BEWARE Buying Meerschaum from Turkey on Ebay ....

[aussielass]

OK for those who can't work out my lame instructions but are still curious, check out these a/c's, they're just some of the ones I located in a quick digging session, can you see how they're all intertwined & up to no good?
eBay shuts down one a/c and they simply open another, so vigilence in the manner outlined above is always requ'd, as shilling is far, far more prevalent than any of you would ever realise, even amongst our own countrymen and women:
Turkish Meer so-called "buyers" and sellers:
pipeispipe - the most recent shiller
gengen3434
sissis2626
coffee4848
myworld_83
collectible2010
galerimeerschaum26

 

[smooth]

Is it not great to have someone as fine and strong and smart as Aussielass with us? Aussielass dear, will you marry and support me?

 

[dhintonca]

Thanks for the insight, aussielass -- I've learned a lot!

 

[billinsfl]

I bid what I am willing to pay for an item, and no more.

 

[aussielass]

Sorry Smooth, you'll have to take a number & get in the queue.
YVW dhintonca, hope it may save you some $'s & heartache one day.
Billi, ata boy! Only it's a major pisser to be beat by a buck or two.

 

[mike68]

huh-huh...huh-huh...she said "major busts"...
At any rate I was totally put off trying to find a reputable seller of these things on e-Bay so I ordered from a website direct. Not the best answer but I really didn't feel comfortable trying to do it on the Bay...good work aussielass!!

 

[jpberg]

It shouldn't be surprising to learn that less than reliable behavior is coming from less than well known and non highly regarded ebay vendors. The list of reputable meerschaum vendors on ebay is quite small, taking chances with any others is and should be done as little as possible.
Aussielass, with your declared ebay vendor vetting history I'm almost taken aback that you stepped into it in the first place.

 

[morlader]

Wow!! Dianne for Oz PM. Then watch things get done. :clap:

 

[mluyckx]

What if

1) The seller has a location listed in the US

2) The seller has an actual "thrift" store in which many other items are sold as well. It just happens there's a couple of pipes, some meers, lighters, etc..
There's a meer out there at a reasonable price.. and yes it has a label "block". But nameless.
I started to do some digging on the guy and I do appreciate the tips from Aussielass. They're helpful keeping the eyes open. But I'm very much like billins. I go as high as I'm willing to go. I just lost a pipe by $1.50. Which is good since I'm still on moratorium.. woulda been hard explaining that one :rofl:

 

[aussielass]

Aussielass, with your declared ebay vendor vetting history I'm almost taken aback that you stepped into it in the first place.

JPBerg, I started buying on ebay over 10 years ago and selling around 7 years ago. Basically I supported the USA economy to the tune of around $20k pm for 5 long years in buying hunting apparel & accessories and Harley accessories, apparel, bits & bobs, Zippos & Franklin Mint. Funny part was, I know nothing about hunting or motorcycles and HATE Franklin Mint junk. Unfortunately USPS stopping their seamail service so I had to cease as it was no longer economical to get stuff shipped over.
I've always had a deep-seated hatred of fake products coming out of Asia or anywhere else, so started out busting asses in that arena, eventually moving on to a rogue foreigner in London who was producing $1m's worth of fake Roman antiques who was banned, and eventually found himself in court, and I believe prison.
There are far more honest, genuine, wonderful sellers on eBay than there are bad bastards but, unfortunately greedBay gear EVERYTHING towards the buyer, and screw the seller at every single opportunity. They've destroyed their own platform with their greed and inability to oversee & control the monster they've created. Far too many good people get burnout from being so badly screwed for so long and leave, and 10 assholes jump in their place, especially o/seas sellers - generally the poorer the country, the worse the fraud is a good rule of thumb. Hence, USA, UK & AU have all allowed our morals & ethics to slip dramtically since the WFC, so far fewer honourable gentleman & scholars use it to sell, fortunately a few remain. I only deal with them, and the hobbyists who know not what they have
Hahaha Morlader, our current situation in that regard is a disgrace, an embarrassment and a downright circus. "She", Juliar, only has about 23% approval, but is the only person in the world who's oblivious to it.

