EBAY, what should I know

Bryland

New Member
My main concerns are shipping and how much trust I can give a seller based on feedback alone. If the seller has hundres of positive reviews and no negatives is that all you need to know? As far shipping I know I need to make sure they have the original packaging and it’s packed correctly. I am unsure whether freight is necessary or not on large amps that will travel long distances? Any opinions or experiences are much appreciated.
 
Just make sure they know how to double box it. It doesn't necessarily have to be "original" packaging but they need to mimic how the double boxing system works. If it's not properly double boxed with clearance, then the glass is almost guaranteed to arrive broken.

Also, with Ebay, they have a pretty good buyer protection policy. If you get it and it's broken or otherwise not as described, you will get a refund from Ebay. Some sellers will try to play games with loopholes about items that are described as "for parts" or "as-is". If he's selling something that supposed to work but also includes that weasel language then be cautious.
 
As a buyer, the seller is required to get you the item in the shape as described, so you have a have little to worry about as far as damaged goods goes, since you can either get the insuraned value or file a claim back agianst the seller, who usually winds up refunding or taking a return on his dime.

Original cartons are nice, but rare, as they are rarely kept and ofte lost or discarded for vintage goods. If I sell 3 items a year with them, I'd be shocked. Still that doesn't mean the shipper can't protect your goods adequately, so don't shy away from a seller just because he doesn't have the original materials, which actually may not meet the 2" standards padding allegedly required for insurability. How many laptops have you seen in cartons thicker than 4"?? Very few.

Sorry, I didn't see this was in the Mac Forum, and not a general information forum. Things are a bit different here and I would defer to the wisdom of those who frequent here, rather than myself just stumbling in... :D
 
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Now that the buyer is pretty well protected it's better. Personally I would rather buy from a known seller who deals in Mac gear or a Face to face deal. I've been associated with the Mac forum for a good number if years and there are so many sad tales of people buying off the bay and receiving a box full of broken glass that I wont buy there unless the seller stipulates he has Mac boxes period. Especially if it's a piece with no replacement glass faces available. Then you have to wait and hope McIntosh makes a run of faces for the piece you have.
 
If you don't have a local Mcintosh dealer to support, I would stay with Audio Classics. They have never failed to please even when Fed Ex or UPS double crossed me and them. Hint, if receiving a box from Audio Classics and the packing tape has been compromised, don't accept and call Aarron in Shipping. When I purchased my MX 151 Audio Classics gave me time to hook and program the unit while I kept the MY. MX 119. Then when I had packed and sent my MX 119 UPS it lost for over 5 weeks. But Steve and the guys at AK were patient and the unit finally arrived and they honored the deal anyway.
 
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My first Mcintosh purchase via E Bay, was a nightmare. I bought an Mc2200, that was in a single cardboard box, with a single layer of air filled plastic cushions(Yes, the really thin,and cheap ones) The amp arrive with severe external damage, and it had internal problems, which may have been related to its UPS 'collisions'. I got my $$$ back, but it was a lesson learned........
 
I would not buy a amplifier off eBay, I had a MC2205 turn up smashed to bits, but I did buy my C48 off the bay with its original shipping carton. The seller was nice and easy to deal with, it turned up perfectly fine.
Those are my experiences, I bought a large Sansui receiver recently (30kgs), and the seller again was nice and we discussed the packing and how it should be done, and again it turned up unscathed thank goodness as it is the most mint G9700 ever!! Not a mark on it!! How it got to be 30 years old and so mint I will never know!!
 
If the seller has hundres of positive reviews and no negatives is that all you need to know?

You need to know that they are experienced selling and shipping glass-front Mac gear.

Some 'experienced' eBay sellers get huffy when you ask them how they pack & ship.

"I've been doing this for x years" and "I use a professional packing service" are examples of sellers you should shy away from. Yes you'll get your money back but I don't like seeing Mac pieces destroyed, no matter who pays for it. Unfortunately even people who claim that they're experienced shipping glass-front Mac gear will turn around and make rookie mistakes like taping hard styrofoam against the glass.

The original McIntosh double box system, or the Audio Classics version, is as good as you're gonna get. But all pieces of the packaging system have to be in place and used correctly.
 
My first Mcintosh purchase via E Bay, was a nightmare. I bought an Mc2200, that was in a single cardboard box, with a single layer of air filled plastic cushions(Yes, the really thin,and cheap ones) The amp arrive with severe external damage, and it had internal problems, which may have been related to its UPS 'collisions'. I got my $$$ back, but it was a lesson learned........
Same nightmare....I had a Great Deal on MC2105 and I offered to ship a box from Audio Classics...Seller said he ships with great care....Once I opened the Box....Glass all over...I said I can replace the glass for $200 and to refund me the part cost...He said to ship is back,
I did and after 2 weeks he told me he should have sent me a check as he had to write off the whole unit.
 
i've bought two glass face McIntosh units off ebay, with no problems. my MX-113 was double boxed DIY style and my MX-117 was shipped in the original box. each arrived in perfect condition. prior to bidding on the MX-113 I asked the seller about shipping and boxing... he was very gracious and reassuring, unlike how some sellers can defensive about it, as @Archguy mentioned. i've walked away from some auctions just based on the seller's reactions to questions. if they get cranky on simple questions, just imagine trying to get them to deal with a damaged unit.
 
