[chumbox]

Hey All

Buying bike parts of eBay is a very new deal to me (I know I sound like I'm living in 1997) but was wondering if anyone had any advice on the best ways to find stuff. Do you search only in Australia? Worldwide? Search tips? I'm not expecting people to give up their betting strategies, just want some pointers on how to find the best stuff.

I guess we could just make this a thread where everyone can post their tips for others.

Tips, advice, hints?

 

[Some Guy]

Shop worldwide, buy from sellers with good feedback, always consider price including postage and any other fees. I don't bother with auctions anymore, as buy it nows are just easier.

Always check chain reaction cycles for a better price, once you factor in their free (on orders over $600) postage they're often cheaper.

Oh and if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always read the listing extra carefully and ensure it's not a demo, reconditioned, or last years model. If it is, what looks like a great deal might not be.

Good luck.

 

[Sideknob]

Yeah, what Some Guy said.

Also check Torpedo7 for what they have -they can be very cheap too.

 

[Rainman]

I always look for sellers with 99% + reps, and no recent bad feedback.

Take your time and check out their feedback page, see how many sales they have made.

I have a good list of guys I buy from regularly, who I trust. It takes time to make a list of good reliable sellers.



R.

 

[asunder]

I always look for sellers with 99% + reps, and no recent bad feedback.

Take your time and check out their feedback page, see how many sales they have made.

I have a good list of guys I buy from regularly, who I trust. It takes time to make a list of good reliable sellers.

R.

Any chance of sharing that list?

 

[ash240]

Have a good look around. Email and ask questions. I had planned to buy a lot of stuff from one guy, bought one item and asked some questions about another. He was so unhelpful with following up the questions, so arrogant, so rude I didn't buy anything else from him. As an example, I asked him the post on XX items, he told me to buy them and he would work it out. That sort of rubbish Not a "bad" seller either. So ask questions, see how you feel. If they are unhelpful or rude then buy from someone else. anyone who is rude before you buy will be far worse after

Search worldwide AND on the local searches for OS. Not everything is listed on WW search even if it should. I have been able to demonstrate the SAME search from two different IP's give different results, one had a lot more items.

Check what you are buying with local prices. SRAM shifters can be had cheaper locally for me than Ebay, yet chains are much more expensive.

Watch was it actually said in the auction. "Like new" is not new
Read everything a few times. Get insurance, read up on how ebay will act if you have an issue. Not likely to get all your money back Can you afford to lose what you have bought? There are people who scam and ebay often does not protect the buyer.
I use my CC linked to paypal. I EXPECT to have an issue one day and to do a charge back the second Ebay are unhelpful I would lose my account.

Pay close attention to post. Ask before you bid. Watch out for seconds. Carbon fibre gear is well known for this on ebay. Remember, no local warrenty. Often no real warrenty at all (mind you, lots of guys are let down buy local retailers anyway).

I have found some really decent sellers. One guy ordered me stuff in. under 40% of the local price to my door. Just take your time, don't rush

"We" have a lot to gain and little to lose by shopping on ebay. My local bike retailers are a joke. They really are. Was looking in one today for a part. He didn't have any in stock and I was not sure what he could get in was what I wanted. The two Mechs were talking about it and the owner was pushing me out so I would go. None of them were busy. We were not wasting time but talking about the part I was looking to buy.

Another larger retailer ordered some shoes in for me to try. Didn't ring when they were in and when I rang to follow up was told they were in stock. Went and looked and they had got the wrong part in. The owner told me to try these other ones as I would find some he had in stock. Which I had already spent time doing

Or the time I went to buy some Raceface pants (legs getting cut up by bushes). Not one store had ANY in, not just that brand but ANY. Of course they would order me some but it would cost 1/3 -1/2 to buy them from OS

So, Ebay can be good but you need to take care You have no protection over here with them. no legal cover

 

[Hud]

That's a helpful post

 

[Rainman]

I purchased a mobile phone on eBay from an asian gentleman and when it didn't arrive, got straight onto eBays watchdogs to chase him up.

The end result was that I got all my money back.

You do have rights, even here in AU when dealing on the bay, whether buying or selling. I have found that if you do your homework on the seller, you can usually rely on getting the components ok....and if the worst comes to the worst, eBay will do their best to get the cash back to you.

If you want ... I can post up a few of the sellers that I trust, but really, you are better off making your own list up, that way you get the experience yourself, and become "eBay wise".



R.

 

[Justin Fox]

I only buy from international eBay stores which clearly list their shipping charges. Never or rarely from individuals.

 

[nuclear_powered]

Haven't had a bad eBay experience, but admittedly I've only had about 60 buys compared to the 100's others have had. International stores, local stores, and even the odd dude selling his own gear. All good so far. Feedback is mainly what I use. Check for negatives, see what people write in positives, check what other items they're selling, then move onto communication as mentioned above ... that sorta stuff. Sometimes I even buy from people who aren't overly communicative - I figure they're probably some dude with a shed-full of gear and doing it all themselves trying to reply to 100 emails an hour while packaging and sorting. I probably don't sound overly communicative to people via email some days when I'm busy so that's my reasoning. So far this risk has paid off.

I've got one ebay seller in the states who had some shoes similar to what I wanted, so I contacted her and she ordered shoes for me and charged bugger-all for shipping. I saved A$140. Same for sunglasses - Oakley Polarized Oil-drums for A$120 shipped - $300 local. Search and ye shall find.

 

[frisky_zissou]

Often though you will find that it is cheaper to buy from the major online stores. Phantom Cycles and Torpedo are good aussie ones. I like to buy multiple things in one go from big american sites like jenson usa and pricepoint. This way the savings better the money spent on postage.

 

[Some Guy]

Often though you will find that it is cheaper to buy from the major online stores. Phantom Cycles and Torpedo are good aussie ones. I like to buy multiple things in one go from big american sites like jenson usa and pricepoint. This way the savings better the money spent on postage.

Torpedo7 is a NZ shop, although they do have a small Australian 'presence.' Chain Reaction Cycles gets my vote for price, service, and range. Plus they have free postage if you spend >$550.

Torpedo7 is occasionally cheap, but not as good as they used to be. Add that to a limited range and low stock levels and I don't shop there much any more. I've experienced some pretty poor service too, they don't seem to have their act together in anything like the way CRC does.

 

[frisky_zissou]

Torpedo7 is a NZ shop, although they do have a small Australian 'presence.' Chain Reaction Cycles gets my vote for price, service, and range. Plus they have free postage if you spend >$550.

Torpedo7 is occasionally cheap, but not as good as they used to be. Add that to a limited range and low stock levels and I don't shop there much any more. I've experienced some pretty poor service too, they don't seem to have their act together in anything like the way CRC does.

Shows how much I buy from them haha. I was trying to be loyal and suggest some aussie alternatives but in reality I almost exclusively buy from overseas. On my student funds I cant afford much else. So far I have had nothing but luck dealing with online shops. Jenson was taking a bit long to get the stuff in. A few toned emails and everything was sorted quickly and effortlessly.

:thumbsup: