Ebay is a pirates' paradise.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I went looking there for pipe bending equipment.
I found a lot of incomplete gear there. I found minimal descriptions....what you saw in the pic was apparrently what you got. If you failed to notice that a few critical smaller parts were absent- well, too bad.
One piece pictured was a Harbor Freight "pipe bender," of extremely limited use. The description failed to mention the make of the item....but a search under "greenlee benders" got it to pop up.
Pricing, for the complete sets, was often higher than retail.
First, I sell at Ebay and I am not a pirate. Common sense goes a long way with Ebay. If I was looking at any of the adds that you saw, I would have simply passed them up. Incomplete gear or minimal descriptions means, go to the next auction. If you viewed Ebay as a billion garage sales going on at once, you would do better. Every garage holds a different seller. The majority are good people (like myself) who can easily be identified with the Feedback rating that every seller has listed right next to thier name. Just simple math. If I find a seller with 99.9 or 100% positive feedback at 2000+ feedbacks, I know I am looking at an honest seller and that they will do whatever they can to rectify any misunderstandings etc. should they occur. They NEED to protect that perfect feedback or the sales will begin to stop.
When I see lots of "new" stuff...say, five 1/2" benders, with an asking price less than the cost of one.... I can't help but be suspicious. Ditto with odd assortments of tools. And, when a $2000 tool is listed at $150, the word "Theft" screams out at me.
You know neither the seller nor his source. Some of these sharpies take "let the buyer beware" to an extreme. To believe that someone, out of the generosity of their hearts, is willing to provide you with such great bargains defies belief.
I had to laugh at that one because after 5 years I continually sell my goods for about 1/5th their original cost, they are not stolen and they are goods that have never been used. I have repeat buyers that know me (the seller) and my source. --- And, my wife does think I'm too generous as a matter of fact.
Pawn brokers have always been associated with stolen goods- so some regulations were placed upon them. Ebay, and other "auction" houses, have no such constraints.
I guess you have to read the Ebay site rules. I have seen and read about many sellers being banned forever for illegal stuff. Remember again, these people never had many feedbacks to begin with (dead givaway.
Finally, there is the nature of auctions themselves. Apart from "auction fever," there are various scams that use the auction as a means to fleece you. These include the seller bidding on his own stuff (often through a "shill," or partner), excessive handling fees, counterfeit goods, and targeting you for future "special offers."
Again - feedbacks would refect this activity and the sellers true intent.
[This message has been edited by sponge (edited 10-09-2005).]
