Gun broker/ebay member issues

[Mountain Meadow]

Is it just me or are people selling on these sites getting more disreputable?

I purchased paper 16 ga shells on ebay, sent checks twice placed calls and emails ans seller promised to ship and then didnt and stopped responding.

I purchased an antique loader and it was misrepresented wasn't for described 16 ga.

I just spent $1400 on an 1885 winchester that was listed as new old stock only to find scope screws all buggered up and hole edges scratched from a prior scope mounting.

Getting to the point I cant trust any seller on line inspite of good feed back. Am I the only one having issues?

Should we be more aggressive in posting negative feedback when something is clearly misrepresented(not just misunderstandings)?

Thanks for letting me vent but three bad deals in a row is disheartening.

I try very hard to be honest and fair w/people but maybe I’m too naive to be buying on line any more and I’ve 30 years experience buying on these sites with no problems.

Mountain Meadow

[ohen cepel]

I don't find either of them to be as good as they once were. They have morphed into something I don't care for much either. ebay used to be people looking to sell their stuff, now it is "flippers" or businesses. Rare to find a real auction. Plus, with fees, shipping, etc the deals are almost all but gone.

I prefer to hit local shops when possible or shows. At least, there, I can see the item. No, won't find rare things but life is a trade off.

[Hannibal]

I gave up on Ebay a long time ago. Too many fees and restrictions ruined what it once was. I've had good luck with GunBroker in the past. Make sure there are pictures of everything at every angle and look them over very thoroughly. I would use GunBroker again, mostly because I value my time and don't like driving around all over looking for things. I know what I want before I decide to buy so walking into a shop and making an impulse buy just doesn't happen with me.

[bedbugbilly]

While I agree that there are those who sell on both sites that could certainly "clean up their act" . . . . a lot of us could say the same things for those who purchase items.

I have sold and purchased on flabby for many years. This summer, I have been listing and selling a lot from my 60+ year collection (not gun or reloading connected). I have never had as many problems as now with buyers who don't pay, buyers who wait 5 or 6 days to pay and buyers who obviously do not read the entire auction listing the terms of the auction - most of which seem to be "younger bidders who obviously too lazy to take the time.

In return, I communicate with the buyer and ship the next day after payment is received. So . . . . just remember that it works both ways.

I am truly sorry that you have had such bad luck. One thing I frequently notice is that some sellers just don't have a clue on what an item actually is - or very limited knowledge about it. Plus, I am sure that there are a lot of scammers as well - pretty easy to set up an account, advertise something, sell it and receive payment and then just walk away - yea, you can try and go after them and see if you can get the lee after them . . . but just what will be the result of that if they are in someplace like Kalifornia, Washington, etc?

You can't please everyone - but YOU can check their feedback - if it is "iffy" - then move on.

It isn't limited to those sites though . . . I have sold and purchased on this site many times, and while it is good the majority of the time, I have run in to a few buyers and sellers who are less than pristine in their ethics.

It really shouldn't be surprising though - buyers and sellers who are slow in paying or shipping, those who attempt to mislead - they are the same individuals who live their lives in the same manner. And, unfortunately, there are a lot of individuals who were never taught to take responsibility for their actions - all you have to do is look at what is going on in this country right now to realize it.

[Handloader109]

I know on ebay, with at least non auction items, there is a check box for must pay immediately. I always have that on. I buy a decent amount off the site, and sell a few items. Fees are up, but shipping is now the real killer. I've got stuff to sell that shipping can be 50 to 75% of the total price. Just not worth the trouble some times.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[marlin39a]

eBay doesn’t allow ammunition components to be sold on the site. Payed by check? Only electronic payments are accepted. Something totally wrong with your deal.

[Tazman1602]

Something not right, I’ve bought from both sites, hundreds of times over the years and not had problems. It was my understanding that several years ago eBay started accepting PayPal only? I could be wrong but PayPal has helped me out several times over the years when sellers didn’t come through….with Gunbroker I have never had an issue..

Art

[marlin39a]

PayPal, or you can use a credit card. No option to pay any other way. If the seller of the prohibited item made a deal with the OP to send a check, it was done off the record. Sure would like to know who the OP dealt with, and his feedback.

[Winger Ed.]

Someone wanting a check or MO is a red flag right there.

They're dodging the fees, and you have no protection if you get ripped off.

[Baltimoreed]

Ive returned things on ebay numerous times and had dealers ship the wrong item and refund me money. Only got got a couple times so nowadays if they don’t take returns I don’t buy. And I don’t buy anything from china if at all possible. Sometimes you don’t have a choice. Needed a hose for my kitchen faucet. Looked everywhere real for one, finally found one on line.

[Randy Bohannon]

Eeeeee bay is great for antique items such as old wrenches that are in super condition ,RCBS 40-50 SBN forming dies when none could be bought from RCBS and still can’t. I bought a great old Mirro aluminum kettle perfect no dents delivered $40.00 . It’s always worth a look and you just don’t know what you might find .

[farmbif]

im really surprised someone was able to sell shotgun shells on eBay. they probably found a way to scam the system so they could rip people off because that kind of stuff is not allowed.
as far as the gun its always buyer beware when trying to buy used online from a stranger and if pictures are not clear and they won't send you clear pictures, well you know whats best

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

30 years... Come on man !

[Misery-Whip]

I got screwed good 10 years ago trying to sell discontinued performance engine parts. Easier to sit on the couch and make some calls to find what im after, and go get it.

