Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ebay

Computer Swapping?

StrikeTheViol — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:37:08 -0800

Swapping my laptop for a desktop and monitor instead of selling? My plans have changed, and my laptop and furniture are not working together well and causing me pain. Now that my career plans have changed, I find I have little reason to keep my Sony VAIO AW-series laptop, purchased earlier this year, for its intended purpose, and the laptop, while fitting well with my college's furniture and my old wheelchair, is causing me neck strain and back pain at home. Considering I'll be home at least till September, and then perhaps at another school, I wonder if there's any way to get my hands on a desktop and adjustable monitor without having to sell (and then likely buy) on eBay. Any tips, hive?

whatever happened to the "earlier auctions" function on ebay?

tangyraspberry — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:57:15 -0800

whatever happened to the "earlier auctions" function on ebay? can't seem to find it.

I'm pretty certain I was scammed on Ebay...now what ?

carefulmonkey — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:31:02 -0800

I've been scammed on ebay...now what ? I bought an xbox 360 controller on ebay, it shipped from hong kong and it was 15.99 buy it now with free shipping. Before I get verbally whipped by you for doing this they had sold some eighty items and had a pretty positive score, and I know people that have bought stuff abroad and again had positive experience. The fine print said that it would take 20 or so days to come and that was fine. Today when I went to check on my eBay account, I saw that the user was no longer registered and now I don't know what to do, please help

More Info:
I payed with paypall and I'm willing to go as far as possible to get the controller or my money.

Is ebay a safe place to sell expensive cameras?

tangyraspberry — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:21:58 -0800

I'm considering selling my Leica, M-6 camera on Ebay and was wondering if Ebay is a safe, reliable place to sell expensive gear like this?

Is my Photoshop CS2 Pirated?

Babblesort — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:38:00 -0800

I just received a copy of Photoshop CS2 that I purchased via eBay. How can I tell if it's fake? I just received a copy of Photoshop CS2 that I purchased via eBay. How can I tell if it's fake? The seller was listed as being in South Carolina so I was surprised and concerned when my package showed up shipped from China.

The copy was advertised as unopened in original shrinkwrap and it looks like that is the case. But with the unexpected Chinese origin I'm concerned that it may be a pirated copy. Can anyone tell me any specific things to look for to validate its authenticity. Hologram printing or the like on the disc? Something else?

Am I safe from a paypal bill? Can they find me?

UMDirector — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:43:19 -0800

Am I safe from a paypal bill? Can they find me? Long story short - I sold an iPhone on eBay. Paypal held the money while it verified the transactions. They released the money to me and I shipped the item. 4-5 months later some dude disputes the transaction on his credit card. When I look closer at the transaction it is clear it was fraud - none of the email addresses match ANYTHING on the ebay account, there are about 3 different names. None the less eBay and Paypal processed the transaction. Now they have hit me with the bill, however, since I had zero money in my paypal account I have a negative balance that they expect me to pay. I will not do this as it is CLEARLY something they should have caught. I disputed the transaction with them and they basically ignored me.

So I DO NOT have a linked bank account and am not "verified" on Paypal. Can I just ignore the money I owe them? Is there any way they can track me me down and hit my credit report?

I certainly don't want to be sent to collections, but my only thought is MAYBE they can find me through my eBay account, but I don't know legally how that would work.

Also any other ideas how I could dispute this?

Thanks!

How to find authentic goods?

