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eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

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Original poster

Buying a second-hand TV on ebay is a daft idea, isn't it?

22 replies

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 12:25

Our 28" tv is about 20 years old, and is a bit small for our living room. DH was saying last night that he was having trouble reading the subtitles on the screen, we would love to go up to 36". Don't really have the money to buy a wizzy new one.

So while I was dawdling my way round ebay this morning I had a quick look.

There is one for sale within collection distance, says it has a balance of extended warranty on it, until April. But I could be chucking money away, couldn't I?

OP posts:

SquonkaClaus · 04/12/2007 12:27

you could always ask them why they are selling it and see if you believe their reason.

There are loads of good deals from ebay, but there is also loads of shite and tis very difficult (if not impossible) to tell the difference.

If it is within collecting distance, could you ask to go and have a look first?

Original poster

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 12:33

TGhis particular one finishes this evening, so not really time to see it first.

OP posts:

Original poster

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 13:20

no body has done it, then?

OP posts:

sixlostmonkeys · 04/12/2007 13:28

when it comes to electricals such as this, I always question why someone would want to part with it in the first place.
Of course some people have the money to re-new stuff on a regular basis just to keep up with the trends etc - but how many (and how do you weed these genuine ones out?)?
I'm just way too suspicious. My line of thinking is if someone wants rid of it there IS a reason.

I'd be tempted to hang on a little longer, maybe pool some xmas money and have a look in the jan sales.

Misdee · 04/12/2007 13:30

maybe it was a cheaper option for them untill they could get the one they want.

my dad has a TV obsession, and buys a few. i've lost count of the amount he has had.

malfoy · 04/12/2007 13:32

We sold our TV on eBay & it was fine -just not flat screened- so I would just say that people do sell for valid reasons.

We bought a new TV on eBay but I can't remeber whether it was a shop or not. But also ok.

goingfor3christmaspuddings · 04/12/2007 13:33

We bought a tv from ebay last year as our cheap old one stopped working properly. We offered a buy it now prive and collected it ourselves so we could see that it really did work. It is probably as old as the tv we got rid of about 6 years but it's a Sony and 36", we have a portable Sony which is about 15 years old so we feel confodent it will last for a while. We paid £90 and felt we would be happy if it lasts even just a year as we could not have afforded a new one at the time. We are still very happy with it.

goingfor3christmaspuddings · 04/12/2007 13:34

The one we bought was a chunky wide screen and the people had already bout a flat screen to replace it with, alot of people are selling for this reason.

yomellamoHelly · 04/12/2007 13:37

We used to have a 36" telly. It was huge and was the focal point of our (quite big) living room. Sold it for £150 (was 6 years old) when we replaced the fireplace for something that wasn't downright ugly as we then wanted that to be the focal point. It also weighed 10 1/2 stone, so I did have a slight worry that ds1 would get squashed by it one day (we sold it when he was at the cruising stage and he'd cling on to the telly and its stand and wobble along with they telly.) Replaced it with a 26" telly. So glad!

Original poster

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 13:40

I am very tempted. It's a private sale, and not a flat screen, so my guess is they're richer than us and having a wizzy new one for Christmas.

The seller has 100% feedback on about 36 transactions, mostly more than 3 months ago.

OP posts:

goingfor3christmaspuddings · 04/12/2007 13:43

Has it got any bids? If not then send them a message and ask to view.

Lauriefairycake · 04/12/2007 13:43

It will be fine and probably as you say just due to an upgrade. I bought a Nintendo wii yesterday secondhand which was completely unplayed, in an immaculate box with the receipt. He (adult bloke) just got bored with it after a couple of months and bought a playstation3 instead.

What I did was paid cash on pickup only after I'd seen it working.

blueshoes · 04/12/2007 14:11

clumsy, if you have no time to view/test before the auction ends, make sure the item description says it is in good working order (esp if the TV is Used).

And pay only on collection after a demonstration from the seller that it works.

Original poster

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 14:31

Yes there are bids, and yes it says it's all in working order.

Its this one

Hope one of you doesn't bid now

OP posts:

goingfor3christmaspuddings · 04/12/2007 14:42

That's like the one we bought last year except ours was Sony, just note it is very heavy. We had to collect ours from a first floor flat, well dp and bil did and it wasn't easy!

SquonkaClaus · 04/12/2007 14:45

If you look at his feedback, he has sold some electrical stuff (but not a telly, I don't think) and he has 100% feedback, and the comments are really good. He looks trustworthy to me.

Original poster

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 14:47

wonder what his reserve is?

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SpawnChorus · 04/12/2007 14:56

We bought our telly from ebay. It's fairly old (5-7 years, I'm guessing), but it's a good make (Panasonic) and I'm confident it'll give us quite a few more years.

It was only £30, and would have cost £100s when new.

I wouldn;t buy a plasma telly on ebay though....there seem to be an awful lot of faulty ones being sold as spares, which kind of suggests they might not be terribly robust, and without a guarantee you might end up regretting it.

Original poster

clumsymum · 04/12/2007 15:03

this is a CRT one, so it should be OK.

Thing is, before we had ds we used to buy stuff just to 'update', so I can kind of understand why this might be for sale.

When you have kids, money gets soooo tight. I had said we'd stick with our old telly until it dies, and it's still working OK, so I suppose I ought to pass on this, esp as I don't have a christmas pressie for dh yet....

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blueshoes · 04/12/2007 21:44

hi clumsy, did you win?

Original poster

clumsymum · 05/12/2007 13:36

No, we set ourselves a limit of £180 and it went for £230. A good deal for someone I'm sure. I think it may have been too big anyway, dh wants 36", I think 32" would be better, but with it not being a flat screen, I think it would come too far out of the corner.

I guess we'll probably wait until ours dies.

My cleaning ladies husband says they are buying a 40" sony Bravia after Christmas, one that is flat on the wall, on a bracket that you can pull out.
But their living room is TINY, I think 40" will be horrendous.

OP posts:

blueshoes · 05/12/2007 14:29

very sensible, clumsy. Always better to avoid the Christmas rush if you can anyway. And there is always a better bargain to be had later on ...

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