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  #1  
01-30-2019, 04:30 AM
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lordsmurf lordsmurf is online now
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We got this email last year, and I found it amusing:

Quote:
juliocasio (juliocasio@yahoo.com) is e-mailing you about
General comments and site feedback. (Praise preferred, constructive criticism welcomed, venom ignored.)

Message: Not sure what I did wrong because most places have rules far too long winded for me to bother reading. But truthfully you only did your loyal members a disservice. As you've probably read, I've put 3 VCRs up on ebay starting at 99cents each, and with no reserve. So the possibility to get them for an awesome deal. You think selling them for yard sale prices benefits me? Think people. I figured you had someone on this site who is a collector and who is passionate about old stuff that still works and was taken care of. I bet I'm right, and the guys who will try to get them are the mods who just love getting first crack and keeping competition to a minimum. No need to reinstate me, I have no use for this website anyway. Peace

Contact Details:
IP: 173.66.19.124
This guy was a spammer, posted 3x threads in non-Marketplace forum, just eBay links. His threads were removed, no further action was (yet) taken when we got his email.

He had 3 pitiful wrecked consumer VHS VCRs, and not even the suggested models. Just overpriced junk that probably came from an estate sale or garage sale. I didn't follow the auctions, but wouldn't at all be surprised if none had sold for even 99 cents.

That is the typical attitude of many VCR seller on eBay.

- Facts about video/VCRs are inconvenient.
- It "works" if the power LED lights up, or has any video/audio signal (even if poor quality).
- Many never reply to questions, you're just a bother.
- Many act as if they're doing you a favor by selling the unknown/broken condition deck.

This isn't the 1st time something like this has happened in recent years.

In fact, in the past year, quite a few sellers are just plagiarizing posts they find on this site (many of them my writings), in order to sell their wares. I've reported a few of those, gotten the auction taken down.

Our forum has almost weekly stories these days about getting burned on eBay, usually from a bad VCR, or TBC, or capture card. The stuff is almost never tested, often not working correctly. As a buyer, be aware of the problem. Ask questions, and move on if given no answers. Understand that many of these people know no more than you do, often less since you obviously are on this site (and have likely read up about VCRs).

Buyer beware ... because many sellers are liars and pricks.

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  #2  
02-01-2019, 06:45 PM
Winsordawson Winsordawson is offline
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Thanks, but these disreputable sellers are shooting themselves in the foot if they sell a broken deck on eBay, which has a money back guarantee. Even if a seller does not offer returns, you can get your money back if the product is not in the condition stated. A listing with "no returns" just means you cannot return it for any other reason, like if the color of the VCR doesn't match the TV cabinet. Smart swindlers would be better off writing "for parts only".
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  #3  
02-09-2022, 09:05 PM
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Bump. Still relevant.

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  #4  
12-16-2023, 03:42 AM
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This was shared with me yesterday, text from an interaction with a seller:

