Trying to work with an eBay seller

[apastuszak]

Now that I own an Apple Extended Keyboard II with Mitsumi switches and a Tinkeyboy adapter with QMK+VIA flashed onto it, I'm a little hooked on the AEK II.

So I really want to try one with cream dampened Alps switches.

I found a seller on eBay that was 20 minutes from my house. The only issue is the seller doesn't have a pic with the keycap off. So, I send them a message and ask them to please pop a keycap off and post a pic. No reply from the seller. I wait a few days and send another message asking about popping a keycap and then tell them I am 20 min away and could do a local pickup and pay cash and save them the Paypal fees.

It's been 48 hours since that message.

So I finally had enough and did another search for an AEK II. Found another one for $15.00 cheaper that has not even yellowed and looked in pristine condition. It said it was untested, but the seller had a 30 day return. And he posted a pic of a keycap off showing a cream Alps switch. So, I just bought it.

[fohat]

A seller who is not familiar with keyboard switches and caps might be afraid that he would break one of the parts and render his item worthless, or nearly so.

A seller who understands the keyboard market knows that a buyer wants to see the switch.

[Polecat]

A seller who is not familiar with keyboard switches and caps might be afraid that he would break one of the parts and render his item worthless, or nearly so.

A seller who understands the keyboard market knows that a buyer wants to see the switch.

Exactly right. But it's also common knowledge in ebay seller circles that buyers who ask too many and/or seemingly nitpicky questions are trouble, and many sellers will block them just to avoid problems. Naturally what seem like pointless questions to them are meaningful to us, just sayin'.

[Muirium]

…pay cash and save them the Paypal fees.

It's been 48 hours since that message.

Well, offering to stiff eBay and do it on the side (without having heard a single thing back from the guy to any of your previous messages) sounds like “potentially dodgy customer, hard pass” to me.

A lot of eBay sellers care a hell of a lot less about the garbage items they’re selling than we do. But they do care about their little home business, so their reluctance to engage with you or anyone asking they tear the doll’s eyes out “just to check something” is understandable.

[apastuszak]

A seller who is not familiar with keyboard switches and caps might be afraid that he would break one of the parts and render his item worthless, or nearly so.

A seller who understands the keyboard market knows that a buyer wants to see the switch.

True, but they could have responded to my message and told me that.

[apastuszak]

…pay cash and save them the Paypal fees.

It's been 48 hours since that message.

Well, offering to stiff eBay and do it on the side (without having heard a single thing back from the guy to any of your previous messages) sounds like “potentially dodgy customer, hard pass” to me.

A lot of eBay sellers care a hell of a lot less about the garbage items they’re selling than we do. But they do care about their little home business, so their reluctance to engage with you or anyone asking they tear the doll’s eyes out “just to check something” is understandable.

I did not offer to "stiff eBay." eBay has the option to do local pickup in your listing and do a pay when you pickup. I've done that with several sellers. They just edit the listing to add a local pickup option. I choose "Buy It Now" and pick local pickup and meet the guy and hand them cash. They mark it as paid on their end and all is good and legit.

The least the guy could have done is reply to my messages and tell me they won't do local pickup.

[Muirium]

How are you “saving them the PayPal fees,” then? Sounds like an invitation to take the sale off eBay entirely to me. Which is sure something you can do, but a great way to get in trouble as a seller of any standing.

[fohat]

How are you “saving them the PayPal fees,” then?

Maybe I am not understanding, but ebay fees are roughly 10% and Paypal fees are roughly 3% - depending ....

Taking the sale local and paying cash still obligates the seller to ebay for the transaction fee but a cash payment avoids the Paypal fee.

If I am remembering correctly, ebay now takes a cut of the shipping too, although it did not in the early days - presumably so that you can't manipulate price vs postage to shortchange ebay - eg a $0.01 price plus $50 shipping for an actual $40 item.

[Polecat]

Maybe I am not understanding, but ebay fees are roughly 10% and Paypal fees are roughly 3% - depending ....

