Ebay electronics equipment "searches you follow" - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 07:00:10 am
content: I am new to Ebay. I have never bought anything from it yet, but I will start buying soon.I have heard of "searches you follow" option on ebay. As far as I understand, if something new comes out for sale, and it fits in the searches I follow category, I get an e-mail.So, how can I make that list (that is electronics related)? I would like to get an e-mail when, for example an oscilloscope (or spectrume anylizer, or multimeter, or...) appears that is:- under 70 euros (price + shipping); because I don't pay taxes and customs fees under that amount.- "for parts or not working", "not specified" or "sold as-is" category- or, even better, if it is working, but it is under 70 euros including shippingI would like to try to repair it, and then re-sell it, or keep for my own use.Should I aslo search by brand? And how to follow those searches without getting spammed?P.S. I earn 330 euros a month, and would like to make some extra money by occasionally doing this. Also, even 70 euro purchase is a big risk to me, considering my salary.

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 08:31:45 am
content: I don't really follow you. I am not asking you to make me a complete list so I can just copy-paste it into my account. I am asking how to do it myself. Because, I entered "Oscilloscope" as a search term, and choose some options from "refine search", but there was no option for "for parts or not working" and for "sold as-is", there where only options for "new", "used" and "not specified". I have set the price point up to 75 $, but I don't know how to set option for price + shipping to be under 75$. And so on...I don't think so, because I would only buy one item and will not buy another one before I am finished with this one (before I sell it, or decide to keep it). I would only do this maybe few times a year.Thanks.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 08:35:42 am
content: There was a time on ebay when one could search for examples like: "Agilent 34*"But they took the "*" away and now you have to search fro every single item, at least in eBay Germany.It is not so easy to give advise, depending on what you are looking for.Sometimes it is a good idea to limit searches in the test and measurement category but then you miss the "goodies" that someone placed in an unrelated (wrong) category.

author: mij59
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 08:40:55 am
content: The tax free limit of 70 Euro is new to me, I think it's 22 Euro.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 08:41:28 am
content: Just spend some time doing some searches to refine the results to what you are looking for.For general stuff like testgear, where there is usually quite a lot, saved searches aren't hugely useful as you might as well just search manually every few days.Where saved searches really come into their own is where you are looking for something very specific and obscure, and it could be months or years before it comes up so it's not something you'd bother (or remember)to look for regularly.

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 09:09:12 am
content: Quote from: mij59 on April 11, 2015, 08:40:55 amLOL, sorry for confusion. It is the forum's fault, it uses outdated (and wrong) flag of Serbia and Montenegro (my country was actually called like that during the short period). I actually live in Serbia, not Netherlands. Forum should use this flag for Serbia:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Flag_of_Serbia_%282004-2010%29.svg/2000px-Flag_of_Serbia_%282004-2010%29.svg.pngQuote from: mikeselectricstuff on April 11, 2015, 08:41:28 amThanks Mike.Can I exclude some countries from searches? I don't want anything from USA, because shipping prices are enormous.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 09:20:28 am
content: tend not to use saved searches unless its very very specific terms, but that depends what kind of stuff your looking for. I like old crap to take apart so i can have a saved search for anything in business / industrial, within 10 miles collection only etcyou'll probably have more success with saved sellers, do some searching and find the sellers with the type of stuff you want and keep checking them out.

author: nowlan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 09:56:22 am
content: I think you can put key words inside brackets.eg, "(agilent, keysight, keithley) meter".HP tends to match motors and such as horsepower.

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 11:33:32 am
content: OK, thanks. I thought that saved searches are the way to go.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 04:42:38 pm
content: You forgotPowers up = nothing really works on it, but there are LEDs giving some light

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 04:44:57 pm
content: I don't know if it's different outside the US, but the left side of the page has search options you can select from including location, cost, condition (new, used, parts or not working, etc). There is also a dropdown box near the top to choose how to sort (ending soonest, price low to high, etc). Ebay took away wild cards so you now have to specify things exactly, example "HP (e3610, e3611)". Ebay still supports some standard search options, such as you can exclude manuals by adding -manual. Once you get everything the way you want and execute the search at the top it will say "xxx results for blah blah blah"+Follow this search. Click that link and you will get that search added to your follow list.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 04:48:30 pm
content: It will add e-mail alerts by default, unless you opt out. I get mine all at once every morning, once a day. So it's still possible to miss things that are "buy it now" and sell quickly.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 05:08:56 pm
content: What annoys me is some sellers will be selling cheap crap which they say has similar features to proper brands so searching for said brand brings up a load of crap.

