Author Topic: WARNING: eBay UK - Keithley 2100 (Read 17892 times)

namwos · « **on:** February 20, 2018, 07:58:01 pm »

Hope this post is allowed - I hope I am saving someone from being scammed!

If anyone is looking at this Keithley 2100 on eBay, be warned that the seller has copied all the images from my previous listing here.

The seller responded in a rude & puerile manner when questioned about this, and would not answer if he even indeed had a 2100 to sell.

So beware: you're not getting what is pictured!

BNElecEng · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:15:12 pm »

Thanks for this, I was just looking at that listing.

Much appreciated for taking the time to warn us.

grumpydoc · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:24:30 pm »

Click the "report this item" link and report as a possible fraudulent listing

Jwalling · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:24:58 pm »

I think that you can report them for that...

namwos · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:29:37 pm »

I've already reported the listing, but I don't know how long it takes for eBay to do anything, if indeed they do.

So I hope this thread saves some EEVBlog users some hassle.

G0WZB · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:44:13 pm »

Could be he has a keithley for sale but just could not be arsed to take his own picture, He has 100% feedback so may be legit. So long as paying with paypal you have no worries.
I only say this cos i want it myself lol

TheSteve · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:50:49 pm »

Quote from: G0WZB on February 20, 2018, 08:44:13 pm

Could be he has a keithley for sale but just could not be arsed to take his own picture, He has 100% feedback so may be legit. So long as paying with paypal you have no worries.
I only say this cos i want it myself lol

No you don't (unless it stays really cheap) - It isn't a real Keithley.

namwos · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:53:29 pm »

The problem is that he is using my pictures as proof of the condition and correct functioning of the instrument for sale (if indeed there is one).

I'm not saying don't bid - but be wary. Also the seller is not someone I would wish to deal with. Here is his response to my polite message requesting he remove my images from his listing:

Quote

Find a hobby rather than scouring eBay for a tester you've just sold... you need a life. Try collecting stamps or I'm sure you'll find comfort in the 900 channels somewhere. Don't forget to make your mum a hot water bottle for bed and tidy your room.

You really should get out more. Night night

Jwalling · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:57:45 pm »

Quote from: namwos on February 20, 2018, 08:53:29 pm

The problem is that he is using my pictures as proof of the condition and correct functioning of the instrument for sale (if indeed there is one).

I'm not saying don't bid - but be wary. Also the seller is not someone I would wish to deal with. Here is his response to my polite message requesting he remove my images from his listing:

Quote
Find a hobby rather than scouring eBay for a tester you've just sold... you need a life. Try collecting stamps or I'm sure you'll find comfort in the 900 channels somewhere. Don't forget to make your mum a hot water bottle for bed and tidy your room.

You really should get out more. Night night

Jeez, what an asswipe! He's got some cheap stuff for sale. Maybe he needs some fresh feedback.

G0WZB · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2018, 09:01:24 pm »

He sounds like a right dick, Never mind I will have a daydream about Keithley a bit longer lol

Inverted18650 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2018, 09:03:01 pm »

Thanks mate, I know you saved me a headache, Ive been addicted to eBay Keithley gear lately.

Ice-Tea · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2018, 09:24:41 pm »

Dude must be wetting his pants with all the views he's getting

bd139 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2018, 10:54:21 pm »

The best thing you can do with these fuckers is sign up for a mule ebay account, bid 400 quid for it, wait a couple of days and retract your bid.

Hopefully that's enough time for him to have spent it in anticipation.

Or perhaps we should all message him and say "that's my meter". We're all sparticus!

bd139 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:10:30 pm »

Did some poking around. He ran a miserable failure of a PAT testing company which wasn't even legit or registered with companies house. Was also hawking meter repairs under the name Flooked. So you can guarantee that everything he has been near has been meddled with. I wouldn't buy a fucking carrier bag off the tosser.

His email address, home address and phone number are a piece of piss to find if you want to give him an earful.

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

bd139 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:09:34 pm »

Did some poking around. He ran a miserable failure of a PAT testing company which wasn't even legit or registered with companies house. Was also hawking meter repairs under the name Flooked. So you can guarantee that everything he has been near has been meddled with. I wouldn't buy a fucking carrier bag off the tosser.

His email address, home address and phone number are a piece of piss to find if you want to give him an earful.

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

bd139 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:11:16 pm »

Did some poking around. He ran a miserable failure of a PAT testing company which wasn't even legit or registered with companies house. Was also hawking meter repairs under the name Flooked. So you can guarantee that everything he has been near has been meddled with. I wouldn't buy a fucking carrier bag off the tosser.

His email address, home address and phone number are a piece of piss to find if you want to give him an earful.

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

Cerebus · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:40:07 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on February 20, 2018, 11:10:30 pm

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

Indeed. One thing that ebay conspicuously lacks is a "don't show me listings from this seller*" feature so that you can keep a personal list of people you don't want to buy from, for whatever reason you may have. Personally, mine would immediately be filled with the user ids of those ebay sellers that just drop ship Farnell parts.

*A general, permanent feature, not just a box you can fill in each time on the advanced search.

bd139 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:44:18 pm »

Ah those people piss me off they do. 9,000,000 listings of nothing. Also the guys selling test gear for above retail price thousands of items with not even a flipping image.

PlainName · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:50:46 pm »

Quote

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

Maybe, but I think this particular seller would benefit from being given the URL to this thread

Macbeth · « **Reply #19 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:57:38 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on February 20, 2018, 11:11:16 pm

Did some poking around. He ran a miserable failure of a PAT testing company which wasn't even legit or registered with companies house. Was also hawking meter repairs under the name Flooked. So you can guarantee that everything he has been near has been meddled with. I wouldn't buy a fucking carrier bag off the tosser.

His email address, home address and phone number are a piece of piss to find if you want to give him an earful.

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

I wonder if it's a hacked ebay account?, but then again the previous shite the seller was offering was nothing but battery holders and fake calibration certs for Fluke stuff. But just look up the official business residence of FLOOKED to be sure. That must be the tiniest house on the estate and it's tiny garage makes up for mums lack of basement for our ebay hero.

bd139 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2018, 11:58:52 pm »

Plus it's in Wales so it cost 50p.

