Buying graphics cards on ebay??

[jv3x3]

Hey, i saw some graphics cards i like on ebay for a decent amount cheaper than i can find anywhere else. So i was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on buying a card off ebay period (one says only 3 months old... still has the box, some accessories in sealed bags, etc. the other says new, but open box tested)? And wondered if there is any kind of testing one should do once they get card to make sure everything is of good quality? Thanks

 

[helpmeout]

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't buy on Ebay for the little money you save. Check out someplace like zipzoomfly.com, where they pay the shipping on FedEx second day air on many items, or newegg.com. A good video card isn't exactly cheap, and I like the warranty and the ability to RMA.

 

[NathanBWF]

Buying a vid card off of eBay is like buying anything else off of eBay. Sure it may be cheaper but you never know what kind of buyer you're dealing with, or what shape the card is in no matter how good they say it is. If you are thinking about it I'd contact the buyer first and see if they'll offer a return policy of some sort or a DOA policy or what have you. If they don't I'd suggest paying the extra $$$ and getting it from your local Best Buy/Future Shop etc. It may cost more but at least you know you'll have options if something is wrong with the card...

Just my $0.02

 

[Baldeagle76]

what about a website like heatware ? I always see people on these boards posting their heatware profiles

 

[meltdown75]

Can you link to the item so we can check it out?

One thing you definitely have to keep an eye on is the amount of detail the seller is willing to go into on the item... often the manufacturer is not listed or some specs are left to chance.

Personally I agree with helpmeout... nothing beats a reputable & respected e-tailer. not to say there aren't good deals on ebay, but be careful.

 

[Jeff7]

Buyer beware. If you have questions, e-mail the seller early, and ask specific questions.
- I'll usually bullet the questions if I have more than one.
- People usually will only answer the first or last question asked, and skip the rest.
3) Or even number them.
4) And make sure you get an answer for every one.


On eBay you'll find sellers selling stuff that has a description like:
"Windows 95 computer. Boots."


And some will give you a full, useful description of the parts, how well it works, and a life history of it.
Be sure it's what you want - if they use vague language like "Radeon 9800 series," make sure it's a real Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB card, because it could be some stripped-down version with less memory than you wanted, or slow memory.

 

[Navid]

I have no experience buying on ebay.
I wonder what happens to warranty!
My understanding is that most manufacturer warranties are for the original owner only and cannot be transferred.
I would not want to give up the warranty.

 

[montag451]

I used to buy stuff - RAM/cpu/hdd on ebay - great deals.

Then
I kept getting crap merchandise sent thro. As described in auction - but not working.....
More hassle that its worth.
Can you believe that some venders didnt even use an antistatic bag to send sticks of RAM????