# By-passing Ebay. A suggestion



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Our friends at G Scale Central are launching their own version of an auction type method of allowing members to sell trains. I, for one have done alot of buying and selling on Ebay. If anyone here also sells on Ebay, you already are aware of their fees. Fees and rules that are becoming an obstacle for the average hobbyist to sell. 

G Scale Central operators are still in the process of working out the details, so I cannot comment there.


----------



## kleinbahn (Sep 21, 2010)

How many other auctions have tried to compete against eBay and failed? There was a train specific one, Gothic Auctions, and a few others that have come and gone. 

The big problem with GSC (and the tits-up GSM) is getting anyone to PAY for something when they say they will buy it, they will have to work through that issue


----------



## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I have used the classifieds on MLS a few times, no success so I took them of and placed them on eBay. Sold on eBay for more money than I had on MLS. I will continue to list items on MLS as I would like to give people here first shot. 

I have also purchased a few items on MLS, all have been great experiences. I think we should get behind the MLS classifieds, they are not an auction but you wouldn't ask your mates to bid on you used box car?

Alan


----------



## ShadsTrains (Dec 27, 2007)

I tried an auction app at one point.. Meh... To have a good auction going, you really need a lot of traffic and a lot of people bidding.. That's why I just fell back to classifieds. The classifieds here are pretty active.


----------



## auburnrails (May 31, 2012)

As an N-scaler, I've had great success buying and selling on the NScaleYardSale Yahoo group. Perhaps something similar would be good for G? The biggest challenge would be volume I'd imagine. 

-Dave


----------



## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds like a nightmare to administer to me. Who would settle even a very minor dispute? Even though the Ebay fees are getting high,to me it is still a convenient way to sell excess items. Some extra funds back into the train fund is better than stuff I don't need or want just sitting around. I also use the classifieds here on occasion but mostly for custom or unique items that buyers can be leary of on Ebay. That reminds me, I have a couple USA semi trailers that I "found" collecting dust that need to go. Picture time.


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

*All valid points.* I was hoping that the buyers and sellers would police themselves. Seeing as we are all in the same family so to speak. I would presume that Paypal would be the way to pay and get paid, since it works independently of Ebay. Now you can even pay via Paypal at Home Depot.


----------



## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Paypal may look like a separate entity, but it is owned and totally controlled by Ebay. For a long time I had a checking account linked to my Paypal account, the checking was free. When they started charging for the checking, I closed the account and currently do not use Paypal. The rules for credit cards that Ebay can snatch from I have no doubt will soon be expanded to Paypal as well. When that occurs I will close the Paypal as well. I have used Postal Money Orders for years with great success, and will again in the future. 

Bob C.


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

I like postal money orders. They're inexpensive and no one to my knowledge will say no to accepting one.


----------



## ShadsTrains (Dec 27, 2007)

[No message]


----------



## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

I use Paypal because ebay won't let me accept anything else when I sell something there. I used to take money orders there, and still would, but it's a violation of ebay's policy to accept them as a non ebay store seller. At least they won't let me accept them anyway. Paypal can't get it's transaction fee if I get paid by money order, don't you know.


----------



## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By Amber on 22 Jun 2012 09:05 PM 
I use Paypal because ebay won't let me accept anything else when I sell something there.
I'm surprised that this is actually legal in the US.
The seller should have the right to determine what type of payment is acceptable, not some web site that offers an advertising platform.

In Germany (and maybe other European countries), it was illegal for ebay to restrict sellers from not being able to accept other forms of payment, many people there pay by direct bank transfer which is a very common payment method.
Cuts out paypal of course.

Now ebay over there is trying to implement a system where they become the seller.
That should be interesting how that works out if at all.

Knut


----------



## Santafe 2343 (Jan 2, 2008)

You don't have to just take PayPal, I just had an ocurince where a guy wanted to buy from me with a Cashiers check, I went in and edited my listing and took off the Pay Pal only. He hit Buy it now and went right thru. He din't have a paypal account and would not go through until I took it off. Thanks Rex


----------



## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

I used to buy a lot from ebay, but then they went the paypal route and now it seems almost impossible to buy without using paypal. So I quit going to the ebay site. Prices are often so much higher than anywhere else anyway. I have a friend who still checks it out,but even he has only made one purchase in the past couple of years. Ebay could go out of existence and I wouldn't know the difference.
Bob


----------



## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Rex is correct, you can except other forms of payment...BUT the purpose of paying with Pay-Pal is not getting what you paid for, then you have a venue to get your money refunded.

More then a couple of times I have had issues with sellers, rather then leave negative feedback..I just filed a claim with Pay-Pal, and won everytime....recieved my money back...that might not happen without Pay-Pal...This way having to deal very little with a seller 

For me it is peace of mind.


What comes into play here is people being afraid of trying something new, and or paying for it....which is understandable. but for me the security as a buyer is worth it and sellers that use it open themselves to people taking the gamble to purchase from them, without the threat of being ripped off.

When I sell and or buy I always use Pay-Pal, and have for MANY years...I will agree thast Ebay fees do suck, but lets face it as stated above others come and go and always will, Ebay is WORLD WIDE and is pretty much the only game like it.

Bubba


----------



## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Yep....and until the general buying and selling public are willing to take chances with another venue other than Ebay, Ebay will continue to be the only ball game in town. And enable them through Ebay fees and PayPal fees to double dip on every sale made. The seller pays the percentage charged on the sale (which continues to rise) and fees on the receipt of the payment by PayPal. Considering they are essentially the same company, i consider it to be a rip off. And apparently so do many others, as i continue to see more and more threads both here and on other fora of people grousing about the fees and stopping the use of the site. I have had some success with Craig's List as well as the Classified adds on fora. So far I have not had any bad experiences with either. 

Generally speaking, anytime a business REQUIRES me to allow them UNCONTROLLED ACCESS to my financial account, particularly a credit card account, I am done doing business with them. If a checking account is not sufficient access I don't need them. The sooner more people refuse to do business under those conditions, the sooner those unreasonable conditions will either be rescinded. I for one will no longer do business of either type on Ebay, as I have no intention of being financially abused for the sake of a hobby. As for Home Depot accepting PayPal (I noticed that the last time I was there), I find it disheartening they are that desperate for business. 

My tuppence worth. 

Bob C.


----------



## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

Posted By armorsmith on 23 Jun 2012 06:46 PM 

Generally speaking, anytime a business REQUIRES me to allow them UNCONTROLLED ACCESS to my financial account, particularly a credit card account, I am done doing business with them. If a checking account is not sufficient access I don't need them. The sooner more people refuse to do business under those conditions, the sooner those unreasonable conditions will either be rescinded. I for one will no longer do business of either type on Ebay, as I have no intention of being financially abused for the sake of a hobby. As for Home Depot accepting PayPal (I noticed that the last time I was there), I find it disheartening they are that desperate for business. 

My tuppence worth. 

Bob C. 
I totally agree Bob. A few years ago I used pay-pal a few times and decided I didn't care for them wanting more and more access to my financial information. Now if a business or ebay only take pay-pal I go elsewhere. In the past I've bought many items from ebay and I've never had a bad transaction. I've also used Craig's List and bought direct from people I've met on the forums. Never a problem. If the next time I lost a hundred dollars I would still be way ahead. I'll take my chances.
Bob


----------

