I would never EVER buy something from China on
ebay. I had a bad experience years ago when I tried to purchase a musical instrument (a classic, professional English horn from France) from a Chinese dealer. He said he could not take a credit card--Western Union only. I did get a box from him but instead of a professional English horn, I received a cheapo beginner clarinet. When I told him, he said that he must have accidentally sent my English horn to someone else and I received that person's clarinet. He gave me the other person's email, but of course that person never responded (after three of my own emails).
When I demanded a refund, the dealer said he couldn't do that because (cue the violins) his business was failing and he had no money. He did send me another musical instrument--a cheap soprano saxophone--to try to make up for it.
The end result was that I was able to sell the clarinet and saxophone and make up about 75% of the money I sent him. But the guy was a total scam artist. I'm sure he never had the English horn in the first place. And I learned the old adage "Never send money by Western Union to people you don't know" the hard way.
Edited by jpsned
06/09/2025 11:54 am