Couple of ebay bikes - opinions please? :)

[flecc]

I only bought once on ebay, a new boxed £450 Panasonic motor unit for e-bikes which I bid £16 for with only two seconds to go and won it.

Despite that I don't like ebay either and don't consider it a safe place to buy generally. Some trade suppliers have particularly awkward setup for buying from them, and that together with the welter of ebay rules make it somewhere I've no desire to visit again.

As for their PayPal, they don't understand what truth is, making them in my view not a fit company to handle financial transactions.
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[Blew it]

Dear me!, The Natives are a bit restless tonight. Time to head for the bunker I think.

 

[Mussels]

As for their PayPal, they don't understand what truth is, making them in my view not a fit company to handle financial transactions.
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They know that themselves which is why they moved outside the UK and away from the FSA. The whole lot is a rip off but I've found it very convenient for buying direct from China.

 

[Mandy]

which bike?

Hi Daz

Those bikes didn't look too bad and the one at buy it now looked to be a good price but you can't beat the tried and tested bikes from the likes of Wisper. David and Doug have been invaluable together with the support network of members on this forum.

As for the brakes: The cables may be a little stretchy but I find they just need tightening up more often and haven't been a problem at all. The disc brakes haven't needed adjusting at all and I haven't had any wheel issues. The stretchy cables may have been addressed already but this is not a big problem for me and I've had mine since January this year.

As for Ebay? Ebay fees and PayPal fees are ridiculously high and there should be a law against it! I buy and sell on Ebay on occasions and when selling to the US I have found PayPal to be the most convenient way unfortunately.
Although there should be a law against their charges!

Like Flecc I too have had a couple of good buys on Ebay.
One: My Wisper of course
Two: A brand new £300+ gas hob bought for £10.50!! With £14.00 P & P. I managed to shatter mine into tiny pieces after firing some silver clay on the burner as per instructions and found this brand new one, exactly the same model in a damaged box for that measly price and found my prayers had been answered! I won it for the opening bid! I no longer use that method and now use a blow torch, lol!

Look out for incorrect spellings as bargains can be found that way although Zanussi was spelt correctly with my hob.

I hope you find what you really want Daz.

Regards
Mandy

 

[wibble]

Two: A brand new £300+ gas hob bought for £10.50!! With £14.00 P & P. I managed to shatter mine into tiny pieces after firing some silver clay on the burner as per instructions and found this brand new one, exactly the same model in a damaged box for that measly price and found my prayers had been answered! I won it for the opening bid! I no longer use that method and now use a blow torch, lol!

Oooh ooh! Show us what you make, Mandy!!

 

[flecc]

I won it for the opening bid! I no longer use that method and now use a blow torch, lol!

Regards
Mandy

You must tell us how you bid with a blow torch now Mandy.

(Well, they were on the same line. )
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[keithhazel]

As for their PayPal, they don't understand what truth is, making them in my view not a fit company to handle financial transactions.
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paypal is something to understand which you cant...they plug all the time thats its safe to buy with paypal..ect ect.......however as my girlfriend found out when she bought something from a seller,it wasnt much maybe a total of £7....when it wasnt delieverd she went through the usual channels...the end out come was a reply from paypal saying she couldnt be given her money back as the seller had no money in her account where they could take it from and give it back.... ..how safe does that make you feel

 

[Mussels]

I put a dispute through paypal that an item wasn't as described, I waited and noticed the status said waiting for a reply from me so I waited for the question. Next thing they had closed the case in favour of the seller with no means of appeal!
PayPal likes to act and charge like a bank but won't accept any of the responsibility, the day the eBay/PayPal monopoly is brought down can't come too soon.

 

[flecc]

My simple way of dealing with PayPal was to instantly close the account, and now I only trade with those suppliers who accept credit cards. If the smallest high street shop can accept credit cards, there's no excuse for any company not too and it's usually the known dodgy ones that don't.

Cheque or bank transfer can take care of the odd private transaction, and PayPal would instantly change it's ways if large numbers took this course of action.
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[gwing]

As for Ebay? Ebay fees and PayPal fees are ridiculously high and there should be a law against it! I buy and sell on Ebay on occasions and when selling to the US I have found PayPal to be the most convenient way unfortunately.
Although there should be a law against their charges!

Actually Paypal can sometimes be an extraordinarily cheap and easy way to transfer money compared to the alternatives. I recently had to pay via an international bank transfer (i.e via SWIFT) to Russia from here in the UK as unfortunately Paypal isn't available over there. The bank charges for that were a flat fee of $20 at EACH end of the transaction i.e. $40 in total which really hurts if it is just a few quid you want to transfer. Paypal would have been an absolute bargain to the conventional bank services.

