The worst “sector” in eBay… is it us ???

[Mr.Faxanadu]

Ok, so I’ve been looking around recently for a stick of ram for my old PC. Of course I figure I would snag a great deal on eBay so I decided to brose the computer section. Sure I was able to find some deals but I was shocked on how many shady/evil auctions there were. In the case of a stick of ram – there were tones of low buy it now prices but after reading the auction thoroughly I realized that the most wanted $20 or $30 for shipping. I also had to sieve through tones of slimy “stock photo” actions with bad rating, mass selling sellers who listed their location as “the best deals” …. Etc.

This sorta crap gave left me thinking how deceitful, dishonest and untrustworthy the computer section of eBay is and how the video game “sector” of eBay is much better. In thinking about this for a second I realized that in surfing the videogame sector almost daily I’ve seen some really shady stuff! The “boxes only” auctions….. the mass mark up on Xbox 360’s….. the uber rare SMB/DH carts :)

So I ask – what “sector” of eBay is the worst (deceitful, dishonest and untrustworthy)? And where do you think the video game section stands? I know some of you would say that eBay as a whole is deceitful etc.. but I don’t think this is the case as sections like “books” probably don’t have to deal with this sorta stuff.

Thoughts ???

[VACRMH]

DVDs. Especially Anime ones.

"Of course they're legit! They have an english dub!"

Ugh, do a search for any anime series and you'll see.

[jajaja]

GBA, no doubt. I bet like over 50% is pirate. Its been a while since I've checked, but before almost all auctions was shipping from hong kong etc and was dirt cheap compared to retail price.

[TisLord]

dvd boxsets

[Kitsune Sniper]

Bootleg Anime DVDs & Videogame/Anime CDs.

eBay refuses to do anything about these scammers.

[Bluteg]

I agree we jajaja and my vote to all those "Nintondo" Game Boy Advance games. They should ban those Hong Kong sellers but they would loose a tremendous amount of listing fees if they did. Business is business as usual.

[Daria]

Well my parent's both use ebay religiously over the past couple years. My mom buys vintage dolls, and my dad buys Warhammer stuffs and older roleplaying games. It's only once in a blue moon that they ever have a problem with the honesty of a seller.

I however use ebay sporatically, usually video games, and almost always run into a dihonest seller of some degree. If they're not jacking up the shipping costs, it's small lies about the general condition of the item.

When I do buy non gaming items, again never a problem.
I'm sure there are other "bad" sectors of ebay, video games may not be the worst, but they still suck.

[Vectorman0]

I will have to agree with everyone else on just the bootlegs in general. Mainly GBA, PC, DVD, CD (especially anime/game music). This included all of the $15 romdiscs and DC games too.

Honestly, people are always going to do it. It's just eBay itself that pisses me off the most. It's obvious that they are making money off of it so they don't care. Eventually it will get to a point where law enforcement will say "enough is enough," and give ebay more of the responsibility they have been ignoring.

[kevin_psx]

10% of my Video Game buyers never pay.

Bet that the highest percentage of any genre.

[NintendoMan]

Well, you can't say the the BOXES ONLY auctions are shady!?
I mean the ones that are purposely trying to scam are, but not just selling boxes, why couldn't a seller just list some boxes they want to get rid of? I have many times.

[Elusive]

I will have to agree with everyone else on just the bootlegs in general. Mainly GBA, PC, DVD, CD (especially anime/game music). This included all of the $15 romdiscs and DC games too.

Honestly, people are always going to do it. It's just eBay itself that pisses me off the most. It's obvious that they are making money off of it so they don't care. Eventually it will get to a point where law enforcement will say "enough is enough," and give ebay more of the responsibility they have been ignoring.

What responsibility? In their T&C that you agree to when opening an account, eBay clearly label themselves as only a 'listing service' - as such, they aren't responsible for anything to do with the items. This might mean that you have the horror of ignoring the ROMdisc listings, but it also prevents them from having to deal with criminals using eBay to offload stolen goods quickly, for example.

It's all very well demonising eBay as some sort of super-rich behemoth megacorporation trying to crush its users beneath its mighty jackboots, but when you consider that if they do intervene in auctions they create legal precedent which can be used against them, it becomes a different matter. Take the selling of the version of Grand Theft Auto that could be 'Hot Coffee' modded - they had to pull auctions listing this item as there were numerous legal complications surrounding the game at that time. To my knowledge there has never been a legal settlement which clearly states the selling of ROMs is illegal and which has led to prosecution of the involved people - therefore, why _should_ they stop sellers peddling them?

[ClassicGameTrader]

My personal experience has lead me to believe that "Vintage Electronics" in general are a horrible place to put your trust into. This may include video games systems as well. I have been burned twice on Bang & Olufsen audio equipment. Once I bought a Tape deck and another time turntable. Each time the items arived not working. B&O stuff is very high end and costed hundreds to fix each time, beware on old electronics!!!!

[Felixthegamer]

Autographs are bad because they are almost always fake. Bootleg anime is up there too. I wanted to buy some anime and some of the sellers had 50-60 negatives in the past month for not delievering good @_@

[Mr.Faxanadu]

It seems as though electronics is the wrost area! In fact, just the other day I was looking at home theatre systems and found a cheap one being sold by a normal eBayer (not a shop) with good feedback and shipping rate. I checked out the name of the epeaker system on google and the first link pointed me to scamtracker.com (or something like that) I looked and found that these systems were a part of a scam called the white van scam where guys out of their car (normally a white van) offer to sell people these ridiously cheap systems for a high mark up saying they own a stereo shop and have extra stock (showing papers to prove this...etc.)

[kevin_psx]

found a cheap one being sold by a normal eBayer (not a shop) with good feedback and shipping rate. I looked and found that these systems were a part of a scam called the white van scam


How does that prove the Ebayer was a scammer? Don't see a connection between thieves-in-the-street & that Ebay auction.

[Mr.Faxanadu]

I think it's pretty bad when a search of the product name leads you to a description of how the product is used in a scam....purchased from china for a very low price and ONLY sold in Canada from people in cargo vans!! From reading peoples comments on this scam, most systems don't even work. The most probable way this person got this speaker system was by making a purchase though this scam as the system is not available in Canada. I know I'm making alot of assumptions but I think he got suckered and is trying to cut his losses by reselling it on eBay.