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:16:42 -0800

Looking to buy a WW2 ring. Help me not get scammed on eBay. (Anonymous because this is going to be a surprise, and the gift-receiver is a sneak)

I'm planning on proposing to my long-time boyfriend some time in the next year, and I'd like to get him a ring. Since he's a history buff, I figured a German WW2 ring would be an awesome choice. Ebay has piles and piles of Todkopf rings, but I'm looking for something a little more subtle; something from a Panzer team would be great, but I'll consider anything that's not just a giant cross/swastika/skull. I've come across these two which are particularly nice. Too nice, I guess. Although they're being sold from different accounts, both accounts are in Latvia, and the listings are suspiciously similar. "100% original old! Solid and presentable appearance is suitable for a man’s collection." But both accounts have good feedback. For what it's worth, I know absolutely nothing about period jewelry, so I likely wouldn't recognize a fake if I held it in my hand. So here are my questions:

1. Am I right in thinking that these listings are a little shady?
2. Are there any policies in place to handle falsely advertised items; if the item arrives and it's not authentic, do I have any recourse aside from leaving a negative review?
3. Where else can one look for authentic military artifacts?

Throwaway email: germanring@gmail.com Thanks in advance for any help!

Taking on the juggernaut that is Ebay?

pakoothefakoo — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:25:14 -0800

Taking on the juggernaut that is Ebay? I'm very well aware that there are numerous of failed Ebay/CL clones out there, but I have an idea for some kind of online marketplace that is a mix between Ebay and Craigslist using some kind of automated arbitrage system (I won't go into details, as it is not pertinent to my question).

Ebay and Craigslist are outliers, they both filled the need while there were no other alternatives and became a beast surviving on its own inertia. Other than technology costs, the barrier to entry in this business is quite high because people are loath to switch and it's difficult when you don't have any buyers or sellers using your system.

So my question is it possible to form a similar, successful business and reach critical mass in this day and age? If so, how do I convince people to use it when I have no critical mass?

I do believe that my vision is nifty, but I am aware of incredible challenges of getting people to use my system, is it worth trying?

I can haz media centre?

sully75 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:14:56 -0800

I'd like to build the world's cheapest media center PC. Budget is teensy. My roomate and I decided we'd like to get rid of our monster TV and the cabinet it came in (left by a former roomate). We don't watch TV but do enjoy a DVD, maybe once a week. The TV was never hooked up to an antenna or cable. We also both love music A LOT.

I was thinking that we can sell the cabinet (and the somewhat crapped out TV) on craigslist...and maybe get $150 or a little more than that for the two of them.

My idea is that we could get a cheap ebay dell ($50ish) and a cheap LCD ($100ish) Mounting the whole thing on some sort of rolling cart, with speakers attached. Installing Linux on it, and using this to play DVDs, music, youtube and things like that. Oh and I'd probably install a cheap big hard drive, there's a lot of music floating around our other computers.

I searched online quite a bit but mostly found people who are looking to do Tivo kind of stuff, which is not a priority for us at all. My main concern is that DVDs look reasonably good on screen. Our TV was crappy but ideally the color on the LCD would look good and it would not be choppy.

Suggestions of computers (is this Dell overkill for what we need, or undergill) LCDs (would we be terribly dissapointed with a cheepy) and software (Windows is a possibility too, and what programs would you run on this?). Also alternatives to this whole plan would be good too. I'd also consider modding a xbox off ebay. You can consider me moderately handy with computers and OS stuff.

Thanks!

Is it legal to sell used books and mazines retrieved from a bookstore dumpster?

meggie78 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:29:33 -0800

Is it legal to sell books, magazines and other items found in a bookstore dumpster on eBay? I heard someone talking about doing this, and am just curious about whether there is anything illegal about it. The bookstores probably don't want people rifling through their dumpsters, right?

This is why I can't have nice things!

InsanePenguin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:04:31 -0800

Did I get scammed on eBay? I have never used eBay before. I have avoided it like the plague, I think for this very reason.

The outer glass touchscreen on my G1 cracked, I lived with it for several months but now it's getting worse and bothering me, so I looked around the internet for a replacement part. I found what I needed, but only on eBay. So, I spent the $35 and ordered it from a wholesaler based out of China (I guess.) Now, the lady doesn't speak English very well, but suitably enough for online interaction. I know that the part will have to go through customs, but I never got an ETA on the item.