Falkra · « **Reply #21 on:** February 21, 2018, 08:41:48 am »

Quote from: Cerebus on February 20, 2018, 11:40:07 pm

Quote from: bd139 on February 20, 2018, 11:10:30 pm
I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

Indeed. One thing that ebay conspicuously lacks is a "don't show me listings from this seller*" feature so that you can keep a personal list of people you don't want to buy from, for whatever reason you may have. Personally, mine would immediately be filled with the user ids of those ebay sellers that just drop ship Farnell parts.

*A general, permanent feature, not just a box you can fill in each time on the advanced search.

In ebay's advanced search, you can filter search resultats and exclude some sellers by their user name.

A list of bad sellers is difficult to maintain, since you can close and open accounts easily and change the account's name as well.

Jwalling · « **Reply #22 on:** February 21, 2018, 10:53:48 am »

Or sellers that haven't a clue.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/312071033225?

"good used working condition"

Yeah, right.

Maybe he doesn't know what the word FAIL is?

grumpydoc · « **Reply #23 on:** February 21, 2018, 11:19:48 am »

Quote from: Jwalling on February 21, 2018, 10:53:48 am

Or sellers that haven't a clue.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/312071033225?

"good used working condition"

Yeah, right. Maybe he doesn't know what the word FAIL is?

"good used working condition" = "turns on, does some stuff on screen".

bd139 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 21, 2018, 11:21:13 am »

Buy it, complain, get money back and told to scrap it, break it for parts, sell on ebay. Can't lose

Cerebus · « **Reply #25 on:** February 21, 2018, 12:23:20 pm »

Quote from: Falkra on February 21, 2018, 08:41:48 am

Quote from: Cerebus on February 20, 2018, 11:40:07 pm
[snip]
*A general, permanent feature, not just a box you can fill in each time on the advanced search.
In ebay's advanced search, you can filter search resultats and exclude some sellers by their user name.

Would Sir like to try that again with his reading glasses on?

bitseeker · « **Reply #26 on:** February 21, 2018, 05:54:14 pm »

Quote from: grumpydoc on February 20, 2018, 08:24:30 pm

Click the "report this item" link and report as a possible fraudulent listing

Just did.

bd139 · « **Reply #27 on:** February 21, 2018, 09:11:18 pm »

Someone is doing it to me now. This was my old SC110 photo. Next to my “green shite collector” and Heath power supply. Grr.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F332563313613

Andy Watson · « **Reply #28 on:** February 21, 2018, 09:26:27 pm »

Quote from: bd139 on February 21, 2018, 09:11:18 pm

Someone is doing it to me now. This was my old SC110 photo. Next to my “green shite collector” and Heath power supply. Grr.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F332563313613

... and the words and description from this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183069276716

Cerebus · « **Reply #29 on:** February 21, 2018, 09:37:06 pm »

Look at the upside, it's helping me (and no doubt others) build a shitlist of people to never buy from.

bd139 · « **Reply #30 on:** February 21, 2018, 09:39:20 pm »

Indeed. Have requested that the images are removed. See how it goes ... I asked nicely.

bitseeker · « **Reply #31 on:** February 22, 2018, 01:10:35 am »

I had heard that eBay was banning the use of watermarked images. However, I've never received official notification to that effect. I haven't watermarked mine in the past, but it seems like it may be necessary if they're going to be stolen.

tggzzz · « **Reply #32 on:** February 22, 2018, 01:15:40 am »

Quote from: bitseeker on February 22, 2018, 01:10:35 am

I had heard that eBay was banning the use of watermarked images. However, I've never received official notification to that effect. I haven't watermarked mine in the past, but it seems like it may be necessary if they're going to be stolen.

Watermarking doesn't seem appropriate for this use case, and it wouldn't surprise me if eBay objected to steganography since it can be used for nefarious purposes.

OTOH adding your visible explanatory legend seems entirely reasonable, and is sufficient for this use case.

bitseeker · « **Reply #33 on:** February 22, 2018, 01:26:22 am »

Well, based on the following, it appears that putting your name/logo is the kind of watermarking eBay objects to:

(Note: emphasis mine)

Quote from: eBay

Don't add text or artwork.

No text or artwork, like "Free Shipping" or seller logos, may be added to photos. Use the title, subtitle, and description box to include details of your item.

Ref: http://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/listing-and-marketing/photo-tips.html

and

Quote from: eBay Staff

We consider a watermark to be a picture, an icon, a logo or text that is overlaid on a product image. This is true regardless of size, location or opacity.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/2017-Fall-Seller-Update-User/What-constitutes-an-image-watermark/m-p/27505080#M72

So, that just makes it easier for people to plagiarize images. Our recourse?

Quote from: eBay Staff

In terms of image theft. We take this behavior seriously. If you find that another seller is misrepresenting their products with the images that you have uploaded, please report the item(s) to our customer support team.

There seems to be a fair amount of outrage over this and various conspiracy theories, but that's outside the scope of this thread.

bitseeker · « **Reply #34 on:** February 22, 2018, 01:55:25 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 21, 2018, 09:39:20 pm

Indeed. Have requested that the images are removed. See how it goes ... I asked nicely.

Did you ask the seller or eBay?

bd139 · « **Reply #35 on:** February 22, 2018, 07:40:26 am »

I asked the seller directly first. This is mainly so when he comes back with a mouthful I can report him for being abusive as well.

I am going to add a piece of paper with my eBay and forum user name in every photo now. That is a way to circumvent the watermarking requirements!

grumpydoc · « **Reply #36 on:** February 22, 2018, 08:27:33 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 22, 2018, 07:40:26 am

I asked the seller directly first. This is mainly so when he comes back with a mouthful I can report him for being abusive as well.

I am going to add a piece of paper with my eBay and forum user name in every photo now. That is a way to circumvent the watermarking requirements!

