Be careful shopping on eBay

[stronak]

The only reason I say this is that I was looking for a bassinet/purse pattern (you know what I mean) and I found one listed for $17.95. Normally I would have snatched it up, it's what I'm looking for...I can pay with PayPal....sounds great, but....I went on Annie's Attic and saw the very same book there for $7.95. Huh???? With the shipping and handling the eBay pattern comes to $21.35. At Annie's with shipping and handling it is $12.70!

 

Don't be like me and think that everything on eBay is a deal.

[pat54]

But you didn't get caught, so that's a good thing. Sometimes the prices on e-bay are not so good.

[chrissyf]

There was a pattern book on e-bay that i have wantyed for a while the seller is a trusted seller. the starting bid was $.99 ok cool i was planning on bidding on a few more of ter auctions to buddy up shipping to nothing so i figured i would bid up to the price i knew i could get it for direct from the online store. well obviously someone wanted it more than i did she bid way over the price i was willing to go. I got a second chance offer for the last amouth i bid. I very kindly replied that i was going to purchase it from the designer directly for a little less. I still got my discount and the pattern book from the designer. The moral of this if you see a book on e-bay check for it on the other online sources you might get a deal on e-bay or you might find a better deal from somewhere else.

[Peggy85225]

You must always do your homework good for you doing yours!

[birdlady1]

Years ago, there was a darling sewing pattern to make a lifelike afghan dog. The eBay seller started the auction quite low, with no reserve and with reasonable shipping. The pattern climbed to about $100! It was still a current pattern and could be found elsewhere (including directly from the designer) for $8. So do your homework before you throw your money away!

[RoseRed]

The same thing just happened with us. We were looking for an electric fence for the dog.

 

Hubby goes on ebay - Buy it now prices ranging from $250-400 plus shipping.

 

I went directly to the company's website and they had an internet only sale price of $137 with free shipping and a lifetime warranty.

[losingmymind2]

No matter WHERE you are looking for an item, it pays to check more than one source. And I never bid on eBay without knowing what the item is going for elsewhere. Even if I can't find it locally, would it be cheaper buying direct from the manufacturer or retailer, or buying it at eBay? Call me cheap, but I want my pennies to stretch till they scream.

[Barbara]

I've noticed that pattern books that are on sale at Annie's show up later on eBay for a higher price. People probably buy them up while they are on sale to make a little profit.

[Hounddog]

I agree about Ebay I saw a pattern on there that is a free pattern on the web. The seller says it is a copy but doesn't say that it is a free pattern. When you are looking for a pattern Google the name and it should come up.

[Cliffnote]

I love ebay, but sometimes the prices people charge are absolutely rediculous! I usually shop around at 3 or 4 sites before I bid on something, depending on what it is.Thankfully you didnt get suckered into it.

 

Kim

[windyknollfarm]

I've also noticed that some people are taking pattern books and selling copies of individual patterns and they don't give the title of the book or magazine it came from- but you can sometimes tell from the pics.

[HappyOldCro]

I only buy from ebay when it is something I can't find anywhere else or a real deal pricewise. I like checking out the mixed lots in yarn, I got a lot of good deals there.

I find that many of the digital or pinted patterns can be found on line for free.

Ebay is a good source for electronics (used) and items that are no longer being manufactured. But then you still have to make sure that the seller is a good and honest one. I met some sellers who were super nice and we continured corresponding long after the deal was done.

The ebay thing that really irks me is when I watch something I like but can't bid at that time because of budget restraints. So I wait to see if it is relisted. sometimes I may watch something through 2 or 3 listings until I have the extra cash, and as soon as I do bid there are others bidding too, driving the price up. That just isn't right, and I wind up dropping out because it goes out of control in the price. It just seems strange that no one wants it until I do. And that new thing about coding the name of the bidder, what's with that?

[birdlady1]

And that new thing about coding the name of the bidder, what's with that?

 

Protecting identities I guess, because a lot of bidders are shadowed by others. That's why I always "watch" auctions rather than bid on them right away.

 

eBay's latest plot to make sellers miserable is not allowing them to leave negative feedback for winning bidders.

[HappyOldCro]

Protecting identities I guess, because a lot of bidders are shadowed by others. That's why I always "watch" auctions rather than bid on them right away.

 

eBay's latest plot to make sellers miserable is not allowing them to leave negative feedback for winning bidders.

 

How can people "shadow" bidders? What does that mean? I must really be ignorant.

What is that feedback thing supposed to accomplish if you can't say the person was not good at completing the deal?

I guess I have been lucky and found all the honest sellers, who stand behind what they sell and work with you.

I'm not sure I could do the selling...sounds pretty rough to me.

[Knit Happens]

....and sometimes the bidders are real idiots - there are some items there you can use buy it now for lets say 40 bucks....but there goes a bidder with a feedback score of "0" or "1" who doesn't know better, and the item that started out at 5 bucks, and could have been a deal for someone who's been looking for it at a better price, ends up at 60 bucks! Or, the bidders keep bidding it up long before the auction's end....plain ignorance and stupidity.

[SassyCMA06]

I agree about Ebay I saw a pattern on there that is a free pattern on the web. The seller says it is a copy but doesn't say that it is a free pattern. When you are looking for a pattern Google the name and it should come up.

 

 

Isn't this illegal? Or because she states that it is a copy, is it ok?