ebay posting: Is this a scam?

[TelemarkTumalo]

I was perusing the ebay listings and ran across two different ads for the same jacket. Same pics and description, but two different sellers and different prices. Something about this doesn't seem right.

RAINBOW COUNTRY Hercules 38 M | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RAINBOW COUNTRY Hercules 38 M at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

RAINBOW COUNTRY Hercules 38 M From Japan | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RAINBOW COUNTRY Hercules 38 M From Japan at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Kevin O'Sullivan]

Yea that doesn't smell right.

Why people are willing to pay dang near $2k for RMC or Rainbow used when they can pay 40% of that for a used Thedi or 70% for a full custom is beyond me anyways.

Low feedback sellers anyways. Would stay away off that alone.

 

[soundwavvves]

I was perusing the ebay listings and ran across two different ads for the same jacket. Same pics and description, but two different sellers and different prices. Something about this doesn't seem right.

http://[URL][URL][URL]https://www.ebay.com/itm/395216125781

[/URL][/URL][/URL]

http://[URL][URL][URL]https://www.e...lp:4429486&itmmeta=01HS6PGZBPHG4YDFTXB2CEGNGM

[/URL][/URL][/URL]

View attachment 600345

Here’s my take: not a scam. There are lots of resellers in Japan who list active items on Japan Mercari and Y! Auctions with a big mark up for sale to US buyers on eBay. You pay them, then they turn around and buy that item from the seller in Japan, it ships to them and then they ship it to you. Resale drop shipping with a fat markup. What I would do is find the original listing and buy it through ZenMarket or Buyee for way cheaper.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

^^^^well…..advertising something for sale but not owning it, not having it in your possession, IS a scam in my eyes.
B

 

[soundwavvves]

^^^^well…..advertising something for sale but not owning it, not having it in your possession, IS a scam in my eyes.
B

I disagree. You pay a price and receive the product that’s advertised. It’s an expensive proxy/forwarding service, but not a scam.

 

[TelemarkTumalo]

I disagree. You pay a price and receive the product that’s advertised. It’s an expensive proxy/forwarding service, but not a scam.

So, which of those two sellers owns the jacket currently? Both? Neither? Are they both proxy sellers?

Who in their right mind would pay the higher price?

 

[mumpy]

You can find RB on yahoo auctions for a fraction of that by the way.

 

[soundwavvves]

Most likely neither of those sellers owns that jacket. They’re hoping to sell it to you for a couple hundred dollars more than it will cost them to buy it from the actual seller on Mercari or Rakuten or wherever. If you go search Buyee right now I bet you’ll find the original listing with those exact photos and measurements

 

[cbez]

Yes, it's just resellers. The price is high because they have to pay eBay fees, Japanese taxes, domestic and international shipping, account for returns etc, and make a profit.

You can often find it on Japanese sites yourself and save money thru a standalone proxy service.

 

[Motocann]

I’m always dubious, unless I can communicate with the seller directly.

 

[BikerMan]

See it all the time. Same jacket 7 different sellers. Japan. Go figure

 

[TelemarkTumalo]

Thanks for all of your replies. I'm learning.

 

[jeo]

Here’s the original listing.

Mercari Japan.

https://jp.mercari.com/en/item/m14573743511

Mercari Japan via Buyee.

https://buyee.jp/mercari/item/m14573743511?conversionType=Mercari_DirectSearch

Mercari Japan via FromJapan. You can make an offer on this platform up to 10% of the asking price.

https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/en/special/order/confirm/https%3A%2F%2Fjp.mercari.com%2Fitem%2Fm14573743511/13_1/

 

[Flying V]

Three weeks ago I bought a jacket on ebay from japanese seller. After three working days he wrote that he can't find it and suggested another one in different size. I said that it wouldn't fit and I need my money back. He pretended that he not receiving my messages and ignored me for two weeks. I find the item I bought on another japanese seller. It's been removed after that. My bad - I don't pay attention. Now I opening dispute with eBay to get money back. Be careful and don't make my mistake.

Account 1

Account 2

 

[Edward]

Yea that doesn't smell right.

Why people are willing to pay dang near $2k for RMC or Rainbow used when they can pay 40% of that for a used Thedi or 70% for a full custom is beyond me anyways.

Low feedback sellers anyways. Would stay away off that alone.

Branding, innit? I get the impression too that, at least here in the UK, "Made in Japan" has the ring of quality cachet to it that once "Made in USA" did. Lovely stuff, and I guess if people have that and want to spend it good for them, but it's certainly not the only route to quality.

Here’s my take: not a scam. There are lots of resellers in Japan who list active items on Japan Mercari and Y! Auctions with a big mark up for sale to US buyers on eBay. You pay them, then they turn around and buy that item from the seller in Japan, it ships to them and then they ship it to you. Resale drop shipping with a fat markup. What I would do is find the original listing and buy it through ZenMarket or Buyee for way cheaper.

^^^^well…..advertising something for sale but not owning it, not having it in your possession, IS a scam in my eyes.
B

I suspect it wouldn't qualify as a criminal scam if this is a standard cultural practice and no intent to defraud exists, BUT it certainly seems to me to be a breach of eBay's terms, and a matter for contract law. It's a few months since I put something up for sale on eBay, but as I recollect, the seller terms require the person with the item to state that they have the item for sale, and that it is honestly represented. Assuming you 'can' get it if ordered wouldn't quite qualify for that.

Three weeks ago I bought a jacket on ebay from japanese seller. After three working days he wrote that he can't find it and suggested another one in different size. I said that it wouldn't fit and I need my money back. He pretended that he not receiving my messages and ignored me for two weeks. I find the item I bought on another japanese seller. It's been removed after that. My bad - I don't pay attention. Now I opening dispute with eBay to get money back. Be careful and don't make my mistake.

Account 1

Account 2

Yes, I've found eBay reasonably good on this - if you went through an eBay checkout. If you used paypal, as memory serves that's the route you have to go, but in my experience paypal has also been very good on this. Hope you get it sorted soon.