Popular auction/ selling site reliable?

[carch_23]

Hi everyone. just wanted to ask on here regarding the popular auction/ selling site. Im currently looking for more dino material to add to my small collection. However, after browsing through "reliable/ famous" online fossil websites/ retailers, it seems that those websites either: only supply common fossils or, when they do have rarer pieces, they are priced very high and are sold very quickly. So I tried the popular auction site. 

 

Looking at the profiles of the sellers on that auction site, most of those sellers dig their own fossils and sell those fossils themselves without a "middle man" seller.  

 

The only thing im concerned about is whether those sellers on the auction site are legit (though I doubt they aren't). As most of those sellers Im looking at dont have items for sale as often, as opposed to other popular websites as they are more established. Where more established websites wouldnt necessarily be one to sell you a fake or take your cash and run. I also think that the dino material im currently looking at on their page is too niche of a product for scammers to take advantage of (except in the case for if the product were a trex tooth. and I also doubt that the sellers are fake as they have been on the auction site [many years] and have all positive feedback. i think they would have been reported if they were a fake). 

 

Would just like to ask if you guys have had any experience at purchasing with diggers at that popular auction site to have more access to rarer pieces?

 

Thanks for the help!

[FB003]

All purchases pretty much no matter where have some sort of risk associated with them.  Have you tried posting a "looking for" topic on the sales forum? Perhaps some people might have what you want for sale.

[Bobby Rico]

If you find something you like get it checked out on the TFF before you buy, Dinosaur materiel always sales as you know but with some good education and patience bargains are out there.  Bobby 

[Fossildude19]

BUYER BEWARE!

 

Commercial/retail fossil sellers can be rife with mis-identified, poorly described, or outright fake specimens.

The best advice for buyers is to educate yourself on what you are looking to buy.

Get opinions from knowledgeable people here on the Forum, by posting pictures of the items you are interested in.

We cannot recommend any particular websites on the open forums, but people can feel free to PM you their top picks for retailers.

 

Know what you are buying, before you buy.

[Troodon]

I echo what others have said.  I do know a number of dinosaur sellers on this site "most" are honest but their ability to accurately identify material is very problematic.   Sorry to say mis-identifications are common.   Feedback ratings are useless since buyers typically do not know they have an issue or its too late to make changes.

Like others have said the best way is to educate yourself and post interest here before you make the purchase.  

 

FYI established online sites are not that much different.  Do not make the assumption that what you see described is correct.   ALWAYS verify..

[carch_23]

Hi guys thanks for the responses! Really appreciate it! @Troodon @Fossildude19 @Bobby Rico @FB003

 

I have also tried posting on here for purchases to double check the item before i get it. And definitely most helpful thanks to you guys lol. Have also been educating my self on ID-ing of hell creek material (which im currently after now) so I do have a basic idea on what to look for. 

 

I think its also important to mention that I am also after a bargain as well and that im just lacking in fossils also so a misID isnt really the worse thing as its still a good addition lol. And have noticed that in comparison to the popular online websites, the ones at the auction site (e.g.: a fossil for a similar quality and condition specimen) are more available and cheaper. in popular online websites, the rarer ones get sold a lot quicker even though priced too high for me (by rare i just mean not-too common helll creek material like pachy spikes, theropod claws and teeth etc. not too exotic lol). Where what Im actually more concerned about is whether the sellers at the auction site would sell you the item as described in the description, and that they would not consciously sell you something else (if that makes sense). Ive just always based my purchases on the positive feedback section when I buy from them and  I usually do buy from a well-known seller so I dont really have to be concerned of scammer-related problems as they are more established and well known on the auction site, as opposed to 'smaller' sellers as they are the ones who 'dig the fossils themselves'. 

 

Where in the case of mis ID, Im actually still willing to buy it as it is still a good buy and that Im also lacking in those fossils as well lol e.g.: instead of a nano-t, its a dromaeosaur or vise versa etc. 

Edited January 3, 2022 by carch_23

[digit]

Again, always good to check here first before making a purchase. All we ask is that the seller not be identified and any information that would identify the seller be edited out. Any discussion of the ID of the find is permissible but we won't permit discussion of price/worth. We can help you learn what the fossil is (or is not) but you have to decide if it is worth the price asked.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[carch_23]

2 minutes ago, digit said:

Again, always good to check here first before making a purchase. All we ask is that the seller not be identified and any information that would identify the seller be edited out. Any discussion of the ID of the find is permissible but we won't permit discussion of price/worth. We can help you learn what the fossil is (or is not) but you have to decide if it is worth the price asked.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Hi Ken, thank you for that. I did try as much as much as I could to not identify the sellers with words like "popular online websites" and "online auction site" hahha. I think the year of the seller started was edited out and sorry i missed out on that lol.

[Bobby Rico]

5 hours ago, carch_23 said:

Where in the case of mis ID, Im actually still willing to buy it as it is still a good buy and that Im also lacking in those fossils as well lol e.g.: instead of a nano-t, its a dromaeosaur or vise versa etc. 

You need to buy with good location information or Provenance. I always pay with PayPal to because they offer some protection again loses.

 

 

[carch_23]

1 hour ago, Bobby Rico said:

You need to buy with good location information or Provenance. I always pay with PayPal to because they offer some protection again loses.

 

 

Oh yep. The one Ive been looking at provides good info on location and provenance. Though by misID, its eg.: Nano-t or dromaeosaurid etc. where I would be happy to have either. 

 

And thanks for the tip on using PayPal. Would probably need to use that for protection as the buyer. Cheers!

[Mark Kmiecik]

Most dealers are interested in sales, not in identification. In other words, they are not personally familiar enough with the material they sell to identify it correctly and must depend on what their sources claim it to be. Therefore, since most specimens are likely to have been misidentified, it is best to present photos of the items you want to purchase here on the forum to get our opinions as to authenticity and identification before you make the purchase.