Galanthus - Ebay digression 2012

[daveyp1970]

New yellow drop http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GALANTHUS-PLICATUS-WANBLEBURT-RING-/380399893529?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item589199bc19#ht_490wt_1157       

[KentGardener]

'Wanbleburt Ring'  =  great name   

I wonder who found it?..... 

According to goodle images - this is a picture of 'Bert Womble'     Could it be him?.... 

[Martin Baxendale]

And another odd one. "Buyer beware" I believe is the standard legal warning for any purchase.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GALANTHUS-ELWESSI-CAPTAIN-BOWLES-/380399899872?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item589199d4e0#ht_483wt_1157

[Maggi Young]

Folks, I have have moved these posts to their own thread.

In the past these threads about Ebay have become rather heated : I would hope that this will not happen again.

[KentGardener]

Folks, I have have moved these posts to their own thread.

In the past these threads about Ebay have become rather heated : I would hope that this will not happen again.

Hi Maggi

I think it is a great idea to start a separate ""ebay"" thread  
(Personally, I could even be tempted to put the words 'ebay 2012' in the title so anyone reading knows where to post personal ebay thoughts)....

It is great for everyone to have a place for any 'friendly' discussion and peoples 'personal thoughts' about any ebay listings that might attract an individuals interest.....  

[Martin Baxendale]

I'll happily remove my post if you're worried about starting trouble, Maggi. I just always feel concerned, when ebay snowdrop offerings appear that look problematic to more "expert" eyes, that it would be wrong not to say something. But I understand that it causes you concern.

[Maggi Young]

Martin, I don't think there is any problem with what you wrote.

I was merely making a pre-emptive comment since in the past the subject of Ebay has created a lot of bad feeling....so it was just a general hope for good behaviour.


I have been told by some people that they do not feel they have the time or inclination to behave politely, but I feel that it  is quite essential in the forum to refrain from rudeness.

Surely any subject can be the subject of discussion while maintaining some standard of common courtesy ?

Edit : So, no need to call anyone names just because the price isn't what you like, eh?!!

[Maggi Young]

thread re-titled

[Martin Baxendale]

Martin, I don't think there is any problem with what you wrote.

I was merely making a pre-emptive comment since in the past the subject of Ebay has created a lot of bad feeling....so it was just a general hope for good behaviour.


I have been told by some people that they do not feel they have the time or inclination to behave politely, but I feel that it  is quite essential in the forum to refrain from rudeness.

Surely any subject can be the subject of discussion while maintaining some standard of common courtesy ?

Edit : So, no need to call anyone names just because the price isn't what you like, eh?!!

Okey dokey.

[Alan_b]

According to google images - this is a picture of 'Bert Womble'    Could it be him?....  

I thought the Wombles all had geographical names like Bulgaria and Orinoco (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wombles).  "Bert" hardly seems in keeping.

The seller of "Wanbleburt Ring", "chinaboyz", seems to have built-up an eBay reputation selling china and has now diversified into snowdrops of his own invention.  It's scarily reminiscent of toy-seller "alancirrus" (still going strong on eBay) from a few years ago.  The moral is that when you buy on eBay and you read the seller's % positive feedback, it's very important to find out what they have been selling to achieve that positive feedback.

  

[art600]

I have bought successfully on EBay and will probably do so in the future.

Just like an ordinary auction you should research the seller, set a price and stick to it.

Of course it is better to establish friends who grow a wide range of snowdrops and are willing to swap, and some who are generous in giving you plants to enhance your collection. 

Remember if you have 3 plants - keep one, give one away and swap the third.  When your plant dies you have 2 chances to get it back 

[Martin Baxendale]

I've bought successfully on ebay too, Arthur. Some excellent snowdrops can be had from there if, as you say, you're sure that you're dealing with someone reliable and honest. The nerve of some supposed snowdrop sellers though really is hard to believe. Sometimes you only have to take one look at their ads to realise that they don't know the first thing about snowdrops and can't possibly be really offering what they say they have. The more worrying ones are those that are clever enough to sound just plausible enough to catch out the unwary and the less expert.

[GoodGrief]

Some excellent snowdrops can be had from there if, as you say, you're sure that you're dealing with someone reliable and honest. The nerve of some supposed snowdrop sellers though really is hard to believe.

My lesson from last year (falling for the Elizabeth Harrison fakes) is... if it sounds too good to be true then it is most probably is too good to be true.

Buy from someone you already know and trust.

Don't expect any satisfaction from ebay (which I didn't) over dispute resolution... they were utterly useless.

Malcolm.

[Alan_b]

I think the eBay dispute resolution process can work, but only if you push very hard indeed.  It might help to liken a fake snowdrop (a concept eBay do not understand) to a fake autograph (a concept eBay do understand).  In both cases a naive purchaser might not spot the fake but an expert would.  In the case of 'Elizabeth Harrison' I'm not sure if anyone except Ian Christie has possession of it.   

[Diane Clement]

I've had some very good experiences buying snowdrops on Ebay, and one very bad experience which remains unresolved, despite the repeated promises to refund, this never happened.  The ebay dispute process (very successful for me in a non-plant case) is limited by the time element which was no use in this instance.  On the whole, I think Ebay is a brilliant organisation, but for plant buying, you need to be extra careful.