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(Toronto Star) Cool "Everything on eBay is fake or a rip-off" Yeah, tell that to the guy who picked up a lost Chaplin film there for $5.68   (thestar.com) divider line 117
More: Cool, Chaplin film  
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real shaman [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 11:49:22 AM  
I wonder who the dumbass was that sold it.....

you know he's embarrassed.

 
Aulus [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 11:53:34 AM  
real shaman: I wonder who the dumbass was that sold it.....

you know he's embarrassed.


We'll find out soon enough when he and his lawyer find out how much the buyer turned around and sold for again.

 
Crosshair [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 11:58:51 AM  
fake or a rip-off OR STOLEN. get it right subby.

 
CitizenTed [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 01:09:45 PM  
I helped a friend sell a signed Salvador Dali pâte de verre on eBay. It was really real. He got some decent bucks for it.

/and a small commission for me!

 
Sumo Surfer [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 01:21:06 PM  
Finally got the crack habit that is Bejeweled 2 Deluxe and laughed when I realized the CD decal was cut to size with a scissors and glued on.

But I didn't pay 20 bucks for it, and my high score is better than yours, so ha.

 
Coelacanth 2009-11-07 02:07:33 PM  
A zeppelin attack? I've never heard of one of those being filmed before.

 
CygnusDarius [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:08:41 PM  
Well, my time machine ain't a fake, subby!.

www.underconsideration.com

 
TimonC346 [recently expired TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:08:55 PM  
I learned my lesson in college when I got a 35mm camera off of ebay. It was a no name brand, but I really wanted something to take pictures with. It came, was made out of cheap, cheap plastic, and even had a weight in it to add weight so it seemed more legit. It sucked.

Who was the idiot? Come on. I'm the one who believe I could get a decent 35mm for 20 bucks. That's ebay for you--largely just a scam waiting for suckers.

 
#2 2009-11-07 02:10:13 PM  
" There sits Merlin the Wild Man
By the lake on a mossy stone
And stares at his picture
In the dark reflection;
He sees how he has aged
In the murky throng of the world:"

- 'Merlin der Wilde / Merlin the Wild Man' by Ludwig Uhland (1829)

 
Hrist 2009-11-07 02:10:53 PM  
eBay has become a cesspit of people thinking that most goods increase in value over time rather than decrease. For some goods, this is true, but by far the majority deteriorate and 'move on.'

Example: 1980's mustang, in shiatty condition: $10k+. Touted as a classic. Great condition except for the rusted out passenger's floorboard and wrecked transmission. Also the engine has seized.

Example: Not-so-rare collectibles going for 20x sane value. Magic cards and comic books are the worst offenders. Everyone thinks their 2002 #1 comic of an X-Men spinoff is worth $100+.

 
Earl of Chives 2009-11-07 02:15:08 PM  
TimonC346:

Who was the idiot? Come on. I'm the one who believe I could get a decent 35mm for 20 bucks. That's ebay for you--largely just a scam waiting for suckers.


Sure you have to use the tiniest bit of common sense, but there are plenty of uses for eBay. Granted I don't buy junk like yourself, but say you need a Sony battery, you can buy authentic, brand new for 50-75% off retail. You just have to use your brian moran.

 
Meesterjojo 2009-11-07 02:17:36 PM  
$5.68 with $20 shipping, no doubt.

I've helped close 5 stores for eBay shipping violations. People get sick/tired of the shiat. Why anyone buys shiat off eBay without checking the shipping first and comparing it off eBay with the proposed shipper is beyond me.

 
Epiphany 2009-11-07 02:19:53 PM  
If i understood the article correctly, the film was labeled as that Charlie Chaplin film right? How can that guy know how to use ebay and not google?

 
TsarTom 2009-11-07 02:22:48 PM  
Good find!

/all I got.

 
akya 2009-11-07 02:26:04 PM  
Hrist:

Example: Not-so-rare collectibles going for 20x sane value.


I remember an collectible band item on ebay that was linked to by the band's website. It was opened and went for ~$200.

A week later i bought the same item unopened for ~$10 from a less advertised auction.

I think alot of it is knowing what your getting and being patient.

 
No Such Agency 2009-11-07 02:28:51 PM  
TimonC346:
I learned my lesson in college when I got a 35mm camera off of ebay. It was a no name brand, but I really wanted something to take pictures with. It came, was made out of cheap, cheap plastic, and even had a weight in it to add weight so it seemed more legit. It sucked.

These days, hipsters would be scrambling to use it to take "edgy" blurred, distorted photos with so much more "soul" than a 12 Mpx digital SLR would give you...