Until ebay come after you for "encouraging trade outside ebay"

bd139 · « **Reply #37 on:** February 22, 2018, 08:34:46 am »

Meh I've got 5 ebay accounts

Cerebus · « **Reply #38 on:** February 22, 2018, 09:34:37 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 22, 2018, 07:40:26 am

I asked the seller directly first. This is mainly so when he comes back with a mouthful I can report him for being abusive as well.

I am going to add a piece of paper with my eBay and forum user name in every photo now. That is a way to circumvent the watermarking requirements!

There's one guy who places a "I went to Spain on my holidays in the 70s" straw donkey in his photographs. A trademark if you will.

Cerebus · « **Reply #39 on:** February 22, 2018, 09:36:58 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 22, 2018, 08:34:46 am

Meh I've got 5 ebay accounts

So far I've only managed to spot two of them, Mr Smith.

bd139 · « **Reply #40 on:** February 22, 2018, 09:37:50 am »

Doxxed

There's a guy who uses a goat as well.

mikeselectricstuff · « **Reply #41 on:** February 22, 2018, 10:16:45 am »

Quote from: blueskull on February 20, 2018, 11:49:47 pm

Quote from: bd139 on February 20, 2018, 11:44:18 pm
Ah those people piss me off they do. 9,000,000 listings of nothing. Also the guys selling test gear for above retail price thousands of items with not even a flipping image.

I believe there is a business in US that people list Amazon stuffs on eBay since many people believe eBay is cheaper than Amazon and will not search Amazon at all. Those eBay sellers then source from Amazon and sell for 20% higher.

There are at least a couple of UK sellers who scrape and re-list most of the Farnell website with a significant markup - they seem to get a lot of business.

e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/top-quality-tools/m.html?item=391966742564&epid=907435671&hash=item5b4309d824%3Ag%3AfrkAAOSwi7RZJIGN&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

270K listings, 130K feedback

Jwalling · « **Reply #42 on:** February 22, 2018, 10:43:20 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 21, 2018, 09:11:18 pm

Someone is doing it to me now. This was my old SC110 photo. Next to my “green shite collector” and Heath power supply. Grr.

Cute little scope! I've never seen one of those. What is that, a 1" screen?
(Is this off-topic?)

The insides. http://lushprojects.com/blog/2015/07/thandar-sc110a/

Nusa · « **Reply #43 on:** February 22, 2018, 10:45:38 am »

Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 22, 2018, 10:16:45 am

Quote from: blueskull on February 20, 2018, 11:49:47 pm
Quote from: bd139 on February 20, 2018, 11:44:18 pm
Ah those people piss me off they do. 9,000,000 listings of nothing. Also the guys selling test gear for above retail price thousands of items with not even a flipping image.

I believe there is a business in US that people list Amazon stuffs on eBay since many people believe eBay is cheaper than Amazon and will not search Amazon at all. Those eBay sellers then source from Amazon and sell for 20% higher.

There are at least a couple of UK sellers who scrape and re-list most of the Farnell website with a significant markup - they seem to get a lot of business.

e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/top-quality-tools/m.html?item=391966742564&epid=907435671&hash=item5b4309d824%3Ag%3AfrkAAOSwi7RZJIGN&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

270K listings, 130K feedback

I got no problem with drop-shipping sellers so long as the customer receives what they paid for at the price quoted. Buy low sell high is the formula to make a profit, and if one can do that without actual inventory it's even better! It's not even in the same league as the real scammers that have no intention of satisfying the customer.

namwos · « **Reply #44 on:** February 22, 2018, 05:27:04 pm »

Looks like eBay have done nothing about the listing. It's only got 15 hours to go & up to £160.

ChrisLX200 · « **Reply #45 on:** February 22, 2018, 07:25:26 pm »

Quote from: namwos on February 22, 2018, 05:27:04 pm

Looks like eBay have done nothing about the listing. It's only got 15 hours to go & up to £160.

They did nothing about one of mine a few years ago, in the end I bid £1000,000 for it and told Ebay I'd see them in court if they wanted money off me...

bd139 · « **Reply #46 on:** February 22, 2018, 07:37:34 pm »

Didn’t even get a response either.

bitseeker · « **Reply #47 on:** February 22, 2018, 09:46:14 pm »

eBay's reactions are glacial unless you call them and talk to someone directly. Anytime there's an issue with my stuff, I always call first. Sometimes I have to call twice to get things done right.

bd139 · « **Reply #48 on:** February 22, 2018, 10:25:46 pm »

The guy's address is on the auction and some fat dog left a massive turd outside my garden gate today. This is clearly a serendipitous coincidence and a better solution than contacting eBay evidently.

bitseeker · « **Reply #49 on:** February 23, 2018, 01:16:30 am »

LOL! Special delivery?

Leo Bodnar · « **Reply #50 on:** February 24, 2018, 04:37:59 pm »

top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve. I confront our Farnell sales reps about this account all the time and have not had a coherent answer yet. My curiosity is piqued by the fact that this guy is copying Farnell images, description and stock level wholesale while they are ignoring it.
The problem with Farnell is that their sales reps are leaving quicker than you get to know their names. Our last one left before Christmas.

Leo

Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 22, 2018, 10:16:45 am

There are at least a couple of UK sellers who scrape and re-list most of the Farnell website with a significant markup - they seem to get a lot of business.

e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/top-quality-tools/m.html?item=391966742564&epid=907435671&hash=item5b4309d824%3Ag%3AfrkAAOSwi7RZJIGN&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

270K listings, 130K feedback

PlainName · « **Reply #51 on:** February 24, 2018, 06:47:09 pm »

Quote

top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve

What's the problem with him? Since you know how to undercut him you wouldn't buy from him anyway, would you? And those that don't know they can just go straight to Farnell get an acceptable deal.

Sure, there is an IPR issue with Farnell, but surely that's their problem and if they want to deal with it they could probably figure out how to.

bd139 · « **Reply #52 on:** February 24, 2018, 06:51:54 pm »

Farnell don’t own most of their images anyway. If you fired that gun it would only shoot your own head off.

Cerebus · « **Reply #53 on:** February 24, 2018, 07:16:42 pm »

Quote from: dunkemhigh on February 24, 2018, 06:47:09 pm

Quote
top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve

What's the problem with him? Since you know how to undercut him you wouldn't buy from him anyway, would you? And those that don't know they can just go straight to Farnell get an acceptable deal.

