Jump to content
CoinPeople.com

eBay buying tips


thedeadpoint

Recommended Posts

Folks,

 

I've never bought anything from eBay. Nothing. Nada. Zip. I'm wary of fakes, counterfeits, and forgeries. I worry I'll get a bad seller that takes forever to send something, sends the wrong thing, and then will fight with me once I call him out.

 

But it can't be all bad, can it?

 

What are some tips for eBay first-timers for purchasing quality, collectible U.S. coins (vs. big junk lots)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So if you want to use ebay but are uncomfortable.

 

1. Only deal with folks with reasonable feedback scores for items of the type your buying

 

2. Try to stick to some of the major companies for anything expensive

 

3. Check for organizational connections - ANA, EAC,...

 

4. Ask someone you trust to look at your bids before you enter them

 

5. Decide your max price before you bid AND do not exceed it

 

6. Consider using a snipper like ESnipe. Especially important on pricier items. Prices are often set in the last 10 seconds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are new on ebay, I guess it doesn't hurt to get some catalog and always be ahead of the counterfeit game. Always seek advice if not sure. Posting pictures of suspected goods on forums and asking for opinions do help.

 

If you have been on ebay for a while, there are a few options to save, however do at own discretion.

 

1) Do your homework! If it is a product that you have been wanting for a while, do not unnecessarily blow money on it especially it is somewhat common. However if it is one that appears once in a blue moon, be prepared to have some spare reserve set aside.

2) Talk to the seller and if he / she is willing to do a deal. Do not send an absurd offer, i.e. 30% of what the seller is asking and quote the sold figure of a counterfeit product. You can be assured no one will ever want to do a deal with you again especially if the seller spreads word.

3) If you know the seller well enough, discuss if you can do a transaction out of ebay. 10%+ ebay fees + paypal fees does add up very quickly if you are talking about 100+ dollars. Again, this is when you have a REALLY good relationship with the seller.

4) Never burn bridges. The world is that small. It can be possible that a seller may have sold you something not as described. Communicate with the seller and if it doesn't work out, do escalate the issue and resolve the matter as civil as possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the tips, Art. Is there a chance the feedback scores are inflated by robots or the dealer's friends?

 

All feedback is inflated -- not true but it's best to deal that way. Folks are very relunctent to leave negative feedback and some folks have big feedback numbers from selling things that are small items of little or no consequence. The only feedback you should care about long term is for items similar to what you are purchasing.

 

Also if I'm looking for say an Indian Head Cent and the seller says "I'm no expert on coins...." or the equivalent, I pass the auction by. Good detailed photos. If you're interested and the photos are not good enough ask for more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are new on ebay, I guess it doesn't hurt to get some catalog and always be ahead of the counterfeit game. Always seek advice if not sure. Posting pictures of suspected goods on forums and asking for opinions do help.

 

If you have been on ebay for a while, there are a few options to save, however do at own discretion.

 

1) Do your homework! If it is a product that you have been wanting for a while, do not unnecessarily blow money on it especially it is somewhat common. However if it is one that appears once in a blue moon, be prepared to have some spare reserve set aside.

2) Talk to the seller and if he / she is willing to do a deal. Do not send an absurd offer, i.e. 30% of what the seller is asking and quote the sold figure of a counterfeit product. You can be assured no one will ever want to do a deal with you again especially if the seller spreads word.

3) If you know the seller well enough, discuss if you can do a transaction out of ebay. 10%+ ebay fees + paypal fees does add up very quickly if you are talking about 100+ dollars. Again, this is when you have a REALLY good relationship with the seller.

4) Never burn bridges. The world is that small. It can be possible that a seller may have sold you something not as described. Communicate with the seller and if it doesn't work out, do escalate the issue and resolve the matter as civil as possible.

 

All good points.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, guys. I'll have to venture on at some point. I wish I knew other good options for online coin purchasing.

 

There are many. What series are you looking to purchase?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1883 Cents and 1883 NoCents in really terrific shape are "benchmark" coins for that series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's a more common type, it might not hurt to ask in the forum to see if anyone is willing to sell their duplicates before they list it on ebay.

 

 

Agree and that's a great idea. But sometimes I'm looking for a broad range, or buying by price, or want to see some solid feedback and pictures first.

 

Does anybody shop at dealers' sites? If I remember from my Coinworld/Coinage days, Paul Sims used to be a pretty big name?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll second everything everyone else has said so far, and only add that I never buy anything that would hurt more to lose in the mail than it's costing to buy. Other than that, I have never had more than minor annoyances come of online purchasing. There are a couple sellers I never use not because there was a problem with the purchased item, but because they added my email to their spam mailing list without my permission and started annoying me daily or weekly. Both were reported to their local BBB and no further contact has been had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have often used L&C Coins. They've always been reliable and fair on pricing. Mostly purchased Roosevelt Dimes and modern coins for things like Birth Year sets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd also add that typically when I order coins on eBay, they are either already slabbed and graded like my Ikes, or things where the grade doesn't matter like my birth year set. I'm not sure that I would be comfortable adding to my unslabbed Jeffersons based on photos only.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true that a slab is not a guarantee but if you couple a reliable slab (NGC, PCGS, ANACS (in some cases), and a reliable seller with a solid return policy, the odds of going wrong aren't great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...