how do I get detailed information about a seller?

[Arkteia]

Sorry for this naive question, but short of asking everyone here about their experience with a certain ebay seller, what is the best way to check his/her reputation? Most of it is seller-oriented, I asked help from ebay and was referred to "Feedback" where I learned details of how to remove negative feedback that the buyer has left about you. Ebay is very much seller-oriented, and this seller seems to have some nice items, but his prices are all over the place. I know TL uses a website, but I forgot its name, "toolhouse?", or "toolhaus"?.

In short, when you decide on buying from a dealer not known to you, what is the best way of checking if he is legit? Short of asking him questions, because it is another level?

 

[T L]

Toolhaus.org.

Very good question Crasru. It''s not just feedback, but photography, and certain patterns in the feedback, that you need to pay attention to. I could seriously write a book on this subject.

 

[Barrett]

toolhaus is awesome..

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 5/5/2010 1:50:33 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Toolhaus.org.

Very good question Crasru. It''s not just feedback, but photography, and certain patterns in the feedback, that you need to pay attention to. I could seriously write a book on this subject.

Seriously, TL, why don''t you?. Antoinette Matlin''s books sell very well. I shall be the first one to buy a book of an "ebay for Dummies" type. (Or "How to buy with confidence on ebay and not end up in deep s..."). I shall also buy a copy for each of my friends!

 

[harshilzaveri]

Date: 5/5/2010 1:48:49 PM
Author:crasru
Sorry for this naive question, but short of asking everyone here about their experience with a certain ebay seller, what is the best way to check his/her reputation? Most of it is seller-oriented, I asked help from ebay and was referred to ''Feedback'' where I learned details of how to remove negative feedback that the buyer has left about you. Ebay is very much seller-oriented, and this seller seems to have some nice items, but his prices are all over the place. I know TL uses a website, but I forgot its name, ''toolhouse?'', or ''toolhaus''?.


In short, when you decide on buying from a dealer not known to you, what is the best way of checking if he is legit? Short of asking him questions, because it is another level?

It''s best to touch base with an Ebay seller before purchasing anything from him. By communicating with him you can get to know a lot about the seller - and also whether it is going to be easy or difficult to sort out any issues if the transactions runs into any problem.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[T L]

Date: 5/5/2010 2:43:22 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 5/5/2010 1:50:33 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Toolhaus.org.

Very good question Crasru. It's not just feedback, but photography, and certain patterns in the feedback, that you need to pay attention to. I could seriously write a book on this subject.

Seriously, TL, why don't you?. Antoinette Matlin's books sell very well. I shall be the first one to buy a book of an 'ebay for Dummies' type. (Or 'How to buy with confidence on ebay and not end up in deep s...'). I shall also buy a copy for each of my friends!

There is and "ebay for dummies" book actually!! I think it talks about buying in confidence, but it's generalized and high level. Gems and jewelry, just like any specialized hobby, has it's own nuances, and things to figure out in order to understand if you're getting a good value. I wish there was an "ebay for dummies gem buying" edition. Oh man, the examples I could show in that one!!! Arggghh!!

 

[LD]

Crasru - I would echo everything that has been said already with one additional comment ..............

Chic started a thread recently and was contemplating a stone from an Ebay seller. Have a look at her link, look at the seller''s goods and then look at Thresh''s comments and mine on that thread. https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/7mm-peridot-with-5-6mm-moonstones.141301/ You''ll see that there are warning bells. Now sometimes, it''s nothing to worry about BUT if you''re unsure never buy an expensive gemstone as a first purchase from an unknown vendor.

 

[T L]

Date: 5/5/2010 3:02:06 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Crasru - I would echo everything that has been said already with one additional comment ..............

Chic started a thread recently and was contemplating a stone from an Ebay seller. Have a look at her link, look at the seller''s goods and then look at Thresh''s comments and mine on that thread. https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/7mm-peridot-with-5-6mm-moonstones.141301/ You''ll see that there are warning bells. Now sometimes, it''s nothing to worry about BUT if you''re unsure never buy an expensive gemstone as a first purchase from an unknown vendor.

Best advice, and words to live by on ebay.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I have just learned what I am calling my number one rule

1. Buy only one item initially at a cheap or moderate price point. I just found a new ebay seller in Singapore. I bid on one item only but wanted to bid on more, but I restrained myself. I will wait to see how the actual stone looks vs photo.

