2. misc-audio
  3. 169332-139027

thought on eBay?

I've bought and sold things on eBay, but never $$$ audio equipment. I have had good experiences with Audiogon and AudioMart but I'm cautious about eBay, if only because many sellers often have little history with audio gear. I'm looking at an item that will likely end up in the $4k range from a seller who doesn't accept returns and has almost no record of selling audio equipment but does have an extensive and excellent record of buying and selling other things. 

1) In general, would you guys spend many thousands of dollars on eBay if there are no red flags--or do you say "never eBay" for big purchases?

2) Can anyone explain the reality of eBay's policies? I can see the "money back guarantee" if the item arrives "broken, damaged, or faulty." But I've also heard plenty of horror stories out here about companies that offer similar guarantees in theory but are awful to deal with in reality. I'll add that sometimes "faulty" for stereo gear can be a vast grey area.

So, bottom line: would you make a big audio purchase through eBay, especially from a seller with little visible audio experience?
northman
pauly
1,012 posts
 
eBay is as good or bad as any other online market. Do your homework and when something is to good to be true, it isn’t.

It’s the only place I buy tubes.

EDIT : I buy only from USA sellers. 
aewarren
658 posts
 
I feel a lot better when the seller has the original boxes and/or shipping containers. 
genesis777
112 posts
 
I buy and sell on ebay all the time. It doesn't matter if a seller says no returns. If you have a problem ebay will allow you to return the item regardless of what the seller says. In my experience the buyer is in the better position with ebay than the seller. I'm more concerned with places like Audiomart than I am with ebay. 
mickeyb
576 posts
 
Never buy audio gear on eBay. Most people find gear at estate sales and garage sales and know nothing about the equipment except the name on the front. I’ll only buy from us audio mart or Audiogon where most of the sellers are hardcore audiophiles and honest. Not worth the gamble. 
charles7
110 posts
 
1. Watch your local Craigslist for as long your patience holds out.
2. Use a true community buy/sell forum, like Audiogon. Same thing for photography gear (FredMiranda.com).
3. While you wait, keep doing research to find alternative gear that fulfills the function you have in mind at the quality level you want.

More to discover