[bedbugbilly]

Just because Feabay has a policy that ammo components can't be sold doesn't mean it doesn't happen. If such things are listed and nobody in the Left Ebay Police (self appointed) files a complaint and gets the listing pulled, there really is no way for the transaction not to go through. Cast bullets are listed - saw several listings for cast boolits just last week. Brass is listed - saw some 6.5 Japanese last week as well. All depends how creative the seller is in writing up their description. Grave related items are prohibited as well but yet I see (which REALLY irritates me) Veteran's organization grave flag holders (G.A.R. etc.) listed on a regular basis and the only way a person could come by them is to remove them from a grave (unless they are new and being sold to mark a Vet's grave) or if they are broken and discarded by cemetery maintenance workers.

So "never say never". As a seller, I am limited to accepting payment by what fleabay dictates - and you are indeed correct that something is "fishy" about the OP's post when he says he "sent checks". I get my payments through PayPal and the buyer can use a variety of ways to pay - their existing balance in their PayPal account, a credit card through PP or having it deducted from their checking account by PP. Fleabay then deposits what I have coming from the sale into my checking account (my choice) AFTER they have deducted their fees. Any more than $600 in sales in a year and they are required by our current greedy government to issue a 1099 for the year. So if you are just an occasional seller - keep that in mind.

Kind of "funny" that the OP hasn't come back to respond - but then again . . . maybe not. And oh . . . did I mention that I saw a Troll under a bridge the other day? Kind of odd to see them show themselves in the daylight. :-)

[Edward]

Your at fault using fleabay ,if not as described they refund your money and they get after the seller . I know because I actually put down $6000.00 on a 5th wheeler, me in NY and seller west coast of Florida . He said trailer was 32 ft /actual 37ft when confronted said he was holding on to a third for relisting , Fleabay had an answer for that (full refund) for false advertising ,thats how you messed up /try fixing it/Ed

[beezapilot]

Selling on Ebay was getting to be a problem for me before the requirement of linking my bank account to my Ebay account, so when that popped up I pulled the plug on Ebay selling. A friend of mine is an accountant, she told me that they had a client that was audited - the IRS linked her bank account back to their Ebay account and pinged them on unclaimed income from the past Ebay sales. I still buy, with the sales tax & shipping sometimes still a bargain, but selling these days is a crapshoot with a 1099 at the end of it.

I've bought and sold molds, dies, and presses- got pinged on gaschecks once.

[schutzen-jager]

used Ebay to buy + sell for 21+ years + gave it up due to numerous problems with buyers , sellers + particularly Ebay's customer service reps + new ignorant policies - never used gun broker - can tell some real horror stories about Ebay -

[john.k]

Yeah,but you also get audited from weekend market sites ....any electrronic site is just pushbutton for them..............I got ripped off recently by a local version of Amaz called Kogan.....it was a typical bait and switch.........the pictures of one item ,delivery of a very substandard one ......started complaining,but due to covid the delivery was way overtime,and then informed the "fulfilment partner" was no longer in business.......which is precisely where Kogan is supposed to step in......no way would they refund ,unless they could recover from the supplier......Kogan was a high flyer in the stockmarket,see their stock has tanked 50% recently,no wonder..........they wont rip me again.

[wv109323]

Much of the used stuff on ebay has a poor description, pictures out of focus and described inaccurately. Most of the stuff I buy is new and not readily available locally. Prices are high and then you have schill buyers. I don't sell due to shipping and fees.

[fc60]

Greetings,

My friend just bought a "new" conversion unit for his target pistol. The GoonBroker seller never answered any questions about the auction although he did ship promptly via USPS mail, uninsured.

Looking down the barrel with a bore scope, there is Lead caked in the throat and into the rifling.

Walther/Hammerli do test fire their target guns and supply a test target. Hard to believe the factory would fire about 100 rounds and not clean it.

Good news is that what he paid for it can be reclaimed by parting it out. Once cleaned it should be fine.

Perhaps the seller has poor eyesight? You could see the "crud" with the naked eye. Was he a crook? Unknown, he does have very good feedback, until now.

With GoonBroker I do not think you have any "Buyer Protection" as eBay offers. How does one go about a safe return of an item and get a refund? With eBay, you follow the process, contact the seller, if no result eBay steps in to mediate, if still no response eBay supplies a return shipping label. Once delivery is confirmed you get a refund within a few days. Yes, days. But, if is better than spending a lot of money on a rifle and being stuck with it.

eBay is anti-gun, yes; however, they still allow listing of a lot of obsolete parts that I have personally purchased over the years. They reach out to a large audience.

By the way, most gun stuff on eBay is being sold by the relatives of the dead owner. They have no clue what they are selling. Ask a lot of questions prior to bidding.

Good news, I have never been "stiffed" by anyone on this forum. THANKS!!!

Cheers,

Dave

[bisleyfan41]

Someone wanting a check or MO is a red flag right there.

They're dodging the fees, and you have no protection if you get ripped off.

Not necessarily. I sell personal stuff on there and have no way to process a credit card. How else should I accept payment?

[Winger Ed.]

Not necessarily. I sell personal stuff on there and have no way to process a credit card. How else should I accept payment?

It's their house, and their rules.
To do business there---- Most people go along with the program and get a credit card or paypal account.

ebay is a 'for profit' business. They do what they do as a job, to make money to pay their own bills.
So the next question is: Do you reimburse ebay for the fees you agree to when using their site?
Or just rip them off?

Here on SS, I've sent stuff to well established members and told them to be sure they like it,
and the item was what they wanted. After that, send me a check. Never had a problem.
But this isn't ebay.