Buying a machine on eBay sight unseen with pallet delivery

[RobinBHM]

Hi all,

Ive won a bid on a Wadkin machine (Sunday eve) Ive not paid yet, I sent the seller an email this morning, just requesting some details, but so far no response.

As its over £1k, I thought it was reasonable to ask some more details - the description is “good working order” and “good condition no faults” so just wanted to check that’s correct.

So far Ive had no reply, should I be concerned?

TIA

 

[Jacob]

Check his rating, should be 98% very minimum, and look at other comments.
Only pay via Ebay or Paypal then you are covered to some extent.
If the seller is in N Scotland or the islands don't bother as there used to be a routine scam from that direction involving big machines at bargain prices.

 

[woodieallen]

Shouldn't you have asked those question before you bid ?

But I take Jacob's point.

BTW some people will hack an eBay account and so their rating per se is meaningless.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Hi all,

Ive won a bid on a Wadkin machine (Sunday eve) Ive not paid yet, I sent the seller an email this morning, just requesting some details, but so far no response.

As its over £1k, I thought it was reasonable to ask some more details - the description is “good working order” and “good condition no faults” so just wanted to check that’s correct.

So far Ive had no reply, should I be concerned?

TIA

You have bought it and now want to ask questions before paying for it. Forgive me for saying this but that is really bad form. Consider how you would feel about a winning bidder not paying and asking questions possibly with a view to not honouring the purchase.

 

[RobinBHM]

Check his rating, should be 98% very minimum, and look at other comments.
Only pay via Ebay or Paypal then you are covered to some extent.
If the seller is in N Scotland or the islands don't bother as there used to be a routine scam from that direction involving big machines at bargain prices.

feedback is a bit mixed - 95%

I get the impression it’s the partners account given some of the items are dresses!

 

[alan895]

How much description of the item was there? Were there decent pictures of the item?

Have to agree with Paul though - its almost rule number one to ask questions before committing to buy anything.

 

[RobinBHM]

You have bought it and now want to ask questions before paying for it. Forgive me for saying this but that is really bad form. Consider how you would feel about a winning bidder not paying and asking questions possibly with a view to not honouring the purchase.

I appreciate that, but I’m just asking for some reassurance that the machine which is described as “full working order” actually is what it says.

When paying a large amount I don’t think it unreasonable to have some contact with the seller, especially as it’s the seller which will be palletising it’s - I would like to know how it’s being fixed to the pallet and protected - I’d rather pay more for packaging than receive it damaged.

 

[Bojam]

Feedback possibly a bit harsh here imo. It's an auction and maybe you slap a bid in and don't expect to win. Now you've won you want to know more info about the condition of the machine before parting with a substantial chunk of cash. Doesn't sound like the original description offered much in the way of concrete detail. I wouldn't pay unless the seller is forthcoming. Worse case scenario, you keep your money, they keep their machine (and can put it up again for sale if they choose).

 

[Spectric]

Shouldn't you have asked those question before you bid ?

I thought the same, once purchased it is yours unless the description is wrong, ie seller has given an incorrect item description. Always pay through Ebay/Paypal but ideally pay on collection so you know the item actually exist.

 

[RobinBHM]

How much description of the item was there? Were there decent pictures of the item?

Have to agree with Paul though - its almost rule number one to ask questions before committing to buy anything.

quite good description, photographs a little dark but clear and covering most sides.

Yes I fully admit I should have asked questions before bidding - I got side tracked with work and completely forgot.

 

[RobinBHM]

It's an auction and maybe you slap a bid in and don't expect to win. Now you've won you want to know more info about the condition of the machine before parting with a substantial chunk of cash

this is it really - I put a bid on then got involved in other stuff, my bad.

Am I being that unreasonable asking for a bit of extra reassurance before parting with over £1k

 

[deema]

The Wadkin BAO are basically the PT without the beds. One persons perfect working condition is another’s problem, just depends on what your perspective is. Could be a great machine, could need work. The seller unless they understand the machine fully and knows exactly how they should operate is unlikely to be able to give you a really informative answer.

They put a good number of piccies up on the auction.

 

[deema]

Looks to be original paint and not too battered, controls all look original and in good condition. No signs of rust. Cutter block etc all look in good condition. You even got a nice Wixey gauge. It’s in a house, so probably been used as a recently hobby machine.

 

[sawdustandwax]

more red flags on that account than a Spanish bull fighting ring on fight night...
plus how did he test a 3 phase machine whilst sitting in what looks like a dining room? why move it from a garden workshop inside.

options,
pay for it, if it doesn't meet description/arrives damaged return it, = hassle (and hope ebay don't class it as industrial construction machinery = not covered), if it works you have a good machine at a very good price

request to cancel, seller can't leave you neg feedback, although ebay counts it against you

My 'feeling' is the seller (trader/auction buyer?)was expecting more for it, they'd have sent an invoice by now otherwise.

