re selling a piece of equipment (i.e. an amp, CD player, DAC etc.) why sellers don’t bother cleaning up or wiping down the equipment. It seems so basic. Isn’t it? You’re selling equipment to enthusiasts so at least send it clean?
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Because I get truck loads to flip.
I’ll wipe off things a bit but no knob polishing.
Once you handle 100 tons of old gear and experience the great state of used gear, after you realize there are many human pigs on earth and many buyers aren’t worth trying to please, you just flip AS-IS.

There is a whole new world of knowledge and experience waiting for anyone bold enough and strong enough to become a professional audio flipper.

To put it in perspective. I have hit $100k in total PayPal transaction in a year. I may get and extra $1k or $5k for cleaner and prettier. I will also lose $1k or $5k to the A-holes that think looks perfect, must be like new and work perfect. Not that it’s 20-20-30-40 years old. They whine and return stuff.

Anymore, I don’t have time to fix because there is a river of gear. I sell broken AS-IS a lot now.

I also found out junk and crap sells. Once I stopped trashing that stuff on sight, the load to flip increased. So quantity is the key. Move it, move it, move it.

To defend my attitude, you must realize what it takes to move quantity. Many try, many die.
 
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