Buying on ebay.de

B

bazzer42

oo 80's, WW1, Rupert Bear, beer
Having found a nice loco on ebay.de Google translate tells me that the buyer wants bank transfer through "following ebay processing" (???). Has anybody had any experiences that might prevent me getting negative German feedback?
Thanks in advance
Derek
PS never used ebay.de in my life.
 
Bank transfers from UK to Germany tend to cost a bomb with most banks. These days I limit myself to sellers who take Paypal, but a lot of germans prefer bank transfer because for them it's easy everyday way of paying for stuff and they avoid Paypal fees.

If it's not an expensive purchase, may be worth asking if the seller will accept Euros cash through the post? I've done that in the past for stuff up to about £100 or so. Depends if it's worth the risk of loss.

Best option, find a friend in germany who can do the bank transfer for you! That's how I get my magazine subs paid, and in exchange I ship him over things like Peco N gauge points that are far more expensive over there!
 
Have purchased a few items on ebay .de but always paid through paypal
have also bought a few things together this saves big style on postage costs some traders do buy 1 item recieve further purchases free:thumbup::thumbup:
 
I usually pay by international money mover. Cost about £20.00.
Be sure to get the name of the account iIBAN and BIC numbers also the banks name and address off the seller.
Takes normally three days.
 
Try asking the seller.
I bought a couple of things from German Ebay where the seller had not quoted Paypal but agreed to use it.
I have also sent Euros rather than use the rip-off International Bank Transfer.
 
Thanks guys. It's worth knowing the likely transfer cost, a cheap loco suddenly becomes a bit dearer! I have asked about sending Euros as I don't expect to pay more than about £90. Let's hope the Euro continues to fall!
Thanks again that's been very useful, next post will be for a German pen pal.
 
The German shops on ebay normally have a great service with low postage and usually take Paypal. Private sellers can be difficult and best to contact them before you bid to sound them out and check payment methods. You also have to watch out for con men with LGB being much more plentiful and having a high value it is a target for professional crooks, if it looks to good to be true it usually is.
 
I'm not 100% comfortable with offering cash - I have asked. His feedback is 100% but difficult to read the comments!!
I may still go down the transfer route but would prefer paypal, it's so easy but I suppose suffering is part of the hobby if we want a "bargain"
 
Done bank transfers many times, the differance is you pay the fee and not the seller, therfore more money for them. another way to seek paypal transfer is to offer to pay fees on top, makes it a bit more but at least you get paypal cover
 
I have done quite a bit of buying from German Ebay. I had one transaction before I started buying myself where a friend sent Cash via post in a jiffy bag. Fortunately he insured the jiffy for the cost of the cash and claimed it back when it never arrived. I did get the item eventually but it was a long drawn out process.

In the meantime I started to get get the confidence to buy direct myself from Germany. However after a few Bank Transfers and at great cost, I decided to only use those sellers that take PayPal. It is easy to set your searches thus and if you never see the non Paypal items you never worry about missing them! This has worked well for me in the past and I work to the principle that if you are patient any item that you want will be available eventually.

JonD
 
dunnyrail said:
I have done quite a bit of buying from German Ebay. I had one transaction before I started buying myself where a friend sent Cash via post in a jiffy bag. Fortunately he insured the jiffy for the cost of the cash and claimed it back when it never arrived. I did get the item eventually but it was a long drawn out process.

JonD
Click to expand...
There have been some horror stories on here and GSM where Royal Mail has refused to accept insurance claims where cash has been lost in transit. Asking for photographic proof - as if that proved anything.
 
Jon is the paypal search in advanced search? I have to agree that paypal is much easier and far safer. The little diesel I have just bought came in under 72 hours after a Paypal payment on Sunday night, just got to get the little blighter apart......seperate thread.....
 
Baz,
Yes it is in the advance search. On ebay de having found your search selection say G scale etc, look along from the selection box the 'Finden' is followed by 'Erweiterte Such..' click on this and then scroll down the Tick Boxes to 'PayPal als Zahlungsmethode akzeptiertMehr zum Thema' save this search and you should only ever see Paypal items. It is all pretty much in the same position as the English Paypal so you could practce on the UK site first if you feel the need.

Good luck, you can get some good bargains on the de site plus unusual items so it is worthwhile persevering.

JonD
 
I have had very positive experience with a couple of German shops who took paypal.
Have bought from a couple of individuals who also took paypal.
Must admit I have only bought carriages/track/buildings - never a loco -.
As with English ebay look at feedback ratings etc...
There is a reason - look within this forum to understand the stickers - why German LGB sellers generally take a photo of the underside of any loco for sale. From comments made here, it would also seem that old hands can tell things by the condition of any skates and wheel plating which is beyond me at the moment.
I speak and read a little German (three years of evening classes and once/twice yearly trips to Germany) and have found that Google translate is very good if you cut and paste descriptions and then "translate". It saved me from one 'mistake" where I wasn't totally sure what the description was saying.
DHL is almost now the German Post Office and the "standard' shipping charge to the UK is the DHL packet at ?19. This is for a parcel though, and I've had three (possibly four - have to check) carriages/wagons in the one parcel at ?19. One of the shops gave a weight limit which I ought to try and find.
Chris
 
Hi David - thanks for the link my ebay refuses to accept european union only at the moment, just doesn't bring up the option meaning I'm getting choked with stuff from the US of States.
 
Not ebay but if you buy pet food from Zooplus they give you a discount for paying by bank transfer. They are a German company. The transfer costs nothing. Its not reversible though and has no cover.
 
Hurrah for the internet! Make a foreign transfer at Lloyds £20 do it on-line £10:)
Got me self a Brand new cargo sprinter for £85 - life's good.
 
£10 is still a rip-off, for doing all the work yourself on a purely electronic funds transfer.
 
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