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thought on eBay?

I've bought and sold things on eBay, but never $$$ audio equipment. I have had good experiences with Audiogon and AudioMart but I'm cautious about eBay, if only because many sellers often have little history with audio gear. I'm looking at an item that will likely end up in the $4k range from a seller who doesn't accept returns and has almost no record of selling audio equipment but does have an extensive and excellent record of buying and selling other things. 

1) In general, would you guys spend many thousands of dollars on eBay if there are no red flags--or do you say "never eBay" for big purchases?

2) Can anyone explain the reality of eBay's policies? I can see the "money back guarantee" if the item arrives "broken, damaged, or faulty." But I've also heard plenty of horror stories out here about companies that offer similar guarantees in theory but are awful to deal with in reality. I'll add that sometimes "faulty" for stereo gear can be a vast grey area.

So, bottom line: would you make a big audio purchase through eBay, especially from a seller with little visible audio experience?
northman
vuch's avatar
vuch
116 posts
 
I used eBay to purchase a brand new amp. I paid 5k for it. The retail price was $7,995. I had no issues. I registered the amp to start the warranty process as well. The amp did have a glitch occur about 1 month after the warranty expired but Yamaha honored it and paid for freight and service. They even sent me a new used box so I could mail it in for service since the box had been destroyed (my wife while I was out of town). Something triggered the amp which then went into protection mode. They reset it, tested it for two weeks and found nothing wrong. After I got it back I enjoyed it for several months without another issue. Then I decided to sell it. I sold it on eBay. I believe having the new box helped me to sell the amp quickly. It sold within 24 hours. I don't recall having a serious problem buying or selling on eBay.
wspohn's avatar
wspohn
579 posts
 
The larger purchases I have made in the audio area were all done on audio boards where feedback relates solely to audio gear, not to someone in Singapore pumping  hundreds of $1 items through and giving themselves glowing feedback under fictitious buyer names.
stevencason
82 posts
 
The eBay money back guarantee only applies to 30 days after the sale is transacted.  So if you purchase something from overseas and it doesn't show up or if it is not promised to be delivered in less than a month then avoid it.  I took a risk on a $10 item, was in constant communication with the seller, it was tracked to a US customs location,  and never arrived.  After the seller told me they were reshipping the item I waited some more.  I finally got sick of the wait contacted eBay they told me tough luck.  I wouldn't do it for a high dollar item.
I have purchased several nice pieces domestically but nothing over $500 dollars.
Just my 2 cents worth here.
chiptech10
14 posts
 
As a long time and frequent seller on eBay, I want to give a shout out to my buyers. All have been great and quick to provide feedback if they had any questions. My goal is 100% satisfaction and I really appreciate the positive feedback when I get it.

I feel the audiophile community is a great one to work with. Everybody wants the same thing: great sounding music.

I concur about packaging. Original packaging is always best. If I don't pack it up, I've had excellent work by UPS staff. You just need to show interest and ask questions about how they plan to do it.
coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
691 posts
 
I’ve bought and sold high dollar jazz archtops on eBay. Up to $8k. I’ve purchased $4 and $5k amplifiers and preamps as well. I’ve been a member there since ’97. USAudioMart is the better place to move high dollar gear, imo. But I’d not hesitate listing nor buying from eBay. 
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