2. I e-mail my question to the seller ahead of purchase(non ebay seller). I now can sound like a TL clone when I ask if there is any brown or gray in the stone. I want pure now.(I just did this today)

3. Wait for delivery.

I have have crossed Vietnam off my buy list even though this was recommended on another forum where I would have thought they would know, but apparently not.

I read you had some health issues. I hope you are on the mend.

Thanks,
Annette

 

[Arkteia]

Problem is, if it is too cheap I do not want to invest $$ into checking its authenticity and I have very little experience in doing so myself. I heard that zircons may be colored to look like spessartines. I bought a couple of nice spessartines and would like to buy more from the same seller, all the more so that she is from the US, but it will take me a while to check these ones first.

As to more expensive stones, so far I have been buying only from our trusted vendors. Their prices are competitive, and I may save some $$ with ebay, but avoid the need to test the stones or pay postage to send them back. I have heard good words about Tan, and have not yet worked with him, but since so many of you bought from him, there is some hope I shall not be deceived.

I remember someone compiling a list of trusted ebay vendors, but it was a while ago. Do you think we should expand it?

Annette, thank you for your kind words. I have read your latest posting. Congratulations on the recut!

 

[Barrett]

you have buyer protection on ebay which is very good..takes a little experience and skill..TL will atest to that..a few of my rules..lol
1) don't buy tanzanite from someone with under 200 feedback
2) don't buy paraiba tourmalines from this seller..well any stones actually

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hot-Blue-Paraiba-Tourmaline-Copper-Bearing-Natural-4-Ct-/180501879011?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2a06c018e3
3) don't trust anyone selling paraibas/curpains on ebay unless they have a report
4) don't trust origin reports from oh heck..the place all the thai sellers get there cheapo lab reports from..those are inaccurate..on origin..
5) PM TL before you purchase to see what she thinks

6) no rubies
7) and last but not least Tan is the man..only Thai seller i will buy from..I am sure there are others that are good but i stick with what i know

 

[T L]

Date: 5/5/2010 3:52:27 PM
Author: amethystguy
you have buyer protection on ebay which is very good..takes a little experience and skill..TL will atest to that..a few of my rules..lol
1) don''t buy tanzanite from someone with under 200 feedback
2) don''t buy paraiba tourmalines from this seller..well any stones actually

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hot-Blue-Paraiba-Tourmaline-Copper-Bearing-Natural-4-Ct-/180501879011?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2a06c018e3
3) don''t trust anyone selling paraibas/curpains on ebay unless they have a report
4) don''t trust origin reports from oh heck..the place all the thai sellers get there cheapo lab reports from..those are inaccurate..on origin..
5) PM TL before you purchase to see what she thinks

6) no rubies
7) and last but not least Tan is the man..only Thai seller i will buy from..I am sure there are others that are good but i stick with what i know

Don''t worry, I already get a lot of those!!! LOL!

 

[LD]

Date: 5/5/2010 3:56:49 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 5/5/2010 3:52:27 PM
Author: amethystguy
you have buyer protection on ebay which is very good..takes a little experience and skill..TL will atest to that..a few of my rules..lol
1) don''t buy tanzanite from someone with under 200 feedback
2) don''t buy paraiba tourmalines from this seller..well any stones actually

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hot-Blue-Paraiba-Tourmaline-Copper-Bearing-Natural-4-Ct-/180501879011?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2a06c018e3
3) don''t trust anyone selling paraibas/curpains on ebay unless they have a report
4) don''t trust origin reports from oh heck..the place all the thai sellers get there cheapo lab reports from..those are inaccurate..on origin..
5) PM TL before you purchase to see what she thinks

6) no rubies
7) and last but not least Tan is the man..only Thai seller i will buy from..I am sure there are others that are good but i stick with what i know

Don''t worry, I already get a lot of those!!! LOL!

The problem with that is that she sees grey and brown in EVERYTHING so you end up buying nothing! Actually, she''s great for the wallet!

 

[T L]

Hey I thought Chrono was the "disabler." LOL!

