Re: Strategies for Buying Test Equipment off *b*y

On Sat, 27 Oct 2007 01:08:20 GMT, Ecnerwal
<LawrenceSMITH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <c1g4i39i1opa3jtkrtmm64c7hv8rgrtn8r@xxxxxxx>,
D from BC <myrealaddress@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Here's a few observations I've been thinking about when buying test
equipment off *b*y..
...
Comments? Additions? Arguments? Observations?
Experiences?

It's all but hopeless. Not entirely, but so close to entirely as to be
hardly worth bothering. I've been trying for a few pieces lately, as it
happens, and most get sniped up in the last few minutes (or hours) at
outrageous prices, at least from my POV. If you have mucho moolah, you
don't need to troll there, but you can invoke the "bid absurdly high"
method, and you might get lucky like Jim, if nobody else bothers to go
after the item you want.

For research purposes of what something might likely go for, "search
closed auctions" for what these things sold or did not sell for recently
and decide if you like that price. You might also see the item you are
bidding on now, that "sold" last week - so it's either been returned, or
the sale was a fiction...you can also see the endlessly re-listed
overpriced ones NOT selling, and infer what you like about those sellers.

Low starting price makes little difference - unless the seller
mis-describes it to the point that the usual suspects don't notice it,
but you somehow do, the price will be yanked up to non-bargain levels by
the end, generally.

"Picture is not of actual item" is a red flag, and lack of "Picture IS
of actual item" is at least an orange flag. Or so I infer from poring
over listings.

Shipping (& handling) is suspiciously high from so many vendors. Many of
those that do offer returns clearly make money every time they sell the
same object and get it returned.

Yet, finding stuff locally is virtually impossible (in 5 years, I bought
one whopping 25MHz scope and let a single other scope go by - I've never
seen anything 100MHZ or higher. I tried for 6 months or more to find a
used sweep/function generator locally and failed. I don't want a new
Chinese version, and I can't find/afford a new non-Chinese version).

I finally did get a S/F-G, but nothing else "auction" has worked out.
I've not gotten several counters, for instance. Since I am operating on
a small budget, I keep hoping to find one that's reasonable and goes
under the radar, but it has not happened yet, and I won't get bid up "to
compete" - sheesh, saw another item which was on "buy it now" for $X go
for $X+6, when the listing itself clearly indicated that the seller had
lots of them and as many as the buyer might want could be gotten for $X.

Why the *b*y??
Is *b*y scanning Usenet for some reason?

Yes...On occasion, I've noticed some weird shipping and handling
charges.
$40.00 UPS and $99.00 USPS ??? For items of same size and weight to
Canada.

I did get lucky on Epray and got a brand new analog scope 100MHz
(chinese)
2 ch, still in production, for ~$500.00CAD.
2 100Mhz probes included.
I was the only bidder??? What a fluke! :)
I received an email from the manufactures distributor with a quote of
$1380.00. Ha!

I've only used the scope for a few hours and no POOF yet :)

It's still got that new electronics smell :P


D from BC
.