 

[hugo131]

Sniping can be real risky though because there can be a time lag between your computer & ebay's system.

Use a web-based sniping service and you don't have to worry about your computer running slow, leaving it on, etc.
Hidbid.com (BidBall.com, there are more out there) is a good service to use.
Just remember that regardless of when your bid is placed, it still has to be the highest to win. EXCEPT, when 2 bids are the same or there isn't enough difference between them to meet ebay's minimum bid increment. In that case, the 1st one in wins.
(Automated) sniping is a convenience for people that want to avoid drawing early attention to an auction item, 'nibbling' bidders (bidders who have no max in mind, bidding the minimun increment over and over until they're the high bid), and competitive emotional bidders and bidding wars that come with them, all of which normally result in a higher final price. If you have the time, you can do it manually.
A couple more benefits of sniping:
1. Sniping is actually a way of combatting shill bidding - when the seller or his buddy bids on the item until they're the high bid, and know your max, then retract their bid, and use yet another account to bid on the item, bidding just below your max. You don't give the shiller time to retract their bid in order to leave you as the high bidder, close to your max. You can't do much about a shill bidder letting their bid ride to the end of the auction, if it just raises but doesn't exceed yours.
Also, look out for 2nd chance offers, as they would be a reason for the shiller to let their shill bid ride, you may want to decline any and look for a different seller with the same item. Unless of course, the price seems ok with you, even though possible artificially jacked up.
2. You can just cancel a snipe with as little as five minutes left (I guess depending on which service or software you use) in an auction, if you change your mind about bidding on an item, and your bid won't be placed. If you place a bid on ebay and then retract it (not a seller's or ebay's favorite thing), you can be blocked from bidding on other auctions after doing this a few times, not sure what that # is.

 

[echopipe]

They used to show the bidders name(s) when you clicked on bids. I always wondered why they removed that? I'm sure some privacy issue but really why? What's to hide? Why the need for privacy? It aides the shilling.

 

[martin]

I bought one of those Turkish meers a year ago. I paid the buy it now price which was about $80 I think and the seller was happy to ship to Ausralia. After about 8 weeks it had not arrived so I contacted the seller who apoligised for the poor turkish postal service and offered to send me a replacement. I told him I'd wait a couple more weeks but stil no show. He immediately sent me another pipe via a different method and it turned up within 2 weeks. I offered to pay for the first one if it turned up but the seller was having none of that. He really was a nice guy and the pipe itself is a beauty.

Aussielass, I won't have you bagging out our beloved bogan queen Juliar!

 

[edlogic]

first let me start this post with this disclaimer and preface :
any claim that any reference in this posting should be construed to be associated with any individual, member or poster in this topic, forum or website are strictly considered to be frivolous, purely by the nature of their lack of content and will merit no standing with respect to substance virtue or right to pursue prosecution for any future claim of perceived harm from the aforementioned claim of association or physical or emotional injuries incurred due to the subsequent lashing of the claimant with a wet noodle .
all references contained within this post are made as if a virtual investigator is about to enter the room
within the room a crime has been reported by one of the occupants and all of the occupants are openly conversing about the matter
***

the inspector enters the room and lights up a bowl, looks around a bit while listening to all the chatter

as soon as there is a lull, at the first opportunity to be noticed and heard by all,
she lifts up her pipe, high in the air, then turns and points while she loudly protests to the one who has made the report ->
aussielass, it takes one to know one
well, i guess even shelock homeliness makes a mistake every once in a while

 

[edlogic]

sorry - i misrepresented the name of the inspector in the previous post

the correct name -

revealed to you here for the first time -

in a world wide spectacular premier is :
inspector Shelooks Homely

(C) Copyright - TM - PATPEND 2012
hmmm a new website ...

edlogic and the adventures of inspector Shelooks Homely