Buying On Ebay, What Is More Important To You?

For me cost is not a concern other than it is within a general market value. ebay Feedback is utterly, totally worthless. (Considering that you can easily buy an existing ebay account with 100% feedback any time you want, that ebay removes negative feedbacks for preferred sellers, that it is common for people to issue 'revenge' negative feedbacks, that it is common for people to use multiple accounts to pump up positive feedbacks.)

I consider one thing important when I buy on ebay, if I know the seller or someone I trust has recommended the seller.
Don

I totally agree with the above,

Peter

Don and Peter,
Thank you for your perspectives.
More comments are welcome.

What concerns me is the cost of shipping to Canada...especially when a seller states a shipping cost of $10 plus for a few stamps...main reason I buy on hipStamp...i don't get gouged on shipping cost.
It's in ebay's interest to dictate and control shipping costs because the comisson adds to their bottom line.

I agree with Don and Peter so will not take the poll.

The binary choice given reminds me of my first training course learning how to sell pharmaceuticals to physicians. For whatever reason, the training people thought it was a good idea to teach us to ask questions like these:

"Doctor, what is more important to you, safety or efficacy?

Specific to the OP's question, both parameters can be tricky, however I totally agree with Don that the feedback system on ebay is worthless so except in extreme circumstances feedback doesn't help much. I recently left a very-well-deserved negative feedback on ebay for dodgy behavior by the English seller "Stuacy," which ebay promptly removed. Stuacy deliberately shorted me on a partial refund for obviously hinged stamps sold as MNH. How does that get removed? Now I know why he has almost no negative feedback- he gets them removed immediately.

Low price is also tricky because it represents only half of the equation needed to determine value. You need price AND condition to determine value. So price vs. feedback = tough choice. But I would pick price since the feedback system is useless.

The most important elements on ebay to me are the ability to ascertain the true condition of the lot, and the likelihood that I am covered if the stamps never arrive or arrive mis- or over- described.

I voted for "Cost," but of course that is balanced against such things as desirability and catalog value. On the one hand, there are things that I deem too expensive when priced at a dollar or two, but there are also rare and unusual things that I really, really want, where I'll bid hundreds of dollars.

As Don has noted, spotless feedback means nothing, but I do read neutral and negative feedback, if there is any, before bidding on something from a seller I haven't dealt with before. And if I get a bad vibe from that, I steer clear.

As others have said, it isn't that simple. If course, if cost is sky-high, I won't even look. But, to take a recent example, if I click on a Belstaff leather jacket starting at 99p, to discover that the vendor is in Albania and has no feedback ...

Feedback is worthless and you get what you pay for.

1. You have to offer what I want to buy.
2. It must be reasonable cost, including shipping.
3. Feedback is a very distant 3rd.

I try to buy from people I have dealt with in the past, i.e. sellers I can depend upon to be reliable and honest. Price is important... especially the shipping cost. So, I am not buying much from outside of the U.S.A. at this point, unless it is specialized material that is not available here (U.S.).

10-20 years ago, feedback was a consideration. At this point, it is meaningless.

I stopped selling my Uncle's stamps on ebay because I refused to use their ebay mail to ship and I got penalized when I used stamps and shipped my own way. No tracking number, no added fees from postage sales for ebay, they penalize a seller. ebay now has me as having several packages arrive late. They didn't arrive late, I didn't use their tracking and somehow I got penalized.

No idea why. I ship same or next day and first class, but I decided to put Uncle's stamp aside for now and sell other things. Stamps do not have to be sent out at $2.66 which is ebay's lowest price they will offer shipping for. I sent my stamps for free, I paid the shipping. Guess ebay didn't like small sale items with no postage fees added to it.

BTW, to the other ebay sellers here, are your sales down, down, down? Everyone is collectibles is hurting bad, it's all the talk in the community. Seems they have finally sold out to China. Who also has terrible sellers with 100% feedback. How is that legal? We have to jump through hoops to not get negative feedback and these sleazy stamp dealers and sleazy overseas dealers can do whatever they want? I guess money talks.

I went onto eBid, even worse unless you are a UK seller. Do stamps sell over there for any of you? Maybe I will use eBid to start selling Uncle's stamps again.

I am eHating right now :)

Frankly, I don't understand the question. If it is an item in need and want for my collection, that is the primary consideration. Cost becomes a minor issue. If it is an expensive item, knowing the seller is important. Feedback is worthless.

Thank you to all who have voted and shared your thoughts.
Keep them coming!

studebaker - I don't know where you get your "facts" - but you are sadly misinformed about ebay. IMHO it's 90+% legitimate - tightly managed and it heavily favours buyers - not sellers.