[Milsurplus] Scarce Items and the Coming Demise of Ebay "Hobby"Selling.

[Michael Bittner]

No question that shipping cost is a huge factor in deciding whether or not 
to bid on any eBay item.

I'm constantly amazed at the prices people on eBay are willing to pay on 
stuff that people won't even look at twice at local swap meets.  There's 
nothing like a world-wide audience

BTW, I see were an R-26/ARC-5 just sold on eBay for $521. 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-R-26-ARC-5-Radio-Receiver-New-In-Box_W0QQitemZ130371018989QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1e5ab7e0ed

Mike, W6MAB


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Stinson" <arc5 at ix.netcom.com>
To: "Old Tube Radios" <boatanchors at theporch.com>; 
<milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 5:46 PM
Subject: [Milsurplus] Scarce Items and the Coming Demise of Ebay 
"Hobby"Selling.


> Ebay has made many scarce and even rare items available
> to collectors and has saved thousands of pieces from the dumpster.
> However- those days may soon end.
> Shipping restrictions are becoming prohibitive
> and costs are climbing quickly.   I recently sent an ARC-5
> transmitter to a gentleman in the next state.  The Post Office
> demanded nearly $40 to ship it, and that price is going to go up.
> People already bid less or not at all because
> shipping has become a major part of the expense of collecting.
> There are many modest-sized items
> I can't ship internationally due to stricter box size
> and weight restrictions.
> And the no-explanation discontinuance of  "surface mail"
> as an option has also damaged the hobby
> collecting of our friends overseas.
> "Hamfests" are no answer.  They are few and far,
> and as we all age we will be less willing (or able)
> to participate.  Moreover, a hamfest is a severely
> limited, local market.  I can go to every hamfest in Texas
> for the rest of my life and I will never see that RAV
> receiver someone's kids in New Jersey threw into the dump
> because they couldn't  market it.
> What to do in a world where shipping an  ARC-5
> a lousy 300 miles costs $40?
> Your thoughts?
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Milsurplus mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milsurplus
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html