Buying Gear on eBay -- Your Opinion?
Monday October 27, 2008
I recently got a blog comment from a guy named Tony -- he told me that he's given up on trying to buy Shure microphones on eBay, because they all seem to be fakes! While I know from experience you can get some decent deals (my Beta 52 was a steal, and it works flawlessly and was genuine, just used), there's a lot of people out there operating dishonestly.
So, I'd like to hear your opinion. What's been your experiences buying gear from eBay? How do you like to make sure your gear purchases are safe? Your opinions will be used in an upcoming article!
So, I'd like to hear your opinion. What's been your experiences buying gear from eBay? How do you like to make sure your gear purchases are safe? Your opinions will be used in an upcoming article!
Comments
I’ve had good luck with mic’s, but with rack equipment not so good. Noisy pots,intermittent cutting out of L or R channels, ect. Few more bucks for new is probably worth it. You can ask questions but the “Has not been tested” or “Don’t know” tactic leaves you with just relying on your judjment. And always know what it costs new. I’ve seen winning bids for the same price as new or more than new plus shipping! And the clincher is no warranty. Proof of sale from a private individual even if claimed “New” won’t cut it.
Emilio
Natural Procession
I’ve had problems in general,buying kit sight not seen
Taking time to got to a shop,and trying out the gear,is the best solution
Although once,i ordered a marshall guvnor,over the phone,and was sent an original red & black ,original boxed and for the reissue price
I did buy gear from the shop previously though
To me, ebay has lost its U.S.P.
The storys I’ve heard from other people,have put me off now for life
Its the gamble aspect
You might get a bargain,but the odds are good you’ll be blagged
Kind of like russian roulette!
Dan(uk)
The only thing I don’t like about ebay is the postage sometimes it is more than the item so no bargain, but I must say everything I have bought on ebay has been ok and packing has been very good from monitors to tascam players.
I think ebay is a GREAT place for good deals – as well as selling used gear. I have bought and sold bass guitars, effects, racks and amps with very few issues. Some keys to not being burned when buying are: 1) use common sense – if an item’s price seems to be too good to be true – it might be. Ask the seller questions to clarify the price and authenticity of the product. If there is doubt, KEEP SHOPPING. 2) Be an educated shopper. Know what your shopping for. Price around. Verify the specs to make sure everything matches up. 3) Check the fine print – make sure there is no funny business in the terms and conditions as well as that the shipping charges make sense for the product. 4) Check the seller’s feedback – Most folks who are doing honest business on e-bay have (and leave) good feedback. 5) Pay for your purchase with a protected method such as credit card, Paypal, etc. This way you’ll have some recourse should you not receive what you expected. 6) Be especially careful when buying items outside of your country.