What if you win an eBay item that's too good to be true?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I sniped a guitar on eBay last week, total impulse buy, had no idea I'd win the auction. It was for a Korean-made Peavey EVH Wolfgang guitar. The photos and item description sucked and the seller's rating was only 2. I sent the seller a note, asking for better photos. He stalled a little, told me to enlarge the ones on the listing. But then he emailed me more photos that sold me. I was just about to leave the house for an appt., checked the auction and there were 5 min. left. These guitars normally go for $700+ with the case and shipping is usually $35+. Auction price was at $355, so I entered $500 and waited until the last 10 seconds and won for $364. Free shipping too. I paid when I got home and seller said he'd ship the next day, Saturday. Sat. morning he emailed me and asked my address. I gave it to him and reminded him it was my PayPal confirmed address. It's coming from NY, so it might take a few more days. But he didn't respond to my request for a tracking #. I'm now a little concerned this could be stolen. It was too cheap at $364 delivered. Is there a way to run the serial number without getting busted?

tharbert · tharbert's Garage

I don't follow the leap of logic that since the sales price was low, it could be stolen. The time to ask questions and follow up on serial number issues has come and gone especially as you have paid. Maybe other guitar shoppers know something about that model that you don't? Or maybe you just got a smokin' hot deal.

I would be more worried about getting stiffed by the the poorly rated Fleabay rat.

If it really bothers you, once you get it, call the seller's local P.D. and have them check out the serial number. At worst, you'll have to ship the guitar back to N.Y. and kiss your money goodbye. But, the police will get the seller on interstate trafficking of stolen property.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Well, I paid with PayPal and it was done through eBay, so I think I would get my money back eventually. I know what these guitars are going for and $500 would have been a smoking deal. $364 delivered is insane. Between eBay, PayPal and shipping fees, this guy won't clear $300 on a guitar that easily cost $1000 new. If he bought it used, he's still eating another $400ish in depreciation.

Zeke · 03-07-2012, 07:50 AM

He could be like me and need $364 for a house payment.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

If he's strapped for cash, why not just take it to the local Guitar Center? They'd have given him at least that much for it on the spot with no other fees.

The sad thing is that a lot of auth. dealers are now taking factory new guitars and parting them out on eBay because they can get them wholesale and sell the parts for far more than the complete guitar. I saw a cream-colored Les Paul Classic reissue with the headstock broken off go last week for $500 more than I paid for mine with the headstock repair already done (common problem on those guitars).

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

There's seven different EVH Wolfgang guitars in the series. Which one was listed?
Jim

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Probably other bidders shyed away from it due to the low feedback and poor pictures. Looks like you got lucky.

G50 · 03-07-2012, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

If he's strapped for cash, why not just take it to the local Guitar Center? They'd have given him at least that much for it on the spot with no other fees.

Because ebay is an auction, and the final sales price is unknown until the end. He was I'm sure hoping to get more.

I sold my $3000 armoire on ebay, no reserve.

I got $90!

That's the way no reserve auctions work. You can get great deals if the timing is right and there isn't a lot of interest on the particular item at the time.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

There's seven different EVH Wolfgang guitars in the series. Which one was listed?
Jim

It's the Peavey, not Fender, era. Wolfgang Special EXP is the designation for the Korean models. The only difference is the neck is not birdseye maple, as with the Deluxe models and the quilted top is (probably) a veneer. There's some speculation on whether it was a veneer or what exactly. But the pickups are the same as the USA-made Deluxe models. It's the bottom of the line model, but it's still a killer axe. The one I won has a blue quilt like my Ernie Ball EVH guitar, so Mrs. Lee will never notice a new guitar in the house unless I have them both side by side.

stomachmonkey · 03-07-2012, 08:11 AM

Got a set of wheels in a similar fashion a few years back.

Tossed in a bid that was ~$300 light of where they should have sold, woke up the next morning and crap, I won.