Honestly, eBay gives you the good and the bad. Exercise a little judgment and caveat emptor and you can come up with some great stuff.

 
Aulus [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:29:46 PM  
I've had good luck with eBay, mostly on books. I picked up some hard to find titles at very good prices.

The real way to get taken is on antiquities. A lot of the worst offenders have been driven off/banned when exposed but there are still a lot. Just a tip, there is no such thing as a "Roman battle axe," anything from Bulgaria needs to be viewed with great suspiction and those "Roman senators' voting sticks" are a total scam.

 
cameroncrazy1984 [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:31:38 PM  
Epiphany: If i understood the article correctly, the film was labeled as that Charlie Chaplin film right? How can that guy know how to use ebay and not google?

Took a DVD class on eBay, skipped the google section?

 
No Such Agency 2009-11-07 02:32:12 PM  
Aulus:
Just a tip, there is no such thing as a "Roman battle axe," anything from Bulgaria needs to be viewed with great suspiction and those "Roman senators' voting sticks" are a total scam.

SRS? Who would think they could get things like that on eBay?

 
one of Ripley's Bad Guys 2009-11-07 02:32:26 PM  
I am sure it is trendy to bash Ebay - they do some things that definitely earn it. But if you start a business they are an excellent way to sell stuff for little outlay and a very big market. I started my automotive parts biz 7 years ago, first part time then full; would have been MUCH harder with them.

 
Hand Banana 2009-11-07 02:32:29 PM  
I used to find good deals on eBay but now most people are just greedy or crazy. I see things like 20 year old ISA video cards listed for $200 all the time. Those "ebay store" sellers are the worst offenders.

 
Eyebleach [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:33:50 PM  
Meesterjojo: $5.68 with $20 shipping, no doubt.

I've helped close 5 stores for eBay shipping violations. People get sick/tired of the shiat. Why anyone buys shiat off eBay without checking the shipping first and comparing it off eBay with the proposed shipper is beyond me.


Some people are fair about shipping, but not many. I buy quite a few things off eBay that generally have to ship truck freight due to weight or bulk. I always ask if they mind if I use my own freight account. Many are fine with it, and I don't buy from the ones that refuse. I can ship a 700 pound pallet to any forklift dock in the continental US for 250 bucks or less, a 5000 pound pallet for under 400 bucks and the ones that refuse my shipping are always the same ones quoting 700-1000+ for shipping and handling. (Except for Jersey freight. It's a little higher there, and if they can't fark it up, they'll smear shiat on it.)

I guess there are people that pay it, though.

 
BackAssward [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:35:53 PM  
The exception proves the rule. If you thin eBay is presently a great place, you must also like playing the lottery.

/The house always wins.

 
whenIsayGO [recently expired TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:38:36 PM  
I've got an old Powerbook and the AC adapter totally went to shiat. I had to hold the cable just a certain way to get it to send power to the computer long enough to eject the CD that was in it. Bad stuff.

It's not my primary computer but it was good for around-the-house stuff until the power problems got so bad. I wasn't willing or able to pay a lot for a new part for an obsolete computer so I looked on eBay. I found one for $6, with $8 shipping from Hong Kong. I don't care if it's 3rd party, stolen, or just a box filled with rocks, for $14 I was willing to take my chances that maybe it's just some seller who got stuck with old inventory. It hasn't arrived yet, so I don't know if it's for real, but if so, it will have been totally worth it to get an old computer running like new for just a few bucks.

 
louiedog 2009-11-07 02:38:43 PM  
eBay is full of jerks selling and idiots buying. I'm surprised we don't have 10 stories on Fark every day that involve eBay.

I fondly remember my first eBay sale. The item was $25 MSRP and easily available for $15 from reputable retailers online. Bidding started at $10. I had no feedback and it sold for $28 + shipping.

I was buying quite a bit of stuff from a seller who also had an online store. I stopped bidding on their auctions when they got popular. Items were going for $20 even though every auction page had a link to the item on their web store where it sold for $15 and would ship immediately.

 
mason4300 2009-11-07 02:42:59 PM  
"Everything on eBay Craigslist is fake or a rip-off"

ftfy

 
try fect taa daa [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:44:23 PM  
I try to educate myself before i buy. Amazon ebay newegg b and h. They all have reviews and feedback. If something sounds too good to be true, it prolly is. As an ebay seller, their fees are a little nuts.

 
shower_in_my_socks [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:46:14 PM  
I like eBay. Literally anyone selling anything, anywhere, can rip you off. But every experience I've had on eBay -- as both a seller and a buyer -- has been positive. I bought a really cool K3 16mm camera there for cheap - works great. I've bought clothing labels I like for wholesale, and verified that they aren't knockoffs (thus favoriting those trusted sellers). I've used it for product research.

