More eBay Humor

OC Engineer JD Jan 16, 2009

  1. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I've found that the difference between Retail Ground and Priority Mail is often inconsequential. I stupidly waste time handcrafting corrugated boxes to reduce them in size, then find I could have simply gone with Priority Mail in the first place.
     
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  2. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Not really an auction... more like a swap meet except on-line.
    Put items up for offer with a suggested minimum price.
    First come first served... but with a way to advise others interested that you are in negotiations.
    Other parties can check back later but also leaves a trace to the seller that others are looking/interested in the item.
    No pressure to act unless seller wants to accept first offer... which then closes the offers to other parties.

    Sort of what happens face to face at a swap meet.



    Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
     
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  3. George Johnsen

    George Johnsen TrainBoard Member

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    The basis for that marketplace exists, with negotiated prices and shipping discussions on Trovestar. I like the idea of making an offer based option, and will suggest that to the Micheals and see if that is a feature that can be added. More items listed all the time!
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2020
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  4. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hi George,

    I know Trovestar has been active here on Trainboard in the past. Mainly accumulating data on N scale items for a database. I did not know they were also looking at creating a separate venue for matching buyers with sellers.

    Is Trovestar working together with N Scale Enthusiast as well?

    Sent from my SM-J737T using Tapatalk
     
  5. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    I am answering my own question from above.

    I did search for info on TroveStar and found that NSE/TroveStar N Scale Marketplace was created about 2 years ago. I also looked at the TroveStar database.

    It seems like this combination of efforts is working towards the platform I discussed.

    I see there is a listing fee which does not look unreasonable in comparison to eBay (which is outrageous now).

    What found strange was that TroveStar links to eBay items which are for sale... from apparently... items listed in the TroveStar database. Not too sure if I'm looking at that correctly... but 'seems to go against the NSE/TroveStar alliance.

    I would tend to trust the NSE/Trovestar listings... instead of the eBay/Trovestar links. BTW... I did not initially see any crazy/humerous offers on the site.

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  6. George Johnsen

    George Johnsen TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, The NSE has been working with George and Jenna at Trovestar to get a marketplace that is 'reasonable' and peer to peer. We've been doing it for a little while low profile, and working out the kinks. I think its ready for prime time, but I linked your idea to the Trovestar folk, and they will look into it, so we will see if it can be implemented. The whole idea came from the fact that the 'bay and the NSE auctions were getting too expensive or too hard to manage for large accumulations to be dispersed, and we have some families with estates as well as the modelers who are changing roads, or looking for specific items. Personally, I find the myriad of facebook offerings to be difficult to search, and kinda tough to review, but it is certainly another resource. Our idea was to put the pictures, descriptions, and history all in one place, in kind of a Wikipedia of N Scale with a sales component.

    George
     
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  7. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank you for your efforts to find a more reasonable and fair method to disperse collections. I will look further into this collaboration.

    AND NOW...
    back to ridiculous eBay listings... argggh!

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  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I quit selling on "that" auction site, back in 2008. Have not purchased via their service, in some years now. Have bought and sold via FB, but you are so correct about the trying to search. Time consuming and frequently frustrating. Hope your joint efforts will be the solution needed. There is a real void.
     
  9. TrainzLuvr

    TrainzLuvr TrainBoard Member

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    Well, if the community here feels Trovestar is the place to go as a replacement for fleaBay, I see no reason to spend time on building a virtual swap-meet site that people don't need (or want). Although, I find it ironic that it points to eBay for sales on items...

    Maybe I'll build something for us Canucks only, since Trovestar seems pretty U.S.-centric and shipping items has become a real pain in the rear, both in cost and delays.
     
  10. pmpexpress

    pmpexpress TrainBoard Member

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    Unless the site's policy has been changed, as I recall, in order to sell items on Trovestar, a user had to be a member of the N Scale Enthusiast, which costs $50.00 per year, or $95.00 for two years for US residents, or $60.00 per year, or $115.00 for two years for Canadian residents.

