Ya gotta be careful on Ebay

[Lady Hobbs]

http://www.shopjebo.com/15/canister_filters_supply.aspx

The filters sold in this link are being bid on in Ebay for $70-80. Guys ad says "originally sold for $159." His shipping is $21. Now even I know it doesn't cost $21 to mail this thing. So........be careful when bidding.

These canisters can be bought at this link, on- line for $59! Bugs me when sellers do that.

I don't know anything about these canisters but I have to think they'd have to be better than a HOTB. I might pick one up just to try it. It could always go on my 29 gallon.

[Palor]

Never trust anyone on Ebay. Always look up the items they are selling and check the feedback on the seller before buying.

[zackish]

You also gotta pay attention to shipping on a lot of those items. Shipping is usually doubled on ebay. I recently bought two things off ebay and they were being sent in a flat rate package. I know a flat rate package is not $6.00 so I talked them down to $6.00 for both items.

[AquaQueen]

Wow what a rip off & a shame!!! There's always going to be someone out there trying to make a buck and sucking those gullible people into buying their junk just to rob them blind. Thanks for the heads up Hobbs. We can only hope that some day someone will give this guy a taste of his own medicine!

[MeganL3985]

Yeah ebay can be a lil tricky...I am always trying to be cautious with it. You never know what kind of loser seller your gonna get on there. Yuck...

[zackish]

Wow what a rip off & a shame!!! There's always going to be someone out there trying to make a buck and sucking those gullible people into buying their junk just to rob them blind. Thanks for the heads up Hobbs. We can only hope that some day someone will give this guy a taste of his own medicine!

Someone...more like everyone. And I guarantee you he will sell that filter. People are dumb and they don't look around.

[AquaQueen]

Someone...more like everyone. And I guarantee you he will sell that filter. People are dumb and they don't look around.

Oh Yea...I know that's what I meant. I also know he will still sell that pump w/o a problem. I was just saying how it's gonna be out there no matter what.

[cocoa_pleco]

thats the ebays sellers favorite trick of the book, high shipping. before i bought my 360 i went on ebay, and i found a buy it now for 150$ and i was like sweet but shipping was 250$. thats their favorite scam and its not really honest.

[Lady Hobbs]

I used to have a store in ebay and got pretty familiar with how they do things there. I would try to sell something for 12.00 and $8.50 to ship. (The cost it was to me.) But here would come someone and list my identical item I was trying to sell for 3.75 and charge 21.50 to ship.

People are dumb, really. They see two identical items, one being 3.75 and the other at 12.00 which do you buy? They don't considered those shipping charges.

I don't think it's as bad as it used to be, tho. Now there is combined shipping and the calculated shipping rates so people aren't getting away with that like they used to.

My idea of Ebay is to buy something a bit cheaper than you'd get it elsewhere but this guy is actually getting more because the bidding goes up for him.

My next question would be does anyone have one of these filters? I'm curious about how good / bad they are.

[nanaglen2001]

Yes one should know the prizes of the items one will buy and really consider the shipping costs.

On E-bay I normaly buy Indian stuff like Sarees and fashion jewellery which is really difficult to buy here in Germany. And even if you find a shop, the stuff normaly is awfully ugly and expensive.

So, as long as I pay, lets say 10 $ for a Saree I can live with 16 $ shipping (from India).

But when I see the shipping costs some people take here in Germany for a canister filter, man it would be way cheaper if I organize the shipping myself via my company.

And I often heard from fellow aquarians here in my country, the article wasnt new, or it wasnt like in the pic, or whatever....

[S13DWS]

I do have to admit alot of the time i am a sucker for online auctions. Never been on ebay as here we have trademe.

I will quite often just look at the feedback rating down the bottom. i never trade with anyone with a rating less than 98%

But with buying things i see what i want and go for it. sometimes i make a killer deal but would have been cheaper to buy in a package deal.
For example my front bodykit on my car, i got for $220.
about a week ago i was offered the same kit for $550 FOR THE WHOLE THING!!!
i do try to be careful with it though

[crackatinny]

Ebay certainly is buyer beware.

Recently a freind of my nephews bought a seagate hard drive from ebay, when he got it, it was stamped a generic brand, when he queried this, he was told it had seagate internals, I personally as a PC repairer, would not buy this story.

[RobbieG]

I wouldn't necessarily doubt it - a lot of generics just slap thier sticker over the real manufacturers (Simple Tech does it to Toshiba's)

[Juannie]

I'm an ebay fiend, I buy & sell (honestly) and I don't try ripping people off. I've saved a fortune in aquarium products, clothes, cd's etc. The thing to do is ALWAYS check the ratings first and make sure you do searches in a varierty of areas for the item(s) that you're interested in. Anyone who is silly enough not to check out the postage really is asking for trouble. Their are heaps of people who really don't care and mark up postage for profit - but the more people who buy & don't use these shafters the better it will be for all of us.
TOO MANY NASTY PEOPLE ON THEIR WHO DON'T GIVE A DAMN!

I purchased a canister filter for $95 last year off ebay, I have he seller's mobile number & he's very reputable on their and goes out of his way to help. It is just as good as a fluval without as much cleaning. It's absolutely fantastic and when I thought I had a problem he went through it with me step by step & offered a full refund straight away.

At the end of the day always triple check ratings and even go through their feedback for 100-200 & run your eye over what people have to say. If you're not happy with the product you should be able to return it. Oh and as a buyer you have the right to ask as many questions as you want too, even ask them to send pictures etc if that helps with your decision.

[Lady Hobbs]

I also check the ratings. The guy I get my plants from has 100% rating and that tells me a lot. He also combines shipping and I won't buy from anyone that doesn't. Even if I'm only buying one thing from them, I figure they aren't out to get you when they do the combined. I also like those that do not list the shipping rates but you punch in your zip code and it's figured out for you. You know they aren't putting any of it in their pocket.

But let's face it, shipping rates are out of sight compared to just 4 years ago. Someone has to pay for all the fuel that go into those planes and trucks that bring your purchase. It doesn't get here all by itself.

[ruecole]

I've bought and sold stuff on eBay (no aquarium stuff--yet :hmm3grin2orange: ), but I don't have a problem with shipping costing a few extra dollars. After all, it costs the seller money for the packaging and the gas to and from the post office, etc. and I don't have any problem with reimbursing them for that, since I want to be reimbursed as well.

I do have a problem with shipping costs being double what it should, though. Talk about ripping people off!

Rue