Mac Pro 2.66 Ebay - missed opportunity or potential problem?

[MitchJi]

Hi,

I was really tempted to bid on this last night. Under $2k for a less than 12 month old 2.66 (still under warranty) and including a 20" Cinema seems like an excellent price (I would really like to have purchased a 2.66 plus a Cinema for less than Apple is selling refurbed 2.66 (about $2,150 with CA Sales Tax).


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320230149238&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011

BOXED MAC PRO 2.66 XEON QUAD 3GB 250 GB 10.4 + 20" APPLE MONITOR

Like new condition! Original buyer from store and purchased this year! Rarely used as wife wants laptop. Packaged in original box and works perfectly. Keyboard and mouse still in new condition. Added 2GB memory at store (ECC). Specs on boxed art in picture. Quad core (2 dual core 2.66 Xeon processors).

Includes perfectly working 20" Apple Monitor boxed in original packaging!

I decided against bidding for the following reasons:
1. Seller has zero feedback
2. No shipping price in the listing
3. No reply to a request for a quote on shipping (sent two days before the auction closed.

Maybe the no shipping price plus no reply is the same incompetence that caused him not to list the Cinema Display in the listing title.

I am interested (in case something similar happens again) in some other opinions on wether or not it would have been a good idea to bid on this item. What criteria would you use to decide wether or not to bid on this listing or similar listings?

Thanks!

Mitch

[Big Daddy Cool]

no feedback and no response to an email?
you made the right decision.

[MacArtist]

No feedback is a red flag. Sure everyone has to start somewhere but you really have nothing to base your decision on.

If you are at all uneasy about a listing; listen to that voice inside you. Better than possibly flushing money down the drain. PayPal buyer's protection is only $200.

[The Grim Ninja]

I think that unless you get a REALLY good deal on it, you're better off to just buy new/refurb from Apple directly. You know what you're getting, you know you'll get it, and you get a full 1 year warranty (with option to extend)


On ebay, If the seller has less than 20 feedback, no negs, I limit purchases to $250 tops. Paypal has a protection program where they'll give back up to $200 from almost any purchase made through paypal, so I'd lose at most $50 by doing this. Of course, if they're local, I may go higher and pick up. With low feedback, that seller could just take the money, cash it out, and disappear before you ever figure out what happened. You'd be out $1800.

[MitchJi]

[quote The Grim Ninja]With low feedback, that seller could just take the money, cash it out, and disappear before you ever figure out what happened. You'd be out $1800.
Hi,

First I want to thank everyone for their advice. Much appreciated!

Second, I assume if I pay with a Credit Card via Paypal (I never ever pay with cash on Ebay) that the worst thing that can happen is that I have the charge on my card reversed. Then Paypal will try to get the money from my empty bank account (I have a separate account for Paypal). The main issue is that I really don't need the hassle.

Thanks!

Mitch