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 05:53:05 pm
content: Thanks. I give up the followed searches. I will just search manually.But, it would still be useful if I could get results without USA sellers, due to their high shipping cost.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 05:55:24 pm
content: Quote from: Srbel on April 11, 2015, 05:53:05 pmJust limit your search to Europe.For something that you can not find right away, it is always good to have saved search term and one day you get an email with your found item.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 05:56:52 pm
content: Which eBay do you use? On the left side there should be an option to limit searches by "Location".

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 06:01:53 pm
content: I have registered on this ebay, I didn't know that there are other ones (except German one, but I don't speak German):http://www.ebay.comThere is no location option on the left side, at least I can not find it.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 07:24:30 pm
content: That is the US eBay. For your purposes it would probably be better to use one of the EU eBay sites. The options to narrow search results don't appear until you have done an initial search. As an example, look here on this search at the UK eBay, down the left side below the "Categories" you should see the additional search options.http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?&_nkw=oscilloscope

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 08:18:42 pm
content: Ah, thanks, that is better for me. I just hope that there are also lots of Chinese sellers on this site. They have good merchandise and shipping is practically free.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2015, 10:00:24 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on April 11, 2015, 08:45:34 pmA word of warning - many sellers on Aliexpress are just dealers, who only order stuff when they get orders. IME it is not uncommon to wait a couple of weeks only for the order to be cancelled. Though you get a refund, if you're not paying in US$, currency fluctuations mean you can still lose out.A bigger problem is when the seller sends something that is not as described but claims it is equivalent - Aliexpress' dispute resolution is a joke, and even if you get a (partial) refund you can be out of pocket on customs charges.

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 10:23:34 am
content: Overkill here perhaps but I wrote a couple of python scripts that scrape eBay and gumtree UK for keywords and mail me any new things that appear within 30 mins below certain prices. This all runs on a VM on digitalocean.com.I'm not posting the code or the keywords though.Hint though: if you look on gumtree UK now there's a triple TTI supply and a TG550 going both for £100 (about 700 retail at the moment) in Southampton. My car is knackered otherwise I'd have that. Go go go...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 10:33:16 am
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on April 11, 2015, 07:53:53 amAgreed.I have a spreadsheet of ebay search terms I browse regularly, in addition to my automatic more specific search terms.But to publish that would be bad news. It's bad enough when I release video and prices rise for that brand/item

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 10:55:52 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on April 11, 2015, 08:35:42 amAt that time, searches on Google and Ebay were much better, beter adaptable, with more specific results.The stupid mass had still to be explained what internet was, the number of tech/math-unaware users was nearly zero.But then the masses became "tech-savvy", everything got stupidized, commercialised to raise money.I want the previous internet back.

author: eas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 08:46:07 pm
content: Quote from: Galenbo on April 12, 2015, 10:55:52 amBefore you whine about the stupidity of other people on the internet, you might want to revist on your history. The people you so despise were already flocking to the Internet at a rapid rate before Google (1998) or Ebay (1995) existed. The Internet in the US was available to undergraduates of any major at most US institutions by 1992 or so and many of them took advantage of it (check the old USENET archives for people bitching about the start of another school year). Oh, and Ebay and Google, neither would have even existed without the commercialization of the Internet.If it bugs you so much, write a scraper. You do know how to write a scraper, don't you? Its a lot easier than it was in the good old days, people have created scraping frameworks and libraries so almost any bozo can do it

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 09:21:53 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlogYou also forgotI don't know how to test this = I do really and it's broken.This cost thousands when new = and worth tuppence now cos no-one wants them; oh, BTW it's brokenI'm selling this for a friend = it's broken and I don't careuncalibrated = might be within 50% if you're luckypulled from working environment = but this was in a corner somewhere, it's probably brokenI try to be pretty sanguine about ebay - it can be useful, if you know the traps and caveats.A couple of things do annoy me thoughBusiness sellers not registering as such (to get around consumer protection)People who do the aboveanduse multiple IDs (to get around selling limits or negative feedback)Sellers who list with the ebay category set to "for parts" but then claim GWO in the listing. Again this is obviously to get around consumer protection and creates a legally somewhat ambiguous position. I suspect it doesn't protect the seller from the law, but does mean ebay won't help much with a claimI try to avoid both classes of seller, or at least set any bid based on the fact that the item does not work and the seller won't care (whatever the listing says or implies).

