CollectivelySpaced

My Feedback: (18)

What do you think?

[link=http://cgi.ebay.com/Desert-Aircraft-DA50-R-Remote-control-gas-engine_W0QQitemZ6034632115QQcategoryZ34055QQssPage NameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem]DA-50 on Ebay[/link]

TimC

The shipping insurance " not offered" doesn't look to good. This is his first sale, so I'd say there's not enough info to judge whether it's a scam or not.

pauluk2w

My Feedback: (7)

Why would it be??? I think you are looking at how many items the seller has listed and it says 0. the seller does say to pay using paypal, so even if it is you would be able to recover your money if you do not receive the item. Just because a seller has no feed back it does not mean he is going to scam you, we all have to start somewhere. I do not know what a ZDZ 50 costs new so i do not know if this is infact a good deal as it was over $600 when i looked. as was said above there is not a lot of information about the seller of the engine but If i was looking for one like i would not be too worried

CollectivelySpaced

My Feedback: (18)

That wasn't the only thing that raised a red flag. I know for a fact that DA are out of these engines for at least another 3 weeks, so this would be prime time to try to "sell" one of these. Also there is no photo of the actual product, and no description other than some specs used off of DA's website. Maybe I am just too suspicious, which is why I posted it here to get other opinions.

By the way, they retail for $599.

pauluk2w

My Feedback: (7)

I think it is hard to say if it is or is not [sm=confused.gif] But you are right about the pictures and the engine specs being pulled directly from a website. I had to look at the link again and noticed there is nothing about paypal buyer protection being offered.

Joe14580

I'd bet anything it's a scam [].

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

C'mon guys,
I've sold over 200 items, and purchased close to a 100 items on eBay.
There is NOTHING suspicious about that listing at all.
Now, given that it is a brand new eBayer, I too would be leary of a smooth transaction.
If I really wanted the engine, I would bid on it anyway.
Every eBayer started out with 0 feedback.

94% of so called eBay scams are not on eBay at all! They are usually an E-mail made to look like it is from eBay.
Most of them are so called "second chance offers" But are not genuine.

It takes a little experience to notice the subtle differences. They fool alot of people.
You have to be careful and ask questions BEFORE you bid.

eBay is very good about knocking scams out of their system very quickly.
When I submit a listing, sometimes it can take hours to appear on the web site.
That is because EVERY listing gets reviewed.
The higher the dollar amount, the more scrutiny the listing gets.
Also, new sellers are on a probation, where they are more scrutinized than a long time seller.

eBay is a great asset to everyone who uses it. I have never "burned" anyone, because I value my feedback score.
Nor, have I ever been "burned" by anyone on eBay. I just don't bid on sellers items that have less than 96% positive feedback, unless it is obvious that a jerk ruined their rating. Iv'e seen it happen many times.

I have managed to keep 100% positive feedback by being cautious on whose items I bid on, and by being careful as to who can bid on my items.
So, If you really want to pay $610.00 for an engine that Chief Aircraft sells for $595.00, by all means Bid on it!

pauluk2w

My Feedback: (7)

You are right in what you say about ebay. I have only been coned once. where I won an item, paid for it and never received it. I contacted paypal and got my money back a few weeks later. I will never pay for anything via money order after using paypal as I like the protection they offer. If you have any doubt you can use escrow. Escrow is a great service as you send escrow the money and the seller sends escrow the item.

CollectivelySpaced

My Feedback: (18)

All I can say is that you have been lucky. I know a lot of people who have one bad story or another relating to Ebay. I myself have bought and sold hundreds of items on Ebay and have had more than one occasion where people did not pay for items they had bought, or failed to ship items after they had been paid for. I'm talking about seemingly "reputable" people based on their feedback too.

Now I understand that people have to start somewhere, this particular add just struck me as a little risky - and no, I have no intention of buying the engine for more than what it's worth I was just asking people's opinions on what they thought of the auction.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I have spent a small fortune on ebay over the years. I wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole! DA website photo, no feedback, not enough info. If you are interested, get a number, call him, have him set a quarter next to it somewhere and take a picture and send it to you. Make sure he really has it.

At that price, I would just order it from DA. I got one from them and I don't remember what I paid, but it doesn't seem you would save much by going to that one and you know you will get it from DA.

My bet is that it is a scam!

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Just looked at the DA site, its $595. Why would you risk more buying it on ebay to a seller with no history. It may not be a scam. but it just may be. Why pay to find out!

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

I agree that it is a risky auction! But, if it were a scam eBay would have already removed it. PERIOD!

I give everyone the benefit of doubt. Until they give me a reason not to trust them. So does eBay!

My wife was nearly taken by a scammer with 0 feedback. The deal was too good for her to pass it up.
I warned her then that I thought it was a scam. She went ahead anyway, and wired the "seller" $1100.00 by Western Union.
at that point, she started feeling uneasy about the situation. Luckily, she was able to freeze the transfer with Western Union before the scammer got his grubby little hands on it! Another hour, and it may have been a different story!
Thank goodness my wife trusted her bettter judgement! A day later, eBay E-mailed her and warned that it was a scam.
By that time it would have been too late. She would have been out the $1100.00!

Just be careful and pay close attention to the details of a listing. You are much more likely to have a good experience if you read ALL of eBays policies. They have a great deal of info on typical scams and what to look for. Just click on the "help" button and read the info.

As for my experience and ability to retain 100% positve feedback, it's not good luck. It's caution.

Yes, I have had a few bad situations. But, it only accounts for 1% of my total tranactions.

I only wish that my real business (an Aircraft Maintenance Shop) was as easy as eBay!

