do you regret purchasing your new saw off ebay?

[kevin711]

Those of you who purchased a new saw off ebay instead of your local dealer, do you regret that decision? Why or why not?

 

[Huskybill]

I been dealing with my local dealer since 1980. It’s like we’re all family now. I like supporting my local dealer for new saws and equipment. It’s a mom and pop shop and the daughter the next generation is working there too now. Plus he’s an experienced logger/land clearer too. He helped me out a lot in the beginnings of my cutting. He taught me how to fell trees.

We can’t get that kind of help and assistance online. I walked in to buy three new saws and within minutes he picked out what I needed and set them up with bars and chains, gassed them up ready to go. All I told him was I had up to shoulder high trunks to buck up at a saw mill that weren’t lumber quality. He picked out a husky 385 Xp/32” bar, 575xp/28” bar and a 353/16” bar. His experience and knowledge plus friendship keeps me going back. I help him to sell saws every chance I get. All the pro loggers in the area deal with him too.

 

[user 122190]

Ebay use to be like a Garage Sale, but globally. Now it is small time retailers. Pay with a CC, money order, document all things, etc. and you shouldn't have a problem, mostly. People have been burned here. Check out this guy. --> https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/500-600-plus-chain-saws-for-sale.316257/

 

[motorhead99999]

Iv been screwed a couple times on eBay with used things like dirt bike cases and things like that but never had a problem with new stuff

 

[user 122190]

Iv been screwed a couple times on eBay with used things like dirt bike cases and things like that but never had a problem with new stuff

I broke a single spoke on my 1983 XR350. No longer made. I had to buy an entire rear wheel (hub, brake assembly, spokes, rim, tire, tube, etc) from florida. Cheaper then salvage yards within my driving distance, and shipping was included. I got lots of spare spokes now, and about everything else for the rear.

 

[Derf]

I liked eBay for buying back before they were charging sales tax. Now it’s no different from any other online store. All things being equal, I’d prefer a local dealer if I had a good one, only because I like supporting local business. But when a local business is way more expensive than online I buy online. I fix my own saws and buy parts online, so dealer support for me is pretty unnecessary unless it’s a problem with autotune.


As a seller, aside from getting hit with both eBay fees and PayPal fees, I didn’t like that they were always coming down in favor of the buyer in a dispute. Had some parts swapped out, a DOA unit sent back in place of what was shipped, and eBay just deducts the money from your account.

 

[user 122190]

I liked eBay for buying back before they were charging sales tax. Now it’s no different from any other online store. All things being equal, I’d prefer a local dealer if I had a good one, only because I like supporting local business. But when a local business is way more expensive than online I buy online. I fix my own saws and buy parts online, so dealer support for me is pretty unnecessary unless it’s a problem with autotune.


As a seller, aside from getting hit with both eBay fees and PayPal fees, I didn’t like that they were always coming down in favor of the buyer in a dispute. Had some parts swapped out, a DOA unit sent back in place of what was shipped, and eBay just deducts the money from your account.

Same here. Last time I heard from them >10 years ago, they said I owed them $175, and that a lawyer was going to contact me. I'm still waiting. I rarely buy off Ebay, and I will never sell again. F'Them!

 

[1Alpha1]

I've purchased a lot of things off of EBAY. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I had an issue with something I bought or a bad seller. And of those, almost all were made right by EBAY.

I suppose there are still some good brick & mortar stores that go out of their way to treat a customer with dignity and respect. But, it's been at least a decade or two since I can say I experienced one.

 

[henry r]

I'm not in the market for new saws, but i buy everything i can from my local dealers.

I'm running huskys but get as much as i can from the local stihl dealer, who deal solely in small engine sales and repairs.
A two friends, who i cut with, recommended them. That was good enough for me.
I later found out that when one of them had her gardening business, they REALLY helped her out when she was setting it up. Without them she would have struggled to get it going.

