A Comparison of 2 Identical E-Bay Listing

Saturday, March 17, 2011

A Comparison of 2 Identical E-Bay Listings

or

If it looks like a duck, and walks like 

a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck

or

If you have an uneasy feeling about an E-Bay listing,

for whatever reason,

then don't buy the item!

or at least ask a lot of questions

You would think by now that I would have learned several important lessons  on buying on E-Bay, bot nooooooooooo!

I purchased the item below, and when I received it was very much disappointed.

The reasons for my disappointments are:

1. Item was originally broken and welded.

I didn't look close enough at the photos, 

and the description said nothing of the original damage or the welds!

1. Item crank handle is broken

I didn't look close enough at the photos, 

and the description said nothing of the original damage about this!

Below is the original:

1. Title

2.Description

3. Photos that I tried to duplicate of the listing on E-Bay

Title

vintage Barclays? tow truck 7" #3468 rubber tires with wooden hubs

Comments:

Beware of any "?"

I've complained to E-Bay about a person who keeps listing a Hubley Race Car with a "?" The item of course is a reproduction (fake in less-kind words) for various reasons chief of which is that the item is in too good shape for 85 years old. Secondly, almost every second week the person is showing another almost-exact "fake" with a "?".

E-Bay has never replied to my  complaints, and I've complained 4 times already. Why should I complain? Because about 10 days ago, I had an "authentic and original"item that this person was listing. MIne had a starting price of $ 76.00 and that person's was starting at $ 20.00. I probably lost about40%of potential buyers because they would bid on the less-expensive item, not knowing that it was a fake!

I assume that this person thinks that if a "?"is entered into the description and title, then they can get away with the ambiguous listing.  Not so! If a person really though that he/she was purchasing an authentic "Hubley"only to have a more-experienced persontell them that it was a "fake", then that buyer would have an excellent case to get their money back from the seller through E-Bay.

Description

This is a great vintage Barclays? tow truck featuring rubber wheels with wooden hubs with 3468 stamped on the inside frame. This one is in Fair condition as shown and measures approximatley 7" long. 

Comments:

1. Nothing mentioning the original damage and the selling to the truck body

2. No mention of the broken crank handle for the boom

The Photographs

(Itried to photograph the item like the seller)

Comments:

1. Camera angle very high

2. Can only really see top and side well

3. Shadows deep and detail harder to see

Comments:

1. Camera angle very high

2. Can only really see top and side well

3. Shadows deep and detail harder to see - especially the damage (welding)

Comments:

1. Same as before

2. Out-of-focus

3. Grainy due to photo not having enough megapixels or it was enlarged from a small-sized photo

Comments:

1. Same as before

2. Out-of-focus

3. Grainy due to photo not having enough megapixels or it was enlarged from a small-sized photo

4. Colour is not exact!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My Presentation

Title

Vintage old Cast Iron Truck for Repair

Comments:

I'm unsure of the name of the toy, although I think it might be an Arcade.

I prefer to be unfront. An avid collector will overlook the damage, whereas a new collector will look and then get disappointed and leave the listing.

Description

Up for sale is a vintage Arcade or Hubley Cast Iron tow truck.

I'm unsure whether or not the item is a Hubley or Arcade, so if anyone can help out by authenticating this, I would gladly amend my description.

The item measures 7"(L) x  2"(W) x 3"(H).

It is missing wooden wheels, 2 rubber tires, and 1 axle. As well, one of the wooden wheels has a piece missing, the tow crank handle is broken off. Finally, the item was dropped and had to be welded in 2 places. The welder forgot to place back the usual steel rod that holds the 2 halves of the toy together, and is hammered at one end, with a ball head at the other end.

Thanks for dropping by, and best of luck to all bidders.

Comments:

1. Lots of information

2. All the problems are identified and well-explained.

Comments:

1. More photos

2. Better focus overall

3. Lighting better- shows good detail in bright and dark areas

The above photo style is what I currently use.

I use the montage (a photo made up of several smaller photos)in order to save money.

The first photo on E-Bay is free, while  others cost 15 cents each, and 6 cost I think 75 cents.

Starting, In late May or Early June, E-Bay will be offering up 12 photos to be listed for free.

However, the bad news is that E-Bay is pressuring sellers to take returns starting with 14 days from the date of purchase, and also is requiring sellers to ship within 1 day of receipt of the payment from the buyer. I don;t know if return postage is included in the return of the item. E-Bay was supposed to contact me within 24 hours of the time I asked them a whole lot of questions. I haven't yet heard from them in 96 hours (4 days).

Many E-Bay sellers, including myself are upset at these new "pressures". I say that because  if I don't follow these new policies, I will lost my 20% reduction of fees from E-Bay.  However, if I take back 1 item from a Canadian, I  may lose $ 12.00 if E-Bay insists in refunding also the original shopping, and who knows if the return shipping. At this rate, with only 1 return, I've lost my whole month's worth of the 20% reduction. By the way, I get that 20% for being a "Top-Rated Seller" and a "Power-Seller".

Big Deal!

Thanks for dropping by, and have 

a great morning, afternoon, or evening, wherever you may be.