    In addition, sellers can utilize the stock photos (i.e., which often come from eBay listings and/or dealer and manufacturer sites) found on Trovestar to list their items, which means a buyer is completely dependent upon the accuracy of an individual seller's description of the product being offered for sale, because the accompanying photo might not be of the actual product.

    Unlike the one that is utilized on my own site, on eBay, and found on the LCCA (Lionel Collectors Club of America) and the TCA (Train Collectors Association) sites, the Trovestar marketplace lacks an in depth product grading scale, which can potentially lead to disputes between buyers and sellers.

    https://trainsnscale.com/product-grading-scale/

    https://www.lionelcollectors.org/about-our-club/grading.aspx

    http://www.tcamembers.org/standards/GradingStandards.pdf
     
  11. TrainzLuvr

    TrainzLuvr TrainBoard Member

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    I must admit I did not know about your website until now.

    I like the idea of grading, as that seems fairly standardized in other collector markets. Question is how accurate would an individual modeler be compared to someone who is grading items every day. Sellers should definitely provide original photos, else what's the point, someone could be selling an acre of the Moon and use NASA photos. ;)
     
  12. pmpexpress

    pmpexpress TrainBoard Member

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    Although the NSE (when it was still called the NSC) once provided rudimentary grading information for members who wanted to sell or auction off their items through the organization, the LCCA and TCA continue to provide online grading standards information for model trains.

    If an individual still needs the assistance of a professional appraiser, the latter pair of organizations can provide leads to qualified individuals.
     
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  13. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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  14. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Man, that is some URL! :eek::D
     
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  15. Shaun Field

    Shaun Field New Member

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  16. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Ah! I see the "trkparms..."
     
  17. MP333

    MP333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    All of that guy's auctions have that string of manufacturers as part of the title. I'm surprised he doesn't use "LOOK!!!"
     
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  18. pmpexpress

    pmpexpress TrainBoard Member

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    A violation of the site's Search Manipulation Policy, either nobody has reported the seller's use of a string of manufacturer names (aka "keyword spamming") in his or her listing titles, or, eBay has failed or has yet to act on the reports.

    According to the eBay's completed listings information, the seller has been engaged in this practice since at least May of this year.
     
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  19. Maletrain

    Maletrain TrainBoard Member

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    Shipping charges have been "gamed" for a long time, but mostly by sellers. They just make more money by pocketing the difference between the real cost and what they charge. Now, apparently eBay is getting into the same business by charging a fee on shipping charges.

    Regarding feedback - it is now useless for both buyers and sellers. For example, I had a seller with "100% approval rating" send me the wrong item. I did get to return it for free, but was only refunded the selling price, not the tax, or postage. And, the seller not only would not send me the right item for free, but insisted on raising the price by 15%. All that seller really had to do was to pay for his own mistake and send me the correct item at no cost to me. But all eBay was concerned about is that I got to send the wrong one back for free. How do you explain that in 80 characters? And, what do yo do when the seller responds with more lies and gives you negative feedback.

    So, I disregard feedback. I always make positive feedback or none.

    If I want to warn other buyers, I put a negative comment in positive feedback. So far, neither eBay nor any sellers have figured that out. But, I do read other buyers "positive" feedback comments if I have any concerns about buying from a particular seller.
     
  20. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Neville (PMPEXPRESS),

    I feel you get caught in the 'poisoned waters' of all the bad actors selling items on eBay. You have worked hard to build a reputable store on eBay only to see others make potential buyers hesistant to make offers.

    I had been a long time buyer on eBay until about 4 years ago. Too many sellers misrepresenting items, hefty shipping charges (even for combined multiple purchases)... and feedback which I normally would give 5 stars... would not be reciprocated even though I pay quickly and did not complain... except for some eggregious 'mistakes' by the seller (used to be far and few).

    Times seem to have changed for the worse over the past few years.

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