*Surviving Ebay*
If you are like me you have tons of lists, food, comms., alt.energy, medical supplies, NBC protection, preparedness supplies in general.
Once I got all my lists together, I was a little overwhelmed to say the least, "Where do I start? Sporting goods store? Wal-mart? Medical Supply? Hardware store? Maybe even the pawn shop?"
I ended up getting my start right where I am at right now, sitting in front of the computer logging on to Ebay, Just a few of the things that I have gotten for our emergency supplies include, un-opened filters for our Israeli masks, Tyvek suits, N-100 masks, Kevlar helmets, Fragmentation Vests, Helmet covers, LBV’s, Alice packs, stripper clips, mag followers, Hard red-winter wheat, mountain house freeze dried meals, MRE’s, Heck, I even got a pair of new Justin Ropers for stepping out for about 35 bux delivered to my door.
My guidelines for bidding are simple:
First: look at what they are charging for shipping and handling, that can be a killer sometimes
Second:
What payment methods do they accept? Some folks wont take pay pal, only money orders, and that can delay shipping times if you are in a hurry.
Third: look at their feedback, now if they have self-destructed its an easy path to follow, I don’t get too overly concerned if someone has a few Negative feedbacks. That can happen just because somebody didn’t think you responded back fast enough, or they thought it should have been Brand spanking new.
And fourth, and maybe the most important, is to set a total price you are willing to spend on this particular item, don’t get caught-up In a bidding war, you will wind up spending more than if you went and bought it new once you figure in shipping.
When I leave feedback, I am probably too liberal and lenient, I had a guy just a while back totally ignore every single email I sent, I couldn’t get his Contact information, nothing, I finally appealed to his perfect feedback rating, 140 positive feedbacks not one negative, in the third week of trying to get A hold of him I told him that the deal had went on WAY too long and if I didn’t hear from him within 5 days or receive my merchandise I was more Than willing to share every email with every prospective buyer in the future and really slam him in feedback, I received my package 3 days later post marked The day after I sent the email, my feedback to him was "good product" and that was it, like I said I’m a little to liberal in my feedback, but these folks Are human too, things come up, kids get sick, jobs change, etc. etc. etc., that’s why I don’t freak out if someone doesn’t get "Right back" with me and I give Most the benefit of the doubt, in the past 6 years I have been burnt 2 times, I have also figured that if I bid on something that may be the last time I see That hard earned dollar.
For me there is a little risk, but most of the time folks are very polite and cordial on ebay, so happy bidding and remember not to get caught up in a Bidding war!
Js-Shot
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