I sell a little bit and very occasionally buy on eBay. I agree that there are a lot of shonky seller practices. It does irk me somewhat because I know that buyers look at every seller with suspicion as a result of unethical sellers.

I hate the term rare. I never use it in my descriptions even though a lot of what I sell is probably rarer than the 'RARE' orchids on eBay. I also flatly refuse to bid on anything described as rare. As for $0.01 starting bids, you'll find the seller more than makes up for the price in excess postage charges. The reasons are two-fold: lower eBay charges on the starting bid and people are suckered into the low start price without noticing the huge postage add-on. Personally, that's not a practice I want to have anything to do with. Cheating eBay out of payment for a service you used aside, essentially it's screwing the buyer who will no doubt complain about the postage after they win the bid.

My favourite eBay description that I have seen was for 10 hand picked Sarracenia seeds! Some how I think picking up 10 seeds and putting them in an envelope escapes the subtle inference of the expression 'hand picked'. FWIW they were rare Sarracenia for a $0.01 starting price with $4 postage (for a $0.50 stamp + envelope).

Bottom line: sell plants you'd want to buy in a condition you'd pay top dollar for, be honest and informative in your description, set the starting price at what its actually worth (ie what you'd sell it for at a society sales table), and charge for your actual postage costs. Don't try to cheat the buyer and they'll respond with positive feedback and repeat purchases.

Richard,

There's nothing I can add to Corymbosa's superb advice. I checked your first listing and looked again, tonight. You're a fast learner. It's looking good. Congratulations on the sale!

Another group of scammers you may notice are the ones whose items start very low and consistently rise to relatively high final bids. The reason is that they bid up one another's items, dropping out before the final bid. The fake bidders (shills) vary--or use other IDs--so that the same names don't keep coming up.

If a member of the group accidentally "wins" he doesn't have to pay, of course. Feedback is left and everything looks normal. Eventually, most bona fide bidders catch on and abandon the seller, but he has made his money and is happy to wait till the next mark comes along...or even to change his ID and start anew.

As you might expect, shilling is strictly against eBay rules, but it is also very difficult to prove.

Sweetcicely

"rare" is probably the most overused term in eBay language.

I think "rare" depends on the buyer. Something may be "rare" where THEY live (like Elephant ears in Alaska) but not where most people who would buy that item live

I saw a Calathea tigrina listed as "rare" the other day...that is one of the most COMMON calatheas you can get around here, they sell them at Walmart for less than $10. But to someone in Minnesota, it probably qualifies as rare.

I think eBay should set up a criterion for use of the term "rare" and it should include:

1. can't be found at any Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, KMart or Target on the planet

2. can't be mass produced by tissue culture or bought by "plant brokers" in lots of more than 10

etc

You know things are bad when sellers are advertizing Hindu Rope hoya as "rare". Large starter plants here in 4" pots are about $3

I just don't usually browse I pick one I want and search then it does not matter what extra words they use to trick me.

Nothing else new to add. Just another "chiming in" from one who REALLY gets irked with misuse & overuse of the word 'rare'.

Slays me when I see stuff like Ludisia discolor labeled as 'rare'. At my old OS you would be hard pressed to get a bid of $1 on one even out of pity. They grow like weeds and everyone already has one...

I've found poeple bid on a plant which can be bought at a reliable (is that word overused) nursery as larger plant for less money and reasonable and careful shipping. I guess they get caught up in the bidding.
I sold an ordinary paperback book for retail price so I thought maybe the person was out in the boondocks with no bookstore nearby. TUrns out she was in Rutherford, NJ. I could never figure that one out.

I agree about the over use of "rare", but I have noticed that one of my favorite (very trustworthy) sellers uses it with virtually everything.
David of Canby orchids has many rare plants, but lists most all of them as rare.
That doesn't mean that he's shady, maybe just stuck on the word!:~)
Perhaps I should send him a thesaurus!;~)

Scott

Richard, congratulations on a successful foray into eBay world. Word is that many sellers are boycotting because of higher fees from eBay and tighter regulations. Glad you didn't get caught up in that.

Sounds as if you're keeping it honest. From what I've seen, you'll be the most popular seller. :) Whitecat8

It could also be that they use it as a "keyword" for searching purposes. I know a lot of variegated plant nuts who only type in the word "variegated" when browsing eBay. Then they look at every single listing.

Maybe they use "rare" the same way, so as to not get "missed"

scott361,
Just to clarify, I don't consider the use of the description rare as an indication of seller ethics. I just find it so irritatingly pretentious that I refuse to bid out of protest. Fortunately I have never seen anything on eBay that I have absolutely needed so I've been able to stick to my guns. I have noticed that 'rare' plants seem to sell for more than those that don't use that description so maybe there's something to it.

My favourite eBay description that I have seen was for 10 hand picked Sarracenia seeds! ... for a $0.01 starting price with $4 postage (for a $0.50 stamp + envelope).

Not on ebay, but once several years ago I was at a county fair type thing and a vendor was selling little sandwich bags w/ a dozen or so Cheerios in them, labeled "donut seeds." Heh. I chuckled. They wanted $3 for the bags. I bought 6 (OK, no I didn't).

I always wondered if anyone actually forked over $3 for a few Cheerios. Granted, people get into buying mode at these fairs--handing over perfectly good money for a straw wreath w/ plastic flowers glued to it--but still. Gotta admire the brass, tho.

I will not get plants from ebay. Never had any success - even with those who had a pic of the plant. I was fortunate I at least got plants. Recently folks had paid a great deal to several vendors who dissappeared with the money and no plants.