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paulz
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 12:30pm
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I still buy most of my online things off of Ebay, I think it was around before Amazon got big and I just got used to it. I do have an Amazon account and bought some things, don't have Prime.
Seems most prefer Amazon these days. Why?
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frankpaige
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 12:45pm
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Not so much on EBay. Just do not pursue so much. I do more purchases, especially cabin, off of FB marketplace. Seems to be closer. Better selection. Well, at least around here. Not so sketchy. And after the cabin was finished. Well, pretty well completed. I sold quiet a lot of tools on there.
Now! The wife? That is the go to site. Amazon seems to be quick, has most everything, and will get it here Dang fast.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 12:50pm
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Amazon, faster shipping even with no prime, usualy cheaper and free returns.
Ebay, I really dont have any good things to say over amazon. I have bought tons and tons and even parted out a car on ebay. In the last few years theres nothing cheaper than amazon. I stopped even comparing prices any more. It wasn't un common for a ebay seller to not ship something for 3 days+ then it take 5 days to get here.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 12:51pm
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Amzon is so easy.
We've had Prime for several years, the generally quick and free shipping pays off more than the Prime fee.
Btw, Ive heard that they could cut the fee in half and still come out because people with Prime buy more, a lot more.
My 'shopping experience' goes better using Amazon 1st, then E-bay....cant remember when I last bought off E-bay though and iirc shipping is extra on most of its offerings?
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KelVarnsen
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 01:26pm
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I used to use ebay years ago and then something happened with their shipping system. I'm located in Canada and every time I look at something the shipping is outrageous. See the attached screenshot for example. A $100 battery located in Nebraska costs $2000 to ship.
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jhp
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 01:41pm - Edited by: jhp
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I'm not sure I can return to life without Amazon prime. For $13 bucks a month the convenience factor is so high.
Oh running low on tp? Beep boop boop its at your door in 2 days for the same price or less than what you'd pay in the store. Down to the last jar of peanut butter? Buy 12 of them at $4 each instead of going to the grocery store and paying $7 for one. Dog food? Make someone else go pick it up and carry it to your front door lol it costs the same.
I just had a burned out headlight in my truck. I bought them on Amazon that night and had them two days later for like $7 less than the local parts store wanted.
Need something weird like new caps for your 55 gallon drum, one with fine threads and one with coarse? Where else would you even LOOK for these to be in stock?
OH YEAH - clothes. Do you hate trying to find your exact pair of jeans you love? Click click there they are without having to go 3 places to find them. Want to try other stuff thats hard to find in stores in your size or the exact style you wanted? Amazon will send you 8 articles of clothing to try for free, send back whatever you don't like.
I really had to get over two concepts to embrace this lifestyle fully:
1. I am going to spend that money anyway for things like TP, peanut butter, dog food. It's not frivolous spending but it sort of feels like it because its on your phone.
2. Basically nothing is ever cheaper in the store (aside from Costco/Sams bulk stuff) so why not save the money?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 02:45pm
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Well I guess the jury is in. 
No wonder the guy is a gazillionaire. Some things on Amazon look like they are coming from someone other than the Amazon warehouses? Can private sellers sell on Amazon, like Ebay?
For me, Costco is one mile from my city house. Harbor Freight is 10 miles. Burger King is 2 miles.. That covers most of my everyday stuff.
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curious
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 02:45pm
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Ebay I use for a few small things and most often those things are coming from vendors in China, Hong Kong, other far east countries. Sometimes I may buy those things on Aliexpress (china's ebay) but I would rather funnel the money thru Paypal than AE.
I try to avoid buying on Amazon for many of the same reasons I have not liked Walmart from way back. I have not bought from Walmart in so long I cannot remember when it was.