I requested a tracking number for the item and she gave me one for Singnapore Post. I went to their website and put it in, but it said it could not be found. At the bottom of the page it said that once the item had left the country, the number would no longer work, and to look for the the item within the country of destination's postal service. It provided a link to USPS, where the number didn't pull anything up.

So, does it sound like I've been scammed? Or, could the part possibly just be in-between somewhere? OR, could the package just have a different tracking number for USPS, one I do not have?

Thanks, awaiting answers with bated breath.

Sell a finite number of identical items on the internet

monkeystronghold — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:48:01 -0800

What is the best way to sell (and accept payment for) a finite number of identical items (50) on the internet? I expect the items to sell out reasonably fast, and so I'll need to be able to take orders as they are received, and stop accepting payment when the 50 are sold. I'll use it this one time and never again. The items will sell for a yet-undetermined price between $600 - 800. I have minimal coding experience.

I thought that a paypal link would be best, but then I have no way to stop people paying when the 50 are gone.

I considered just having people email, but then I have no way to separate people saying "Oh, I have the money, I'll get it to you next week" and taking the space of people who are actually paying.

I considered phone calls, but I don't know how to process the credit cards. And it would be a pain.

Is ebay an option? If so, how do I set that up? Are the fees comparable to other options?

The item will sell for between $600 and 800 and buyers will have to pay shipping.

Ideas for a challenging google-based rescue mission

vizsla — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:21:20 -0800

You're on an island in the middle of nowhere. You need to locate a used motorbike in a faraway country (Netherlands) where you don't speak the language for a next to nothing price. All you have is the internet. How do you proceed? A friend of mine was awoken in the middle of the night to find her 17 year old son crying in the bathroom. He had set his sights on a used motorbike he found advertised for 100 Euros. He took too long getting the necessary paperwork together and the owner had sold it before he could pick it up. He was devastated. In his mind, this was like the start of a new future for him. I offered to help set his mind on the right path again. Recently lost his father.

Craigslist automated notifications would be a good idea.

Dave. — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:30:14 -0800

Why hasn't anyone created a mainstream application/website to generate Craigslist notifications similar to EBay's "saved searches"? I'm not quite sure what I mean by "mainstream", but I do know that I've googled the heck out of it, and I can't find anything that appears to be risk free or just simply free ($).

You have 48 hours to say something nice about me.

marchismo — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:46:41 -0800

An eBay seller is threatening to file a complaint against me for not leaving feedback. What should I do? I recently purchased an Amazon gift redemption code on eBay. The transaction itself went smoothly-- I sent them the payment, they sent the code, and I redeemed it without any problems. I had intended to leave this person positive feedback, but either due to laziness or procrastination I tend to put off leaving feedback until I can do a few of them at once.

Four days later, I get a message from them saying I have until Sunday (tomorrow) to give feedback and if I don't, they will file a buyers complaint with eBay and Paypal as well as send a holding notice to Amazon to prevent me from purchasing anything with the credit. Now, I know for sure the buyer can't use eBay or Paypal against me since there is a record of the payment, but is that holding notice at all plausible?

The seller also said that the "last person who delayed feedback ended up trying to scam me so this is a safety precaution." Even if this is true, I don't believe it's within their rights to try to muscle me into giving them positive feedback.

So, what's the best response here? Should I report them to eBay? Should I leave them neutral or negative feedback (not to be spiteful, but to warn other buyers of the intimidation tactics)? Or should I just cut the seller some slack, leave them positive feedback, and let it go? Again, I had no problem with the transaction itself and had intended to give them a positive before this happened.

Can I sell worthless share certificates to collectors...?

twine42 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:34:07 -0800

Can I safely / legally sell the old share certificates of companies who changed their name and issued new certificates in a new name? CunningLinguist's comment here got me thinking...

