Dodge Driver Posted October 8, 2017 Posted October 8, 2017 When shopping for a specific model kit on Ebay, use the sort option to organize your listings. I don't buy a kit without doing a price+shipping:lowest first sort.I've seen so many readily available kits listed at outlandish prices and unreasonable shipping costs. The overstated prices are most evident in the time:Newly Listed sort search as a BIN listing. Never jump on the first new listing you see. It pays to price shop before you buy. You can end up overpaying by many dollars if you buy on impulse.
oldcarfan Posted October 8, 2017 Posted October 8, 2017 Thanks for the reminder. I don't by much from there, but I always use the sort option. There have been a few times when I found the perfect model at the perfect price only to see the seller had tacked on a $30-$40 dollar shipping charge.
Dragline Posted October 9, 2017 Posted October 9, 2017 I buy vintage comics almost daily on eBay. I've learned a few things and yours is very sound advice. If I'm hot for an issue, or anything for that matter i do lots of research FIRST. I've gotten bargains a plenty as a result. I'll wade through completed auctions as well to get a sense of the going value. With the amounts I sometimes spend and the vintage books I'm looking for it pays to sit down for at least an hour or two. If I miss a deal here or there it's not as big a deal as overpaying. I do the same with models. I've been wanting the Monogram 66 Chevelle Street Rat. The red one with the blown big block and straight axle on the box. They appear often but are too high for my liking. I've missed a few good deals but eventually I'll find an unbuilt in the 20.00 range. My patience is my ally.
Dave Ambrose Posted October 9, 2017 Posted October 9, 2017 I don't make a lot of purchases from eBay, but I found that the Japanese vendors are exceptionally good. I was looking for one particular kit, and a Japanese vendor had it on auction for a lot less, even including shipping. It got here in less than a week in perfect condition. They had done some additional packaging inside the box. Gave that guy 5 stars with complete enthusiasm.
Mike999 Posted October 9, 2017 Posted October 9, 2017 I don't make a lot of purchases from eBay, but I found that the Japanese vendors are exceptionally good...Tokyo-Hobby on eBay is really good, with low prices and quick shipping. I've even found a few older, out-of-production Japanese kits from them on eBay that nobody else seemed to have.Along with the sorts mentioned, I usually keep eBay up all the time, sorted on "Ending Soonest." Because it's fun to do impulse buying every now and then. The one drawback: not much time to check out the item. I've read that Sunday is eBay's busiest time and doing that Ending Soonest sort makes me believe it. On Sunday night, you have to be very quick on the mouse trigger. The auctions end every few seconds.Not long ago on a Sunday, I saw a Jo-Han '76 Eldorado "Rancher" with no bids, reasonable price and shipping. Made the minimum bid and won it. The "A" pillars were a little tweaked, but no big deal for the price ($19.99).
Dodge Driver Posted October 9, 2017 Author Posted October 9, 2017 If I do a Best Match sort for Hasegawa, the first listing is for the BMW 2002 Turbo. The seller, Tokyo-Hobby(one of the best) lists the kit at $22.50 plus $11.80 shipping.If I do a Newly Listed sort for the same term, the first BMW 2002 Turbo is listed at $67.65 plus $16.00 shipping. Yikes!
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 9, 2017 Posted October 9, 2017 I've just had to chuckle several times, seeing guys in a bidding war for something listed elsewhere on the site for a fraction of the price, as a buy-it-now.Stupid can often be expensive.
bandit1 Posted October 9, 2017 Posted October 9, 2017 Dont buy parted out kits from the guy trying to make a buck when you can still get the complete kit for about an extra buck in most cases (Y'all know whom im talking about?)There is a bed for the 69 chev c10 that the guy is asking 35 dollars plus for and no way will i put profits in his pocket for that bed when i can find it elsewhere for more reasonable.... Or he parted out a 78 c10 original 2wd kit minus the 2wd front suspension trying to make a few bucks... ugh i cant stand him
John Pol Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 There are a lot of them on there that part out kits. I haven`t bought from ebay and a long time now that they charge import charges and shipping to us Canadians.