If you have half a brain, it's pretty easy to sniff-out the ripoff artists.

 
Aulus [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:47:03 PM  
Yes, seriously. There are a lot of noobie collectors out there who are too damn lazy to do their homework and the crooks know it. So they bang out some old iron, call it a battle axe, bury it for a few months then sell it, rust and dirt encrustations still on it as a battlefield find.

Voting sticks are about the same. They just melt down some brass, pour it into rough molds then either paint it with a brush-on patinizer or bury it under some dirt and piss on the dirt two or three times a day to get a quick and heavy green patina in a week or so. The obvious thing is that the sellers all use the same description, misspellings and all, even if it is coming from Spain, Romania, Bulgaria or England. If you email them for documentation of even the existence of such, they will ignore you or email back that they are insulted by your impertinence and are going to reoprt you to eBay.

 
nesler [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 02:47:28 PM  
Hrist: Example: 1980's mustang, in shiatty condition: $10k+. Touted as a classic. Great condition except for the rusted out passenger's floorboard and wrecked transmission. Also the engine has seized.

Example: Not-so-rare collectibles going for 20x sane value. Magic cards and comic books are the worst offenders. Everyone thinks their 2002 #1 comic of an X-Men spinoff is worth $100+.


I noticed the same thing a couple months ago when I was looking for certain models of old point-and-shoot digital cameras (c.1999-2000) for use in doing time-lapse shots. I would happen across absolutely ludicrous "buy it now" listings in which "I bought such-and-such camera and accessories brand new for 900 bucks in 1998, but you can have it for ONLY 300 dollars! My loss is your gain!"

With some equipment and lens kits it's justifiable, but 99% of the time, it was just idiocy on parade. I watched the same camera SLOWWWLYYYY drop in price for a couple months, but never approaching anything resembling sanity.

 
roflmaonow 2009-11-07 02:52:38 PM  
I just bought a wireless keyboard and mouse for $1 on ebay and am gloating about it.

/had to pay $15 for shipping though
//retailers sell same merchandise for $60.
///so good deal all round for me. yay. cool stroy.

 
louiedog 2009-11-07 02:53:17 PM  
roflmaonow: I just bought a wireless keyboard and mouse for $1 on ebay and am gloating about it.

/had to pay $15 for shipping though
//retailers sell same merchandise for $60.
///so good deal all round for me. yay. cool stroy.


The keys are all stuck with semen.

 
Forbidden Doughnut 2009-11-07 02:53:52 PM  
Meesterjojo: $5.68 with $20 shipping, no doubt.

I've helped close 5 stores for eBay shipping violations. People get sick/tired of the shiat. Why anyone buys shiat off eBay without checking the shipping first and comparing it off eBay with the proposed shipper is beyond me.


Amazon.com > EBay, IMHO.

Selection may be less for used stuff, but all of my purchases have gone through without a hitch.

 
historynow11 2009-11-07 02:55:42 PM  
The key to ebay is patience and research. I collect Soviet uniform patches, fallout shelter/civil defense signs, and bits and pieces of other things. I've been burned on a few items, but research is the key. The handiest feature IMHO is that you can search to find the closest items to you. I've picked up a few items in person this way that lead to even more sales for better items not on ebay.

photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net

Old picture...I have even more now.
\Gaze upon and despair, yadda yadda...

 
roflmaonow 2009-11-07 02:59:36 PM  
louiedog:
The keys are all stuck with semen.

Mine or the sellers?

 
Fano 2009-11-07 03:00:07 PM  
real shaman: I wonder who the dumbass was that sold it.....

you know he's embarrassed.


Chester Lampwick?

 
try fect taa daa [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 03:00:17 PM  
I bought a panasonic fz18 camera and it arrived doa. Seller refunded me and turned me onto b and h where i got the newer fz28 for twenty bucks more.

Bought a week old netbook for 100 bux off retail.

Just gotta find an educated seller with good feedback, and a coherant description. It takes a little time.

 
cptjeff 2009-11-07 03:00:18 PM  
I knew someone who won a gas card to some station that wasn't near him, so he put it up on e-bay. It was a $25 card. It sold for $26. Plus the $.50 shipping.

People are dumbasses.

 
bingethinker [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 03:00:23 PM  
Everything I bought on eBay was real and legitimate, because I bought brand name items that I knew the value of. Some of the sellers were douchebags, however.

 
mason4300 2009-11-07 03:09:27 PM  
akya: Hrist:

Example: Not-so-rare collectibles going for 20x sane value.