Going through my grandfather's estate I keep finding old share certificates mixed in with current ones. They're all from situations where:
* AlphaPlc merged with BetaPlc to make GammaPlc. or
* AlphaPlc demerged into GammaPlc and DeltaPlc. or
* AlphaPlc changed its name to EpsilonPlc

( In one case AlphaCo, renamed to BetaCo, demerged to form GammaCo and DeltaCo, renamed DeltaCo to EpsilonCo and then merged with someone else to make ZetaCo - for all of which he kept his old certificates... )

In other words, in each case new share certificates were issued in the new company/companies and the old ones were declared worthless.

It's these worthless ones that I'm now referring to...

My questions are:
* If a relevant collector existed on eBay (or similar) could I legally sell these bits of paper?
* Is there any risk that the purchaser could try and use the old certificates to stake a claim on the valid shares in the new company?

If it makes any difference, all the companies are UK based, but a couple of them were listed on US markets not UK ones.

Ummmm...

the NATURAL — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:47:00 -0800

MarketingFilter: So. . . I made a tacky (yet delightfully unrefined) t-shirt. How do I best sell it online? [Long jump] A couple months back, I was looking to start up my own t-shirt company, along the lines of established companies UNDRCRWN and Pennant Race -- that is to say, a company with heavy sports influence with a sprinkling of pop culture and a dose of societal commentary. Maybe even a No Mas, but less for hipsters and yuppies and more for hip hop heads and anti-establishment people.

So I came up with a name -- ftw. clothing, with ftw being adapted from gaming-talk as for the win, but with the added connotation of f-ck the world. Our poster boy was going to be Rod "He Hate Me" Smart, a one-time kick returner for the Panthers (and other lesser stints).

My flagship shirt? In the spirit of old NBA playoff shirts featuring starting fives, I would have a simple black-on-white colorway and a starting five. But my starting five wasn't going to be a basketball team -- it was going to be related to crack. (Here's where the collective "eep!" comes in.)

Now, you might ask, but why? That's horribly tacky, maybe even not delightfully unrefined, and probably very offensive. And yes, I acknowledge that. It's kind of the point. I wanted a "statement" shirt, one that would make people think -- because really, for middle and upper America, and especially in my home of Hawai'i, crack is something that people think of in abstractions, and ghetto is a term applied to anything sketchy, when really, some of the worst ghettos are terrible things. I wanted a shirt that would put this reality in peoples' faces. In a way, it was like the infamous "Snowman" shirts popular earlier in the decade.

The shirts read:
Pyrex &
The Arm &
The Hammer &
The Spot &
The Raw

I printed them hoping that I'd be able to sell them (via consignment or whatever) in one of the newer less-established boutiques in Honolulu. I approached the one that I thought would give me the best chance, and the manager was totally cool with me -- but because of limited space, he couldn't run the shirt on the store's shelves. But if I showed him a season's lineup of designs, he'd be willing to put me in touch with his industry contacts and maybe I'd get something serious rolling.

After tinkering around and coming up with some designs (some were even pretty good) I realized that I didn't have enough to make a season's worth, probably because it was never my intention to make this my entire career. The manager understood, and encouraged me to give it some more thought and maybe talk to him in the future if I wanted to give it another run.

But now, I have 13 shirts left (I printed 15, thinking that I would get them on shelves, no problem) and I don't really know how to market them online.

They're not made with enough love for etsy, I can't get into supermarket, and I think that on other lesser sites, they'd sell... but probably over an extended period. eBay is a possible strategy, but I'm unsure about how to market them/title them and if they'll sell (and auction fees are preferably avoidable).

So... how do I move these shirts, preferably quickly, preferably digitally? (But any kind of movement is fine!)

(PS. For those of you who sometimes like to dig in OP's past records for dirt/help/what have you, yes, I acknowledged I set off a real sh!tstorm [that I'm just now reading, hey!] with my very first AskMeFi. The lesson, as always: sometimes I'm a real idiot. Sorry if you remember it, and doubly so for the ignorance.)