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2015, 09:57:12 pm
content: Yep. EXACTLY that.This week on ebay for me: Tek 453 - "I repaired the triggering".It didn't work, not that I believed it would or expected it to be working really. It's 45 years old.So I spent most of the morning fixing my D83 so I could work out what was bust in the triggering circuit. Traced the whole thing through and found the FET source voltage was wrong.Turns out - wrong FET substituted and the pot that was replaced wasn't screwed on to the shaft properly so wasn't turning. And no silver solder used - boo! Fortunately I had a close enough FET in the junk box.On a positive note: 45 year old electrolytics still fine stamped with "extended life". Good show Tek.Still my new baby is working and my old one is too. Tek 453 timebase is pretty stable so you can get away without triggering and some knob wiggling so that got the D83 fixed (duff voltage reference) and that was used to fix the 453.Still £70 and I have two working totally discrete 50MHz scopes- if it didn't work I'd have £70 worth of Tek bits to shift on ebay.

author: SL-39
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 13, 2015, 03:51:29 am
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on April 12, 2015, 09:21:53 pmPotentially add:Bought for electronics class - I may have broken something, but it partially works...kinda...good luck!I got stuck with an old Tek scope this way. It started up fine, but Ch.1 had some weird behaviors. A square wave would rise, but then it would decay like a RC circuit. Cracked open the case, and it turned out thatsomehowthe Ch.1 jumper resistor was completely fried, but the rest of the board was ok.Lesson to learn here: make sure that the pictures show the scope displaying a waveform, and not just a flat line.

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2015, 06:54:41 am
content: The one I grabbed was showing the calibrator signal. Doesn't mean that the triggering worked though.I'd be annoyed if this was my first scope.Beginners probably should buy a Rigol and not off eBay

author: Srbel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 03:51:29 pm
content: Quote from: Srbel on April 11, 2015, 07:00:10 amI just found out that under 70 euros is only for a "gift". If buy something, even from a private person, it is counted as if I bought it from a company, meaning - everything over 50 euros, I have to pay 20% customs fee. Also, I pay 20% taxes on everything no matter the price (even for 50 cents). And they also charge customs fee and taxes on shipping. And they use catalog prices, not the price at which I actually bought the item. Bastards!No good deals for me...

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2015, 04:20:38 pm
content: Quote from: eas on April 12, 2015, 08:46:07 pmNot in my country.Quote from: eas on April 12, 2015, 08:46:07 pmWhat are you trying to prove here? That most unaware were found in major degrees, and that it were exactly those who were using internet?In my country, teaching how to use email to non-stem field masters began after Y2K. Sharing content in stem fields already was all around in 1989.Quote from: eas on April 12, 2015, 08:46:07 pmVise versa. They were developed, launched, so existed, and then they commercialised internet.Quote from: eas on April 12, 2015, 08:46:07 pmNo idea what a scraper is. Never heard the word. Feel free to teach me how this would help me to get the * functionality back.

author: MiataMuc
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 12:18:22 pm
content: Quote from: Galenbo on April 12, 2015, 10:55:52 amsorry, you mix up the historie. I do remember people saying the same things back in the early 90's.. when AOL begun giving it's users access to the "real" internet. :-)Google and Ebay weren't born back then..

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 12:47:17 pm
content: Quote from: MiataMuc on April 16, 2015, 12:18:22 pmYeah when they all turned up and ruined usenet. That was three entire Internets ago and I still want it backASL??

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 12:58:39 pm
content: Quote from: smjcuk on April 16, 2015, 12:47:17 pmStrewth, I've not seen that TLA for at least a decade.What I do like about the modern interweb is the speed, rather than a few k on a good day, meant half an hour on an expensive phone line to get a blurry image

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 01:00:03 pm
content: I miss Google searches with people's web results. Now most of them are comercial website links.

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2015, 06:27:39 am
content: Quote from: MiataMuc on April 16, 2015, 12:18:22 pmI miss the reason you think about that could cause people mixing up history.and I don't see why my expieriences would have something to do with your AOL and your 'unreal' internet.