I try to be as tactful as possible.
When a buyer doesn't pay, I don't slam them with negative feed back. Instead, I try to resolve the situation.
If it is not resolved, I don't leave feedback at all. Otherwise, they will leave retaliatory negative feed back.
When a seller takes too long to send an item, I don't leave negative, I may leave neutral feedback.
I will not leave negative, unless I have already recieved feedback from them. Then, they can't hurt my rating!

overall, I have had 99% great experiences on eBay.
You just have to be careful.

As for paying more than retail:
I try to sell when the market on a particular item is up.
And, I have sold several items for much more than they were worth.
It just depends on who is bidding on them.

Good Luck to all, this has been a great topic.

I hope we all learned something!

CollectivelySpaced

My Feedback: (18)

I still maintain that you have been lucky I don't think that the majority of Ebay users are doing anything different from what you have already stated, myself included. Sometimes though you just get the pointy end of the stick, with the amount of people using Ebay the odds are that sooner or later you are going to have to deal with a dead beat. By not leaving negative feedback for such a case other people may get sucked into the same situation because they checked the persons feedback and everything seemed okay.

Now that being said, I totally agree that Ebay is a great place to do business 99% of the time, but that doesn't mean that there wont be people out there trying to take advantage of our good faith. Being cautious is good advice, such as asking other people's opinions on whether or not they think an auction is for real or could possibly be a scam

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

Here's an auction that I'm certain was a scam....[link]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6026851834&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1[/link] This was in January and the guy had about 15 of these profiles that he listed at the same time. I bookmarked it because it looked suspicious. It looked to me like he was using the same type of listing, style, font, and everything that was successful for someone else and if you look at his feedback it's (0) and it shows he's not a "registered user" and if you click on his username it shows that he's been a member since December 31. It looks to me that he defrauded some people then bailed out. I've been selling and buying on Ebay for about 4 years and have over 400 feedbacks and can say that if the seller doesn't have a bunch of postive feedbacks don't send them $600.00 bucks. Sellers have to start somewhere but really should sell some low dollar items first and gain some buyer confidence.

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

OK, OK...........
I have been lucky
You are right, sometimes you get the pointy end.
In my Full Scale Maintenance Shop, I get the pointy end most of the time.
But, once in a while I get to aim the pointy end!
At least, thats what the customers tell me.......

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

Yep, thats a scam!
A guy in our club bought two of them from the "real seller"
They were as described. bad glue joints and all!
I don't remember the user name of the legitimate listings.
But, that is an EXACT copy of the legitimate listing.
The only difference is the username and feedback.

Like I said. It is the subtle differences...............

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

I bought two of them from the original and his username is Nsupply or close to that. Great airplanes. (40 size anyway) I feel bad for the guys that got hosed from the scam seller. They're awesome planes and it's a shame they didn't get their's to use.

pauluk2w

My Feedback: (7)

You just cannot say that because the seller has taken the picture and the specifications from a website it is a scam. Just look in RCU's marketplace there are lots of ads that have stock photo's and information pulled from a manufacturers site. as for what was mentioned earlier when I got scammed I checked the guy's feed back. he had sold before and purchased on ebay and had a 100% feedback, if I had looked closer they were all low $$$$$ purchases and sales. the item i was buying was $300. You do have to be careful whenever you buy online.

carrellh

I have no idea if it's a scam but it is now a lousy deal. Price was $610 a few minutes ago plus $10 for shipping.

Chief Aircraft, a known legitimate dealer, sells it for less. $595 including shipping.
http://www.chiefaircraft.com/cgi-bin...tAircraft.html

cyclops2

Looks like the web sales are starting to hit the fan.
TV ran a small piece on buyers not happy with damage or false info and they are not getting their money back, or fast enough, or any response.

Buyer beware. Sight unseen.

CollectivelySpaced

My Feedback: (18)

Where's that dead horse?...

I didn't say it was a scam, I just asked other peoples opinions...

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

yea, they would, right, just keep telling yourself that.

they didn't pull the heli I got scammed on. Its the only thing in many many years I did get scammed on. New item, factory picture, no feedback, all I got was a box of junk parts.

They can't catch them all. Go on the principle that everyone is good and they won't scam you, you will get burned.

Ask questions and ask for detailed pictures. It will save your tail.

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

How long ago was that?

Was it a buy now, or an auction?

Do you keep up on eBays latest security measures?
Do you know how many eBay employees are looking for scams?
Do you know what their system does to automatically alert them of a possible scam?
Do you know how much money eBay spends on security?
Do you know how much eBay is worth?
Do you know who started eBay?
Do you know what eBay stock is worth?
Do you know who the president of eBay is?

My point is, what do you really know about eBay, other than you got scammed.

Did you read the rest of my posts?
I SAID "BE CAREFUL, ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING"

Gee, would you imagine that I ask questions and ask for detailed pictures BEFORE I BID on an expensive item.

I never said everyone is good. I said I trust everyone, until they give me a reason not to.
That doesn't mean that I am going to bid on auctions that I feel are too risky.

Look, I am sorry that you got scammed.
At least your not bitter about it!!!!!

You may think I am naive. But, wich one of us got burned?????????????

I have sold everything from $3.00 plastic models, to a $15,000.00 Mercedes and a full scale Cessna 182 for $120,000.00
With over 300 eBay transactions under my belt, amounting to over $200,000.00 I do know what I am talking about.
Between my wife and I, our total eBay sales are over a half a million dollars in the last 3 years.
Our purchases are over $250,000.00 in just two years. And, thats just working it part time!

So, please, don't act like I'm the dummy here. Oh yeah, your the one that got burned.

Hey FLYBOY, perhaps you should have asked the seller some questions or for more pictures, BEFORE YOU BID.............

firstplaceaviator

My Feedback: (27)

Boy, you really opened a can O' worms here.

Appearantly, alot of R/Cer's are still poking that dead horse with a sharp stick!

I'm OUT!