I know folks rag on eBay and it can certainly be a somewhat risky transaction if one isn't careful, but I've discovered something for myself – maybe everyone already knows this...

Sometimes I just need a little thingamabob to complete a small task. Ordering from an FCV (favorite corvette vendor) often ends up with the shipping costing more than the part itself! I could add it to a wish list to ship with other items at a later date, but it certainly would be nice to just finish this ****ly task. I've found eBay is a good resource for this stuff. The parts themselves often cost the same as your FCV but usually ship for free or $5 - and they use USPS priority so the parts arrive within a few days.

This week, as I reassemble the dash and clean up the wiring of my '72, I pulled the door courtesy switches to clean and spiffy them up. The wire connectors were either broken already or I broke them getting them out of the switches. These are the push in early connectors with a tiny tang, not the spade. The going rate seems to be right around $15 without shipping. I found them on eBay for $17 including shipping and they arrived 3 days after ordering (Big City Corvettes; 99.5%). That's hard to beat!

My only caveats are to check the feedback rating and estimated arrival date range. Feedback below 99% causes me pause - below 97% and I look for another vendor. Read the recent feedback for the last month and 6 months. Is there a trend to the comments and might the negative complaints apply to what I'm buying? When it comes to arrival date, one of the added benefits for me to buy off eBay is the faster delivery. I'm usually too impatient if a seller is going to be taking 2 weeks or more.


Took me all of 15 minutes to solder the wires and reinstall both switches - lights work perfectly!

 

Have to admit, I've gotten a few bits and bobs off of ebay and Amazon. I live overseas so shipping is a giant problem.
Often you find proper retailers selling on ebay. Not just garbage. you do need to be careful I agree.
I bought my parallel flow condenser off ebay. Was a true bargain and seems good quality.

 

I use EBay almost every week. Batting about 95% success.
The 97% sellers rating does not phase me a bit, and I will tell you why.
No seller, whether it's on EBay or at local store will make 100% of their customers 100% happy. Not going to happen.

People just like to complain about everything. Some is legit, most are petty:
Either shipping took four days, or a blue product is not blue enough or somebody didn't notice the product is in metric measurement.

What's more important here is, how the seller responds to an issue. I have returned items on EBay and only once did I have to make PayPal go after the seller.

As I mentioned awhile back, everybody uses EBay. Summit, Jegs & Amazon comes in disguised packaging and usually USPS.
Look for free shpg on EBay. Even if the product is a couple bucks more, its still cheaper than UPS and minimum required purchases.

 

I'm not sure with what you mean here: .

Totally agree, but do tend toward higher feedback % - especially if they don't have years of selling or high quantity of feedbacks behind them. It just seems to give me a bit more confidence with someone I've never dealt with before. I do read the comments for what the buyers are complaining about and whether or not it could apply to my item.

I've been on eBay for over 20 years and never been stung. Not that I haven't had issues, but eBay has always come through and refunded my money when a few sellers haven't come through in one way or another.

 

I actually got my main bearings off eBay (NOS in box) when I couldn't find them anywhere else. You never know who is cleaning out their garage this week and posting stuff.

 

Yes the list goes on and on. I got gen. GM door bushings for a steal. Still in the old but original sealed bag.
And don't overlook the more recent Facebook marketplace.
Guy cleaning out his garage, I scored free C5 fans. Get em out of here or there getting thrown out!
Sometimes it pays to look around.

 

Big City Corvette have shipped me a number of items to Australia at a good price.

 

67:72,
I have never gotten anything in the mail (USPS) from Jegs or Summit, directly. Its always UPS or FedEx.
I have gotten items from both of them in the mail in unmarked disguised boxes & packaging. In others words, the return label, the side of the box does not include their logo nor is there an invoice or flyer with their logo.

Summit & Jegs are no dummies. They know that the majority of consumers don't want to pay $8 - $10 shpg on a $5 - $10 part. They also know that not everybody may be willing to spend $99 to get free shpg.

The solution is to shove those little parts in an envelope and offer free shpg. But w/o a logo on the packaging. Some people say this practice is a third party involved.
Or maybe its a deal worked out with EBay. Who knows? But I appreciate those Ebay deals none the less.
The give away is on the shipping label. Note what familiar city the part is from.

 

I gotcha now and have seen the same thing with Amazon as you mentioned. I appreciate it when vendors use the most economical method that, at least, benefits the customer too.

 

Twice this year and three times last year I ordered things off of EBay.
They came in the mail USPS in plain jane boxes or packaging.
Inside was an invoice with Amazon logo. So Amazon is selling on EBay.
What ever it takes to make a buck.