Reasons... Bezos has enough money; too much. Too much control. Same for the Walton family. Amazon is far too big, IMO. Amazon is anti-union. I support local sellers or at least corps with a local presence. I do buy online, but prefer to avoid the mega companies like Amazon and Walmart. That can be hard to do.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 03:12pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Id love to buy American, but what do we make, really make, that I want and Can Afford on a fixed income in this outrageous inflationary spiral?
Same thing with 'buy local'. I do support local businesses a lot. It doesnt make sense to have my travel costs (a min. of 50c/mi.) to go 80ish mi. round trip to the big city stores added onto my purchase of a couple dollars less than local.
It took me a while to get the idea we all do live in a global economy. And if it wasnt for the 'rich guys' making goods available at a reasonable price Id be broke.....
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jhp
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 03:33pm
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Nobody else is going to look out for me, including my local businesses. So I'm going to look out for #1 and get the best price and most convenience for my dollar.
Other than their "house brands" Amazon and Walmart don't make anything they're just part of the distribution chain. The people making and selling the products are still being supported...hell half of the time it is the original vendor selling these items direct through Amazon simply to get exposure to a larger customer base.
That's not to say Jeff Bezos isn't an asshole, or anything about unions.
I support my local economy plenty with niche stores and other businesses, insurance agency, restaurants, credit union, etc but I can't afford to support the entire economy myself and like I said nobody else is looking out for me.
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jhp
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 03:40pm
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Quoting: paulz Can private sellers sell on Amazon, like Ebay?
Yes anyone can do this. Unless you want space in an Amazon warehouse like you are a huge retailer...it's like $40 a month to sell through Amazon.
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lburners
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 07:24pm
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From what I understand Amazon takes a big cut from sellers. I sometimes find something I like on there see who is selling it and buy direct from their site.
I do not buy off of Amazon for the same reasons Curious mentioned and if you do some research they have some very cut throat business tactics. A lot of problems with someone having a monopoly on such a huge swath of products.
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lburners
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 07:31pm
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I would like to add since I have sadly put a bunch of thought into this. The amount of information and the ways they have of collecting it is very troublesome.
Take Alexa and the Ring cameras that Amazon owns. Read a couple articles such as the following and you will begin to wonder.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/18/amazon-ring-largest-civilian-su rveillance-network-us
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 08:10pm
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curious, lburners, 
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 09:06pm
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Tell me about Facebook Marketplace, never been on it. It's like Craigslist (been on there a time or two lol) right, all used stuff? Local pickup, not for shipping so much?
I've actually sold a few items on Ebay recently, after a multi-year hiatus, trying to cut down my parts room. Don't seem to be getting the action I used to.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2022 09:16pm
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I sort of like the convenience of Amazon Kindle. But I do not like not being able to actually download what I paid for. Kindle books only live on the Amazon cloud. Also if "they" want to revise, rewrite, you have no idea what "they" did. You can only see what "they" want you to see.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 8 Jan 2022 06:46am
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Quoting: jhp Nobody else is going to look out for me, including my local businesses. So I'm going to look out for #1 and get the best price and most convenience for my dolla
This is also how I look at it.
Usualy local stores dont have what I need so its 2 trips, waiting a week and paying more. I'm sure almost all of us have better things to do than to drive all over town for a few items.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jan 2022 09:29am - Edited by: paulz
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Ha, both things I had on Ebay sold last night on buy it nows, $150 each with no $75 opening bids yet. $300, less fees, to spend on the cabin, and a little less junk in the parts room. I told myself I would do this during the gloomy winter days. Sold a helmet and jacket on CL this week too. Some stuff is better on one than the other.
I never go to my local HD, HF etc. without checking the inventory online. HD even tells you the isle and bin so you don't have to wander around.
Wife has Kindle and reads it voraciously. I spend $10 a month for 'Kindle Prime', whatever that is. Keeps her out of my hair, cheap at twice the price.
