FROM: Vinylmation 360 Published Mondays

Buying Vinylmations on eBay

For many people, especially those distant from the Disney parks, the best way to collect vinyls is buying them through eBay. You can find some great deals - but you can also get burnt. Kelly Firth offers advice for avoiding the flames while scoring your fix.

- by Kelly Firth, April 17, 2011

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A few weeks ago, I talked about all of the ways people who don't live near Disneyland or Disney World can still purchase and collect Vinylmations. For example: eBay.

Since eBay is such a huge part of Vinylmation collecting for so many people, I'll cover buying and selling separately. Up first, buying: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good

I use eBay often to buy vinyls. I don't like a lot of things about eBay, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for me. I always prefer to get my 9" and other LE vinyls from the DisneyStore.com site if possible, but some of them are not released online, and others sell out too quickly. In those cases, I turn to eBay.

Am I paying more than retail on eBay? Usually, but not always. Disney's shipping costs are fairly high to begin with for more expensive items (remember: their shipping costs are based on total amount spent, not product weight), and then there's sales tax to consider. So usually it ends up a wash between shipping prices on eBay and on the Disney site.

I also use eBay for the 3" limited release, blind boxed vinyls. This is especially true when I only want a couple of vinyls from any given series. In those cases, it's easier to buy the ones I want outright than it is buying endless blind boxes trying to get what I'm looking for. I like having extras set aside for trading in WDW, but I also don't want to waste my time trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack.

So, if you only want 1-3 of a given series and aren't interested in the Chaser(s) or any Variants, eBay may be your best bet. If you wait a little while after the release, most vinyls can be bought for below retail (before shipping) either via auction or Buy-It-Now.

If I want an entire set of 3" vinyls, or 6 or more out of a set, what I like to do is wait 2-3 months after they are released and then buy a set of 11 on eBay at far below retail. If there are any vinyls I do not like or want, I can trade them later in WDW.

I once bought a set of 11 of an Urban Series for $60, plus shipping. If I had bought 11 blind boxes, I would have been paying roughly $110 plus tax, and it would have been a near certainly that I'd have gotten duplicates.

If you want the Chaser and some extras for trading, playing the waiting game for cases on eBay is also advisable. Sometimes cases are listed on eBay for anywhere from $40-$100 less than retail. Be patient and don't jump on the first listing you see. The 'Gotta Have It Now!' mentality of Vinylmation collecting via eBay will cost you big time financially. Waiting = more money saved that you can use on other vinyls, or on something else entirely.

The Bad

If you are buying single vinyls here and there, shipping costs on eBay can add up quickly. Three dollars here, five dollars there (especially for the 3") may not sound like much, but before you know it, you could have bought a 9" vinyl with what you spent on shipping!

One helpful way to save on shipping is to find someone selling several of the vinyls you want and who offers a shipping discount for multiple purchases. If the seller does not specify the discount in the listing, send them a message through eBay and ask for it. Don't just assume you are getting a big discount.

I have been fortunate on eBay and have had great experiences, but I have also knowns sellers whose shipping 'discount' is 50 cents off the total purchase price. No one wants to pay $10 to have a couple of 3" vinyls shipped, so do your homework ahead of time!

The key, especially with LE 3" sets or 9", is to remember that there is typically a pattern to eBay sales. The prices are typically very high during pre-sales and product release, then they dip by some amount, and later rise again when fewer are available eBay because they're sold out in stores.

All this leads to the dilemma of collectors needing to guess when is the best time to buy something that Disney is not putting online.

If you buy something right after the release date, you're probably paying more than you should. However, there is always a chance the price could go even higher if you wait. The best advice for new buyers on eBay is to set a price limit for yourself before you get involved in an auction, or before you click the Buy-It-Now button. If you really want something, taking the risk and paying more money may be worth it to you.

Some sellers will list items for pre-sale, and these are usually Buy-It-Nows far above retail or auctions that go for far above retail. You are also running the risk of the seller not being able to obtain the item. Most sellers seem to be good about giving prompt refunds, but you never know when you might get one who will drag the process out for as long as they can.

Always read a seller's detailed feedback information and comments before buying or bidding on anything! This can help you avoid a lot of problems.

The Ugly

To me, the ugliest part of eBay is the potential for shill bidding. This happens when a seller has another account (either run by himself or by someone he knows) intentionally drive up prices on an auction to get more money for his product. Sometimes an auction's bidding history looks suspicious, such as when a new member with little to no feedback always bids, but loses, on seller X's auctions, but it may just be a new member who likes that seller's products and has bad bidding luck. There is no way for us to know for sure.

Bottom line: Shill bidding is against eBay rules. So, if you suspect an auction of shill bidding, the best thing you can do is report the auction to eBay and don't bid on it. eBay has far more information than any eBay user, so they can investigate and handle the situation accordingly.

Another ugly part of eBay involves actually getting what you paid for. I have had really good fortune on eBay and have always received what I bought. Unfortunately, some people are not so lucky. Sometimes things get lost in the mail, or worse, you run into a seller who simply refuses to hold up their end of the deal and mail out your item(s). There are a few things you can do to help prevent this or handle it once it has happened.

• As previously, always check a seller's feedback before buying from them. Usually, if someone has a high feedback number and only a couple of negatives, I let that slide (depending on what the comments are next to the negative feedbacks). I figure if someone has completed hundreds of transactions, and only had a couple of complaints, that could simply be a case of 'buyers behaving badly' or just a rare error on the seller's part. But if I see multiple negative feedbacks (especially recent ones), or a really awful feedback comment, I will stay away from that seller if at all possible. I would rather be safe than sorry!
• If you are buying anything really expensive, ask ahead of time if insurance can be added to the shipping fees. There have been cases where tracking will show something was delivered but it nevers makes it your home because there was either an error or someone swiped it from your mail box. In those cases, you are out of luck without insurance.
• If a seller is not sending your item(s) and won't answer your messages through eBay, don't give up and think your money lost. Open a case through eBay and have them resolve it. Often, that's the boot some sellers need to get their acts together and mail out your purchase. Sometimes, though, they still won't respond, and then eBay will likely refund your money. Buyer Protection on eBay is a major reason I feel comfortable using the site for Vinylmations; it is a much safer way to do business with someone you don't know rather than paying via cash or check for a vinyl.

Be Smart!

eBay can be an intimidating site for newcomers, regardless of what you're trying to buy. Avoid problems by reading seller feedback and using common sense. If a seller offers to sell you something outside of eBay, it's against the rules! Report it and do not respond. The seller, at best, may want to skirt eBay fees at best, or at worst, scam you.

Follow the site rules, set a budget for yourself before you start bidding and buying, and be patient! Your Vinylmation collecting will grow in no time.

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, April 22
Sea Creatures scheduled for release at D-Street WDW and D-Street DLR. 3" open window boxed series featuring 12 different sea creatures, and using the new Vinylmation shape (removable feet; seemingly no defined nose, buttons, or face and body lines). Open Edition. Retail price: Unknown.

Reminder: Next week is our 2nd Q&A.; If you have Vinylmation questions, please post them in the comments section below or else email them to me by Friday evening, April 22nd.

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