CamdenRob Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) Hi Guys, I'm after some advice from the ebay initiated... I've just listed some guitar cabs for the first time, I've never used ebay before. I followed what seemed like the right thing to do, set a reserve price, set collection only etc... The advert looks ok but are there any pitfalls I should be watching out for? It's not set to automatically accept low bids or anything silly like that? What happens if the reserve is not met? Presumably the advert just disappears? Any advice appreciated Edited February 19, 2016 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Collection/Delivery - Have you got this nailed down tight? If it is an auction and not a BIN then people can make silly low bids and they will be accepted automatically, likely no decent bids to the last minute (assuming you started the opening bid low). Reserve - If it isn't met, it can be relisted after any tweaks you might want to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Heard of some cases where the buyer pays by paypal but collects in person. The buyer then says they have paid but haven't received the item. There's no way you can prove that they havent either so, paypal will refund their money. Add cash on collection only to the listing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Bassman Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 You might get some questions such, as how much is the reserve? You might also get some chancers asking how much to end it early. If you've set a reserve then stick to it. Also make sure you've set your shipping terms IE no shipping overseas. You can also restrict bids to people with no feed back or negative feedback. Worth looking at these if you weren't aware? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 Thanks chaps I have not set a reserve, but I have set a minimum starting bid so I presume that protects me from it automatically accepting low bids? The ad says collection only in the shipping bit so it looks like I've got that bit right. I have set it up to accept paypal, but reading the above this may be an error if it's super easy for me to get swindled? Should I change the ad to cash on collection only? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have a feeling you can't refuse to accept paypal... though if it is collection only, that may be an exception. Just don't take a paypal payment then let them collect or to organise their own courier; if having it couriered 'you' need to have the proof it was dispatched. The low bid matter is straightforward - if you have set the start bid at £50 then no bid below £50 will be accepted, any bid above that will be though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1455874945' post='2983092'] Thanks chaps I have not set a reserve, but I have set a minimum starting bid so I presume that protects me from it automatically accepting low bids? The ad says collection only in the shipping bit so it looks like I've got that bit right. I have set it up to accept paypal, but reading the above this may be an error if it's super easy for me to get swindled? Should I change the ad to cash on collection only? [/quote] I would change it and write in the ad cash on collection only. I've seen loads of ads saying just that and also that paypal payments will be refunded. I'm not exactly sure if you have to accept paypal either... Edited February 19, 2016 by itsmedunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 As a regular buyer & seller myself, I've always found the idea of a secret reserve price pointless and off-putting - I tend to pass over listings with hidden reserves and I very much doubt I'm alone. As a seller, either set a BIN or start your auction at the absolute minimum you will accept for the item. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 As others have said don't bother with a reserve price - just start the auction at the lowest price you are prepared a accept for the item. Also No PayPal for collection - cash only. I'd also add that by having collection only you are seriously limiting your potential market. Maybe living in London it won't be such a problem but for me the whole point of using eBay is that I can advertise what I have for sale to a world-wide audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 You can't refuse PayPal even if it is collection only. What happened to the traditional method of getting the collector to sign a piece of paper saying he has collected it, or taking a photo of him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 [quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1455907337' post='2983593'] You can't refuse PayPal even if it is collection only. What happened to the traditional method of getting the collector to sign a piece of paper saying he has collected it, or taking a photo of him? [/quote] Once sold an item on eBay. It was shipped via courier to the correct address and was signed for by someone with or using the right name. They told ebay they hadn't received it and they got their money back via paypal. My courier provided me with all the evidence I would have needed in a court of law but it wasn't enough for paypal, as I couldn't prove that the person who signed for it was actually the buyer? I couldn't claim on the insurance either as the courier service had proof of delivery! Unfortunately, I don't think signing for it would work with paypal and no doubt they would find something wrong with photographic evidence too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowregisterhead Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 These days you are obliged to include PayPal as a method of payment in the listing, but there's nothing to stop you putting in your description of the item that it's cash on collection. I've bought and sold many times on eBay (feedback of nearly 1000 transactions) and it's very rare for things to go wrong - most people are honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Urban Bassman' timestamp='1455874626' post='2983088'] You might get some questions such, as how much is the reserve? You might also get some chancers asking how much to end it early. If you've set a reserve then stick to it. Also make sure you've set your shipping terms IE no shipping overseas. You can also restrict bids to people with no feed back or negative feedback. Worth looking at these if you weren't aware? [/quote] I'm one of those chancers . I only use FEEBay to advertise stuff. I STATE QUITE CLEARLY on the advert, that the item is advertised elsewhere at a considerably lower price. I then wait for the emails enquiries to come in. Lets say I wanted to clear £800 plus £30 (insured courier) on an item. It would be advertised here at £830 including insured UK courier. As PAINPal and FEEBay between them would charge me 13.4% (including COURIER costs) that would be £111 So, I would actually clear £719 on FEEBay. To clear £830, I would need to put it on FEEBay at £955 inc UK delivery (£955 x 13.4% = £128, £955 - £128 = £827). THAT is why so many basses are now stupid expensive on FEEBay. And yes, you MUST offer PAINPal. There is a seperate, pinned post in Basses for sale on that particular joy. Edited February 22, 2016 by karlfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manwithvan Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Ebay is a good place to buy, and a bad place to sell. It's good for buying because if you know your product you can pick up bargains, especially badly-described or badly-photographed stuff. It's bad for selling because you can lose heavily to one scam, as itsmedunc shows. Ebay seems to favour buyers rather than sellers. The 13.4% is pretty close to what many small guitar shops charge on commission sales, though not all charge 15% flat. I had Fender Marcus Miller on eBay this month but took it down when I went away for a week. The £795 price tag was a bit strong, I'll admit, but just as in karlfer's example, a sale would have left me with less than £660. Which is less than what it owes me. It had 800 views and 25 watchers - not sold! For commercial enterprises, the rates are relatively cheap and make a lot of sense, but not for the private seller. I see a fair few basschatters have been using the Bass Players Market on Facebook. Does anyone have experience to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 There is always Gumtree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 [quote name='mep' timestamp='1456171739' post='2986281'] There is always Gumtree. [/quote] And Preloved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedmanzie Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Problem with Gumtree and Preloved is there is no feedback. Aside from the fees (which are stupidly large these days for sellers), I've had very few negative issues buying or selling via ebay as long as you deal with people that have decent feedback. Zero feedback bidders/sellers are usually trouble. If I'm buying a large item (like a guitar) I'll always PM the seller and ask if I can have a quick chat about the item - you can tell loads by talking to someone, and often this is the best way to make a cash deal where everyone's a winner! (no fees for the seller who can just withdraw the item, and cheaper for the buyer). p.s. camdenrob - I don't want to say the wrong thing here but thefretboard forum is good for guitar cab sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 People massively overstate the risks of ebay. I've got well over 300 transactions on there and have been ripped off precisely zero times. Don't really understand the whining about fees either, you can see exactly what they are, its not like they are hidden anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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