 

[Beanwood]

Regarding the working condition question - if they already said it is, they aren't really going to respond differently are they?
You might reasonably ask for a specific photo to prove they have the actual machine - so trying to reduce the risk of scamming by them picking other ads pictures.

 

[Sandyn]

Where is it? perhaps someone on the forum will be near and would do a quick inspection for you. Tell the seller you have someone who will go and see the equipment to verify it is as described, where can they view it. If they are reluctant to do this. I would be ultra suspicious. This sound very like so many scams I have seen on ebay and marketplace when trying to buy equipment.
I hope it turns out to be a bargain and is OK!!

 

[icejohn]

First you signed to an eBay agreement. You bid you pay period. Next issue for you is if the machine is damaged on delivery ie cracked in half etc you have right to refuse delivery and ths courier has to take it back no charge to you.
The main problem u have is if you return it later on to the seller, it's at your cost not the sellers so you loose that amount on postage. So you paid a grand say something wrong or differes significantly from description that pretty much the only thing that you got to return it under ebay terms. You will loose the postage cost which is one tenth of the item so not too bad.

Now some other stuff. Seller has a duty to provide comms. What's reasonable here is common sense I believe. Ie u ask about simple one about how its going to packaged up? you don't get a response in 3 days, which is worrying. So you don't pay and call ebay customer services for advice.

 

[ian33a]

Personally, I would only bid what I could afford to loose. If I was planning to pay a lot of money for something I would go and look at it before bidding and, even then, it comes with some risk.

I'd be pretty hacked off if somebody bid for something that I had advertised and then appeared to have cold feet about it afterwards by asking a load of questions. I think I'd be keeping the second highest bidder sweet for fear that the sale was, otherwise, about to collapse.

 

[rafezetter]

this is it really - I put a bid on then got involved in other stuff, my bad.

Am I being that unreasonable asking for a bit of extra reassurance before parting with over £1k

Personally, not really, but then I got snubbed on this forum when I wanted to buy something that was £400 and would have cost another £100 to get it palleted to me, and when I asked for clarification and assurances I then got a VERY "stuffed shirt" response that I had somehow accused the seller of slandering his character because he took it as some personal slight for questioning him. (and just as now a bunch of forumites were ready to also jump down my throat)

Ebay doesn't give a lot of room for "asking for clarification of information" from a seller before bidding when said seller has, in multiple personal experiences, gone AFK after listing it - so throwing a bid on BEFORE asking the questions in the hopes the seller would be forthcoming in a timely fashion is a VERY common practise.

It's also common practise as a seller to basically ignore the questions of all and sundry until you know who's WON it, then answer just that person - especially with multiple listings - who's got that sort of time? Or patience?

In an ideal world, yes, but in reality, not so much; so I think you're all being overly critical - having been a regular seller on ebay, answering all the frankly often dumbass questions (because they didnt read the description) can take up HOURS.

 

[rafezetter]

Personally, I would only bid what I could afford to loose. If I was planning to pay a lot of money for something I would go and look at it before bidding and, even then, it comes with some risk.

I'd be pretty hacked off if somebody bid for something that I had advertised and then appeared to have cold feet about it afterwards by asking a load of questions. I think I'd be keeping the second highest bidder sweet for fear that the sale was, otherwise, about to collapse.

As to the first, again the timeframe of ebay means sometimes you've just got to throw a bid on; and you're forgetting distance, if it was easy for him to go see it, I'm sure RobinBHM would have, he's not stupid

To the second, again ebay timeframes, blah blah etc etc. - Asking questions IS NOT "cold feet", just prudent when dealing with ebay sellers. Worst case if the seller isnt forthcoming he doesnt pay and the seller has to relist it - and I would also say to RobinBHM if the seller tries to get a "non payer" mark against you I would appel on the grounds the seller ignored your attempts to communicate.

There are MULTIPLE INHERENT RISKS with selling on a platform like ebay and ANYONE who's ever sold on it will know that, and this is one of them, also as you pointed out a seller can now offer to the second bidder (which they couldn't before some years back), so the risk now is even smaller than it was before - but "keeping the second bidder sweet" just how would you do that? Tell them the winner is pulling out, without proof to the fact (only your paranoid assumptions) and then said second bidder gets thier hopes up, only to be dashed when RobinBHM makes good?

Worst case if RobinBHM does pull out because the answers he gets are not to his liking and feels bad he can offer to paypal gift the listing fees etc etc. If the guy doesnt respond, then as a seller it's his own fault and he can eat the fees himself and hopefully learn a lesson.

Get a grip people, this is EBAY not bloody Sothebys! Sheesh!

Edit: Can write stupid and dumbass, can't write i d i o t even though they mean the same thing - go figure.
nincompoop