Some tips are too restrictive - life is a risk

Discussion of ways to help ensure a safe trade, so you don't get ripped-off. Do not discuss individuals here. Use the Feedback Forum instead.
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g8wrb
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Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:23 pm
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Some tips are too restrictive - life is a risk

Post by g8wrb »

I come across this page and see what I think are some rather silly '"tips" from some. I can't help feeling if you follow them, you will not buy very much.

SILLY TIP #1) "Only deal with hams"


I am sorry, but I don't think that is any guarantee at all. I have never been scammed by a ham, but have had two deals go badly wrong. I don't think either ham intended ripping me off, but both we silly to send something different from what they were advertising.

a) Diodes were advertised as 24kV which I bought from a ham. Their actual ratings were more like 4~6 kV (depending on whether you mean constant, peak, non-repetative). I think the guy was just an idiot.

The saga is well documented at
http://lists.contesting.com/pipermail/a ... 06175.html
so there is no need for me to repeat it all.

b) Another ham sold a 10MHz ovened oscillator on eBay. It was advertised as an HP 10811A, which is one of the best oscillators ever made at 10MHz.

I won the auction, but the seller said he also had an HP 10811-60111, which I knew to be similar, but has no specs for phase noise. I said I did not want the HP 10811-60111, but the 10811A which the auction was for. So the stupid sod sends me the oscillator I specifically said I did not want.

He thought the fact they looked the same, and would both work in HP frequency counters, meant they were both the same. They are physically identical, electrically very similar, but one has tiighter specs than the other.



SILLY TIP #2) Ask those in a foreign country to send the equipment first, then you pay them later.

Great if they accept it, but I suspect few will. I know I would not send stuff out first.

I have on odd occasions suggested to people that they do this when their feedback is nearly 0, mine is 105 and more than 99% positive. (One person gave me a negative as a retaliation).

Then there are the semi silly tips, which have some logic, but again can be too restrictive.

SEMI-SILLY TIP #1 ) Never deal with eBay feedbacks of 0 or very low.

I can see a lot of sence in that, but I do sometimes buy from low or 0 feedback sellers.

If the item is very low value, I don't care too much for the feedback. You often get better deals from people with low feedback, as others tend to avoid them. Of course it is more of a risk, but if the money involved is not much, I don't care a lot.

Recently someone with a feedback of 2 was selling brand new 6.5 digit Agilent multimeters. Clearly these are not going to go for a few $'s. In that case, I would not deal normally, but it was a business that took credit cards directly (no need for Paypal).

I *love* sellers with 0 feedback who are local and will accept me picking the item up. You can be sure that the item will not fetch a lot, since the seller has low feedback, so you get a bargain.

Someone recently had on eBay a microwave frequency counter. Their feeback was not good to say the least. They were however happy for me to take a sig gen there, test it. Then I felt a bit happier. I did not bid in the end, but I suspect I would have got a decent bargain.

PS
If anyone has a pdf of a service manual on an HP 8160A pulse generator, let me know. I bought a dead one on eBay (the auction made it clear it was dead). I hope to fix it. My email address can be found at http://www.southminster-branch-line.org.uk/myemail.jpg

Dr. David kirkby, G8WRB
w8jn
Posts: 619
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2003 1:21 pm

ATTENTION LEMMINGS, FOLLOW DR DAVE OFF THE CLIFF

Post by w8jn »

After reading Dr Daves testimony, I can honestly say that he sounds like a poster child for "I've been scammed". I would like for him to post all of his trading tips. That will give me a feel for everything I should avoid. In answer to his "If you follow those tips you won't buy much". Well there we have the "No Duhhhhh" discovery of the century. I often see "spectacular deals" with unbelievable prices. Very tempting however after I restrain myself, I wonder how long it will be before we read "whining from the fool who was greedy" and couldn't resist sending his money to a cyber space rathole.
As I stated earlier.... International seller? They ship first, you pay later... they won't agree? p*** on 'em. Let them scam someone esle and breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn't you that was scammed when you read the whinning post from the fool who sent their money.
As I stated earlier.... non ham seller? They ship first you pay later! They wont do it? Piss on 'em!

ATTENTION LEMMINGS, FOLLOW DR DAVE OFF THE CLIFF


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Last edited by w8jn on Sun Aug 21, 2005 1:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
K4ICL
Posts: 663
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Greenville, SC
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Huh?

Post by K4ICL »

SILLY TIP #1) "Only deal with hams"

I am sorry, but I don't think that is any guarantee at all.
The offered safe trading tips are not meant to GUARANTEE anything. They are a set of suggestions distilled from conclusions gained by hundreds of observatons or experiencs directly related to the reality of the way things are.

The best predictor of future experiences is past experiences. It is not perfect and can not offer any guarantees. But it is better than nothing!

Two things to keep in mind. We are all in this together. None of us are going to get out of this alive.

Lighten up, Dr. kirkby.

Cheers,

K4ICL
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