The original McIntosh double box system, or the Audio Classics version, is as good as you're gonna get. But all pieces of the packaging system have to be in place and used correctly.

This is certainly sound advice by which to live by, but you're still at the mercy of couriers who have no problem letting these boxes drop or tumble, let alone be thrown.
I experienced this last year with the good folks at FedEx. Despite being packaged in an original factory carton, clearly marked as FRAGILE, my McIntosh still arrived with broken glass. While I was eventually reimbursed for all costs involved, it was not a turnkey process. The first thing FedEx did was question the packaging. It wasn't until I argued at length that this was precisely the same shipping carton that the manufacturer designed to ship their equipment in to their dealers did they agree to accept responsibility for this damage. All in all, it was a very frustrating ordeal.
 
As long as it's packed correctly in the original factory packaging, your chances are good. The only problem with Audio Classics is them having the item you want. It could end up being a long wait.
 
I got my Mac off the bay but from a seller close enough to pick up (90 minute drive each way). I bit the bullet and arranged local pick up with him to avoid a box full of glass. I just don't have any good advice for one that must be shipped. On the other hand, I picked up a Dynaco Stereo 400 that had been badly damaged in shipping off the bay for a song. It had sold, was shipped, returned very damaged then resold as local pick up only. It needed 2 new fuse holders, new meter class in one meter, some heat sink grease and high strength machine screws and bolts, and some TLC to put it back into working order. If the amp is one of the big and heavy ones, I would follow the earlier advice to deal with Audioo Classics. They have a great reputation.

Shelly_D
 
Buy from someone who is knowledgeable about the gear and will take the extra time and effort to ship your item with care...aka one of the lunatics around here.

When you buy from a flipper, they will either not care, not know any better, or will disregard your advice on proper shipping and you will receive damaged goods. I sent an ebay seller a link to show how a turntable should be packed and he disregarded that and gave it to a "pro". The dust cover was completely destroyed and the headshell was bent at a 45 degree angle.

Any McIntosh with glass needs special attention to arrive intact. And even if it doesn't have glass, the amps weigh so much that they are likely to get thrashed like the one mentioned above.

And even when you think that you are talking to someone who should care, you can be wrong. I ordered a Krell PAM-1 from High Performance Stereo in Florida and they wrapped it in a priority box without any packing at all. You wouldn't think that someone who makes their living off of shipping stereo equipment would be that blatantly stupid, but it happened. By contrast, I ordered a McIntosh C37 from Echo Audio and they did an amazing job packing it. It arrived in perfect shape. YMMV.
 
Every McIntosh item I own/owned came off eBay. Never had any issues. Of course I have some specific expectations so maybe I'm just more willing (hell I bought the thing you see above my nickname off eBay). That said...FEDEX was the only company that managed to mangle anything I shipped McIntosh wise even though I've always packed well and never had issues with any other shipper. The selling format isn't really the issue...it's the seller and shipper I worry about.
 
Same nightmare....I had a Great Deal on MC2105 and I offered to ship a box from Audio Classics...Seller said he ships with great care....Once I opened the Box....Glass all over...I said I can replace the glass for $200 and to refund me the part cost...He said to ship is back,
I did and after 2 weeks he told me he should have sent me a check as he had to write off the whole unit.

I bought an MR 74 tuner from a guy that told me the same thing. He got indignant when I asked him if he knew how to pack it. He put it in a box, stuffed with newspaper and old pillows. It was destroyed. He also sold it to be as original, never touched. It was pieced back together with mis matched screws all over. Moral of the story, I returned it, and bought an MR 77 from AC's. This was my last ebay McIntosh purchase.
 
I bought an MR 74 tuner from a guy that told me the same thing. He got indignant when I asked him if he knew how to pack it. He put it in a box, stuffed with newspaper and old pillows. It was destroyed.
Many years ago, I convinced a colleague of mine to take the plunge with Mac. He found himself a nice MX112 on eBay from a private seller.
When it arrived, it was in a produce box that originally shipped bananas. I'm not kidding. It was in a single cardboard box, with the artwork of bananas and the name of some produce company. Inside, it was wrapped in bedsheets and pillowcases. Not only was the glass in a thousand pieces, the front frame was bent beyond repair and there were a least three bent or broken pots. It looked like it had been dropped on it's corner from a height of 4' of more. There was absolutely no repairing this thing, which was sad. It was very clean.

I remember the follow up between my friend and the seller. She said that she runs an antique shop and was quite qualified to safely ship delicate items. Right.
 
I apparently got very lucky a few years ago. I bought (through E-Bay) a MC 2505 from a guy in New Jersey. It came to Bristol, Va. with no damage at all.

I guess the guy packed it pretty well.

Thank goodness.
 
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