Ebay bonsai sellers are thieves

[Paradox]

If I had to pick, Id have to say that the ones selling overpriced are worse.

Why?

Because so many of us got started in this hobby by buying those cheap little mallsai.

I think newer people would have more of a tendency to pass up the overpriced stuff because of the risk of killing it. I also think people killing the cheaper stuff would have more tendency to try again.

My husband owns a buisness and he is very good at what he does and his rates are reasonable so that he and his employees can make a decent living. There are people willing to pay a bit more for the job to be done right and there are those that don't care as long as its cheap. It goes both ways, and while I don't believe its right to overcharge of falsely advertise (imo people that do these things are the worst), it really is up to the customer to educate themselves about what they are getting insofar as possible.

 

[Vance Wood]

What is worse for our bonsai society?
1) A few thieves selling a few hundred over-priced bonsai on eBay.
Or
2) A thousand big box stores like HomeDepot or Walmart selling a million bonsai for really cheap.

By the way, the title of this thread is very insulting to anybody who ever sell anything on eBay. Good thing the PC police is not here to shut this down Carry on.

I agree with you. This thread's title kind of paints with a broad brush unfriendly in nature. Not everything on Ebay is a ripoff anymore than everything at Sears is a great deal.

 

[GrimLore]

There was a member here MileHigh who used to sell on EBAY. He sold a variety of good quality Saplings at very competitive prices. I agree there is a lot of trash out there but there is a few "good guys"...

Grimmy

I agree with you. This thread's title kind of paints with a broad brush unfriendly in nature. Not everything on Ebay is a ripoff anymore than everything at Sears is a great deal.

I agree...

 

[Smoke]

I agree with you. This thread's title kind of paints with a broad brush unfriendly in nature. Not everything on Ebay is a ripoff anymore than everything at Sears is a great deal.

Is sears still in business?

 

[GrimLore]

Is sears still in business?

Yes but they do not sell houses anymore *shrugs*

 

[lordy]

Is sears still in business?

Technically, KMart owns them now, so sorta but not really.

 

[Vance Wood]

Is sears still in business?

Careful there Al someone may comedown on you for bringing up politics.

 

[GrimLore]

Careful there Al someone may comedown on you for bringing up politics.

That was a good chuckle in an otherwise so-so day for me

Grimmy

 

[Vance Wood]

That was a good chuckle in an otherwise so-so day for me

Grimmy

I think I may have to go and hide.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Personally, I think mallsai sellers on eBay are no better or worse than mallsai sellers in malls (or dare I say Home Depot?) I have learned that there are entire categories of products than you don't want to touch on eBay. At the same time I have also found amazing deals there.

 

[Vance Wood]

Personally, I think mallsai sellers on eBay are no better or worse than mallsai sellers in malls (or dare I say Home Depot?) I have learned that there are entire categories of products than you don't want to touch on eBay. At the same time I have also found amazing deals there.

Anytime you find something that people want and desire you will find other people willing to provide it for them at a price. Some will provide items that are really good, others mediocre, and still others really horrible. You will get vendors that go from honest to a fault to vendors that will try to sell sugar cookies to a diabetic.

There is one fact for certain, you cannot get rid of this division by complaining about the bad ones and not supporting the good ones. In the end there are a lot of new people doing bonsai today that would not be doing so if they had not started with a piece of crapsai some where down the road. If it costs someone $50 to get bit by the bonsai bug, over all, it is a small entrance fee to a wider world that will enrich their lives far more than the $50 they may have wasted in the beginning. Got new for all of you: That $50 will change lives for the better, more than if it had been spent in a liquor store.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Personally, I think mallsai sellers on eBay are no better or worse than mallsai sellers in malls (or dare I say Home Depot?) I have learned that there are entire categories of products than you don't want to touch on eBay. At the same time I have also found amazing deals there.

True, same here, but unless you know the seller or get a good recommendation on the seller, bonsai (the live trees at least) is one of those categories on ebay that I'll stay away from.

 

[Poink88]

Personally, I think mallsai sellers on eBay are no better or worse than mallsai sellers in malls (or dare I say Home Depot?) I have learned that there are entire categories of products than you don't want to touch on eBay. At the same time I have also found amazing deals there.

I agree and like most things, you sometimes have to pay the "tuition" to learn. I've been burned in eBay but there are just stuff there that you can almost never find elsewhere.

I also use it to establish good sources/suppliers. Even use them (one of many) to bench mark what is "fair value" on some stuff.

 

[Vance Wood]

I agree and like most things, you sometimes have to pay the "tuition" to learn. I've been burned in eBay but there are just stuff there that you can almost never find elsewhere.

I also use it to establish good sources/suppliers. Even use them (one of many) to bench mark what is "fair value" on some stuff.

You're right sometimes you have to pay the tuition but in this case that is only true because people who get involved in bonsai are in the beginning an impatient people. Instead of asking first they jump in and do something before asking if they did something wrong.

 

[wlambeth]

E-Bay sellers

There are plenty on the internet as well.
Bonsai Boy is one that comes to mind

 

[Poink88]

There are plenty on the internet as well.
Bonsai Boy is one that comes to mind

LOL and agrees.