eBay is now 78% fake.....

singpilot · 06-22-2004, 07:41 AM

This morning's WSJ has an article about the fake merchandise that abounds on eBay.

Tiffany's bought 160-something items advertised as genuine Tiffany brand on eBay. 78% of them were fake. When reported to eBay, the reply was that "eBay makes every effort to respond to these types of accusations."

End of story. Tiffany was not amused. They are sueing eBay.

I stopped buying there after getting nothing but guaranteed junk.

Between the shill sellers, and the rampant fraud, it has degraded into a flea market for scammers.

Beware.

djmcmath · 06-22-2004, 07:59 AM

I've usually gotten pretty lucky, myself. I've been buying there pretty routinely for quite a few years now with only the occasional hiccup. Maybe I have an eye for scammers, or maybe I'm just lucky. Heck, just yesterday I recieved a Fluke 73 that I had ordered from eBay. I've built most of my espresso-machine stuff over the last month via eBay. But then, there's a critical part that I ordered last week that the guy's been making excuses about in all caps: "I ASSURE YOU IT WILL SHIP MONDAY AFT FOR SURE. HAD MAJOR COMPUTER MELTDOWN WAY BEHIND ON WORK. NO WORRIES MAN." So maybe my run of good luck has fallen through...

Dan

Shuie · 06-22-2004, 08:03 AM

Look for a nice watch on there. Its absurd. I bet its worse than 78%.

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

Is that why they call it "Evil-Bay?"

-Z.

singpilot · 06-22-2004, 08:11 AM

I had pretty good luck there too for the first couple of years. Then eBay management discovered that they could make more money by NOT stopping the frauds and scammers. After all, a transaction fee is still a fee (income) whether the items are genuine or not.

It's the lip service that irks me. That they have high moral standards and all that. Sounds like the last few presidential administrations. Same sound. The sound of $35 at Barnes and Noble to hear the details of how he slept on the couch.

mikester · 06-22-2004, 08:47 AM

Buyer beware...

Ebay sucks, it's a great concept but Human's can't be trusted. If everyone was as idealistic as most of the people who post here it would be trustworthy but they aren't.

It's plain and simple, they aren't and I don't understand why.

BlueSkyJaunte · 06-22-2004, 08:48 AM

The Japanese sword "market" is flooded with artifically-aged Chinese made crapola. I'm talking stuff that isn't worth $20, but sometimes goes for hundreds to ignorant (not stupid) buyers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43338&item=2251161406&rd=1

djmcmath · 06-22-2004, 09:06 AM

My last room-mate was into the sword market on eBay. He nabbed one that even seems authentically old in person, but most of the rest weren't so good. My current room-mate got bummed on a French Horn. Just the right combination of low detail and poor photography can make a $200 horn look like a $1200 horn. Oops.

Dan

ronin · 06-22-2004, 09:10 AM

hmmm, seven minutes left and still no bidders

singpilot · 06-22-2004, 09:12 AM

Can I get one with the Porsche logo?

BlueSkyJaunte · 06-22-2004, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ronin
hmmm, seven minutes left and still no bidders

Yes, but I know of a number of folks who come on to certain forums and ask, "I just bought this sword for $1000, what do you think? Did I get a good deal?"

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

I have only bought large, simple, and therefore easily identifiable items which minimizes the chance of finding a fugezi. Rabbit, cue case, some tools. (I inspected the Rabbit before bidding.) I participated in only 6 transactions which is another reason why I haven't had a chance to be burned. Also, I'm the type of person that likes to smell it, lick it, touch it, and generally closely examine an item before I spend money on it. The whole e-bay thing just seems inherently scam-friendly.

singpilot · 06-22-2004, 12:25 PM

Lynn,

That was my point. You and I know that's not right. But it doesn't stop most people. I see the emblem or the logo, and think that means it legit.