Sure, there is an IPR issue with Farnell, but surely that's their problem and if they want to deal with it they could probably figure out how to.

It's the clutter factor in trying to pick through searches, especially when you add in the other several people doing the same thing.

I run occasional searches for some parts that can be had at very economical prices as NOS or the left-overs from someone's production run. I've picked up some real bargains in small-medium sized batches of high-precision, low tempco resistors and small signal relays. If I have to cope with Farnell's stock, repeated seven times over, being admixed into search results for those type of things then they become impossible to find.

PlainName · « **Reply #54 on:** February 24, 2018, 07:26:42 pm »

Quote

It's the clutter factor in trying to pick through searches

Fair enough. That seems to be the case for pretty much any search, so much so that my eyes have learned to skip the stuff all by themselves

bd139 · « **Reply #55 on:** February 24, 2018, 07:27:47 pm »

If in doubt write software to avoid spending that effort. I have. I rarely look at eBay now unless something interesting appears.

bitseeker · « **Reply #56 on:** February 24, 2018, 07:59:23 pm »

I haven't gone to the extent of writing my own software, yet. However, I do make Greasemonkey scripts to filter out the egregious annoyances in eBay results.

namwos · « **Reply #57 on:** February 24, 2018, 08:02:10 pm »

Quote

We are pleased to inform you that the following listing(s) you reported have been removed from eBay in response to the Notice of Claimed Infringement you recently sent:

mav_2014
122977603185

We have notified the seller and all participating bidders that the listing(s) has been removed due to your request.

Great help now, seeing as the auction has ended. Still maybe that'll teach him!

bitseeker · « **Reply #58 on:** February 24, 2018, 08:16:46 pm »

Day late and a dollar short. But, yeah, maybe it'll send a message. Then again, he may not care.

namwos · « **Reply #59 on:** February 24, 2018, 08:23:24 pm »

If the winning bidder got the message, that might make them check the item more carefully and realise it's not the same unit, then dispute the sale.

I hope this ends up costing the seller and not the buyer.

Cerebus · « **Reply #60 on:** February 24, 2018, 08:58:03 pm »

Quote from: bitseeker on February 24, 2018, 08:16:46 pm

Then again, he may not care.

Given the seller's tone in his reply to the original approach I would imagine that he* doesn't give a flying one.

* It's bound to be a *he*, women don't generally go in for gratuitous rudeness as an opening gambit.

Leo Bodnar · « **Reply #61 on:** February 24, 2018, 09:34:54 pm »

He's short-circuiting the Internet. Every time I search for something on eBay I have to build a huge exclusion search "stuff -crap -rubbish -junk" to cut through ware he flogs. If anybody has a known way of excluding search result by seller name please speak up.

Quote from: dunkemhigh on February 24, 2018, 06:47:09 pm

Quote
top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve
What's the problem with him?

bitseeker · « **Reply #62 on:** February 24, 2018, 09:38:58 pm »

Leo,

Go to Advanced Search, then scroll down to the Sellers section. There, you can filter the search to include or exclude particular sellers.

Cerebus · « **Reply #63 on:** February 24, 2018, 09:50:35 pm »

Quote from: bitseeker on February 24, 2018, 09:38:58 pm

Leo,

Go to Advanced Search, then scroll down to the Sellers section. There, you can filter the search to include or exclude particular sellers.

And to bring it full circle, I commented on that earlier. It's something, but you have to enter a list of names to exclude every time on every search you don't want corrupted by the Farnell drop shippers. I do it, I keep a pre-formatted list of sellers to exclude, and it's a pain in the fundament to maintain and cut and paste every time I want to get a 1/2 clean search result.

Inverted18650 · « **Reply #64 on:** February 24, 2018, 09:56:57 pm »

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Make-Money-w-your-Own-Dropshipping-Business-22-eBooks-700-Dropshippers/162894846075?hash=item25ed4a187b:g:8WsAAOSwjIVafbv1

bitseeker · « **Reply #65 on:** February 24, 2018, 10:03:46 pm »

Quote from: Cerebus on February 24, 2018, 09:50:35 pm

you have to enter a list of names to exclude every time on every search you don't want corrupted by the Farnell drop shippers

Yep. eBay's interface isn't anywhere near advanced. To really get some control over it requires programming (e.g., Greasemonkey script or custom code interacting with the eBay API).

mikeselectricstuff · « **Reply #66 on:** February 24, 2018, 10:33:33 pm »

Quote from: Leo Bodnar on February 24, 2018, 04:37:59 pm

top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve. I confront our Farnell sales reps about this account all the time and have not had a coherent answer yet. My curiosity is piqued by the fact that this guy is copying Farnell images, description and stock level wholesale while they are ignoring it.
The problem with Farnell is that their sales reps are leaving quicker than you get to know their names. Our last one left before Christmas.

Leo

Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 22, 2018, 10:16:45 am
There are at least a couple of UK sellers who scrape and re-list most of the Farnell website with a significant markup - they seem to get a lot of business.

e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/top-quality-tools/m.html?item=391966742564&epid=907435671&hash=item5b4309d824%3Ag%3AfrkAAOSwi7RZJIGN&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

270K listings, 130K feedback

Why would Farnell have a problem with it?
They are selling more items, presumably in reasonable numbers per order, to end-users who would probably otherwise buy elsewhere.

Cerebus · « **Reply #67 on:** February 24, 2018, 11:08:34 pm »

Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 24, 2018, 10:33:33 pm

Why would Farnell have a problem with it?

Presumably because frequently the pictures on the listings have had a watermark to something of the effect of "Property of Farnell, do not reproduce".

mikeselectricstuff · « **Reply #68 on:** February 25, 2018, 12:29:22 am »

Quote from: Cerebus on February 24, 2018, 11:08:34 pm

Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 24, 2018, 10:33:33 pm

Why would Farnell have a problem with it?

Presumably because frequently the pictures on the listings have had a watermark to something of the effect of "Property of Farnell, do not reproduce".

They are being used to get more sales for them - why would they have a problem with that?
A lot of Farnell's images probably come from the manufacturers anyway.

