shopping around

[Guest]

In the internet age we now find ourselves submerged in, shopping around for the best price is common practice, or so I thought!

I have just been browsing the bay of e looking at tyres, as normal there are a fair few around however my attention was drawn to a set of 4 new take offs Cross Contact continental 235 85 16 they were listed at £448 plus postage.

It seemed expensive as my memory of them was that they were around the £95 mark new last time I looked.

A quick check revealed my memory to be correct camskils are doing them for £97 inc delivery.

So the take offs are being touted at £60 more than new ones plus delivery!

Fair enough I thought someone is trying to squeeze a bit more money out of them, first listing and will then drop the price.

I returned to eBay to unfollow them but to my surprise in the time it had taken me to check the price someone had bought them?

Has eBay really become so synonyms for 'bargins' that people just don't bother to check the market price?

Jason

[task]

This has been going on for years, I think you're right, people do just assume as it's S/H or on ebay then it must be cheaper!

Check these examples out for RRC tailgate handle trim MWC2480;

Paddocks in a LR genuine box - http://www.paddockspares.com/mwc2480-finisher.html

Ebay item, S/H and tatty - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RANGE-ROVER-CLASSIC-1992-VOGUE-TAILGATE-INNER-HANDLE-FINISHER-TRIM-/331642555931?hash=item4d376fce1b:g:6asAAOSwHnFV5IHB

I've seen new items on ebay for £25+ exactly the same as the paddocks item.

[Dan110]

It happens across the board - you often see CD's and DVD's on there for more than you can get them new on Amazon or even the high street!

[honitonhobbit]

I only really use eBay for those annoying fastenings that LR sell in huge quantities ...

Or for Axes. I collect axes and you do get the odd nice one crop up for sensible money

[d-9]

Has eBay really become so synonyms for 'bargins' that people just don't bother to check the market price?

Yes.

I quite regularly see car parts going for more than you can buy them for at a main dealer, retail. Cant remember the last time I saw a genuine bargain on ebay. Possibly my T4.

[dantastic]

Yup. Ebay is rarely the cheapest these days. Not for items with a genuine, solid value. If you are looking for Chinese knock-offs then yea, sure!

When I had to buy a new MAF sensor last I found my local LR dealership much cheaper than ebay.

[Cynic-al]

Yes a lot of people look on eBay first then the web or local suppliers after. There are a couple of reasons for this;

- You receive a lot of buyer protection through Paypal, as a buyer you can claim pretty much anything and they will side with you and take your moneyback without the sellers consent.

- You only need one account so you don't have to keep typing in details, credit cards, etc which improves convenience and security

- Every search result is for sale whereas on the net you get all sorts of random results

- It searches a whole breath of seller types (ie new and used, big and small), product makes (not just what your local parts supplier wish to stock or need to shift) and even countries.

- You can refine your search criteria to distance etc if its something you need to collect

- The layout of the site is the same regardless what your buying so you can look down one list and see what you've ordered, if it's been despatched etc

It's very expensive to sell on so I always assume it isn't going to be the cheapest. Even with free listings you end up losing a big chunk in ebay and paypal fees. However if all you want to do is get rid of stuff selling through eBay is by far the easiest way. I've tried forums, facebook pages etc and it's nothing but hassle and numpties. So long as your honest on eBay I find stuff sells for a decent amount, get's paid for and you don't get any hassle.

The only things I've ever had trouble with are things like mobile phones where you write 'fully working but been used daily for last 2 years and has various scratches etc, see photos' then the buyer complains as it isn't mint like they were expecting

[Tanuki]

Some Ebay prices are silly: a while back I saw a used 3-ton trolley jack sell on Ebay for £10 more than an identical one could be bought new from Machine-Mart.

Add in the cost of carriage and somebody got *seriously* ripped-off.

[GW8IZR]

yep - I just stuffed myself on ebay, with postage the individual part is three times the cost of a new one!

It was my mistake entirely cos I looked up the wrong part number initially.

So my two second hand door handles will cost me six quid and two new ones would have been just under 4 quid.. I suppose there would have been a bit of vat and postage .. and its only a few quid.

I'm looking for a nice TDI bonnet and I know e-bay isnt the place to look

[Aragorn]

As always, it just comes down to shopping around.

I recently stocked up on some service parts (oil and air filters for various cars) and ebay was by far the cheapest place i could get the parts, despite them having to be posted.

My local parts places only stock cheapo-nasty filters at premium prices and i prefer to stick to decent brands like Mann or Mahle. EuroCarParts does stock Mann, but ebay easily beat ECP's prices even with discount codes etc.

I also bought 20L of engine oil for my BMW, and the cheapest place for it was the main dealer! 20L of L.Saps 5w30 Fully synthetic oil for 45quid.

[qwakers]

for my old car i found out to my astonishment that brake pads and disks where a LOT cheaper from the main dealer for genuine parts than i could get aftermarket from a motor-factors or ebay. and having fitted aftermarket brake pads to a car before and subsequently lost all feel and bite, i will only ever fit genuine pads..... so a win-win

also gearbox oil (a special oil for a 'speshal' gearbox.. Renault pk6...) was 50% cheaper from the main dealer but i had to supply my own container.