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 5/5/2010 3:52:27 PM
Author: amethystguy
you have buyer protection on ebay which is very good..takes a little experience and skill..TL will atest to that..a few of my rules..lol
1) don''t buy tanzanite from someone with under 200 feedback
2) don''t buy paraiba tourmalines from this seller..well any stones actually

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hot-Blue-Paraiba-Tourmaline-Copper-Bearing-Natural-4-Ct-/180501879011?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2a06c018e3
3) don''t trust anyone selling paraibas/curpains on ebay unless they have a report
4) don''t trust origin reports from oh heck..the place all the thai sellers get there cheapo lab reports from..those are inaccurate..on origin..
5) PM TL before you purchase to see what she thinks

6) no rubies
7) and last but not least Tan is the man..only Thai seller i will buy from..I am sure there are others that are good but i stick with what i know

Just to remind you...I bought from you, too. Should have bargained more, but you seem to do a nice job with testing the stones that yiou buy...So when you say it is cobaltospinel, I can trust that it is cobaltospinel.

 

[LD]

Date: 5/5/2010 4:23:28 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 5/5/2010 3:52:27 PM
Author: amethystguy
you have buyer protection on ebay which is very good..takes a little experience and skill..TL will atest to that..a few of my rules..lol
1) don''t buy tanzanite from someone with under 200 feedback
2) don''t buy paraiba tourmalines from this seller..well any stones actually

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hot-Blue-Paraiba-Tourmaline-Copper-Bearing-Natural-4-Ct-/180501879011?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2a06c018e3
3) don''t trust anyone selling paraibas/curpains on ebay unless they have a report
4) don''t trust origin reports from oh heck..the place all the thai sellers get there cheapo lab reports from..those are inaccurate..on origin..
5) PM TL before you purchase to see what she thinks

6) no rubies
7) and last but not least Tan is the man..only Thai seller i will buy from..I am sure there are others that are good but i stick with what i know

Just to remind you...I bought from you, too. Should have bargained more, but you seem to do a nice job with testing the stones that yiou buy...So when you say it is cobaltospinel, I can trust that it is cobaltospinel.

Is naughty Amguy making up new names for stones now? Is this a name we''ll be seeing on Ebay?

 

[Barrett]

lol..cobalto..might have to use that..has a nice ring to it

 

[Arkteia]

Actually, I think we should start using this name. In contrast to "incredible cobalt spinel" (instead of cobalt blue spinel). Rather than asking, "does this spinel contain cobalt?", I''d rather say, "is it cobalt, or cobaltospinel?" There is a term galenaspinel, I think? (or is it galenospinel?)

 

[Barrett]

these are the ones that piss me off..i have ranted so many times about who are the idiots buying these iolites being passed off as tanzanite rough..some of these i have seen go up to $50-$70..even past $100 for the gemmy looking 15ct + ones
iolite: http://cgi.ebay.com/9-5CT-ROUGH-VIOLET-BLUE-TANZANITE-TANZANIA-UNHEATED-NA-/250624522373?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item3a5a62b885
iolite: http://cgi.ebay.com/5-65CT-ROUGH-VIOLET-BLUE-TANZANITE-TANZANIA-NATURAL-/170481838526?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item27b18269be
ioilite: http://cgi.ebay.com/13CT-ROUGH-VIOLET-BLUE-TANZANITE-TANZANIA-UNHEATED-NAT-/250625121184?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item3a5a6bdba0
iolite: http://cgi.ebay.com/TANZANITE-19-4CT-ROUGH-BLUE-TANZANIA-NATURAL-/200469193466?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2eace522fa
def. iolite: http://cgi.ebay.com/9-35CT-ROUGH-VIOLETTISH-BLUE-TANZANITE-NATURAL-/290432000008?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item439f18a008
with this guy above..hmm sure is fishy buyer wrote "this looks more like iolite then tanzanite will not shop here again"
same guy..check this one..sure does ook like tanzanite to the average joe..it's iolite
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-3CT-ROUGH-VIOLETTISH-BLUE-TANZANITE-TOP-AAA-NATURAL-/290432000834?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item439f18a342

 

[Arkteia]

Wow! Some of these stones might be used as iron knuckles...to protect yourself in the evening on an empty street. One of the sellers is familiar. Don''t know much about iolites, but even as such, they look like lousy specimen. Surely not something I''d consider recutting, even with my love for unheated stones.