Brumby · « **Reply #69 on:** February 25, 2018, 03:11:24 am »

My understanding - at least for Australia - is that eBay have backed off from the "No watermark" policy.

As for other sellers stealing photos - there are two kinds. The ones that will copy an image, save it and put it up on their own hosting ... and those who simply use your hosting by just copying the URL.

With these lazy ones, you can do some really "fun" things. The best I have heard of consisted of a seller changing the item photo in his listing to another name and then uploading a rather graphic image with some very clear text outing the thief, using the original name - the one the thief was using. Visitors to the thief's listing would see the message ... and something rather shocking. They contact eBay and dob them in for pornography. Instant takedown - and possibly a suspended account!

ralphrmartin · « **Reply #70 on:** February 26, 2018, 12:03:16 pm »

Quote from: dunkemhigh on February 24, 2018, 06:47:09 pm

Quote
top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve

What's the problem with him?

The problem is trying to find genuininely useful listings. He greatly degrades the signal to noise ratio.

ChrisLX200 · « **Reply #71 on:** February 26, 2018, 01:18:44 pm »

Quote from: ralphrmartin on February 26, 2018, 12:03:16 pm

Quote from: dunkemhigh on February 24, 2018, 06:47:09 pm
Quote
top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve

What's the problem with him?

The problem is trying to find genuininely useful listings. He greatly degrades the signal to noise ratio.

All I need is a global 'ignore' filter to make him (and others like him) disappear from my searches - including any temporary new ones I set up. Bloody annoying to have to add all these over-priced dealers to each discrete filter. A simple right-click/ignore button would be nice.

bd139 · « **Reply #72 on:** February 26, 2018, 01:28:03 pm »

I've added a "shitlist" to my script:

Code: [Select]

shitlist = [
    "top-quality-tools",
    ....
    ]

This is worth automating.

tggzzz · « **Reply #73 on:** February 26, 2018, 03:55:02 pm »

Personally I hate very expensive prices for very old equipment, where the blurb includes "Guaranteed Working - 5 days to complete full testing process"

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-1502C-Time-Domain-Reflectometer/401141897985

bd139 · « **Reply #74 on:** February 26, 2018, 04:16:40 pm »

Ah yes agree entirely. As they say around these parts "are you muggin' me off?"

Cerebus · « **Reply #75 on:** February 26, 2018, 04:40:56 pm »

Quote from: tggzzz on February 26, 2018, 03:55:02 pm

Personally I hate very expensive prices for very old equipment, where the blurb includes "Guaranteed Working - 5 days to complete full testing process"

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tektronix-1502C-Time-Domain-Reflectometer/401141897985

I seem to remember that those guys have *cough* history with some eevblog members and trade under a number of names. Failure to actually deliver what was promised, if my memory serves correctly; it was more like "five days to realise we don't have one in stock that we can get into anything like working condition".

If it wasn't them, then it was someone whose line of patter was very, very similar and that would be enough to make me highly cautious of them.

PlainName · « **Reply #76 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:23:51 pm »

As a seller, I don't really see what the problem is with that kind of statement (ignoring that that particular seller may have history). One of the issues is not being able to have proper closure of a sale because the buyer may turn round at some later date and say it's not what it should have been. Seems to me that specifying a cut-off for complaints is beneficial, in that regard, to both the buyer and seller - if it isn't what it purports to be the buyer can still get a claim in, but the seller can also say "Right now, that's a done sale and I can't forget about it".

And we should bear in mind that these aren't new items covered by the Sale of Goods Act or whatever. They are just overpriced cast-offs.

Maybe there is an issue with five days - is that enough to receive it and get around to testing it as much as you'd like? Who knows, and perhaps more time may be needed, or negotiated, but in principle it doesn't seem wrong to me.

Cerebus · « **Reply #77 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:27:51 pm »

You've got the wrong end of the stick. That's a claim that the seller puts a five day testing process in place before dispatching it.

From the listing "*Please note that typical shipping lead time is approximately 1 week because each item is tested after it is sold and before it ships.".

bd139 · « **Reply #78 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:33:12 pm »

So basically we’ve got a load of shit stacked up that we can’t be bothered to test and when you pay it’s a game of roulette to work out if (a) it turns up and works (b) you get a refund or (c) it has been bodged quickly to cover the sale and then you can still shift it and palm the resolution from the complaint off with a small refund.

Hooky as fuck. If you don’t know if it works either list it as spares / repair or get it into a known condition and guarantee it.

I’ve got over 200 feedback from selling test equipment and I wouldn’t run my outfit like that. Never had to refund and never had a complaint or a negative feedback. What you see is what you get. No gambles.

PlainName · « **Reply #79 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:45:14 pm »

Quote

So basically we’ve got a load of shit stacked up that we can’t be bothered to test

That's a dislike of the particular seller, assuming he is using the buyer as a tester (which may be correct), not of the principle of timed testing. Which already exists but is about 30 days.

I am thinking of where, say, you sell a motherboard and all seems fine, you spend the proceeds from the sale, and then three weeks later the buyer complains that the CPU socket pins are bent and he wants a refund. What has clearly happened is the buyer has been switching CPUs and dropped one back in the socket, but you'll end up refunding him because he was 'on holiday and just got back to open the parcel'.

bd139 · « **Reply #80 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:51:04 pm »

I think if you read into the mechanics of just in time production and testing, one of the main concerns is making sure that your supply lines don’t ruin your production capacity through errors and quality issues. Running your supply line out of boxes of shite on a promise is just a failure of the highest order.

PlainName · « **Reply #81 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:55:39 pm »

Sorry? Was that a comment to my post or a misthread? I am finding it hard to correlate the contents of both.

bd139 · « **Reply #82 on:** February 26, 2018, 06:57:12 pm »

I think it is me being an idiot. Please disregard my comment

Mav_2014 · « **Reply #83 on:** February 28, 2018, 10:43:21 pm »

My word 4 pages. You boys clearly don't read Section 4/4a of the public order act?
I borrowed matey boys pictures as the meter was on the way, I'm not condoning it, but to be honest I didn't expect someone who's sold a meter weeks ago to get all anal over it, but clearly has very little to do to occupy himself, I thought my suggestions of late night sky entertainment were pretty good!
The pat testing business was sold, I'm a bit beyond pat testing. As for the Fluke repairs, upgrades and calibration, as I'm 1 of about 4 in the country doing them not only for domestic but international customers I'd say along with others I've a fairly good reputation in doing them.

