Saturday 14 April 2012

Worse and Best of eBay Experiences

The 'low': Buyer Beware - I got what was sold as per the photograph, but I misread the sellers description:


I had this item on a "watch list" thinking it was a Games Workshop Empire Cannon suitable for my Renaissance armies. I logged on to see the seconds ticking down on the auction and nobody had bid .. gulp .. 99p and it was a retail value  of a tenner. A split second decision was needed and I saw no other bids so I went for it. Only then did I realise for my 99p (+£2.50P&P) instead of a "full" sprue of an Empire Cannon, it was just the 'extra' bits left over. Arrgh! Too good to be true and it  was. It's OK for a bit of colour to a diorama for a quid but not for £3.49 (although it did come in a lovely big package!). An eBay low.

However there was also an eBay 'high' (see below):


"Finally" I get two 1:1200 Tribal destroyers and boy are these authentic Airfix oldies (should be good quality plastic in there). This means I have the kit required (but not all painted) for the Vian versus the Bismarck night attack. In total this cost me £5.20 including P&P, at £2.60 a destroyer I am happy enough at that as it officially closes my 1:1200 collection. (Although I may have to give some thought to scratch building HMS Rodney, HMS Renown, HMS Sheffield, HMS Ramilies and HMS Victorious .. sorry did I really say I had finished?)

;)

2 comments:

David Crook said...

Hi Geordie,

The Airfix Tribals are very nice and formed the basis for a number of models in the WW1 SE Asia campaign of years gone by. If you turn the hull upside down and level the foredeck so the hull sits flush at the waterline you have a very useful basis for some WW1 cruisers - complete with a ram bow.

My own 'bete noir' concerning Ebay is books - either ex library or else inscribed with the owners name and not described as such!

All the best,

DC

Paul said...

I think you came out of it quite well Geordie.

Your thinking on "finishing" projects is strangely familiar to mine.

Good show.