[Dan110]

The only other problem with eBay is that risk that you'll go on it drunk and late at night and end up accidentally buying an antique banjo despite having no musical talent whatsoever.

Or is that just me?

[missingsid]

In truth its not just ebay, though ebay is full of chancers where everything is "rare" but actually very common, I used to go to motocycle autojumbles with a freind who used to sell stuff as a second business. He used to tiddle himself at people who bought parts that were completely knackered and beyond repair but he had no qualms about selling it? Says more about him I guess?

I actualy like the fact that main stealers are comming out cheaper more often, it shows that thew are in touch with reality now and that the days of only having one local dealer to get stuff from is gone as long as you can plan in advance. Up until the 80s main dealers were cheap even LR, then in the 90s up until quite recently they earned the tearm stealers as it was a captive market. Now it seems the internet has opened up the choice as you say by shopping around such that they are competing against all dealers and the captive market has gone. Power to the buyer.

[GW8IZR]

The only other problem with eBay is that risk that you'll go on it drunk and late at night and end up accidentally buying an antique banjo despite having no musical talent whatsoever.

Or is that just me?

Not just you!

I got stuck into a nice bottle of red and she caught me as the highest bidder on a Bedford turntable ladder .. fortunately I was outbid and she took the laptop off me.

[Fatboy]

Ditto...

Me and a couple of the lads got tucked into a few already opened bottles of whisky one night a few years ago just to make space in the cupboard... Turned into a brilliant evening and subdued following day. We'd also been on the computer playing "here is my favourite Youtube clip" etc.

Couple of days later, a lorry reversed up to his house while he was at work and asked his missus where she wanted the pallets put... He got home to a very confused family, with two 3ft tall concrete lions in the sphinx pose on the driveway.. Jeez, they are heavy brutes to shift around..

[Simon_CSK]

I don't drink much and have never been drunk in 30 years however still make mad purchases and currently have two boats, and a car transporter trailer together with my CSK Disco and P38 on my driveway. The neighbours went mad when the first boat showed up.

One disadvantage with working on a computer all day from home is the it is very easy to have a shuftie as Ebay and inevitably buy loads of stuff off there. Now I have the boats I am spending my days searching for things I can use to restore one of them and despite buying one only for the outboard I am not happy with it now I have it and am looking for a new outboard.

There are bargains to be had if you know how to play it. What I have found is there are people who get their friends to bid up an item. Sometimes it doesn't sell and is relisted in hours. That was how I got my first boat for peanuts as I think in the end they were desperate to get rid of it at any price.

[task]

One disadvantage with working on a computer all day from home is the it is very easy to have a shuftie as Ebay and inevitably buy loads of stuff off there.

Snap, working from home is how I ended up with an In Vogue and various other "collectables". I view it as an added bonus.

[Nigelw]

In truth its not just ebay, though ebay is full of chancers where everything is "rare" but actually very common, I used to go to motocycle autojumbles with a freind who used to sell stuff as a second business. He used to tiddle himself at people who bought parts that were completely knackered and beyond repair but he had no qualms about selling it? Says more about him I guess?

I actualy like the fact that main stealers are comming out cheaper more often, it shows that thew are in touch with reality now and that the days of only having one local dealer to get stuff from is gone as long as you can plan in advance. Up until the 80s main dealers were cheap even LR, then in the 90s up until quite recently they earned the tearm stealers as it was a captive market. Now it seems the internet has opened up the choice as you say by shopping around such that they are competing against all dealers and the captive market has gone. Power to the buyer.

I know my main dealer parts guy (Marcel) by name, aparently he has a box of stuff for me when I'm passing next, must be the compass decals I was asking about a few months ago

LR main dealers here are scary prices until you get to know the guy behind the desk, I get a 25% discount and if you are attentive with your billing he will even order on email

My biggest problem is that everything has to be shipped up from Metz and takes time and even then has to be collected from dealershi(well for a 200Tdi Discovery), ebay etc,. Deliver to your door within 3days!

I still don't quite get why second hand prices here are pretty much 80% of new part?

Here is my best example of over pricing, second hand 24 spline open diff 150 euro, get three shipped from UK for 15 euro more inc shipping!!!

[Simon_CSK]

Snap, working from home is how I ended up with an In Vogue and various other "collectables". I view it as an added bonus.

Agree. But can be very expensive.

I

I still don't quite get why second hand prices here are pretty much 80% of new part?

generally second hand prices are about supply and demand. If there isa big demand and poor supply then that will reflect in the price. You can see that in the value of Classic and P38 spares. P38's are cheap because lots are being broken. Classic parts are rising because of poor supply.

[missingsid]

Agree. But can be very expensive.

generally second hand prices are about supply and demand. If there isa big demand and poor supply then that will reflect in the price. You can see that in the value of Classic and P38 spares. P38's are cheap because lots are being broken. Classic parts are rising because of poor supply.