Seriously fella, apologies for borrowing your pictures, I've 3x 2100's here now, it was intended just to get one listed at the time, nothing more and the first has been sold with a UKAS certificate and the other 2 will be sold with traceable to natational standards certificates, so they're not iffy pieces of junk.

Being an Agilent 34401a user mainly for a 6.5dmm and having sworn by it the Keithley (abiet not a real Keithley) stands up reasonably well for the price and functionality. 2 I've sold and the 3rd I've decided to keep.

Can we put the picture thing to bed now? It's getting a little bit old.... point taken on board and off to live happily every after

Peace out gentlemen, dicks and arsewipes

tggzzz · « **Reply #84 on:** February 28, 2018, 11:03:41 pm »

Quote from: Mav_2014 on February 28, 2018, 10:43:21 pm

My word 4 pages. You boys clearly don't read Section 4/4a of the public order act?
I borrowed matey boys pictures as the meter was on the way, I'm not condoning it, but to be honest I didn't expect someone who's sold a meter weeks ago to get all anal over it, but clearly has very little to do to occupy himself, I thought my suggestions of late night sky entertainment were pretty good!
The pat testing business was sold, I'm a bit beyond pat testing. As for the Fluke repairs, upgrades and calibration, as I'm 1 of about 4 in the country doing them not only for domestic but international customers I'd say along with others I've a fairly good reputation in doing them.

Seriously fella, apologies for borrowing your pictures, I've 3x 2100's here now, it was intended just to get one listed at the time, nothing more and the first has been sold with a UKAS certificate and the other 2 will be sold with traceable to natational standards certificates, so they're not iffy pieces of junk.

Being an Agilent 34401a user mainly for a 6.5dmm and having sworn by it the Keithley (abiet not a real Keithley) stands up reasonably well for the price and functionality. 2 I've sold and the 3rd I've decided to keep.

Can we put the picture thing to bed now? It's getting a little bit old.... point taken on board and off to live happily every after

Peace out gentlemen, dicks and arsewipes

(I'll assume you are the vendor, and are not someone pretending to be them)

Ignoring your language that merely confirms the initial impressions of you, you are completely missing a couple of points....

You were selling one thing and showing a picture of another thing. That's bad for whoever purchases your thing. It wouldn't be difficult to argue that it was deliberately deceptive.

You were selling something that you didn't (yet) possess, and therefore could not (yet) verify completely matched your description.

I will leave others to think about how reputable that is.

EEVblog · « **Reply #85 on:** March 01, 2018, 12:15:25 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 20, 2018, 11:10:30 pm

I think we need an EEVblog "seller shitlist".

I think we need to calm down and stop personally attacking people and calling them names, because, you know, forum rules...

Mav_2014 · « **Reply #86 on:** March 01, 2018, 12:59:32 am »

I'm not saying it was right to use pictures of an item which was in the same overall condition before the others arrived, to be honest I didn't really think it would upset anyone or cause such a stir. Some people would Do well to mind their mouths, playing internet police doesn't really compare to the real thing and I'm sure to forum owner has better things to do than comply with ripa requests from Cheif Superintendent + ranks and hand out up addresses to have people called in for Section 4 public order act offences.

Stick to pushing buttons on your meters lads. It's a genuine cock up and many (although) not rightly do it. At least I've had the balls to come on, hold my hands up and reassure people actually I'm.not taking the pee and I do genuinely sell items, either with a UKAS or natational standards traceable certificate and have the kit and procedure to do them. It's a little but if silliness gone mad really.

The meter sold was legit, it's going out with a UKAS certificate on it which has been done today after 3 hours driving in snow, I think that's fair to say yes probably shouldn't have thrown s one similar images up but yes someone has a very nice meter, no I'm not an iffy guy robbing people's money and no I don't sell crap.... although occasionally buy some!

Openness and transparency, openness to change, all very useful qualities in life
... and professions!

tggzzz · « **Reply #87 on:** March 01, 2018, 01:18:38 am »

Quote from: Mav_2014 on March 01, 2018, 12:59:32 am

I'm not saying it was right to use pictures of an item which was in the same overall condition before the others arrived, to be honest I didn't really think it would upset anyone or cause such a stir. Some people would Do well to mind their mouths, playing internet police doesn't really compare to the real thing and I'm sure to forum owner has better things to do than comply with ripa requests from Cheif Superintendent + ranks and hand out up addresses to have people called in for Section 4 public order act offences.

What on earth are you rabbiting on about? We can recognise strawman arguments and aren't silly enough to respond to them.

Quote

The meter sold was legit, it's going out with a UKAS certificate on it which has been done today after 3 hours driving in snow, I think that's fair to say yes probably shouldn't have thrown s one similar images up but yes someone has a very nice meter, no I'm not an iffy guy robbing people's money and no I don't sell crap.... although occasionally buy some!

You continue to miss and/or avoid the points.

Given that you deliberately chose to show a picture of one item and sell a different item, what reason do we have to believe that you wouldn't make a similar choice with a certificate?

wraper · « **Reply #88 on:** March 01, 2018, 01:24:07 am »

Quote from: Mav_2014 on March 01, 2018, 12:59:32 am

I'm not saying it was right to use pictures of an item which was in the same overall condition before the others arrived, to be honest I didn't really think it would upset anyone or cause such a stir. Some people would Do well to mind their mouths, playing internet police doesn't really compare to the real thing and I'm sure to forum owner has better things to do than comply with ripa requests from Cheif Superintendent + ranks and hand out up addresses to have people called in for Section 4 public order act offences.

Using pictures you don't own is one thing. Replying like this when asked to remove is completely on different level of shameless:

Quote

Find a hobby rather than scouring eBay for a tester you've just sold... you need a life. Try collecting stamps or I'm sure you'll find comfort in the 900 channels somewhere. Don't forget to make your mum a hot water bottle for bed and tidy your room.

