The merits of this site, ebay and other online sales sites

[JohnMarcson]

This thread will serve as a consolidation of the the discussions that crop up about the merits of selling on ebay vs. here vs. other online sites. When ever a debate over selling an item here or somewhere else comes up it will be linked to this post instead. Feel free to reply with links to existing arguments or continue the debate here.


Here is my list of plus and minus points on each... also I am biased....


Selling on ebay


+/- Larger less educated audience


- Buyer favoring feedback


- Listing and selling Fees


- Forced use of paypal


- More Restricted items


+ Some items go for seemingly inflated amounts


+ Proven, well integrated, and easy to use format


- Mods are inexperienced with specific items





Selling on eLightbars


+/- Smaller more educated audience


+ Neutrally weighted feedback (with a human being that will look into any dispute)


+ Less/no fees


+ Payment options


+ Less restricted items


- Some items go for seemingly low amounts


- Incompletely developed/implemented format


+ Mods are from the field and know the items


Selling on Craigslist


+/- Larger less educated audience


- Little feedback


+ Less/no fees


+ Payment options


+ Less restricted items


- Some items may not even sell


- Shipping warnings/no shipping, ie sales are supposed to be face to face


- Few listing options


- Mods are inexperienced with specific items





How ebay auctions get reviewed (as explained to me by an-ex ebay rep)

The way this site and ebay notice 90% of the removed items are user reports. This site is item type specific, so the mods know whether the reported items actually violate our policies. Ebay has thousands of categories, but relies on member reporting too. Their "mods" can't possibly be expected to be proficient in all the items.

Example 1: You are an ebay mod, you get aprox 4k complaints to weed through per day (this is a 9-5 job for you)... You get a memo that a specific type of sewing machine made by singer is used exclusively in sweat shops and thanks to a news story, it's now banned on ebay. The reported items start pouring in. 1/4 are people who are wrong and have no fucking clue what they are talking about; they are all fired up about sweatshops because they sit home and watch 24 news all day..... Another 1/4 are malicious but wrong.... 1/4 malicious but correct... the remaining 1/4th are legit complaints. All that you know about sewing machines you learned from ebay's reactionary memo.... enjoy your day.


Now take out the word "sweatshop" and put in "police impersonator".... now remove the words "sewing machine" and added "warning light".... replace "singer" with "whelen".... you get the idea...

http://elightbars.org/forums/f25/really-non-payers-28067/#post232637

 

[Skip Goulet]

I agree with your comparisons, John. What makes me furious is how ludicrous some of the pricing has gotten on Ebay lately. Well, actually, some of it has been going on a long time. For instance, a guy listed a Federal Model "O" siren on Ebay with a "buy now" price (with no other options) of $275. This little siren sold for $30 the whole time Federal built it. And currently there's a Model 28 siren that's been relisted and relisted with a price of $1275. A gentleman I know who checks out this site on occasion has become an "Ebay watchdog" and doesn't hesitate getting all over these guys who seem to think that the have a lot more than they really do.


John, since you've talked to some Ebay people, how do their "police" rationalize knocking old vintage sirens off while leaving others? I recently had led the bids on an old Heathkit siren, and suddenly it was removed. I know that they claim that they base this on California law which supposedly forbids ownership of red lights and sirens by "private citizens". But all over CA there are people who are members of PCS, PCI and the Crown Firecoach enthusiasts, all of whom have red lights and sirens on their vintage vehicles. Any clue?

 

[JohnMarcson]

John, since you've talked to some Ebay people, how do their "police" rationalize knocking old vintage sirens off while leaving others? I recently had led the bids on an old Heathkit siren, and suddenly it was removed. I know that they claim that they base this on California law which supposedly forbids ownership of red lights and sirens by "private citizens". But all over CA there are people who are members of PCS, PCI and the Crown Firecoach enthusiasts, all of whom have red lights and sirens on their vintage vehicles. Any clue?

They don't rationalize it.... they just don't know the difference and respond mostly to member reported items. The process works as noted above.. which means what you describe happens all the time. It depends on who reviews what.

 

[dmathieu]

+ Those "inflated prices" on eBay can be great for a seller.


- I can no longer put a red or blue item on eBay without getting pulled.


+ Sales on this site have always been less hassle all the way around.

 

[Skip Goulet]

+ Those "inflated prices" on eBay can be great for a seller.
- I can no longer put a red or blue item on eBay without getting pulled.


+ Sales on this site have always been less hassle all the way around.

Oh, I agree with that, Dan. Like I mention above, even an old Heathkit siren was pulled. Usually if the seller lists it as "antique" or "vintage" they'll stay, but even that doesn't always work. What irritates me is the more-than-inflated prices on some item. There's an old Federal 28 that's been listed and relisted the past 3 months. He only wants $1285 for it!

 

[emtanderson51]

I was able to sell 95% of my monster haul. There were over 300 individual items. I sold 3 on eBay, 2 on Craigslist and the rest I sold here. Other than a few "lowball" offers ( just for you John ha ) I got with in, say, 10% of my asking prices. I would lose that 10% on package deals. No pulled items, no BS, no interference, and 99% happy customers.....eLightbars is by far the way to go.....

 

[RedRooster]

What is everyone's experience selling on FB Marketplace? Mine anymore is that it's an absolute dumpster fire. I get probably 95% garbage, starting with the largest percentage being absolute nonsense lowballing, second largest being directionless "is this available?" automessages, with no further responses after I say "yes."

 

[tsquale]

What is everyone's experience selling on FB Marketplace? Mine anymore is that it's an absolute dumpster fire. I get probably 95% garbage, starting with the largest percentage being absolute nonsense lowballing, second largest being directionless "is this available?" automessages, with no further responses after I say "yes."

It is a disaster. I've had poor luck as well. Everyone wants something for nothing or groups are run by absolute dictators that make it impossible to accomplish a sale.

 

[EHFD_Tower_751]

It is a disaster. I've had poor luck as well. Everyone wants something for nothing or groups are run by absolute dictators that make it impossible to accomplish a sale.

I will agree with some groups run by dictators, i’ve posted numerous items for sale and they never get approved and no reasons why.

Decided to stick with groups im either an admin or moderator in, rest i gave up on

 

[Sparky_911]

I've had the best luck here. Marketplace is a crap shoot. I've gotten some good buys, but selling is a PITA. The ADD of people on marketplace is a headache. Ebay kept kicking stuff so sayonara. Had good luck with Craigslist but it's a ghost town these days.

 

[nhfirefighter]

Here is definitely the easiest place to sell and buyers are versed in what they are buying eliminating painful questions. eBay used to be a good alternative but they have become hyperactive banning “police items” making it impossible to sell anything other than amber or white.

I came across an eBay alternative Mercari, I haven’t tried buying or selling anything on it yet. Anyone have any experience?

 

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

I largely concur on the opinions of FB marketplace. It still does sell items though, just need to wade through the BS. I don't list much on here, mostly cause its kinda dead. CL is largely the same. Most of what I sell is via word of mouth or people contacting me randomly looking for something.

I still buy more then I sell, but lately that is less and less.

 

[shues]

I came across an eBay alternative Mercari, I haven’t tried buying or selling anything on it yet. Anyone have any experience?

I have used Mercari for probably about a dozen transactions over the last year or so. All of my transactions have been purchases. Admittedly, only a few of those purchases have been lights.

The process has been straightforward, especially in the case of an item I want to purchase at the listed asking price. Making an offer involves a system that prevents low-balls that I disliked until I considered its intended purpose.

In my limited experience, so far, it seems like the caliber of seller may be a few points higher on Mercari than on the other platforms I've tried.

Edit: corrected spelling