Has eBay ruined your hobby?

Question

I'm into collecting and restoring antique radios. Before eBay came along I'd have loads of fun finding them all over the place and fixing them up. Now that eBay is popular, even people who aren't into the hobby are buying them up for resale. It's put the hobby out of my price range.

Has this happened to anyone else...I'd hate to see what it is like for other "collecting" hobbies?

Answer 1

I am a coin collector ( numismatist ) and EBay has done a number on the coin market. Not do to sales, for there are bargains there. The problem is fake coins,medal and tokens. More than I have ever seen and EBay seems to not want to police their site. I understand that most Tiffany items are fakes also, Tiffany is suing them. The American Numismatic Assoc. is not to happy with them either. It used to be you came across a fake trade dollar once in a while, now 99% are Chinese fakes. Some are so bad, no one with a little knowledge would be fooled but others are very good. It used to be only real valuable coins were faked, now the 10 dollar ones are being faked also. I do not buy coins on EBay, I buy them from dealers I trust,and who ever said that shipping costs are outrageous on EBay he is right on.

Answer 2

Ebay Antique Radios

Answer 3

Yes, and to get anything at a great price is long gone now... plus if you've noticed, Ebay sellers way over price their S/H prices. Some times an item that would cost lets say $3.00 to mail, they want (give or take) $10.00 to mail. When I get the item in the mail the shipping label states a much lower price then I was charged, because of this many times I don't even bid on ebay anymore... It's just not worth it !!!

Good luck in finding your Antique radios at a good price.

Try these sites:

antiqueradio.org/parts.htm
BizRate.com
www.YesteryearsRadio.com
www.NexTag.com/Radios

Answer 4

There are HUGE sources of old radio / electronic equipment out there - mostly in places where they do not even have computers...
I go to the electronics sale in L.A. area on Aviation blvd the last saturday of every month, and find tons of stuff sold on a parking lot the size of a village - you never know what you will find, including trucks full of tubes.
However, in rural North America, on farm land are houses and barns filled with forgotten goodies that turn up from time to time, and no one knows what they are nor wants them - they are usually thrown in the trash. Unfortunately you would have to travel from place to place just asking is anyone has old stuff. Usually its the sons/ daughters of the original farmers, etc. and you have to get there before the stuff is sold at an auction... Tons of real junk, but in there are priceless antique electronics - most people do not have a clue. If people like you do not get there first, the stuff is landfill. too bad. Good luck in your searching - as I said, these old farmsteads usually do not even have a computer at all, so there is still hope ! Just a wild thought - make an application to whatever government is running what ever country you are in, and see if there is a grant somewhere ( Industry, Science, technology whatever ) to fund your travels to find, restore, and document early technologies - just a chance - who knows - rural and early life in North America, or Europe or where ever is rapidly a thing of the past and there may be interest in preserving / documenting etc. some of it, just like they do with " historical preservations / restorations " of older buildings...
I am a tecchie, and hate to see stuff smashed and trashed that cannot ever be replaced...

Answer 5

I'm not a collector per se, but I do find people buying items for resale HAS ruined much of the Ebay experience, which was to find something obscure or unusual, cheaply.

I used to scour Ebay for inexpensive items I could use as props, now I have better luck with neighborhood garage sales...

Answer 6

Actually ebay put me in a position of making a living out of my hobby. Not much of a living, but it sure beats working for the man!