Whilst I agree in general, fleabay has a number of sellers who are completely delusional or think that using the term rare means unavailable without actually knowing if it is. Another seller is the one selling his awesome pride and joy that in fact is a lethal pile of poo, if they were so misguided as to thinking it was a good idea to build then they will also fail to see its lack of value!

Trouble is quite often there is another misguided person/drunk? who will pay it?

Quite often I have PMSL at rare parts that are infact so common as to be almost valueless.

[Simon_CSK]

Quite often I have PMSL at rare parts that are infact so common as to be almost valueless.

But we are enthusiasts who know our vehicles very well and know what the rare and common parts are. If you have bought a Defender/Discovery/Freelander or Range Rover for the first time you cannot have the vast wealth of knowledge that we have. Therefore if someone tells you it is rare then you are likely to believe it and pay extra.

[Nigelw]

Just spotted me a set of Insa special track wheels an tyres on an FB selling page for a hundred pound more than a brand new set

[simonr]

Err...I may be guilty of this!

In my previous life, I listed a part which a customer had returned - so not new but servicable. I accidentally listed it for significantly more than a new one - and it sold straight away. The listing even had a link to the web site.

After chuckling to myself for at least a couple of days, I listed a load more stuff and only got one comment that you could buy it cheaper direct - but it still sold!

I'm sure I've been a victim of this - but I usually check. Sometimes it's easier just because I can pay with PayPal and not have to "register for an account" and enter too many details that many retailers insist upon.

My biggest pet hate is when you order an item listed in the UK and it turns up weeks later from China! I'm currently the victim of this with an item which said Birmingham and weeks later I've received an email from Royal Mail asking for a duty payment 4x what the item cost in the first place! I told Royal mail they could keep it and asked PayPal for a Refund!

[Nigelw]

My biggest pet hate is when you order an item listed in the UK and it turns up weeks later from China! I'm currently the victim of this with an item which said Birmingham and weeks later I've received an email from Royal Mail asking for a duty payment 4x what the item cost in the first place! I told Royal mail they could keep it and asked PayPal for a Refund!

Post.nl have 2X 11 inch LED lightbars in their warehouse that I ordered from a supplier out of Rotterdam, you pay the post man here for the customs duty, a 235 euro order turned into a 560 euro order with customs charges, good job I was in the yard when they came or it would have been paid and I would have to pay my boss the money back! Very poor service from vendor with an angry email exchange, where I stated that I was not made aware of customs charges for items sold within the EU! Paid by credit card and they are dealing with it but I got my money back.

Lesson learned there! But I did want to but never did start a thread on the costs of buying direct from China. Anyone know the full implications and potential costs? I was looking for a 52 inch curved combi light bar for the roof for when we do the 24hrs Brabant roadbook, forrest tracks in the dark can be "INTERESTING" or trecherous!

[Guest]

Lesson learned there! But I did want to but never did start a thread on the costs of buying direct from China. Anyone know the full implications and potential costs? I was looking for a 52 inch curved combi light bar for the roof for when we do the 24hrs Brabant roadbook, forrest tracks in the dark can be "INTERESTING" or trecherous!

Importing directly from China is fairly easy and not overly expensive here in the UK although it could be different in the NL.

The costs involved are the following:

Shipping cost, using FedEx or similar actually often works out cheaper for single items than surface mail.

Handling/paperwork charge from the courier, normally around £20.00 flat fee.

Import duty on the item which is a percentage of the cost, of the goods only. If you look on the Customs website it should list the rates for

different types of goods. In the UK the percentage for a lightbar would be 3%.

You will then need to pay VAT on the cost of the item plus the shipping and airway bill cost.

As a simple rule of thumb, if you look at the dollar price, it often works out around the same price in GBP at least.

Now there are a few exceptions to the above:

If the goods are imported as a sample peice "for testing" then import duty is not payable. You would only pay for the documentation and the VAT.

If the sender puts a lower figure on the item clearly you will only have to pay the duty based on that figure.

However I would seriously not recommend the about, customs are getting use to this and run programs against airway bills. If it flags up that your LED light bar was listed as having a value of 40 when the cost in the NL is 400 they will often raise an additional charge

to recover the difference between the two as they would not accept it was that much cheaper unless you could prove otherwise.

However this could be weeks afterwards and even if the light only cost you 200, they could ask for the difference between the 40 and the 400 in duty plus an additional paperwork fee.

Now this is where the stupid people get caught out, instead of just taking it on the chin they go back to the tax man and say "but it was only 200!" Customs then charge them with evading duty, confiscate the goods and either impose a big fine and or raise criminal proceedings against them.

It is also worth considering shipping more than one unit.

A you will get a better cost price for a carton. (big lightbars come in cartoons of four)

The shipping cost actually won't be alot more due to the base price before weight.

You can split the handling charge between four.

A cartoon is more likely to survive the journey than a single light bar.

I have a supplier in china that supplied the LED's for the group buy we did on here a couple of years ago. (Look in the for sale section under group buy) and can pass you the details if you want?

Jason.