E-bay.

[Ian M]

just tried to make a bit on a kit on e-bay. It would not let me unless I register a credit card first. Having never seen that before I choose not to.

Has any of you seen this? What did you do?

Ian M

[Guest]

I use ebay alot Ian, and ive NEVER come across that before. I do all of my transactions on there via paypal, that way its safe and secure for both parties involved..what ya bidding on buddy?

[AlanG]

Never seen that either.

I too use Paypal with a credit card. That way my purchases are protected.

[Guest]

That does sound odd, you are a registered user on eBay I take it?

Odd Q I know but if you were looking as a guest and then have to register that could be it.

Some more info on what you are bidding on and or what exactly happened would be useful.

[Gern]

Hi Ian,

It does sound a bit odd. I know you have to register to make bids, but ebay itself shouldn't need your account details. As far as I'm aware, they only need to know who you are so they know who to contact in case of problems. (If you're not registered and start making silly bids with no intention of paying, they have to be able to put a stop to it).

You will need to set up a bank/credit card account with Paypal if you want to use them to pay, but that's not compulsory. You can use all sorts of payment methods which depend on what the seller is prepared to accept. Maybe you got asked to sign up with Paypal without realising it. That's a possibility because Paypal is owned by ebay. As they get a percentage of every sale that goes through Paypal, they make it remarkably easy to join!

Gern

PS I've been registered with Paypal for about 3 years and I've bought and sold many hundreds of pounds worth of stuff without even a hint of any problem. But there are stories ......

[Ian M]

Well I have had an E-bay account for around five years I think, and PayPal account just as long and its the first time I had seen it too, thus the poll if others had seen it.

I was trying to bit on a Jaguar GR1, which ended up going to some one else. I did try as it said you could, to contact the seller and be exempted from the need to register a credit card.

Poop happens, I just walked away and found some other 'toys'.

I am now the happy owner of a couple of Airfix kits!!! Yay! A Harrier GR3 and a buccaneer both in 1/48. Missed out on a lightning too! Out bid by a pound in the last 2 seconds!!!

The seller has said that if the winner dont want to pay the £20 postage to Brazil, He will let me know so I still have a chance. It was the F2A/F6 Version.

And in a couple of days and I will know if I also have a Jag GR3 and a lightning F1/F2/F3 winging there way over to Denmark!!!!

Happy hunting. Be safe if it looks dodgy leave it alone.

Ian M

[Guest]

Hey a nice few additions for the stash then Ian, very nice mate, i can vouch for the buccaneer as i have mate who has made it...a real corker...have fun when bidding...i love it :-) regards Martin

[Ian M]

jep real fun!!! I just sort of bought a tornado ADV as well. Just sort of stumbled over it and thought why not.. Bid £30 thinking thats a fiver less than the cheapest I have seen on the net shops. Forgot all about it.

Just got a mail saying I had won!!! Thought ide get out bid on that one in no time. So you can never tell.

One thing for sure I'm staying off e-bay for the rest of the week!!! unless I can find a Jaguar GR1 at the right price......I know I'm hopeless!

Ian M

[AlanG]

Evilbay is what my wife calls it. She knows i have certain models saved in my searches and she hates it when i 'stumble' onto evilbay lol

[Ian M]

Yippie!!! I Finnaly won my auction on an EE Lightning F1. Bit of a nail biter, someone came with a bid just before the end time but mine was still the higher bid! got it for £28 which is quite cheap if you consider they normally go for around 35-45 quid.

Ian M.

[Ian M]

The saga continues:

I just found a lightning f6 on flea-bay and cheap to. £22!!! So I placed a bit. Got told that as I live outside the UK I am not entitled to bid.

Now forgive me if I am wronge but is E-bay not an international site. Do the sellers that set these limits have no wish to get the best price. I really think that E-bay need to get their act together sometimes.

Also why do the sellers that have an auction ending soon keep an eye on their incomming messages?

Me thinks I will just have to open an other account and give an address in England.

Ian M. (smug in the thought that the person that would not sell outside the UK has just missed out on a good deal, I would of gone to £40 he got £22).

Rant over

[Guest]

Ebay isnt that bad you can normally get what you are looking for.

[Ian M]

Ebay isnt that bad you can normally get what you are looking for.

I agree totally there. However I think you missed the point in my rantings:

There are some sellers that sell only in the uk. Fair enough whene they say "post only to UK" you can e-mail them and 90% of the time they agree to send abroad. Others are willing to send to another address other than the one you have registered in your account.

Its just that last 10 that refuse catagoricly to send a pack abroad. Its not the expense; the buyer pays. Its no more difficult to write Denmark in the address. Its even the same post office they send them from.

It is a pain that that last 10% is usually there where the item you want is hidden.

Ian M