I've had it with eBay

[Que]

This is probably not the first time this has been raised, but other than a handful of sellers who have earned my trust and business I'm done with eBay as a source for buying knives. I think that any number of online knife sources deserve my hard earned dollars far beyond some of the pitiful sellers that inhabit eBay. I'm finding that it's common for many sellers to delay shipping by five and six days and then send the package by the slowest means possible despite charging shipping more in line with more expedited means. Where is the justification in waiting five days to ship a package charging $6.95 for regular first class mail only to have the knife arrive in a flimsy mailer with the knife box all crumbled? I'm fed up.

Oh, and even better, to order a knife from a listing where it indicates that there are nine available only to hear from the seller after five days of silence that they are waiting for the knives to come in and that it's the manufacturer's fault an that maybe some time soon they can ship the knife. With an online store at least I could cancel the order but with eBay I'm left with no recourse other than a lengthy complaint process. And then if you leave negative feedback all you are left with is a probable retaliatory negative.

I would think that there are online knife sources that actually have product in inventory, ship within 24 hours as a rule after receiving my hard earned money, charge fair shipping and handling, and understand how to pack a knife so that damage is not sustained to the knife or the manufactuer's box that it comes in, both of which are of value to me.

Sorry to rant, but with all of the excellent online knife sources my money is far too hard worked for to settle for less.

There are some outstanding eBay sellers who I will continue to deal with, but beyond them my money goes to online stores.

 

[gormandu]

I hear you, but you can get WAY better deals on ebay than on some other places.
A lot of people on there aren't dealers, just folks like you and me who have busy schedules and can't always mail stuff out right away.
Also, the shipping cost is the shipping cost. They tell you what it is upfront.
(although it really shipping and handling.)
You have to figure that into the cost, and just not worry about much the shipping label actually cost.
HOWEVER! If they do NOT ship in the advertised manner, then you do have some recourse, but do you really want to spend hours on phone worrying about $2.00? probably not.
ebay works for me, but I realize what I'm getting into.
For all the money I've saved buying stuff on ebay, I'm willing to take the chance on a little hassle from time to time.
I also like to add that anything I've ever bought over $200 was usually shipped out right away. it's usually the small stuff that caused the most problems.

 

[Que]

The problem is that there is no excuse for waiting six days to mail something out (especially after immediate payment) when they have indicated that shipping is immediate, or nearly so, or to not have the knife in stock and have no firm idea as to when it will get in. I do find that many of the smaller sellers are just fine, average folks, but some of the very largest sellers seem to not give a darn as any negative feedback will have virtually no impact on their feedback rating by their sheer number of sales.

As to shipping charges I understand about factoring them into the purchase, but if you are sending by the slowest means after charging a premium for shipping it might be a good idea not tacking on a week at the front end by delaying the shipping in the first place

I guess I'm somewhat different in that for me part of the enjoyment of buying a knife is the service that goes along with the purchase of the knife itself, and that bad service is unacceptable. Far too many vendors take pride and expend great effort in their customer service for me to accept otherwise. Sometimes it's more than saving a few bucks. I can buy the knife almost anywhere, and maybe for more with online stores, and sometimes less, but if the service that goes along with the sale is a headache my dollars are worth more to me than that.

The bottom line for me is that in the end one is left with the same knife one way or the other, but to begin the ownership with a bad taste in my mouth because of bad service isn't where I want to be at. If the seller isn't providing adequate service there are plenty that can who will see my dollars.

 

[jill jackson]

eBay has some great deals, mainly on discontinued models right after they are cut.
If you are buying the latest release you will pay more on eBay, as the sellers try to capitalize on the "latest greatest hype".
You also have to be wary of buying older models that demand a premium, as the sellers like to "overlook" little details such as carry marks, in an effort to make their offering as mint as they can. I've bought a few older models there that they claimed were mint and they showed small carry marks.

 

[Que]

I agree about buying older discontinued models. I seem to find the best sellers among "private" sellers who are selling off part of their collection. I just picked up a Kershaw Boa 1580CMST decribed as mint, so we shall see.