Spoke to seller and he wanted more but was fine with what he got for them.

tharbert · tharbert's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

...why not just take it to the local Guitar Center? They'd have given him at least that much for it on the spot with no other fees...

I doubt that. Ever watch Pawn Stars? They maybe pay 30 cents on the dollar? I can't see a music shop being much different. Maybe he already tried it and was disgusted with what they'd pay...or it hot?

Zeke · 03-07-2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G50

Because ebay is an auction, and the final sales price is unknown until the end. He was I'm sure hoping to get more.

I sold my $3000 armoire on ebay, no reserve.

I got $90!

That's the way no reserve auctions work. You can get great deals if the timing is right and there isn't a lot of interest on the particular item at the time.

I saw your armoire on here. I even showed it to someone I thought might be interested because I knew it was a good deal. Nothing is selling well these days. I've got a new 911 starter motor that would cost more to ship than I can get out of it.

LeeH · 03-07-2012, 08:40 AM

I sold an early 911 rear deck lid on Ebay at no reserve. I kept waiting for the last minute bids to make the price jump. They never did. Never really figured that one out as others had sold for real money. Mine? 75 cents. It wasn't in bad shape. Worst part was that I always try to have shipping be very reasonable. After paying my part of shipping and fees it cost me $10. Buyer was apologetic as he knew it was worth much more and even put that in his feedback. Oh well.

BlueSkyJaunte · 03-07-2012, 08:46 AM

I have a strong suspicion that people who buy $3k armoires don't go shopping for them on Ebay.

Just sayin'.

stomachmonkey · 03-07-2012, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

I saw your armoire on here. I even showed it to someone I thought might be interested because I knew it was a good deal. Nothing is selling well these days. I've got a new 911 starter motor that would cost more to ship than I can get out of it.

I need a starter for an 84.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeH

I sold an early 911 rear deck lid on Ebay at no reserve. I kept waiting for the last minute bids to make the price jump. They never did. Never really figured that one out as others had sold for real money. Mine? 75 cents. It wasn't in bad shape. Worst part was that I always try to have shipping be very reasonable. After paying my part of shipping and fees it cost me $10. Buyer was apologetic as he knew it was worth much more and even put that in his feedback. Oh well.

Damn, and I need a deck lid.

Baz · Baz's Garage

Everyone has different strategies when selling on eBay.

When I sell....

......I enter a starting bid at the price I want. If someone bids - I get what I want. If a bidding war ensues - I get more. If no one bids - I re-list.

Jim Richards · 03-07-2012, 08:55 AM

Relax RL.

VINMAN · 03-07-2012, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tharbert

I doubt that. Ever watch Pawn Stars? They maybe pay 30 cents on the dollar? I can't see a music shop being much different. Maybe he already tried it and was disgusted with what they'd pay...or it hot?

Exactly. Few years ago i was getting rid of my ESP George Lynch Kamikaze. I bought it in '85 for about $900. I took it to a local guitar center. they offered me $275 for it. Almost took it, but decided not to. Put it up on Ebay about a week later. Sold it for $1300

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I've never sold anything to GC, so I didn't know they low ball so badly. I bought my latest Marshall head there for $599. They're $1200 new. I've seen a few more at the GC for $799 used. I did sink $130 into it for new power tubes and a volume pot, but they weren't really necessary. They really have some good deals there on used stuff, so I guess it follows that they buy it for a song.

biosurfer1 · 03-07-2012, 09:15 AM

the "2" feedback is what worries me more. Did you look at the feedback to see if he/she was the buyer or seller on the transactions?

I think you answered your own question as to the low price. I've been buying selling on ebay since '98 and crappy pictures, bad communication and bad description=low price every time.

I learned that when I went to sell an intake for my Camry way back in the day. First description was something like "1996 Camry Intake" and it didn't meet my reserve of $35...week later I changed it to "1992-1996 Toyota Camry, K&N Chrome CAI Intake" (or something along those lines) and got $76. More than doubled my money because a few extra words.