You would not believe the stuff I have gotten in genuine Porsche boxes. The ad said genuine parts. The only genuine thing was the box it came in, and NEVER is the part in the correctly numbered box.

Harlequin:

Well said. It didn't used to be that way. The big shift was when eBay stopped prosecuting scammers.

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

It's fairly simple to me. I don't go to McDonalds for Chinese food, and I don't order burgers and french fries in Chinatown either.

If I buy shoes, they are not going to be made by Porsche or Rolex etc. My point is, I like to get an item that is made by a company that mostly specializes in making those items.

I would feel that the best place for Porsche parts would be this forum and others like it. From enthusiasts, to enthusiasts.

There are watch forums, close-knit communities like this one, where you have trust among the participants. It would make sense to look for a blacksmith/bladesmith forum and do some research before buying something like that too.

tabs · 06-22-2004, 01:13 PM

How long ago did they stop prosecuting?

I used to buy quiet a bit of Art/sterling silver/art glass on E-bay in the past. Allthough not much in the past year or so. I can really say that I havn't been ripped off in what I bought. The big question is who were my underbidders, I am sure that from time to time there were bogus bids that drove the price up. However almost everything I bought, that I have resold on the Bay I have gotten my money back.

I will say one thing about E-bay if you want to decorate your home and buy REAL art instead of prints...there are museum quality pieces that go very reasonably ($100-$2000). Most of those pieces are unsigned, the signature is unreadable or it is a major work by a lesser known Artist.

Below is an example...these quick response replys don't let U post pics

tabs · 11:08 PM

This a small Oil on Canvas 12 X 14. It has been relined, which means someone thought a great deal about the painting to go to the expense. It is in it's orginal frame circa 1910 or thereabouts. The signature reads "Mulma"? not very readable.

This is a great piece of work....and I believe I know who the artist is...colours, brush stroke, subject all fit like a T, except his signature isn't the usual way he signed his work.

Fredrick Mulhaupt is who I believe painted the painting.

I paid $500.00 plus shipping.

LeeH · 06-22-2004, 03:03 PM

I just bid on an won an Acura CD player. I sent an e-mail to the seller before bidding asking if he had the security code. He replied that this radio didn't require a code. Cool! I bid and won. THEN I notice that the radio has "Anti Theft" printed on it. More searching reveals every other seller has a code for this model. The seller wouldn't respond to my e-mail asking for more info. I sent him a polite note giving him 24 hours to respond or the sale was cancelled. Needless to say I bought a Blaupunkt from MidWest Electronics.

I've had over 100 ebay transactions and this was the first where there was any trouble.

serge944 · serge944's Garage

I find that if you buy from people with good feedback from SELLING, and you pass up the "incredibly cheap deal," you'll be fine. Unfortunately, i was able to buy a watch from someone with 200 positive feedback from selling in the past 6 months....and i got scammed. The item i bought was the last one he ever sold and he decided to never reply after cashing my money order, so I was f*cked.

tabs · 06-22-2004, 03:46 PM

Most of the art and antiques dealers I've dealth with are very cautious with their Feedback ratings...they go outa their way to make sure they don't get any negative feedback. In the antique business your reputation is everything.

However I don't think being unscruplous is strictly limited to E-bay. I have heard nasty things about various auctioneers for years. Phantom bidders etc. There are several gun dealers I know who are well known that have sold guns that weren't right....as in condition and or what they started life out as was different before the dealer got hold of it. Buyer BEWARE.

kumma · 06-22-2004, 08:48 PM

it does seem to have the flea market atmosphere now, just use common sense and you should be fine. dont expect to buy that $500 dollar item for $49.95.

i have sold alot of stuff on ebay, and am shocked at what kind of prices some of this stuff gets bid up to. its a great market for me to dump old inventory that just takes up space.

I have been very selective about the stuff i buy. only big ticket item was a plasma cutter but that went smoothly from an out of state dealer. as they say buyer beware.