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Tom Mazanec
Joined: 11 Feb 2016
Posts: 139
Location: Twinsburg, Ohio
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 Posted: Feb 17, 2016 09:47 Post subject: Ebay mineral specimens |
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Do any of you use Ebay? I like to peruse their mineral specimens, which typically number 17,XYZ and seem reasonably priced. But I noticed that often the size or weight is not given. Micro or museum? Do I need a jeweler's loupe to see it or a house extension to store it? Perhaps worse, they rarely give the location.
So what are your thoughts on Ebay? |
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
Posts: 765
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 10:13 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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TOM, I think you are beginning to tread on thin ice here.
Remember that this site was started and is maintained by the MINERAL DEALER JORDI FABRE. It is a dealer created and maintained web site. There are appropriate postings and not so appropriate postings on this site. If you want to ask questions such as yours with relplies and discussions, I suggest going to a more non-commercial site such as www.Mindat.org
This site is perfect for showing pictures and descriptions of your collection, finds, localities and non commercial stuff, but with questions involving specific specimen prices or where to buy or not buy minerals, this site may not be the one you want to use.
CHEERS.....BOB |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5021
Location: Barcelona
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 10:26 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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Bob,
I totally disagree with your thoughts. I have no problem about any discusion related with anything else including Ebay and other dealers. But casually this is precisely a non-commercial Forum, so prices, sales, offers, or any kind of publicity are not welcome.
BTW, we discussed a lot here about the sales on Ebay, you can find these discussions using the word "Ebay" in the Forum's search.
Just to give to you an example you can use: https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=2596 |
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Bob Harman
Joined: 06 Nov 2015
Posts: 765
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 10:28 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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| JORDI, I will take your advice and review those rules and the forum philosophy. Sorry! BOB |
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kushmeja
Joined: 28 Jul 2014
Posts: 244
Location: New Jersey
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 11:10 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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| Tom Mazanec wrote: | Do any of you use Ebay? I like to peruse their mineral specimens, which typically number 17,XYZ an seem reasonably priced. But I noticed that often the size or weight is not given. Micro or museum? Do I need a jeweler's loupe to see it or a house extension to store it? Perhaps worse, they rarely give the location.
So what are your thoughts on Ebay? |
I buy and sell frequently on EBAY, and I'll give you one word of advice - if the seller doesn't have the proper info in their listing to satisfy your questions, then I wouldn't buy the item.
There are thousands of rock/mineral sellers on EBAY, some of which are dishonest and sell fakes or altered specimens, and most of whom are legit collectors and dealers who honestly care about the hobby and other collectors. It's best to avoid anyone who doesn't list detailed info like locality, size and weight, or who don't provide good pictures of the specimens.
If the seller is leaving out important information, they're either hiding something, don't care enough to describe their item in detail, or just plainly lack the knowledge about what their selling, so it's best to avoid them in my personal experience. |
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Reelgoodwoman
Joined: 26 Jan 2016
Posts: 31
Location: Arkansas
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 11:18 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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| Tom Mazanec wrote: | Do any of you use Ebay? I like to peruse their mineral specimens, which typically number 17,XYZ an seem reasonably priced. But I noticed that often the size or weight is not given. Micro or museum? Do I need a jeweler's loupe to see it or a house extension to store it? Perhaps worse, they rarely give the location.
So what are your thoughts on Ebay? |
Etsy is also a good site. There is some good quality there. |
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Tom Mazanec
Joined: 11 Feb 2016
Posts: 139
Location: Twinsburg, Ohio
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 11:34 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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Well, sorry if I was treading on anyone's toes...I didn't know the historical background of this forum.
Thanks for the replies. |
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Tobi
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Posts: 4235
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 12:55 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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My humble opinion on mineral deals on eBay (I purchased several specimens there during the last years): This is just another kind of market, like a mineral show, a store, a dealer's webshop or open day. There are villains and respectable dealers, profiteers and nice guys, cheap specimens and expensive ones, misdirections and correct data ... the same as everywhere else ;-)
If you have some knowledge about minerals it should be quite easy to detect a reliable dealer: Does he provide several data like locality and size and high quality photos from different angles? Are his prizes reasonable? Can you contact him via phone or mail? If there's anything you don't like on his eBay shop, don't purchase from him ;-)
By the way ... GUYS, is there a new RULE to write several WORDS in CAPITAL LETTERS? ;-)
Cheers!
Tobi |
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Jordi Fabre
Overall coordinator of the Forum
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 5021
Location: Barcelona
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 13:08 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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| Tobi wrote: | | ...By the way ... GUYS, is there a new RULE to write several WORDS in CAPITAL LETTERS? ;-)... |
NOOOO! ;-) ;-) |
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Mike Wood
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 456
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 15:33 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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| Jordi Fabre wrote: | | Tobi wrote: | | ...By the way ... GUYS, is there a new RULE to write several WORDS in CAPITAL LETTERS? ;-)... |
NOOOO! ;-) ;-) |
Hey, cool it guys ;-)
It's just Bob doing it:- That's his style.. ;-)
Well I have been buying rocks at e-rocks auctions for seven years and only had one specimen vanish, out of hundreds, from dealers in many other countries.
(It was a small xenotime crystal from Pakistan, it must have slipped out of the packaging when the two much larger specimens in the same parcel were being examined at customs. It didn't cost much and the other two specimens arrived undamaged so I wasn't that bothered about it. I have continued to trade with this sellar btw.)
I always use the auction site, using paypal, and occasionally the advertised dealers on the auction site, directly. That's more than enough for me and my budget :-) |
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crocoite
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 490
Location: Ballarat, Victoria
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| Posted: Feb 17, 2016 20:38 Post subject: Re: Ebay mineral specimens |
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I buy occasional specimens on eBay. You can find some real bargains from time to time.
I agree with the sentiments above. If you are unsure, don't bid.
The only issue that I have had recently is with eBay's "Global Shipping Program". The charges applied are way more than what the actual costs should be, and very inconsistent. You can see two similar items (in terms of size, weight and value) that have widely differing shipping charges through the program.
One seller was happy to negotiate shipping costs but only if the total value was above a certain amount. Sorry, not interested!
Another seller bent over backwards to work out how to progress.
_________________
Regards
Steve
Mineral Collector and Artist |
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