Taking the sale local and paying cash still obligates the seller to ebay for the transaction fee but a cash payment avoids the Paypal fee.

If I am remembering correctly, ebay now takes a cut of the shipping too, although it did not in the early days - presumably so that you can't manipulate price vs postage to shortchange ebay - eg a $0.01 price plus $50 shipping for an actual $40 item.

Paypal is separate from ebay now, and most payments are subtly rerouted to ebay's own payment system rather than Paypal. But Paypal is still an option when the buyer sends payment. Fees are 15 to 19 percent now regardless of how you pay, depending on your seller status and several other intangibles. And yes that includes the shipping, and they even take a cut of the sales tax now, apparently legally.

[apastuszak]

How are you “saving them the PayPal fees,” then? Sounds like an invitation to take the sale off eBay entirely to me. Which is sure something you can do, but a great way to get in trouble as a seller of any standing.

If you're paying cash for an item there are no Paypal fees. As a seller, you can select how you want to get paid. Pay when you pick up is an option.

I went through this process with another seller to buy a fountain pen. I met them, paid cash, and went to go leave feedback, and the seller cancelled the listing instead. That was NOT my intent. If someone is 30 min or closer to my house, I will often offer to pick it up.

Paypal and eBay fees are separate fees.

[apastuszak]

How are you “saving them the PayPal fees,” then?

Maybe I am not understanding, but ebay fees are roughly 10% and Paypal fees are roughly 3% - depending ....

Taking the sale local and paying cash still obligates the seller to ebay for the transaction fee but a cash payment avoids the Paypal fee.

If I am remembering correctly, ebay now takes a cut of the shipping too, although it did not in the early days - presumably so that you can't manipulate price vs postage to shortchange ebay - eg a $0.01 price plus $50 shipping for an actual $40 item.

I remember those days. You'd buy something cheap only to find out it will cost over $20.00 to ship it to you. Now I think eBay calculates the shipping for you based on deals they have with USPS.

I remember buying an item on eBay early on and going through the checkout wizard. The PlainTalk mic I bought for my Mac was going to cost me $10.00, plus $25.00 shipping. So, I cancelled the order and justified it by saying the seller was price gouging on shipping. He filed a complaint with eBay. I agreed to buy it if the seller charged a reasonable amount for shipping. The seller marked the item as "damaged/destroyed," and left me negative feedback. Then 2 days later he listed it again for $10.00 with $25.00 shipping.

[fohat]

I agreed to buy it if the seller charged a reasonable amount for shipping.

That is always a losing proposition.

These days, I do my best to get an accurate measure of the size and weight of the final package, and let ebay do its own "calculate shipping" process for the location (wherever that ends up being). Although shipping prices have shot up recently along with everything else, I do think that ebay has negotiated its best prices with the PO, and that is what is most fair for both me and my customer.

Besides, I can print the shipping label at home, tape it to the box, and just drop it off at the PO.

[Muirium]

I needed item but I got none.
I fought the American megacorp and the megacorp won.
I fought the corp and the corp won.

$25 is cheap for domestic shipping here, you spoiled commie brats! Back to buying based exclusively on the price before shipping with you!

[fohat]

US Post Office has "flat rate" parcels that go domestically for $10-20 and you can often find one that will suit you if the item is a moderate size. They are considered "priority" and usually delivery pretty quickly.

Outbound international is a VERY different story and the "large flat rate game board" box that is excellent for keyboards has gone from ~$80 (already steep) to over $110 in the last couple of years.

[XMIT]

cream dampened Alps switches

This is the most common AEK II variant and will have a marking like

Code: Select all

[S]

on the back of the board.

"large flat rate game board" box that is excellent for keyboards

...and has been discontinued by the USPS for years. It's a bit flimsy, and will NOT be effective for anything much larger than an AEK II by itself. My standard these days is to double-box all boards.

Sorry for the necro post.

[Muirium]

How did you land upon this one, anyway? Where there's a necro, there's an undead fascination lingering on…