Thanks.

Someone bought THAT?

SweetTeaAndABiscuit — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:39:11 -0800

Help me find some hidden treasures. With an eye to both decluttering and raising some much-needed cash, I've been looking around my home for things that might be resaleable on Craigslist, eBay, etc. It occurs to me that there are probably things that would be sellable that simply haven't occurred to me. What are some unusual, obscure, or downright off-the-wall things you've bought or sold or heard that someone else has?

Small change embarrassment

bad grammar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:12:32 -0800

Small change embarrassment: After buying an eBay item I had $4.20 in my Paypal account. Unluckily my eBay seller fees were charged at the same time for $4.35. I now presumably have a negative balance of -$0.15 in my account. I have added $10 from my bank account (which has money in it sufficient to cover all this) to Paypal, but it will not clear for a few days. What will happen to my Paypal account.

Can I power my keyboard in 2019?

Brennus — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:32:19 -0800

Do batteries lose charge? I am thinking about buying a larger lot of CR2032 and AA batteries off ebay. I am probably going to need many years to go through them. Batteries usually have expiration dates, do they really hold most of their charge until then or do they practically become useless before that? Also, does anybody have experiences with buying batteries off ebay?

How does this work?

Brennus — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:54:59 -0800

USB car charger on ebay going for $0.98 with free shipping from Hong Kong, how can they make any profit? I came across a number of auctions like this one. $0.98 for a car charger sent for free from Hong Kong. After ebay fees, shipping, and the actual product, can they make any money? Is this a scam?

Help me do what I need to do to wipe as much as possible from my PC before I sell it

t0astie — Wed, 06 May 2009 01:15:03 -0800

Tomorrow I'll list my ACER Aspire 3680 for sale on eBay. I want to be as sure as I can that there the lucky buyer has as little chance as possible of seeing passwords/pics/personal info. Normally, I would just format and do a clean install of XP. But I've moved house and my install disk is one of 19 packing cases stored 2500km away, so that option is out. I've listed what I've already done after the jump, but I'm hoping a more tech-savvy mefite might spot a hole in my erasure efforts. All steps taken so far have been gleaned from previous threads, but I'm just not confident I'm 100 per cent across the cleanup.

So far I have: moved every file onto a portable hard drive; uninstalled every app (Office, PhotoShop etc); reinstalled brand new up-to-date versions of free/shareware (Win Zip, Google aps, iTunes, Firefox, AVG etc); run Crap Cleaner (cleared data from browsers, cleaned the registry, uninstalled a few things I'd missed); defragged; and installed Window Washer.

The next thing I'm planning on is a final clearout of my browser and Windows info with Window Washer. Then I'll run Wash Free Space.

I'm running Windows XP.

What have I missed?

Bonus question! What, if any, value could I add to my two year old laptop to help it sell well on eBay?

Is cutting stickers like printing money?

box — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:55:56 -0800

Can I get rich by making custom-cut vinyl stickers? I see a lot of people on eBay selling vinyl decals--the carefully-cut monochromatic kind, where the sticker is sandwiched between two sheets of paper before application. Generally, a wide variety of custom colors and sizes and designs and whatnot are available, so I figure they're either making the stickers themselves, or working closely with a print shop or something. And people sometimes specify 'vector artwork,' making me think it's computer-controlled. But what about the rest of it? What tools do these folks use, and how much do they cost? What about materials? Can you actually make a profit selling the stickers? What's the economy of the eBay sellers? Do these guys ever get shut down for copyright stuff?

How long do I have to wait for my Ebay winner to pay?

Marsha — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:22:46 -0800

How long do I have to wait for my Ebay winner to pay? I sold something on Ebay but it's been 3 days and the buyer hasn't paid or responded to any emails. Someone else who bid is willing to still buy it.

How long do I have to wait before I can sell it to the second guy?