Buying S/H Railway Items

UPINSMOKE · August 20, 2014, 12:02:03 AM

Hi I have been looking into buying S/H Railway Items on that well know internet site. And I really don't understand why the prices are so high, I tried to but kato turnouts and they are fetching silly money £12 to £13 including postage. When you can buy the same new for around £15 to £16 thats only saving around £2 so why do they pay so much for a used Item.

Rolling stock seems to be the same, coaches, wagons,all close to the new buying price.

Well I am sure there maybe some bargains out there, but not when I am bidding

Ditape · August 20, 2014, 12:05:40 AM

You can find bargains you just need to be patient,I have got some as new loco's at around 1/2 price.

Agrippa · August 20, 2014, 12:19:16 AM

If s/h goods are near new prices don 't bid, better to buy from a well known dealer.

With Kato stuff buy from a reputable dealer like Traintrax or Osborns. For a small
increase in price you're guaranteed better service , with someone you can talk to
if a problem arises.

UPINSMOKE · August 20, 2014, 12:41:41 AM

Quote from: Agrippa on August 20, 2014, 12:19:16 AM
If s/h goods are near new prices don 't bid, better to buy from a well known dealer.

With Kato stuff buy from a reputable dealer like Traintrax or Osborns. For a small
increase in price you're guaranteed better service , with someone you can talk to
if a problem arises.

Sorry did not make myself clear the starting bids are started quite low, I placed what I thought is a fair price factoring in postage costs as well. But still the items go way too high as far as I am concerned. Maybe with Locomotives its different if say they are hard to find. I am not that experienced yet

dodger · August 20, 2014, 06:25:29 AM

Some sellers seem to be getting greedy, I have even seen discontinued 2nd hand items in model railway shops at higher prices than the original purchase price.

When items are auctioned I believe some sellers use artificial bids to try and get the price higher.

You just have to be careful and know when to say no.

Dodger

richardatme · August 20, 2014, 06:33:45 AM

I have noticed this as well in RC modelling items. I suspect it is due to people getting into a bidding frenzy. And that wonderful competitive spirit which is so popular at the moment

silly moo · August 20, 2014, 06:45:31 AM

I am a bit wary about buying locos, I've heard people saying 'It doesn't run very well so I think I'll flog it on eBay'

I know you can get refunds and send things back but it's a bit of a nuisance. Having said that, most of my eBay purchases have turned out well.

Parky · August 20, 2014, 06:58:36 AM

Yeah that is a common theme of offloading troublesome locos onto someone else. There are also enough posts about brand new loco with issues, without buying secondhand with no redress on the manufacturer.

I too watched the bidding sites and was amazed at the prices people supposedly pay, unless they never turn up to pay in the end.
It makes me smile when I 'watch' some items, especially ones with ridiculous postage charges. The bidding ends up with 'as new' prices and then they get hammered for postage as well.
Maybe we need to let Darwin have a bit more free reign with his theory

Newportnobby · August 20, 2014, 10:37:47 AM

My personal theory is that many folks have the attitude "if it's on EBay it has to be a bargain" and this is almost certainly true if it's 'the other half' buying something for their nearest and dearest without a clue as to the current retail price/knowledge of the item concerned. I can count my purchases from Fleabay on the fingers of one hand giving a Churchillian gesture.

Malc · August 20, 2014, 10:43:43 AM

As others have said, check all the well known on line model shops for price, factor in the seller's postage charges and if it comes within 25% of the shop price! forget it. It's not worth the risk.

PLD · August 20, 2014, 10:59:26 AM

At an auction, the 'value' of any item is slightly more than the second richest (or silliest) person is willing to pay...

It sounds like you have done your research; you know what the items are worth to you. Clearly others bidders haven't...

Just put in a bid of what it's worth to you. If you win it, great. If not, so be it... Let it go and move on in the knowledge you haven't overpaid. You havent really 'lost' anything...

Sipat · August 20, 2014, 10:59:57 AM

Quote from: Malc on August 20, 2014, 10:43:43 AM
As others have said, check all the well known on line model shops for price, factor in the seller's postage charges and if it comes within 25% of the shop price! forget it. It's not worth the risk.

Exactly what I do, I have just bought a Late GF class 31 (Sister Dora), DCC fitted for £65. I want a 31 in triple grey construction livery so require:
Base model
Chip
Digi gubbins
Paint/Transfers/details

The base model I have been offered by a friend for £45 so factored in a chip and digi gubbins, another £20 plus postage for the relevant items, makes it roughly £70, I bid a few pence over £65 and let the auction run. I still need to buy the paint/transfers etc but that would have been the case anyway...

Bargain in my eyes as it saves me an hour or so of my limited modelling time fitting a chip...

njee20 · August 20, 2014, 11:08:23 AM

I agree the prices some stuff fetches is ludicrous.

I was watching some HHA hoppers a few months back and the seller had left the price labels on the boxes, clearly a few years old, but still. They started going for more than he'd paid for them (something like £18 each if I recall), I backed out on principle. Ok you can't get them for that now, but it was annoying that I knew he was profiting!

It's a stark contrast to cycling, my other main hobby, where you're lucky to recoup half your cost even if you've not used the product!

scotsoft · August 20, 2014, 11:16:02 AM

Kato points do usually demand a high price but if you are patient you can find bargains on eBay. If you do a search for what you are after, eBay gives you the opportunity to save that search and will send you an email when any appear for sale. This way it saves you a lot of time and any that do pop up you can add to your watch list to keep a check on what they are going for. I always check what price they are new from Train Trax and if they get close to the new price I let those ones pass. Getting bargains from eBay does require patience

cheers John.

UPINSMOKE · August 20, 2014, 11:23:45 AM

Quote from: PLD on August 20, 2014, 10:59:26 AM
At an auction, the 'value' of any item is slightly more than the second richest (or silliest) person is willing to pay...

It sounds like you have done your research; you know what the items are worth to you. Clearly others bidders haven't...

Just put in a bid of what it's worth to you. If you win it, great. If not, so be it... Let it go and move on in the knowledge you haven't overpaid. You havent really 'lost' anything...

That's very sound advice. I agree with every thing you say

Quote from: Malc on August 20, 2014, 10:43:43 AM
As others have said, check all the well known on line model shops for price, factor in the seller's postage charges and if it comes within 25% of the shop price! forget it. It's not worth the risk.

But what do you do if you cannot find out the new price. Because either the model is out of stock or discontinued from well known on line model shops. Then it comes down to your experience and knowledge on the subject. Something I don't have at the moment.

An example I am looking for this model Dapol A1X Terrier Southern 2662 ND-100C in Green. I found one on ebay with 3 SR Suburban Coaches at £75 buy it now but as I do not have the experience, and could not find the cost of one new I did not go for it. Not sure if it was a bargain or not.

Now I know one of you will come back and say there are new ones available and here the link.

or somthing along those lines.