Has the world gone mad?

[Skybrowser]

I know people are waiting for new scopes but I've just checked an old "watch list" on fleabay and saw a used SW 200P on an EQ5 (non motorised) sell for £411 - you can get a new one for £398. Absolutely crazy, especially with the shipping of another 70 quid!!

There are very few bargains these days. Gone are the days when you could get an SPC900 for less than a fiver (yes, I once got one for 99p plus p&p), cheap eyepieces, filters and other odds and sods.

The popularity of the hobby is catching on more and more, judging by the number of new members I see in the "new posts" section on SGL. That's great, but I do fear there's a danger or risk that some predatory selling may be happening. People are fairly understandably maximising the opportunity to make a few bob. However, the predatory aspect here is from some sellers selling any old tat for as much as possible, leading to complaints and buyers being put off by some future adverse feedback.

We'll see....

[starman1969]

I've got an SPC900 ha ha.

[Carl M]

What's new? It's not the sellers problem that bidders are foolish enough to pay more than the amount for a new one.

[Psychobilly]

yes

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[Starlight 1]

I bye new gear ever year as we do not sell any more on here I put a SW250 pds in the skip last week .

[Bellyeye]

There was a guy on EBay the other week selling a William Optics star diagonal. The bidding went up to about £60 with a couple of days to go. At this point he withdrew it as he said he couldn't "in all conscience" sell it at this price when it was available new for a fiver or so more.

Integrity is not entirely dead it seems.

[R1gel]

Starlight1

You joke yes?

[Skybrowser]

Nice to see and I also agree that if the bidders are daft enough to bid crazy numbers, then it's "caveat emptor"...buyer beware....

That said, I've never seen so many rushes of blood before. Having recently acquired a very nice and well modded 200P - a rather famous one on You Tube as it's Dion's (Astronomy Shed) old one and having got the OTA at a very reasonable price, given the extras and mods, I feel some people are going over the top to make sure they get what they want when it comes to ebay bidding. It's their money of course!

Caveat Emptor - look at a new one when the bids get close and you'll perhaps be better off!

[John]

I'm wondering if there will also be a surge in sales of the poorer quality scopes like Seben's and their ilk in response to the higher prices that the recognised brands are fetching

If you don't know about scopes, a scope at £250 new is going to look tempting compared to one that looks more or less the same but is selling used for over £400.

That sort of experience can really spoil the start of the hobby for some.

[Skybrowser]

Some of the very low end scopes are enough to scar you for life. I saw one of them a few weeks ago. Absolutely terrible, but I agree, with prices on the up, new entrants to the hobby may part with their well-earned quickly and without thinking things through. I do hope they don't make the mistake of seeing and buying something that looks too good to be true....if it looks too good to be true......

[Skybrowser]

Just saw I need another 3 posts to get to 300 (that's a lot for me).

Oh, so that's only 2 more now then!

[PortableAstronomer]

I was very impressed with that seller who pulled out because of the crazy bidding. Indeed my own conscience won't allow me to sell something that goes for more than the new shop price.

Sure, it sounds like there's no end to gullable buyers out there who sink into bidding wars. Maybe another aspect of Neurotypical Syndrome :-)

That sort of experience can really spoil the start of the hobby for some.

That's what worries me the most. With these sorts of rip-offs going on to newcomers, the astro community will be confined to a very niche minority with an even smaller voice on topics such as light pollution etc...

[Earl]

Low end gear is keeping its value due to demand, now if the higher end gear would like to drop down a bit ill be happy as I have a few things on my wish list

[Woking]

It's all swings and roundabouts from my limited experience on ebay. Some items go for a bit higher than expected but then others a lot less, so on average the bid values are pretty fair for total gear sold. Then the seller has to front ebay, paypal, and P&P costs...

Much prefer AB&S, both buyer and seller settle on a fair price including P&P and paypal costs, and of course neither are paying ebay for the pleasure.

And of course, collection and payment in cash both parties benefit and the price should drop accordingly.

[patomlin76]

Seben is the sort of stuff that will really catch newbies out, as mentioned previously. When I first started looking I admit they were a Wow moment, comparing features with cost. Not sure why, but I didnt bite, instead carefully reviewing telescopes before purchasing.

Regarding eBay as a seller, I wont have a guilty conscience if my goods go for more than they should, in fact there are two EPs and a Barlow up there at the moment!!

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[Boyd_CygnusX1]

I narrowly missed out on a Meade 114 for £45 on Gumtree. I am a complete newby but it looked like a bargain to me.

[SFlowers]

I always do my research first - surely people don'y use ebay as their only port of call. Then again I panic at the thought of spending money so maybe people don't check their purchases as closely as I do.

[foundaplanet]

Has the world gone mad?

You mean you have only just noticed...

[Skybrowser]

Yeah. Only just noticed! Good point above about high end kit perhaps not selling and possibly getting cheaper but I know margins are tight in the astro game.

[Teslar]

I always research the price first and snipe at my max. Some I win and some i dont but on Astro gear there always seems to be someone bidding silly money.

If the seller is interested in being fair they could always quote the purchase price paid but I guess that's a faint hope

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[Scott]

Seben is the sort of stuff that will really catch newbies out, as mentioned previously. When I first started looking I admit they were a Wow moment, comparing features with cost. Not sure why, but I didnt bite, instead carefully reviewing telescopes before purchasing.

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I was almost one of the foolish ones to by a seben:o. luckily i came on this forum first. i'd really like to look through one (seben) to see just how bad they are:icon_scratch:. hopefully i'll never know anyone who owns one though