You really should get out more. Night night

Cerebus · « **Reply #89 on:** March 01, 2018, 01:43:26 am »

Quote from: Mav_2014 on March 01, 2018, 12:59:32 am

I'm not saying it was right to use pictures of an item which was in the same overall condition before the others arrived, to be honest I didn't really think it would upset anyone or cause such a stir. Some people would Do well to mind their mouths, playing internet police doesn't really compare to the real thing and I'm sure to forum owner has better things to do than comply with ripa requests from Cheif Superintendent + ranks and hand out up addresses to have people called in for Section 4 public order act offences.

You would do well before making threats to 1) Actually know the UK Public Order Act 1986, like the necessity to prove "intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress", 2) Know that the RIPA won't cut much cloth in Australia it being UK law and all that and I don't think the UK plod will want to waste the time and money on invoking mutual aid agreements for such a trivial matter, and 3) generally it's not a good idea to throw stones whilst in a glass house - vis committing offences under at least section 3(2) and 3(3) of the Trades Descriptions Act 1968 and any defence you might have had by virtue of section 24 of said act disappeared the second you were called out on it and failed to remedy the false description, 4) Realise that your use of foul language and insults would itself fall foul of the Public Order Act and I suspect it would be a lot easier to prove "intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress" from the context and way you presented the same on here.

Quote

At least I've had the balls to come on, hold my hands up ...

I'll give you that. I might give you more, if you'd done it without the bluster, insulting language, and foolish quasi-legal threats.

bd139 · « **Reply #90 on:** March 01, 2018, 08:10:47 am »

And that's a perfect example of how to ruin any credibility you may have been able to scrape together...

Simon · « **Reply #91 on:** March 01, 2018, 08:12:05 am »

Quote from: bd139 on February 22, 2018, 07:40:26 am

I asked the seller directly first. This is mainly so when he comes back with a mouthful I can report him for being abusive as well.

I am going to add a piece of paper with my eBay and forum user name in every photo now. That is a way to circumvent the watermarking requirements!

I thought I got an email saying they had ditched the ban having listened, or rather remained powerless as everyone ignored it so to enforce it would be to shut ebay down. I used to produce 3D models of my parts for sale and emboss my name on the part and refused to remove it to protect my artwork as my images were unique giving me recognition with buyers that it was my listing

bd139 · « **Reply #92 on:** March 01, 2018, 08:18:47 am »

I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere if I’m honest. Hearsay perhaps. Tend not to check such terms. eBay usually remind me if I do something wrong.

Zucca · « **Reply #93 on:** March 01, 2018, 10:28:36 am »

A small mistake can become a tornado if you don't know how to manage it.

bitseeker · « **Reply #94 on:** March 01, 2018, 06:28:51 pm »

Quote from: Simon on March 01, 2018, 08:12:05 am

I thought I got an email saying they had ditched the ban having listened, or rather remained powerless as everyone ignored it so to enforce it would be to shut ebay down.

I wouldn't be surprised if eBay had to back down, but I haven't seen it officially, yet. If you do run across it, Simon, let us know. Thanks!

Simon · « **Reply #95 on:** March 01, 2018, 06:49:02 pm »

In our update to business sellers in September, we announced that listings with watermarked images would be removed from eBay search results from 1st March 2018.
I know that this has been an important topic and I want to thank those of you who took the time to contact me directly to explain the challenges you had with it.
We encourage you to have clean images because when watermarks are in place, we cannot typically promote your listings on platforms outside eBay, such as Google and Bing.
We’ve also heard from customers directly in focus groups that they are more likely to buy from us when product photography is on a white background and uncluttered.

But having listened to your views on this, we recognise that you as the seller should be able to make the choice. So I wanted to let you know today that I have asked the team not to enforce this policy, but to keep it in place as guidance only.

Thank you again for your feedback, which made a real difference on this. The views of the people who sell with us are absolutely essential as we continue to evolve eBay for buyers and sellers. We are listening.
I hope that you have a great Christmas trading season.

Rob Hattrell

Simon · « **Reply #96 on:** March 01, 2018, 06:58:27 pm »

That was sent to me a little while ago. Frankly eBay needs to stop trying to control sellers. It's one of the reasons I left and with no business to my own website with the exception of the micro currents I gave up on components altogether. When you are selling such low value items the amount of work that eBay policy changes involve just do not warrant the time. Which is pretty much what I told them. My images were not watermarked as such the inscriptions were part of the component 3D models used to derive the artwork and are exactly the same as what I put on any 3D model I use in my 3D CAD and electrical Design.

Leo Bodnar · « **Reply #97 on:** March 03, 2018, 03:17:45 pm »

Perhaps confront was a bad term. I didn't expect Farnell or their reps to have a problem per se but our reps denied they even heard about this going on.

Technically, this is not illegal but has a slight whiff of not being right to me.
An eBay seller trying to sell a few dozen items they don't even have in stock is completely OK.
But top-quality-tools has 259,859 items [that they don't have in stock] listed including botched copy-paste incidents like £7000 USB socket.
I think on the stock market short-selling in such volumes would be illegal or at least controlled.

A lot of respected companies embraced what used to be online junk yard presence and now Keysight, Tektronix, LeCroy all have official eBay outlets.
It would be only logical for Farnell to have one too. I was curious if they have set up a shill account through one of their employees or associates. It's just industry banter, nothing more.

Leo

Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on February 24, 2018, 10:33:33 pm

Quote from: Leo Bodnar on February 24, 2018, 04:37:59 pm
top-quality-tools is my favourite pet peeve. I confront our Farnell sales reps about this account all the time and have not had a coherent answer yet.
Why would Farnell have a problem with it?

Simon · « **Reply #98 on:** March 03, 2018, 03:23:42 pm »

Yes I remember seeing those listings and thinking what a con. However given his ridiculous prices seemed nobody would be so stupid as to buy with good people like me around.

