"" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> made an utterance to the drakelist gang ----------------------------------------------------------------------
I now appreciate what sellers go through when selling radio equipment on E-bay. I have bought a lot of stuff on there but never sold anything until this year. A friend of mine died and I helped his widow sell his fairly extensive collection of equipment both at ham feasts and on E-bay. It has taken me close to a year to dispose of all of it. ( I never asked, received, nor would take a penny for my efforts). In that time I learned a lot about selling on E-bay You have to analyze the equipment's condition which may take some time doing this. Otherwise you have to say, "as is" if you want to be truthful. You have to weigh it and figure out what the shipping charges will be. That is, if you want to be accurate. You have to take pictures and then write up the review on the item and then put all this on E-bay. This is no fast process. At least it was not for me. Then you have to answer all the questions which range from proper and understandable to the insane. Then you need to watch during the auction. Then you need to correspond with the winning bidder. Then you need to handle the money end of it sometimes meaning running down to your bank and deposit funds. Then you need to box the item properly and then burn gas taking it to the Post Office or UPS and having it shipped. You have to find the proper size and weight box. Of course if you are trying to help the new owner out and keep costs down, the packing takes time doing it yourself and running down to a "real" UPS office rather then a private shipper's office which also takes a lot of time. It didn't happen to me but I can see over time boxes will get lost or damaged by the shipper no matter how well you mark them or package them. That means more trips and burnt gas plus more time and then maybe some bad feedback even though it may not be your fault. Then you get the guy who is surprised he did not get some "free" accessories that never came with the radio in the first place. Or, you sold a transmitter and he "thought" the accessory power supply should have been in the box too along with the radio free. Then you risk having a nut case not knowing anything about radios blowing up or burning something up and thinking you should be responsible for his damage. Or when the 45 year old piece of equipment finally breaks 2 years after he purchased it from you, he expects you to "make good" on his purchase. Or, he wants to modify the radio and expects you to give him unlimited technical training so he can become an expert on this device. Yes, I learned a lot selling on E-bay. I also know, understating the radio's condition by micro analyzing it, so I could honestly describe the radio, cost me money and at the same time made my investment time dramatically increase. After all was sold, I can tell you my friend's wife and I had to really "work" to get this stuff sold through auction. Buying .is one thing, but selling is a whole new ball game. I now better appreciate what a seller goes through. To go through all this for an inexpensive item is hardly worth the effort. My hat is off to those that do it. I have purchased many small priced items I depersately have needed off of E-bay for my radio projects. I now really appreciate what the seller has gone through for his small reward. Lee w0vt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Submissions: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - unsubscribe drakelist in body Hopelessly Lost: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - help in body of message Zerobeat Web Page: www.zerobeat.net - sponsored by www.tlchost.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------
