eBay Buying—Credit Where Credit’s Due.

ByPaul Sellers

So, yes, we all hear how bad or unpredictable eBay can be. I have had occasional regrets but I have bought hundreds of hand tools over the years. Anyway I wanted to show how responsive Rita was responsive to my eBay message ofter my simple request to package my purchase of a Stanley #10 this week with care because they easily break at the sides above the mouth if dropped. P1180294 P1180296 P1180297 P1180298 P1180299 P1180300 P1180302 She quickly responded and two days later the package arrived as a cardboard outer and heavy duty duct tape tightly bound.It all felt very tight with no visible signs of packet damage. I was at my newest bench in the back yard when I slit the outer open with my knife and was surprised to see a second package inside the outer. Whoah! I said to myself. This is amazing! I slipped the second package out and this was a box of poplar and MDF, nailed together and then taped again with heavy tape. On both flat faces were instructions for entry to the box. Thinking this to be amazing I followed the instructions and removed the appropriate lids as directed. Here is how it looked inside. Not an ounce of a gap that was not stuffed with polystyrene with several pieces cut to the shape of the plane, the handles and so on. Then the plane had bubble wrap and cloth too.

I of course left good feedback and Rita thanked me. I wrote a reply and she replied again. I told her I would blog on this to brag about my eBay supplier.

Thank you Rita for a lovely plane I will use for the rest of my life…hopefully a long time yet!

8 Comments

  1. Well congratulations to Rita and to you. At least it wasn’t in clamshell packaging where you would need a chain saw to open it.
    That’s excellent!

  2. I can say every Ebay seller of classic hand tools I have ever dealt with seems to be as careful. It’s a passion not a business.

  3. So now Rita will be able to state that her store supplies Paul Sellers. Great advertisement.

  4. Paul, do you find spring is a better time to buy from ebay? There seems to be greater selection, and quality. I think it may be that people are doing spring cleans and clearing out their shed/lofts.
    Recently bought a couple of rust buckets, I mean Stanley no 4 planes, off eBay to clean up as per your videos. Just short of £10 + postage. Was only bidder. Rust might put some people off, but overnight in vinegar and they come off easily. Come up quite nicely and using them as scrub planes. After your videos, even if they were missing pieces, I would know exactly how to make them good again, so thank you.

  6. I’ve been collecting my hand tools from Ebay since last November and I’ve had 5 planes numerous chisels 4 saws, hand drills, auger bits and more, and I must say every single one of them has come packed protected as though the senders thought they might be thrown all over the shop and trampled by a herd of rhinos to boot.

    I must admit to being extremely happy with the sellers I’ve dealt with and left recommendations accordingly. Like you Paul you’ve got to give credit where credit’s due.

  7. Paul, was that Stanley #10 plane a rebuild or is that the original condition? That’s a super clean plane.

  8. Wonder if Rita has any Record #5.05 Jack’s?. Purchased one recently and delivered by Hermes, I was left feeling like what I had unwrapped, a broken sole. fortunately I took some pictures of the discolouration on the breaks to show there had been existing fractures and my funds were returned promptly. Have now ordered a Stanley bailey #5.1/2 so waiting in anticipation. I have left instruction to mark the package “Fragile” lets hope someone takes note of that. I was going to bid on another plane before this one, but once looking at an enlarged picture I saw a fracture around the mouth area, so lucky escape there. I avoid the items that do not show good pictures of sides and bottom. Your buy has got to be the best packaged I have ever seen. Ebay sellers have got to be good at packaging to avoid any possible negative feedback, and Rita has got that down to a fine art I see. nice #10.

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