Astrodev · « **Reply #99 on:** March 22, 2018, 01:13:42 am »

Just a bit of info, I did speak to someone from Farnell's a few years back and they were reasonably positive about helping me to sell items they would provide on ebay as they saw it as a way of providing additional sales and were even prepared to offer addition discounts to facilitate this based on the extra business generated , so this would suggest that these other sellers are actually being encouraged by the likes of Farnell to put all this stuff on ebay.

Needless to say that I did not pursue this as it was as ebay were starting to place additional requirements on listings and as was mentioned earlier the amount of work for a small reward this was generating just made it non viable to the extent I shut down all my ebay stores back in July last year.

However as I sometimes buy up some items that are end of line from Farnell and some of their associate companies there is great temptation to order the same item from one of these sellers knowing that they can't supply it just to be able to give genuine negative feedback when they have to say they don't have stock to fulfil the order.

PlainName · « **Reply #100 on:** March 22, 2018, 01:21:23 am »

Quote

when they have to say they don't have stock to fulfil the order

Or the postoffice must've lost it, so here's a refund.

Astrodev · « **Reply #101 on:** March 22, 2018, 01:57:59 am »

Unfortunately being seller on ebay exposes you to a lot of ~~crap~~ issues from buyers which hardens you to not accept things very easily from sellers so now if a seller gives me a hard time I will use the rules to make things as difficult for them as possible but in a polite way.

I suppose at the moment I am a bit jaundiced with ebay purchases as I needed a particular power supply, so I found on used from one seller and bought it and when it arrived the next week it was damaged (25Kg power supply in a box of styrofoam peanuts was never really going to work when you add in a couriers delicate touch), so that had to go back and I had to source another but this time the seller had a few and this time they sent the wrong model (there were 3 versions and I needed the one they had shown in their pictures) so that one has gone back the next one was the right one but would not start up properly and had to go back so now I am waiting for number 4 and just hope this one is OK.

The trouble is that after a while you start to loose the will to continue and the only ones to take it out on are the sellers so excuses are just not accepted any more, another one today was a faulty toner cartridge for a laser printer with the supplier arranging to send out a replacement and collect the faulty one at the same time, OK the replacement arrived but the courier did not have a collection note for the one going back, this was annoying because I had been on an all day seminar on Industrial IoT and did not get back until late and had to get the faulty unit all packed up and labelled ready for collection and now it is sitting there by the door ready to be tripped over, it all just gets you annoyed, so if no one collects it tomorrow it can go in the shed until the supplier contacts me to try and sort out collecting it at my convenience.

Just thinking I am ending up doing a Dave type rant on ebay and online suppliers.

Simon · « **Reply #102 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:05:57 am »

Quote from: Astrodev on March 22, 2018, 01:57:59 am

Unfortunately being seller on ebay exposes you to a lot of ~~crap~~ issues from buyers which hardens you to not accept things very easily from sellers so now if a seller gives me a hard time I will use the rules to make things as difficult for them as possible but in a polite way.

I avoid and boycott ebay if I can and buy direct. Even if it means finding it on ebay and then googling it to find a real seller. I bought a parcel lockup box this way, GBP 120 on ebay GBP 89 from the actual sellers site.

bd139 · « **Reply #103 on:** March 22, 2018, 08:45:47 am »

Not a bad idea. I’m buying and selling less and less stuff from eBay every day. Sometimes I just throw stuff away as it’s not worth selling. Sorry for the tangent but Shops as well. Amazon too. Amazon are nasty fuckers.

Needed some folder dividers. This is the state of things. So it’s 20 min drive to Ryman’s locally and I get fucked for £4 for an NCP car park for the privilege of paying £4 for 10 shit paper ones. so bugger it and I went in Tesco to buy. £3.99 for 10 paper shit ones. Go on eBay, no delivery better than 3-5 days. Amazon min spend £20 as they’re all add on items or £5.50 on prime.

Then at 20:09 I checked RS. £1.92 delivered next day. Ordered. Arrived next morning at 09:10. Plastic good quality ones.

I hope everyone other than independent retailers like RS dies.

Astrodev · « **Reply #104 on:** March 22, 2018, 10:31:55 am »

I had a problem a couple of years ago when I was trying to get hold of a particular Maynuo micro power supply non of the dealers who did Maynou could offer it at a realistic price if they could offer it at all the couple of European sources never seemed to have them, so it was back to ebay or Amazon, ebay sellers were from China and were quite expensive and you knew that you were likely to get hit with import duty and possible poor service in the event of a problem, so when some of these started popping up on Amazon from UK sources at a realistic price it was of interest, until (this is where is sort of returns to the original thread here) it turned out that the sellers accounts had been hacked and a load of products from all sorts of categories had been uploaded, anyway these went through a cycle of order one and about 5 days latter the order would be cancelled without any explanation and this went on for several months as I just kept ordering in case I hit a genuine sale (never did but must have had 40+ cancelled orders at the end of it).

Ended up getting a used Rohde and Schwarz unit that would do the same job.

Cerebus · « **Reply #105 on:** March 22, 2018, 02:39:34 pm »

For the benefit of others, and to ensure my own sanity in reading it, here is a sub-editted version of Astrodev's post complete with sentences and paragraphs:

Editted quote from Astrodev:

I had a problem a couple of years ago when I was trying to get hold of a particular Maynuo micro power supply. None of the dealers who did Maynou offered it at a realistic price, if they could offer it at all. The two European sources never seemed to have them in stock, so it was back to ebay or Amazon. Ebay sellers were from China, were quite expensive, and you knew that you were likely to get hit with import duty and possible poor service in the event of a problem. So when some of these started popping up on Amazon from UK sources at a realistic price it was of interest until - this is where is sort of returns to the original thread here - it turned out that the sellers accounts had been hacked. A load of products from all sorts of categories had been uploaded. Anyway, thus began a cycle of ordering one and waiting to discover that, about 5 days later, the order would be cancelled without any explanation. This went on for several months as I just kept repeatedly ordering in case I hit a genuine sale; never did but must have had 40+ cancelled orders at the end of it. [What's that quote about the definition of insanity being repeating things and expecting a different result? ed]

Ended up getting a used Rohde and Schwarz unit that would do the same job.

end quote


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