jboger wrote: ↑Wed Aug 04, 2021 8:51 am
Harry Lauder aside, my response to the original post is, many sellers on eBay want to make as much as possible (of course) with as little effort as possible. Taking photos is an effort, uploading them is an effort, describing the item is an effort, packing and shipping the item are efforts, and so forth. Also answering questions. One US member of this forum related how, after he had purchased an item, he asked a second question with regards to packing a horn. Perfectly in his right. That, however, was one too many questions. The seller now thought he had a troublesome customer and threatened to stop the transaction. And so I think for many eBay sellers--certainly not all--the mantra is, "Give me your money. Anything more is too much."
This is all very true but please don't underestimate plain old rank stupidity. It needs to be given its fair share of credit here with a lot of Ebay sellers.
I'm convinced some people are so utterly clueless that they'll stun you with their complete lack of common sense. I've received dismembered portable machines because the seller can't understand the components are designed to be stowed away in transit within the case. Do they not see the carrying handle as a clue when their description states the thing is "portable". These same sellers think needles left loose won't fall out their receptacles.
A soundbox taped to the outside of a box anyone? A soundbox-less tonearm is a complete and working item? One of my favourites was a seller who removed all parts from a heavy duty colonial portable and sent them via post separately including the soundbox which was "protected" by a plastic bag inside a Cornflakes box. It arrived crushed and several parts of a £2000 machine never arrived at all. The outer case? What case? The seller completely forgot to ship that one!
Recently I received a stunning Apollo cabinet machine in Art Deco design. Luckily the Shiply guys were really careful transporting it as for some reason I can't explain the seller lifted the turntable off and simply laid it loose on the motorboard without anything around it to cushion the unmarked walnut from a heavy steel Frisbee bouncing around loose inside it. I know it didn't come loose either as I'd requested that it be removed and packed individually with other "potentially loose" parts inside a strong box to go with the cabinet.
Maybe if it was a portable, hey?!