Plus we are in the middle of a severe drought so i doubt business is booming. They are a local family business, a few extra $ per item is worth it to keep the money in my town and a good business open.

Edit: they have also been in business a long time so know the older models too.
I walked in asking about some bits and walked out with a full set of NOS av mounts for my 032 play saw. Not a cheap visit but i couldn't help myself when they had all the bits.

The husqvarna dealer is pretty good too and order me in the genuine bits i need, but are primarily a dirt bike shop so know more about bikes than saws.

 

[bubbajunk]

I liked eBay for buying back before they were charging sales tax. Now it’s no different from any other online store. All things being equal, I’d prefer a local dealer if I had a good one, only because I like supporting local business. But when a local business is way more expensive than online I buy online. I fix my own saws and buy parts online, so dealer support for me is pretty unnecessary unless it’s a problem with autotune.


As a seller, aside from getting hit with both eBay fees and PayPal fees, I didn’t like that they were always coming down in favor of the buyer in a dispute. Had some parts swapped out, a DOA unit sent back in place of what was shipped, and eBay just deducts the money from your account.

Well said.
As a seller, I got bit a couple times by buyers who claimed 'not as described', then sent back a different item or brick in the box.

As a buyer, I buy where ever I get the best deal. Lately its been about 50/50 between a local shop and online. The issue I've got about online is that you don't always know what your getting. Cheaper is fine but I'm not looking for Chinese parts.
There really aren't any good local saw guys left, the best shops all closed up and retired years ago.
Now we got the JD dealers and a few smaller chain stores that sell Stihl. Prices are high, and knowledge of the product, especially older products is slim.
I'd like nothing better to still be doing business with the first saw shop I dealt with years ago, but he'd probably be well over a 100 if he was still alive.
Most 'saw shops' just sell saws these days, not many do service.
The last decent saw shop here closed up in the late 90's, they sold and worked on all brands, had parts for most anything that came in the door. He got too old and retired about 20 years ago. I bought my last new saw off him. When he closed up, I stocked up but my at that time I never thought I'd have accumulated as many saws as I have over the years and what I thought then would be a lifetime of parts is dwindling.

 

[Canyon Angler]

I've purchased a lot of things off of EBAY. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I had an issue with something I bought or a bad seller. And of those, almost all were made right by EBAY.

Same here. Only got burned once, and it was my own fault.

I bought my aftermarket 660 on ebay from a fella from B.C., Canada (he may be a member here?) and couldn't be happier with the saw. He built it using (I believe) some Chinese parts, with a Meteor piston, a crank from Taiwan (maybe from Bailey's?), and various other parts from various countries. I haven't put a lot of hours on the saw but it has run flawlessly and gotten stronger with every tank of fuel.

 

[bubbajunk]

I'm not in the market for new saws, but i buy everything i can from my local dealers.
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The husqvarna dealer is pretty good too and order me in the genuine bits i need, but are primarily a dirt bike shop so know more about bikes than saws.

That's a better combination than the one shop we had here for a while, they were a cell phone shop that started selling Stihl, Husky, and Shindawa equipment. They were overpriced, new nothing about the products and didn't last very long. They sold out to a big chain who turned it into an ACE Hardware store. They're better but they don't do any service or parts.

The problem I see in my area is that the choices are only Stihl and Husqvarna, with Husqvarna having the better dealer right now. Other brands like Echo, Tanaka, and Shindawa have no support at all and the only sales point for Echo is HD.
Where I lived before, I could find a dealer for almost any brand of saw within a few miles.
Dolmar, (Makita gas), Solo, Shindawa, and Tanaka have no dealer presence at all.

 

[Big Red Oaks 4 me]

I used to buy and sell on fee bay, but that site got so crazy, my attitude now is “fuk eBay”. I don’t miss them st all now.

 

[1Alpha1]

It's been years since I sold on EBAY. Now all I do is buy stuff.