Would you ever purchase a sub through Ebay?

[MarcoBiscotti]

Would you ever consider purchasing a high-end subwoofer from an online auction if it was lightly used (4 months) and in mint / pristine condition but came with the buyer's warranty and was discounted significantly?

[eviljohn2]

It would depend. I don't really feel comfortable using eBay at all these days, let alone for high-end goods.

[spiver]

Would you ever purchase a sub through Ebay? DEFINITELY...
In my experience the higher quality the item (hifi anyway) the better the chance that the owner has looked after it. I regularly purchase hifi gear from ebay with very little problem. However use your common sense. If you can collect it do so and if it is stupidly cheap its probably a scam. I have bought 3 or 4 subs on ebay. Finally ended up with a REL Stentor. Its superb. I have noticed a few nice cherry and rosewood Strata IIIs recently on ebay. Good luck.

[Ian J]

I don't see the problem as long as you collect the item yourself and don't part with the cash until you have fully inspected it and found it to be as described.

[Nimby]

Buying without inspection and a quick listen would worry me a bit for an expensive object.
You can't trust anybody to pack something properly.
Not even if you pay extra for double packing.
The damn thing will still turn up in the maker's box with 4" of Sellotape on the flaps!
The cost of airfreight (or even postage charges) is going to be a serious difficulty. Just getting objects to Europe from the UK is expensive and frustrating. I regularly spend more on Parcel Force than the cost of the object I bought! And it still takes nearly a week!
You'd probably need a carrier for something as heavy as a subwoofer. Add at least £100 & possibly much more.
Have you actually checked with the manufacturer that the buyer's warranty is fully transferable?

Nimby

[kingcobbler]

I totally agree with Ian.

I bought my REL Q201E off ebay for about £285 I think to replace my first ever sub Yamaha yst-sw150.

Ass long as you can make the effort to audition, as you would if buying new, then you will be fine.

[steve0]

I have bought quite a few electical items off ebay and had no problems so far

[Mr Cat]

yeah, I've bought most of my stuff from the web - forums, online shops and e-bay - again, when buying second hand stuff, try to get a demo first...

but I've done most of my buying blind!
but I've had no bad experinces, but check their feedback too...!

[MarcoBiscotti]

Well audiotioning the sub and picking it up personally is out since the seller lives in the U.S. and I don't intend to fly down to collect, heh.

Even with shipping and postage expenses though, it'd still be a hell of a bargain and as mentioned... the sub's only 4 months out the box and seems to be in impeccable condition.

The warranty should be no problem, I don't believe it's registered under anyone's name so as long as I'm provided with the bill of sale and receipt, etc. I should be fine.


Thanks for all the feedback, I'm gonna keep watching the listing and see where it goes.





- I'm also considering purchasing a scaler through Ebay as well...

[Moviebuff]

I bought my REL Studio II for £1500.00 off of eBay - it was in better condition than the seller described - and turned out to be one of my more inspired eBay deals - its superb.

[SKA.face]

Bought my B&W 800sub from Ebay too,was sent down to Spain (exspensive)arrived well,sounds superb.

[Mroizouk]

Originally Posted by Moviebuff

I bought my REL Studio II for £1500.00 off of eBay - it was in better condition than the seller described - and turned out to be one of my more inspired eBay deals - its superb.

I bet 'crimson tide' sounds good with that set-up! Studio AND stadium subs!

[MarcoBiscotti]

Damn, I was so excired by my find and it fell through...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

This is the second time I found a listing way too good to be true, and I guess the seller realized and cancelled the auction. Check this one out that I was watching last week...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

That's right, a $6000 video scaler for $499.

Too good to be true...

Oh well.

[rozzar]

there was a Studio 1 that finished @ 1100 today...

[stonking]

I have brought loads of stuff from Ebay and I would say I have been very happy by keeping to some simple rules.1. Check their rating and their feed back, some smart operators buy there feed back or gain it by buying lots of things for less than a £ just to set up a big sting. 2. Pick it up or at least pretend you are going to. If the person is happy for you to know where they live you have made a step in the right direction. 3. never pay more than 75% of what you would pay in a shop. and the most important one 4 never pay via western union or similar, you have no protection. You could be posting your money off to a shop / post drop where the rip off merchant just picks his/ her money up from and is not there home address at all. Oh one last thing. I have brought stuff from America which worked out fine. Just be careful of voltage, postage cost and import duty. If you buy an expensive graphics card for your PC its cheap to post being small and light and can get by the eyes of the import tax people, or so I hear.