BTW, there are some truly outstanding sellers on ebay. I'm dealing with one right now. I bought a Boker Chris Burke Mini Resurrection from him at a very good price. He shipped promptly and the knife came here to Atlanta and languished in the post office after being processed for the better part of a week. The knife was then, for some reason, shipped to Illinois and then after a few days to another post office in Chicago. I alerted the seller and he unqualifiedly said that he would contact the distributor and have them ship another one to me directly. Hopefully the original knife would come back to him or if to me I would return it (I might even buy it). Now that is service. It was the post offices' screw-up but the seller had me covered. That man will have my business (as he has in the past) as will others like him. He conducts his business the way that I conduct mine. I won't roll the dice on other sellers unless they have a proven track record with me, or admittedly, a knife that is otherwise unobtainable.

BTW, the first Boker is scheduled to be delivered today after the PO got their act together and shipped it back south. I can buy from this seller with 100% complete confidence.

 

[dericdesmond]

Hello Sir, I just wanted to add to your negative feedback comments. You mention retaliatory feedback, however that is no longer an option for sellers. They can only leave positives which IMO is total crap but we wont go there Also, you mention a single negative not affecting sellers due to their big feedback record. I have a score that will remain near perfect if I get a few negs but I disagree. If I even get a neutral I am very very upset and would think that it will in some way affect items I sell in the future. If you feel shafted and also feel he did not give you a good reason or attempt to make the situation right, leave him a neg. But, if you got your knife and its good to go in under a week or two well Id maybe at worse only leave a neutral.

IMO, whenever you buy on ebay, unless you can be without a doubt certain that you are going to get 100% of what you expect, bid low and lower your expectations just a bit. Ive lost a lot of stress when I buy like that. Back in the day, Sellers who would (IMO) mis-lead me and not acknowledge it after I send them a very proper message, oh Id get mad.

I hear you, but you can get WAY better deals on ebay than on some other places.
A lot of people on there aren't dealers, just folks like you and me who have busy schedules and can't always mail stuff out right away.
Also, the shipping cost is the shipping cost. They tell you what it is upfront.
(although it really shipping and handling.)
You have to figure that into the cost, and just not worry about much the shipping label actually cost.
HOWEVER! If they do NOT ship in the advertised manner, then you do have some recourse, but do you really want to spend hours on phone worrying about $2.00? probably not.
ebay works for me, but I realize what I'm getting into.
For all the money I've saved buying stuff on ebay, I'm willing to take the chance on a little hassle from time to time.
I also like to add that anything I've ever bought over $200 was usually shipped out right away. it's usually the small stuff that caused the most problems.

+1 on ALL of that, well said.

 

[TheGent]

I won't bid if I see the shipping for first class costs priority. I can understand an extra dollar for the cheap bubble envelope my knives usually come in. Personally, as a seller myself, I allowed five days to ship, but always had my packages at the PO the next day after payment was received via paypal. The five day thing was to give myself a window in case a family emergency, car broke down, etc. If no emergency then the package went out day after payment has been completed. I think part of it too is the ebay and paypal fees. After all is said and done I didn't make a reasonable profit to keep selling on ebay. Because of this people try to make up for the fees by overcharging on shipping, which is wrong and I refuse to pay for overcharged shipping. I would take some time and go to some gun and knife shows. Besides trading on here that's where I buy all my knives. There are average joes at these shows, plenty of them, with discontinued knives that don't know what they have.

 

[Que]

I have sold on ebay and I also am very concerned about feedback that I receive as a seller. I also understand leaving some shipping time leeway and used to allow three days as mentioned for those "just in case" situations. Like Gent they always went out the very next day after payment, sometimes same day.

I must say that the one seller did come through today coming up with a knife that wasn't in stock, but it was a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. I just wish that some sellers would provide the same consideration that I have provided when I have sold.

Luckily I have established ten or so outstanding knife sellers who have earned my respect and trust, and for that I'm thankful.

BTW, that is good to know about the retaliatory feedback.

Thanks for the comments. I needed a little rant and other perspectives.

BTW, that Mini Ressurection did arrive today (as did the new G4). I think the postman got a hernia carrying the two brutes