 

[Danny-K]

I put a dispute through paypal that an item wasn't as described, I waited and noticed the status said waiting for a reply from me so I waited for the question. Next thing they had closed the case in favour of the seller with no means of appeal!...

Mussels, I'm pretty certain from the brief details you've supplied, that you didn't scroll down far enough to see the reply from the seller. You only have so many days to respond; failure to do so, defaults the complaint in favour of the person who is the current to communicate in the dispute.

Maybe they've changed the layout - as I had cause to open a dispute but hours later was met with the same message as you.

"S'funny", I thought - and it was still like that the following day. I re-looked at the 'waiting for your reply' and innocently scrolled down to the bottom and there in smaller, and an ineffective font-type was indeed a reply from the seller, (I had complained that the seller had ignored all my emails and hey presto all of a sudden he answers within hours of my opening a dispute form! I received my goods 24 hours later.)

If the communications have not been cleared and deleted, go back and look at that reply again, and scroll all the way to the bottom just to check if there was an immediate reply from the seller; which is why you may have thought: "I've just sent that, how can they be waiting for a reply from me so soon?"

I know there are zillions of complaints about unfairness from eBay and PayPal, but on the whole they've supported me pretty well over the years.

 

[dazzie]

Thanks everyone for their advice, very much appreciated!

As for ebay / paypal I completely agree that they're beginning to take the michael. I guess when you've got a monopoly you can do what you like!

 

[RedSkywalker]

Can't agree with that because I bought a mobile phone which turned up with a badly scratched sceen. I contacted the seller who didn't want to know so then I contacted Paypal and when he didn't give them an adequate explanation they refunded my money no probs [and he was a power seller who used PayPal a lot!].

I've learned to use sellers with high rep cos it's worth money to them and they want to protect it. I've picked up lots of stuff at really good prices like importing computer ram from the states when it was unobtainable here.

I really don't understand why some of you are making remarks about PayPal being less than trustworthy considering the state of some of the best known British banks and building society's right now - or hadn't you noticed, lol

It says something about PayPal that they are still trading while Northern Rock et all have gone to the wall - fairs fair guys

 

[Mandy]

Oooh ooh! Show us what you make, Mandy!!

Hi Wibble
Only if you don't laugh
I make little OOAK (One of a Kind) sculptures of Unicorn's around 3 to 4 inches tall/long out of polymer clay which are hand sculpted without moulds and take many hours to complete.
The silver clay turns to real silver after firing and I use this to make solid silver horns. I make a slim cone and use a fine needle file to make the spirals in the horn under a strong crafting magnifying glass. However the unicorn's themselves take the most time and fairy/fantasy art is quite popular here and abroad.
I had built up a firm collector base expecially in the US and they were selling for between £75 and £115. The many hours they took to make was not really reflective in the price but to make something that someone really wanted never ceased to amaze me! Mind you they were like babies and I never wanted to let them go when competed, lol.
I've even managed to get a couple of awards! PMSL!
I am talking in the past tense only because I haven't sculpted for over a year but hope to return soon and am revamping my webby for my return and am still in touch with those collectors who were happy to pay those prices and they are after more Mad, lol
I will share the link when finished but only if you don't laugh
Bet you wish you hadn't asked now
Regards
Mandy

 

[Mandy]

You must tell us how you bid with a blow torch now Mandy.

(Well, they were on the same line.
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Okay, now that was funny Flecc and I will give you that one you rascal you
Obviously I wouldn't try to bid with a blow torch but would sure like to blow torch the decision maker/makers on setting the Ebay/PayPal fees! lol
Regards

 

[Mandy]

I recently had to pay via an international bank transfer (i.e via SWIFT) The bank charges for that were a flat fee of $20 at EACH end of the transaction i.e. $40 in total which really hurts if it is just a few quid you want to transfer. Paypal would have been an absolute bargain to the conventional bank services.

Hi Gwing
I must admit I had to use Swift when purchasing my Wisper bike on Ebay from Germany and it seemed to cost an awful lot! Can't remember how much it was now but far more than I expected
PayPal is convenient and quick and although I don't appreciate the fees I still use it but just because of that
Regards

 

[Danny-K]

I make... sculptures of Unicorn's... and take many hours to complete... The many hours they took to make was not really reflective in the price... I've even managed to get a couple of awards...

Well done you, Mandy! If you do start up again I would urge you to forget setting a low price, but instead set a price that reflects the many hours you put in to making them - and that difficult-to-cost additive - your unique skill!.