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Atlincabin
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jan 2022 11:00am
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I find it hard to believe the "inventory" on a lot of the box stores. I recently wanted some cabinet handles and HD had 13 packages listed as available at the local store. When I arrived, none. Two weeks later, still listed 8 available and when I arrived, none. I was told by one of the aisle guys that there is a real problem with theft and, of course, that doesn't show up on their inventory if it walked out of the store without going through the checkout line.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jan 2022 12:14pm
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He is right. The store nearest me has had to place all the power tools in lockup.
The counts will get corrected after they do an actual physical count. That will be good until things are stolen or misplaced again. Stuff happens. For most things I look at though the counts seem to be close enough.
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jan 2022 12:28pm
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I haven't bought anything on Ebay in a really long time. Shipping times are long and expensive unless you find a seller here in Canada.
We buy a TON on Amazon.. However, I have never found an item cheaper on Amazon than at Home Depot. If I need something I always check Home Depot first. I'm lucky as I have 3 Home Depots within 20 min of me. They also seem to be accurate with the stock listing online.
Amazon is great for things that Home Depot doesn't carry. With Prime I get most of my items next day, but 3 days at most!
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 10:10am
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Well, just realized that starting a week ago, Ebay sales over $600 get you an IRS 1099. Prior to this year it was $20K. Yeah I know you are suppose to report the income anyway, just like on CL or the swap meet... Anyway, fyi.
https://money.com/tax-1099-k-600-ebay-etsy/
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 11:17am
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The 1099K is supposed to apply to business transactions, not if I sell my own personal item because I didn't want it anymore. Not sure how personal is differentiated from business.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 11:24am
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After a quick look, I see reference to payments made via a card reader service and that those funds go thru Venmo, Paypal, etc. I am reasonably certain the IRS has some system in place to have the processors differentiate. But I would like to see official clarification.
I did see this.... "Starting Jan. 1, the IRS said, if a person accrues more than $600 annually in commercial payments on an app like Venmo, then Venmo “must file and furnish a Form 1099-K†for them — reporting on all the commercial income they collected through the app.
The tax-reporting change only applies to charges for commercial goods or services, not personal charges to friends and family, like splitting a dinner bill.
from article here
And the Intuit info pages is titled,"What Online Business Owners Should Know about IRS Form 1099-K" link
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paulz
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 01:05pm
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Quoting: ICC I am reasonably certain the IRS has some system in place to have the processors differentiate. But I would like to see official clarification.
Me too. I'm just selling old car and motorcycle parts from my hobby, to clear off shelves more than make money. Being on retirement income I'm filing short form, don't want to get involved with itemized deductions etc. to offset Ebay profits.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 01:16pm - Edited by: ICC
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Ebay, etc. likely are not collecting any sales taxes on the items you are selling as a person , not a business, right? I don't know.
I just asked a family member who runs an ebay storefront along with a brick and mortar store. They received word from the finance/payment handler last April or May that this change was coming. I, OTOH hadn't heard a thing as an individual. Have a beer
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 01:41pm
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Quoting: ICC Ebay, etc. likely are NOT collecting any sales taxes on the items you are selling, right?
I don't know, can't see that as far as I know. This is all it says, they are not paying me any tax. I know on everything I buy, regardless from whom, I pay sales tax.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 02:28pm - Edited by: ICC
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Very confusing.
Have you anything listed on ebay right now? Send me a link. There is an email in my profile that will get to me.
I am interested in seeing what charges/fees are listed
I have bought from a few ebay sellers in the past couple of months but they all have/had hundreds of things listed so they don't compare to a person selling one or two objects. I have not sold on ebay for so long I forget how.
I usually use local CL or use an in town location on bigger things where I'll meet someone.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 02:34pm
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Of course you have all the old receipts for the pers stuff to show that when you sell there is a documentable loss or gain, right?
USA is broke, they are gonna squeeze wherever they can; maybe not this year but its coming.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 9 Jan 2022 03:49pm
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Quoting: ICC Have you anything listed on ebay right now? Send me a link.
I just listed some Amal bits. Email sent. You should buy them so we can figure this out.
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