Tinbids Experiences?

[BlueMaxx]

I have used it several times.
Yesterday I won an auction on some old Drew Estate tins I have been looking for to complete the collection.
Haven't sold anything because they do not have an option for CONUS only, or at least that is if I read their rules correctly and I am not comfortable shipping over seas for bureaucratic reasons.
That said, all my transactions completed without a hitch.
YMMV
HTH
M

 

[Sethology12]

I have used tinbids on several occasions. When they first started out I felt they were the outlet for stuff that Pipestud wouldn't touch. I had 2 supposedly sealed tins I won turn out to have been opened and dried out but I gave them to a chum on here who rehydrated the stuff and was as pleased as punch. Recently I think they have tightened up things as all of my purchases have been spot on and I have been delighted with the service. You pays your money and takes your chances!

To be fair this is the case with ebay as well. The onus of risk is taken on by the user. At times you get amazing products for steals and sometimes you get gipped. Of course there is recourse for that sort of thing on ebay. But there are legitimate cases with pipe tobacco where despite being perfectly stored and unopened the tobacco will just be sand upon cracking the tin. It's just the risk anyone takes with purchasing older tobacco

 

[johnnyflake]

Lots of very good information here, with very good follow up reporting.
I am convinced that this is a reputable site and will be checking it out.

 

[justscience]

I've sold on it for prices that made me blush. The administrative fees on Tinbids are far less than our Texan friend and much higher prices are obtained on certain brands. Granted, he does package and mail, but then, so do you when you send to him.
I kind of miss eBay, but their fees plus paypal fees were comparable to Tinbids'. I don't miss the messaging from whiners wanting you to sell to them, ending the auction early or complaining about you competing against them.

I keep seeing references to Tinbids "gouging". That doesn't apply to auctions because the buyers offer their price. Gouging is rightfully applied to businesses that place exaggerated fixed prices.

 

[vosBghos]

Well, that was easy.
I had been looking for some Ashton Pebblecut at a good price for quite some time and whenever I see it I bid on it but cut off around $100 the other day I saw it on TinBids for $60 so I bid and figured oh well and went about other business. Got an email a couple of days later, guess I won. Guessing some sellers here and there just want to clear out some old stock and don't really care too much about astronomical profits.

 

[condorlover1]

I have purchase a few things of recent and have been pleasantly surprised. The quality has certainly improved and the wide choice selection is far better than when they launched. I am still in shock at the prices people will pay for certain tobaccos.

 

[kcghost]

Tinbids is a sponsor of this site, so I'd say no worries.

 

[crashthegrey]

They are solid. Mike and Alison are great people and do everything they can to make it all smooth. You have to ship with them because they are responsible for any issues. If people just shipped how they wanted they would not be able to prove any disputes.

 

[johnnyflake]

It is definitely important that you use their shipping system!

 

[vosBghos]

Tinbids is a sponsor of this site, so I'd say no worries.

Yeah just putting in a good word I know there have been some naysayers and I wanted to come correct as I had suspicions of my own, feel like some kinks might have been worked out.

 

[onepyrotec]

TinBids as a platform is fantastic. Being able to ask sellers questions would be the only improvement.

I have had several good purchases/transactions there, and at reasonable prices.

I will suggest that you pay attention to the wordings of items. Certain sellers, will omit the word sealed in the title and or descriptions. So don't take anything for granted. Just keep it in mind for your top price willing to pay.

 

[popeofpiping]

Never sold anything but I have made several purchases. Nothing out of the ordinary. Always smooth transaction.

 

[DurinsRest]

tinbids is solid, smooth transactions the only thing thats frustrating sometimes is when you get someone that buys from far into china. I had one that lived near port and it only took 5 days to reach them another took 16 days to get to them and tinbids doesnt payout until 3 days after its received by buyer so it was just annoying waiting that long.

 

[mingc]

TinBids as a platform is fantastic. Being able to ask sellers questions would be the only improvement.

I'd add (i) a notification system that sends an alert when an auction is about to end and (ii) the actual time when an action ends, not just a countdown clock.

 

[jbfrady]

tinbids is solid, smooth transactions the only thing thats frustrating sometimes is when you get someone that buys from far into china. I had one that lived near port and it only took 5 days to reach them another took 16 days to get to them and tinbids doesnt payout until 3 days after its received by buyer so it was just annoying waiting that long.

If that was true in the past, the policy has changed. TinBids now pays on international orders based on when the package hits the shipping facility.

 

[DurinsRest]

If that was true in the past, the policy has changed. TinBids now pays on international orders based on when the package hits the shipping facility.

ahhh well then they just screwed me lmao

 

[AJL67]

ahhh well then they just screwed me lmao

That totally must be it.

 

[DurinsRest]

That totally must be it.

i couldn't decide how they screwed me more making me wait days after or the 18.5% cut they take

 

[jbfrady]

i couldn't decide how they screwed me more making me wait days after or the 18.5% cut they take

I wouldn't call those screws. Just business. Most tins you can move on there will sell for at least 18.5% more than they would on the forum here.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I wouldn't call those screws. Just business. Most tins you can mice on there will sell for at least 18.5% more than they would on the forum here.

Not necessarily. I had a tin of Krumble Kake, couldn't sell it for what I wanted on tinbids but got the amount on here. No it didn't take a whole auction either maybe 8 hours at the most. Yes it was to a Chinese buyer with a US shipping address. Learned a good lesson there but I'm sure it would have gone to the same place if I sold it on tin bids. Maybe not the same person, but the same place. Highly Likely.