Making your own stuff to sell is just about the greatest thing you can do; there are no copies; they're unique - so set the price accordingly. For instance if you want a bicycle frame by a top frame builder then the actual tubes, brazing and paint only comes to a small amount, the hundreds and hundreds of pounds added to that cost reflect the frame builder's skill in building a quality frame and not his artistic paint job on the frame; the frame alone for my Thorn Audax will set you back £1100.00 just for the frame! You could of course obtain a high quality frame from a lesser known frame builder of equal durability for £350 or so - but it wouldn't be a Thorn, (I bought mine secondhand).

So quit treating those Unicorns as objects of little intrinsic value and FACTOR IN YOUR SKILL-SET INTO THE PRICE! If they don't sell then you'll know - but unless you market them according to your craft skill and prizewinning awards you'll never know. I wonder how many of your buyers unbeknownst to you sell them on for double as: unique hand made objects d'art?

No wonder you gave up making them - you're not charging enough to make it worthwhile to continue. Start by doubling the price - and I dare you to craft an extra special 'Thorn' Unicorn to retail for £1,000. (Well you did say you'd rather keep them, but you never know you might sell it).

 

[wibble]

I will share the link when finished but only if you don't laugh
Bet you wish you hadn't asked now
Regards
Mandy

Aww sounds great!!. Have you ever tried your hand at digital sculptures?.

There's a program called ZBrush that's great for making digital art.

Pixologic :: Turntables

It's possible to make digital sculptures and then send them off to be cast in whatever material you like. So no blisters! YAY!

I make digital 3D arty-farty stuff for a "living". Although not quite as good as the stuff shown in the link above.

 

[Mandy]

Well done you, Mandy! If you do start up again I would urge you to forget setting a low price, but instead set a price that reflects the many hours you put in to making them - and that difficult-to-cost additive - your unique skill!.

Making your own stuff to sell is just about the greatest thing you can do; there are no copies; they're unique - so set the price accordingly. For instance if you want a bicycle frame by a top frame builder then the actual tubes, brazing and paint only comes to a small amount, the hundreds and hundreds of pounds added to that cost reflect the frame builder's skill in building a quality frame and not his artistic paint job on the frame; the frame alone for my Thorn Audax will set you back £1100.00 just for the frame! You could of course obtain a high quality frame from a lesser known frame builder of equal durability for £350 or so - but it wouldn't be a Thorn, (I bought mine secondhand).

So quit treating those Unicorns as objects of little intrinsic value and FACTOR IN YOUR SKILL-SET INTO THE PRICE! If they don't sell then you'll know - but unless you market them according to your craft skill and prizewinning awards you'll never know. I wonder how many of your buyers unbeknownst to you sell them on for double as: unique hand made objects d'art?

No wonder you gave up making them - you're not charging enough to make it worthwhile to continue. Start by doubling the price - and I dare you to craft an extra special 'Thorn' Unicorn to retail for £1,000. (Well you did say you'd rather keep them, but you never know you might sell it).

Thank you Danny and very much appreciated
I do know what you mean about starting the price too low as always started mine at £9.99 to pull in the bids because some artists would start too high and didn't attract so many bids. But my goodness when I refresh that page at an end of an auction in the last couple of minutes the price just soured and I actually felt very humbled by that.
When I have revamped my site I may place a couple on there at a price and see how it goes? After all I won't mind hanging on to them a little longer .
I have been asked many times for commisions for the same of prior work but won't do them because I feel that I would be obliged to re-create exactly the same and it doesn't work that way, lol
I don't think I will ever make a living from it as I am a terrible perfectionist and also have to be in the mood
I'm not saying my work is perfect but the finishing, ie: using fine sand paper to remove any slight inperfections on the surface of the clay under a magnifying glass maybe going to the extreme! as I know that other artists maybe will not go to so much trouble, lol.
I was on the up when I took a break as when I started out they went for £5 or £10 but were rubbish then if I'm honest but I kept at it and got so much better that my family ceased taking the mick and took me seriously
You are completely right about nothing like making your own stuff to sell and it never ceases to amaze me that people want them.
I am determined to get back to it and it was really only due to a complete career change that I stopped. Now I'm settled I am ready.
Thanks for your support
Mandy

 

[Danny-K]

I don't think I will ever make a living from it as I am a terrible perfectionist and also have to be in the mood ...

All creative people who are genuinely talented are 'terrible perfectionists'. But the professional stops when it's 'good enough'.

Also, a professional never allows themselves to fall into the trap of only working when they're 'in the mood'. Work through it Mandy; even if it's rubbish - the act of actually starting will put you 'in the mood', and then you can begin proper. Do not wait for the muse to descend on you; it's akin to waiting for a kettle to boil - and you know what they say about a 'watched kettle' don't you?