Ok so I’ve just been contacted by an eBay seller with a dubious story of having been burgled prior to shipping my two piccolos.
He has refunded immediately.
Now It was a very good price and I suspect he was contacted and offered more.
If by chance someone sees or hears of a D or Eb Chappel piccolos
For sale on or offline let me know?
Also any experience here ? I’m not at a loss but am confused by the whole thing?
Only my personal observation but in recent months I have had several “no shows” from eBay auctions that I’d won at very good, low prices. Each was settled by eBay under their buyer protection policy. I lost no money but I did not get the goods. And the whole problem resolution process takes weeks to be finalized.
Each auction had been listed with no minimum or reserve price but with a BIN price. I thought the BIN prices were too high. Seeing no reserve, I started the bidding at the bottom which took away the BIN price. I took my chances. The auctions never rose to anything close to the BIN. In two cases, the instruments re-appeared under a new account and being sold with a new minimum price or reserve. eBay couldn’t care less, apparently. It is possible that these sellers are rookies and naive to the workings of eBay auctions. It would have been more sporting to end the auction early and re-list the item properly. That happens often enough and some sellers will even notify you as to what happened and add an invitation to re-bid. I’m sure all this violates some eBay policy, Still eBay has changed enough of their buyer/seller policies over the years so that it goes on. It used to be that a bid was a contract to buy. If the seller did not deliver then tey lost their privilieges and would be barred from setting up new accounts. That happened to a friend after a bogus complaint. Things are quite a bit looser these days or so it seems. Don’t know if this is better or not but at least I have not been hurt financially.
And now we will all be looking for Chappel piccolo sales. Thanks. 
Feadoggie
Setup a Google Alert and you’ll likely hear about it wherever it surfaces.
I frustratingly just had something similar happen to me with a set of smallpipes I won at a low price. There was questionable stuff from the get-go, no tracking number, weird excuses, lots of BS - short of the story is I never got my item but was refunded by the seller.
dunnp, I’ll be happy to keep an eye out. As you may recall from previous communications, I won a Metzler Piccolo in great shape at a very good price, only to have the entire deal go sideways with the seller claiming a non-trackable, uninsured postal package had been pilfered. I was able to successfully get my money back through a Paypal claim but it was a hassle. I was left wondering if there ever was a good faith intent to sell the item.Very strange goings on at E-bay. I see they have tightened up some of their language about tracking for international shipping.
In any case, sorry to hear of your misfortune.
Bob
Thanks Bob,
Do you remember the sellers name?
thanks all.
No real harm but, I was very happy with the price.
Really annoyed.
Yes.
PM sent.
Good Luck,
Bob
I guess one thing I have learned from eBay is to not get upset or annoyed. (yes, easier to say it than practice it) While these instruments might be few and far between they are probably not the lone, unique example of the instrument ( at least the ones I am after). So if one slips through the fingers I don’t get upset anymore. Another will come a long in time. It is not at all like the days when you had to scour the classifieds, spend days in the car, rummage through musty attics or inhale the dust at the flea markets. Although dealing face-to-face had its advantages. eBay opens up access to a broader treasure trove than we ever had available to us. And in turn we have a broader market to sell our wares. I suppose it is progress of a sort.
Best of luck with your quest.
Feadoggie
Indeed Feadoggie,
I’m an ebay hound. Nothing gets by me but this was a nice matched pair in a nice box and the price was perfect.
Plus I just don’t trust the seller’s story.
but thems the breaks.
The piccolos I referred to in this old post have resurfaced with the same seller…
It appears he has had them padded in the meantime they clearly were not stolen from his flat.
I plan on going after the guy a bit through eBay though I doubt they can really do anything.
In the meantime I hope folk won’t bid.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=381334796256&globalID=EBAY-GB
I purchased these last year and then the seller informed me they were stolen from his flat.
He did refund my money.
Now he is selling a year later.
Maybe they were recovered - stolen instruments sometimes are. Now, they’ve been refurbished in hopes of getting a better price. He gives his phone # if you want to chew him out, though.
If you check this particular ebay dealer’s feedback profile - this is the second instance of his goods up for sale having been stolen by burglars in the past twelve months ( that’s three cases if you include Patrick’s the year before ) and someone else has accused him of selling counterfeit goods. He’s either the most unlucky man in Minehead or … I’ll let you join the dots.
Dunnp - that’s really annoying. I’ve a friend with a Chappell flute, and it’s just a lovely player.