eBay $20 or less new Bass purchase status poll

[neddyrow]

i feel like i am coming off as bashing your decision...i am not.

i refinished the jazz body, wired and soldered the pickups in myself and enjoyed it. i hope some day my 4yo and 6yo will want me to buy them $17 basses to take apart and rebuild just for the satisfaction.

 

[AcridSaint]

i'm curious as to the reason to buy a $17 bass?

something to learn luthier skills?
platform for modification?
it seems weird how many people want these basses?

I like tinkering with basses. I also keep talking myself out of buying a fretless and if this shows up, it's cheaper than renting one for a day.

 

[Engle]

i'm curious as to the reason to buy a $17 bass?

something to learn luthier skills?
platform for modification?
it seems weird how many people want these basses?

A cheap lightweight donor body

 

[kmon]

i'm curious as to the reason to buy a $17 bass?

something to learn luthier skills?
platform for modification?
it seems weird how many people want these basses?

1. Curiosity. How much worse can it be than a $200 entry level affinity?
2. Low risk. If after setting it up it's completely unplayable(unlikely) I'm only out $17.
3. Low expectations. I want something I don't care about to keep next to my desk to run scales on. I have no plans to ever plug it in or to leave my house with it. I have good basses that I'll do that with.

 

[elgranluis]

i'm curious as to the reason to buy a $17 bass?

something to learn luthier skills?
platform for modification?
it seems weird how many people want these basses?

The reason? Hell , they're 17 bucks! That's the reason.

 

[WebJunk]

I just received a tracking #, although looks to be a fake one I live in MO btw

Looks like my tracking. Also to be delivered to Delaware today. Shipped from CT though the Seller is listed as California. If you look at my Tracking (I went directly to USPS to get more detail) it says:
Shipping Partner: AMAZON
So its beginning to look like a scam.

 

[CatchaCuda]

Regarding a scam,
What would the seller get out of it? That's what I don't get.

 

[TuneIn]

Considering the source of the seller, I would run away from a Bass like that..fast...those basses need a Lysol dip pronto!

 

[Green Sub]

Regarding a scam,
What would the seller get out of it? That's what I don't get.

Educate me here please, as I've only been a purchaser on eBay, but never a seller.

When does the seller get their funds? Is it only after the delivery has been made?

 

[CatchaCuda]

Educate me here please, as I've only been a purchaser on eBay, but never a seller.

When does the seller get their funds? Is it only after the delivery has been made?

In my limited experience, it depends. I got funds upon delivery (at first). It seemed once I was deemed "trustworthy" I received funds when a sale was made. However, if there was a gap in my selling history (talking weeks, here), or if I listed an item valued higher than usual, it would revert back to funds upon delivery.

 

[WebJunk]

Regarding a scam,
What would the seller get out of it? That's what I don't get.

Educate me here please, as I've only been a purchaser on eBay, but never a seller.

When does the seller get their funds? Is it only after the delivery has been made?

They get paid immediately if Paypal was used. This comes from the eBay website
Getting paid for items you've sold:

 

[Killed_by_Death]

they're 17 bucks!

$18, before tax

 

[Green Sub]

They get paid immediately if Paypal was used. This comes from the eBay website
Getting paid for items you've sold:
View attachment 3732400

Thank you. So the seller could get the funds and we get nothing. I think that answers CathaCuda's question.

 

[CatchaCuda]

Thank you. So the seller could get the funds and we get nothing. I think that answers CathaCuda's question.

EBay or PayPal has the seller's bank information. Wouldn't they simply go after the seller?

 

[WebJunk]

Thank you. So the seller could get the funds and we get nothing. I think that answers CathaCuda's question.

We should be able to get a refund from Paypal/eBay. So that would make Paypal/eBay the only real loser in this. We also get the ability to boast how we Almost got an $18 bass.

 

[WebJunk]

They

EBay or PayPal has the sellers bank information. Wouldn't they simply go after the seller?

They could have moved the money out of their bank account already, if those funds were available immediately.
I have a bank account I only use with eBay and move money in & out as needed.

 

[BBassBassington]

Thank you. So the seller could get the funds and we get nothing. I think that answers CathaCuda's question.

I've been scammed on oddly cheap items before and it's pretty easy to get a refund through PayPal/eBay. In fact I'd say that shouldn't deter someone from buying suspicious items, as long as they're willing to do a bit of work to recover lost funds.

In any case if the seller is found to be scamming people IME all their recent sales get reversed and refunded.

I was able to place an order this morning and did so for 3 basses and an amp. If they show up and are playable I plan on selling 2 for $50 CAD each (I'll probably do a quick setup on em too) and keeping one and possibly the amp. If they're garbage then I'll pursue some sort of refund and salvage them for parts. If they don't show up I'll just let eBay/PayPal know I was scammed and want my money back.

And if all of that fails I can still fallback on Mastercard to save my bottom.

 

[CatchaCuda]

They

They could have moved the money out of their bank account already, if those funds were available immediately.
I have a bank account I only use with eBay and move money in & out as needed.

Very true. Wouldn't that account get hit once eBay or PayPal notified them?

Thanks for putting up with my questions.
I'm no scammer, but it's sounding pretty easy.

Guys I found this sweet $12.99 bass...

"Only $12! Count me in!"

So, what of the $35 basses earlier this month?

 

[WebJunk]

Very true. Wouldn't that account get hit once eBay or PayPal notified them?

Guys I found this sweet $12.99 bass...

"Only $12! Count me in!"

So, what of the $35 basses earlier this month?

The price of $17.99 might be below a threshold that alerts eBay to hold funds. eBay's terms of service does allow them to hold money if they think there is an issue like a possible scam or if the item price is large enough to cause concern. So $17.99 might have been chosen for a reason. And therefore money might be transferred to their bank account even still and when eBay stops the seller just walks away with whatever they have gotten to that point.

And please don't call a $12.99 bass, $12 when its $13

 

[CatchaCuda]

The price of $17.99 might be below a threshold that alerts eBay to hold funds. eBay's terms of service does allow them to hold money if they think there is an issue like a possible scam or if the item price is large enough to cause concern. So $17.99 might have been chosen for a reason. And therefore money might be transferred to their bank account even still and when eBay stops the seller just walks away with whatever they have gotten to that point.

And please don't call a $12.99 bass, $12 when its $13

EBay doesn't somehow pursue the offending sellers? That's crazy.

No no, $12.99 rounds down.