PD 150 or VX2000 on ebay

Joshua Kopple · October 23rd, 2002, 02:10 AM

Hey guys,

First post. New to the board. Not to beat a dead horse here but...

I'm going to buy XL1S very soon. I have checked around with local LA Canon-authorized dealers and the price I've been seeing is basically $3700 (plus tax).

I'm very wary of online purchasing in general but I've talked with some people and this is what I'm looking for (and out for) on eBay, so if you can, tell me what's right, wrong and missing from this picture:

I see a few auctions that actually say, "Brand new. Not refurbished. Not Grey Market. Full US Warranty included. [And list all the items that come in the Canon kit.]" The prices hover in the $2900-3400 range. In short, the price is good but not unreal, there are multiple sellers able to sell in this range so it appears legit and they say upfront all the right things re: warranty, sealed, etc.

If they say new, sealed in box, is it really necessary to check out equipment in person? (I'd like to save on the tax, and would they even allow you to open a sealed box anyhow?)

Granted, I'd also look for a lot of positive feedback, check the serial number, make sure he's in the US and use either paypal, cc or this escrow thing I've been reading about here.

I apologize for being long-winded but I'm trying to say everything I know and anticipate questions from the get go. eBay can't be the devil. You just need to be sharp...right?

Thanks,

Joshua

Jeff Donald · October 23rd, 2002, 05:45 AM

Ebay is buyer beware. It is so easy to get taken advantage of. This just happened a week or two ago to an acquaintance of mine. He bought an XL1s kit with a Canon 3X wide angle also. Everything arrives and he opens the box and the camera is perfect, just as described. But no 3X lens. PANIC. Call seller and seller says what kind of scam are you trying to pull. I put the lens in the box myself. End of discussion.

Now he's out the $900 for the lens. Spends another $900 to get the lens and now has to try to work it out or sue the guy. what's that gonna cost?

Do yourself a favor. Call either of these Dealers and get an XL1 from someone reputable. You'll still save sales tax.

http://www.zgc.com/

http://www.zotzdigital.com/

http://www.pro-tape.com/

Call them. Get your best price. Buy it from dealer you like best (maybe best deal, best service, whatever). Wait for it to arrive. Peace of Mind. Go shoot, have fun.

Jeff

Chris Hurd · October 23rd, 2002, 07:47 AM

With one of our sponsors, you're establishing a relationship. They're there for you if something goes wrong.

On Ebay, they never want to hear from you again, unless you want to buy something else.

That's a *huge* difference. I've never thought twice about paying the extra $2 to go beyond Ebay to dealers like our sponsors. Hope this helps,

Dylan Couper · October 23rd, 2002, 08:30 PM

I posted a list of various ways to identify fraudulent sellers on Ebay a while back. Can't remember where I posted it though. If you do a search you should find it. One of them is people who'se shipping address is different than the one in their seller profile. Another is any use of Western Union money transfers.

October 23rd, 2002, 02:10 AM	#16
Joshua Kopple Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 29	XL1S - Ebay - Beating A Dead Horse Hey guys, First post. New to the board. Not to beat a dead horse here but... I'm going to buy XL1S very soon. I have checked around with local LA Canon-authorized dealers and the price I've been seeing is basically $3700 (plus tax). I'm very wary of online purchasing in general but I've talked with some people and this is what I'm looking for (and out for) on eBay, so if you can, tell me what's right, wrong and missing from this picture: I see a few auctions that actually say, "Brand new. Not refurbished. Not Grey Market. Full US Warranty included. [And list all the items that come in the Canon kit.]" The prices hover in the $2900-3400 range. In short, the price is good but not unreal, there are multiple sellers able to sell in this range so it appears legit and they say upfront all the right things re: warranty, sealed, etc. If they say new, sealed in box, is it really necessary to check out equipment in person? (I'd like to save on the tax, and would they even allow you to open a sealed box anyhow?) Granted, I'd also look for a lot of positive feedback, check the serial number, make sure he's in the US and use either paypal, cc or this escrow thing I've been reading about here. I apologize for being long-winded but I'm trying to say everything I know and anticipate questions from the get go. eBay can't be the devil. You just need to be sharp...right? Thanks, Joshua

October 23rd, 2002, 07:47 AM	#18
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	With one of our sponsors, you're establishing a relationship. They're there for you if something goes wrong. On Ebay, they never want to hear from you again, unless you want to buy something else. That's a huge difference. I've never thought twice about paying the extra $2 to go beyond Ebay to dealers like our sponsors. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

October 23rd, 2002, 05:45 AM	#17
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Ebay is buyer beware. It is so easy to get taken advantage of. This just happened a week or two ago to an acquaintance of mine. He bought an XL1s kit with a Canon 3X wide angle also. Everything arrives and he opens the box and the camera is perfect, just as described. But no 3X lens. PANIC. Call seller and seller says what kind of scam are you trying to pull. I put the lens in the box myself. End of discussion. Now he's out the $900 for the lens. Spends another $900 to get the lens and now has to try to work it out or sue the guy. what's that gonna cost? Do yourself a favor. Call either of these Dealers and get an XL1 from someone reputable. You'll still save sales tax. http://www.zgc.com/ http://www.zotzdigital.com/ http://www.pro-tape.com/ Call them. Get your best price. Buy it from dealer you like best (maybe best deal, best service, whatever). Wait for it to arrive. Peace of Mind. Go shoot, have fun. Jeff

October 23rd, 2002, 08:30 PM	#19
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	I posted a list of various ways to identify fraudulent sellers on Ebay a while back. Can't remember where I posted it though. If you do a search you should find it. One of them is people who'se shipping address is different than the one in their seller profile. Another is any use of Western Union money transfers.