Quote:
I hope you read my description. These items are listed not tested sold as is. So if going to be a problem please retract bid. Because if I knew it was in perfect working condition I would of never accepted offers this low So please if a problem retract bids. Dont need drama with my account. I was told not to list electronics.
Quote:
if you have any thoughts of returning one. I'd rather relist as parts and get the same amount with nothing to worry about. No offense I would rather do one deal then have to deal with returns. So please let me know. You can cancel your bids our I will list as for parts even though I don't know if they work our not and get the same amount our more. I would like for us to have a good business relationship because I have a lot more of these. And Samsung 5000ws and mv40s and 1890s and betas . you already plan to send one back. Maybe I should relist. Unless you don't mind them being sold as I listed Untested Sold as Is. I don't mind relisting at all. Let me know.
Quote:
I did have hooked up to TV and they both played and rewind and fast-forward they both also made sounds while doing each feature . I'm not sure if that's normal or if it just needs clean. And since I don't understand other features I have no idea if they work. So I listed all as repair . Because I would love to list as working great. I'm also looking for remotes because my dad has like 50 of those vcrs and 2 totes full of remotes. Hopefully u understand this was best for both of us. But possibly still a gamble for you but more information to make it less of a gamble. Thank you for your patience with me.
Quote:
And they do work as for playing a VHS and ffw and rewind. But they make a sound when doing so. So might need to be cleaned. But listed as repair our parts anyway so no returns. Because I don't have time to do returns.
Quote:
I am 22 yrs old.Exactly why I listed repair our clean. The functions work I can just hear the VCR as it's playing our rewinding our fwd. But the VCRs play videos and the other 2 functions . I'm just used to DVDs in which u only hear the machine eject. If I was out to buy a VCR to watch a movie this vcrs do that. But to perfection u are looking for. These will no meet your standards . I can already tell you. No crinkles and tapes come out fine . Probably normal noises no clicking. If I was certain it was 100 percent I would start at $399. Being a new seller I have to start at least I want if I don't people take advantage of new comers. I was taught that by a group of ebayers.
Quote:
But if it does all that why would I sell for so cheap. I understand we all want deals but if my items did all that they could get what everybody else is getting for them. I think one of the ones you had offered for. Sells for $400 to $1300 so selling them for $250 would be crazy if it works. This is just my opinion. That was the only reason I was letting them go for so cheap because I didn't know. I have someone coming soon to test all the future ones I list. So I can get the big bucks. I would take advantage of the 4 I got listed because they all power on and play and don't eat tapes but after that I don't know .
As I have said for years, eBay isn't buying, it's pure gambling. The sellers themselves even state it!

Important note: Sellers have groupthink, get together to discuss how to screw over buyers. There are literally seller forums on eBay where this happens, in public view, in the open.

This "as is" / "gamble" was $300 per VCR. Incredulous.

Just a person looking for money, zero knowledge of video, no care about the buyer, no desire to make sure any of us in the capture community have a good experience. This is why you buy from reputable sources, not fleabay.

Thankfully, this person will be using one of my decks, not getting screwed over and wasting time on random garbage.

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  #5  
12-16-2023, 06:41 AM
latreche34 latreche34 is offline
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Having said that, I don't blame sellers who sell a perfectly working VCR as "for parts", There are confused and clueless buyers who don't know how to use things and think they are defective, as well as parts scammers who take what they need from a piece of equipment and file a claim and have the VCR returned at the seller's expense.

https://www.youtube.com/@Capturing-Memories/videos
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  #6  
12-16-2023, 07:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by latreche34 View Post
Having said that, I don't blame sellers who sell a perfectly working VCR as "for parts", There are confused and clueless buyers who don't know how to use things and think they are defective, as well as parts scammers who take what they need from a piece of equipment and file a claim and have the VCR returned at the seller's expense.
While that can be true, it's really the exception to the rule. Not the rule, not the norm.

I'm not going to make excuses for bad sellers, or accept their lazy BS attitude. Video capturing has a community, and they prey on us with their lies and ignorance. To them, we're just a piggy bank, rather than fellow travelers in this niche hobby or DIY task. Unknown condition gear should not sell for $300+, and yet it does. In turn, all that does is drive up costs for refurb'ing, as it often takes 2+ decks to make 1 "new" good deck. Greedflation starts at the bottom, and these are the bottom dwellers/feeders of our corner of the internet.

Those $15 Goodwill decks are a better buy, when the only alternative is $300+ e-waste. Better a lousy picture than no picture. But neither should be pursued, both are different shades of junk.

I cannot write it enough: "tested" and "working" is total horseshit, at least 9 times out of 10.

So when you see "untested", it really means "THIS JUNK IS BROKE! (But I hope you're a sucker enough to buy anyway! Gimme yo money!)"

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  #7  
12-16-2023, 07:13 PM
latreche34 latreche34 is offline
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Oh, I know, I know. Here is one junk's seller that promotes thrift store crap using high sold prices on eBay as if that's the average price to lure newbies into buying his crap, I was just referring to legit sellers who don't want to get burned.

https://www.youtube.com/@Capturing-Memories/videos
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