Tom Geiger Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 When you are looking for a specific item, set an eBay search agent. You will get daily emails with matching items (or as often as an item appears). Set a maximum price and bid on each one, one at a time. If you are patient, you will eventually get it for the price you want. Think of it as a game.
pjtoys Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 "Dont buy parted out kits from the guy trying to make a buck when you can still get the complete kit for about an extra buck in most cases (Y'all know whom im talking about?)" lol just cannot help yourself huh ?There is a bed for the 69 chev c10 that the guy is asking 35 dollars plus for and no way will i put profits in his pocket for that bed when i can find it elsewhere for more reasonable.... Or he parted out a 78 c10 original 2wd kit minus the 2wd front suspension trying to make a few bucks... ugh i cant stand him lol like we do not know who you are talking about . maybe i cannot stand certain people begrudging someone making a few bucks. maybe if you PAID good $$$ to list 9000+ items on ebay you would understand a little better that you cannot sell stuff for bottom feeder lowball el cheapo make a penny scream for mercy $$$ losing prices that certain people feel they are entitled to pay.
pjtoys Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 "There is a bed for the 69 chev c10 that the guy is asking 35 dollars plus for and no way will i put profits in his pocket for that bed when i can find it elsewhere for more reasonable" LOL go find one somewhere then. there only been only 1 listed on ebay since sep. and most likely you will not find one anywhere else either gsonruamfcbfd
Xingu Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 Lets not go through all of this again. Paul you were not mentioned by name, even though most modelers know your business practices. It is well known that a lot of folks do not like the fact that you take rarer kits and piece them out. There is nothing wrong disagreeing with you and there is nothing wrong with how you run your business. Nobody said anything bad in these posts. You do not have to come here and write pages of comments defending yourself every time you feel slighted. You obviously know you are not the most liked person in the hobby as you seem to search for yourself or keywords on the forums, almost like you are looking for confrontation. Your business practices are your own concern and I do wish that folks here would stop complaining about them. All they have to do is not buy from you and move on. If you think someone crosses the lines with their posts, use the report post function. It sends an email to the moderators then we can look into it and take appropriate action. You continually commenting on every single post only makes things worse for both sides.
pjtoys Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 "Lets not go through all of this again." well then people really shoiuld not rum thier mouth about me here then "Paul you were not mentioned by name," maybe not but we all know who he was talking about " It is well known that a lot of folks do not like the fact that you take rarer kits and piece them out. " define a lot. i have a lot of happy buyers, repeat buyers who actually appreciate being able to get the old vtg htf parts they need. even a few on this board have bought from me more the once "There is nothing wrong disagreeing with you" there is when people run thier entitlement issues mouths about me on a model car board trying to get people to not buy from me. "and there is nothing wrong with how you run your business." thats correct but for some cheapo want everything cheap people it is "Nobody said anything bad in these posts" 1 person did just by saying what he said he is trying to harm my business . "You do not have to come here and write pages of comments defending yourself every time you feel slighted." well i should not have to i still do feel the need to defend myself when people talk smack about me. i am not 1 of those bendover people "You obviously know you are not the most liked person in the hobby" only a certain segment of tighwad cheap broke people but not everyone does, some people have $$$ and are willing to spend it and those buyers are who i cater too. i let all the cheap price $ losing sellers cater to the cheap buyers "as you seem to search for yourself or keywords on the forums" not really i look at threads that interest me" almost like you are looking for confrontation." no not looking for confrontations at all but i wish people would just shut thier pie holes up about me "Your business practices are your own concern and I do wish that folks here would stop complaining about them." ME TOO !!!!! unless they walk a mile in my shoes and pay all my bills "All they have to do is not buy from you and move on." really thats what they should do but some people just cant help themselves "You continually commenting on every single post only makes things worse for both sides." maybe but still i will defend myself no matter who it isall the people who do not like me just get over it i have not changed how i do business or lowered my prices after all the years that some people here have talked about me or my customers. the day i die i will stop how i sell on ebay
Xingu Posted October 10, 2017 Posted October 10, 2017 Another thread locked down. I hope everyone got the answers they were looking for before it happened.
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