I remember an collectible band item on ebay that was linked to by the band's website. It was opened and went for ~$200.

A week later i bought the same item unopened for ~$10 from a less advertised auction.

I think alot of it is knowing what your getting and being patient.


This. Contrary to what only retards say, Ebay is NOT for suckers. Those suckers just happen to think they know what they're doing and when they get screwed they blame everyone else instead of just admitting that they are the retards who got scammed.

If you actually know what you're doing, you can get some AWESOME deals on Ebay. I can't recall how many mint condition collectibles and other things I've gotten for waaay less than they normally sell for, even on Ebay. I bought a lot of 30 items with one object in it that alone sells for over $200. The whole lot is probably worth over $500 if I sold everything individually. I got the whole thing for 60 bucks.

 
FlyingJ 2009-11-07 03:13:57 PM  
You'd think the zeppelin stuff wouldn't work...no wonder they ran the same gameplan with buzzbombs;
Link (new window)

cptjeff You know nothing about the rare gas card collecting market.

If you haven't been burned on E-Bay in some half-assed way you haven't been using it. I had "friends" I was storing my stuff with who adopted the lifestyle choice of tweaking...and well, my stuff=Instant Revenue Stream. E-Bay won't help when they've brokered your stolen items, the buyers even less so. E-Bay sucks & they know it. "People are basically good" my ass-I'd love to drive up to Hamilton Ave in San Jose & see if they've got guards or locks on their doors, then you know they're hypocrites

 
Franco 2009-11-07 03:21:47 PM  
I dunno it is a Chaplin short. They found some lost scenes from Metropolis a few years back. Call me if they ever find a print of Cleopatra from 1918 or London After Midnight.

 
xombie_a_go_go 2009-11-07 03:24:53 PM  
I bought a used gas tank for my quad off of eBay for $175.00 plus free s&h. A replacement from Honda would have cost me $700+. You just have to research what you're buying and the seller you're buying from and you can get a pretty good deal.

Also bought a carb rebuild kit for $12 plus free s&h.
Saved myself a ton of money in repair costs doing it myself.

 
Bubblegum Tate 2009-11-07 03:27:13 PM  
I recently sold some G1 Transformers toys on ebay that I found at a garage sale. Some collectors got a great deal. Then with some of the profit bought The Wire the Complete Series for $60 with free shipping, way cheaper than Amazon.

/am getting a kick out of these replies

 
Battlestar Girlactica 2009-11-07 03:27:41 PM  
My general thing is that I never buy anything that ships out of certain locations unless I know who I'm buying from. Purchasing a DVD or item out of China? Uh... maybe not.

I usually just purchase books from eBay, but once in a blue moon I'll take the plunge & get something bigger. But I only do that after going over the seller's feedback with a fine toothed comb. I've been scammed on there before, so it's really easy to get burned. Generally, I just try to avoid making any big purchases on there unless I can help it. It's just far too easy for someone to sell something as "new" when it's actually been around the block umpteen times.

 
ICDedPpl 2009-11-07 03:29:17 PM  
Good headline, subby. Would read again. A+++++++

 
Fano 2009-11-07 03:32:47 PM  
How much does anyone here want for my secret ending reel of Casablanca?

 
Bohemian 2009-11-07 03:37:42 PM  
I hope they put it on TCM as soon as they have a restored copy.

Ebay can be a goldmine for finding things. You just have to have a good bullcrap detector and don't get greedy. Most of the scams involve someone thinking they are getting something expensive and in demand for nothing. I find brand name clothes, craft supplies and odd things that most people wouldn't want for pretty cheap all the time.

Yea that $600 Coach purse that is being sold for $20 starting price and doesn't have a serial number just might be a fake. I want to know if someone ever falls for the $30,000 Hermes purse on ebay.

I consider the Roman and Viking antiquities to all be a complete scam of forgeries. Just in one day on ebay you see more artifacts listed than were ever dug up and cataloged.

 
shower_in_my_socks [TotalFark] 2009-11-07 03:38:02 PM  
historynow11: The key to ebay is patience and research. I collect Soviet uniform patches, fallout shelter/civil defense signs, and bits and pieces of other things. I've been burned on a few items, but research is the key. The handiest feature IMHO is that you can search to find the closest items to you. I've picked up a few items in person this way that lead to even more sales for better items not on ebay.



Old picture...I have even more now.
\Gaze upon and despair, yadda yadda...



As a history buff, I gotta say that's a pretty cool hobby. Nice collection.

 
Fallout Boy 2009-11-07 03:40:29 PM  
The statement is still true since it was a rip-off for the guy who sold the film.

 
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