Purchasing speakers on ebay?

Options
brasil
brasil Posts: 267
edited February 2003 in Flea Market
Has anyone purchased any Polk speakers in ebay. I just searched for Pol speakers and found excellent deals on brand new sealed polk speakers. Has anyone had any experiences? One particular place in Las Vegas called Sound Distributors had some great deals.
Post edited by brasil on
· Share on Facebook

Comments

  • ChrisDurano
    ChrisDurano Posts: 372
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Sound Distributors

    If you do choose to go through ebay....make sure you check the sellers history. Sound distributors is pretty well known and there prices are very tough to beat. You should just buy directly from them.
    Home Speakers polkaudio RTi70's (bi-wired), CSi30, FX3000i, PSW250

    Car speakers polkaudio EX 369, DB 650
    · Share on Facebook
  • brasil
    brasil Posts: 267
    edited February 2003
    Options
    I searched through this website and sound distributors they don't seem to be an authorized Polk dealer, which will void the speaker five year warranty right?
    · Share on Facebook
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 52,305
    edited February 2003
    Options
    YEP!
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on Facebook
  • wallstreet
    wallstreet Posts: 1,405
    edited February 2003
    Options
    I reviewed sound distributors policy and they play on words a little. They state that the units are factory sealed, but later on they state that the serial numbers were taken off. So in fact, you are not buing a manufacturer factory sealed item, you are buying a sound distributor factory sealed item. This in effect is a used item. They try to rationalize this practice of replacing serial numbers by stating "This is for our store warranty service program only. These serial numbers are encoded with our store information and are needed to have any warranty work performed." Now this could mean one of two things.

    Number 1: They have an idiot for a database designer. It's a simple process to create a cross reference table that matches the manufacturer's serial number to their own internal serial number. Every order tracking system in the world does this. Or what they're really saying is...

    Number 2: They are misrepresenting why they remove serial numbers. The true reason is so that they can protect their product sources.

    Either way, I don't want anyone opening a "factory sealed" box to remove serial numbers. I'd shop somewhere else.
    · Share on Facebook
  • caseymou
    caseymou Posts: 327
    edited February 2003
    Options
    True wallstreet, but prices are $400 more with the serial tags and factory warranty. I guess it matters what amount of risk you are willing to accept. The best thing to look for in this situation is a reputation. It seems that Sound Distributors has a good one so I would not object to buying from them if I were in the market for such speakers. $600 sounds alot better than $1k to me- I would probably never own LSi9's if not for places like Sound Distributors.
    · Share on Facebook
  • donahue
    donahue Posts: 125
    edited February 2003
    Options
    I have purchased Polk Speaker from Sound Distributors and from 280ZXWHITE on eBay. They were both much cheaper than say, Crutchfield. However, 280ZXWHITE sells true factory sealed units that he gets from an autorized Polk dealer. He is also very reputable on eBay.
    · Share on Facebook
  • scottvamp
    scottvamp Posts: 3,277
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Ebay = black market.
    Research the seller = research the product.
    Can sell for under retail = same product.
    No overhead/not authorized = DOA covered and Polk will still help
    IMO - Paying Retail your getting ripped off.
    I need to teach a class on this stuff. ;)
    Note:
    If you are buying SO MUCH a/v speakers and equipment that it is an issue - get a dealers licence and get everything half price.:)
    · Share on Facebook
  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited February 2003
    Options
    The reason that Sound Distributors has their own serial numbers on the units is because they're not an authorized dealer, and cannot sell the product with the original serial numbers. What that means to the buyer is that if you need any sort of warranty work done to your speaks, you can't send them to Polk, but instead have to send it to Sound Distributors. They do match Polk's warranty program, so you should be fine with getting your stuff from there.

    I completely agree with you Casey about the pricing online being MUCH more attractive than retail. Personally, I refuse to pay retail on anything electronics related. Just make sure that you aren't dismissing the fact that there is a sizeable risk in purchasing from an online retailer, authorized or not, in that they have the potential to close down and disappear leaving you high and dry should any problems with your speakers arise. I think that Sound Distributors has been around for a while. I'd give them a call and ask them how long they've been around. That's not an entirely safe thing, but anything that you can do to secure your purchase would be a good idea.

    Good luck with it. I want a pair of the 9's myself. The LSi towers don't do it for me. Too much glossy wood for my tastes.......
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
    · Share on Facebook
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Personally I've had good experience with non-authorized dealers, and even built a repeat business relationship with one. Only time I ever needed warranty service it went without a hitch.

    I urge anyone to use the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to check out any mail order discounter. As well as complaints filed, how long they have been around is a decent indicator of long they'll be around. Hopefully for at least the duration of your warranty.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
    · Share on Facebook
  • nellis8166
    nellis8166 Posts: 292
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Be Cautions, that is my advice. I will never buy another thing on Ebay, I learned the hard way. Last year I dumped about $400 bucks on a guitar amp. I did all my homework and everything checked out with seller. Someone hacked into the sellers account and were posting items he never had. I payed the dude through paypal and never heard a thing. I was out $400 and pissed as hell. I went back and forth with Ebay for about three months and never got anywhere.
    Just recently someone hacked into my account and were posting items without me knowing it. Took about a week to get that sorted out. Seems they have some security issues as far as I can tell.
    I'm sure these are happenings are few and far between, but all it takes is once.

    Regards,
    Nat
    RTi10
    CSi5
    RTi28
    SVS PB12-ISD2

    Denon 2106(pre/pro)
    Adcom 5503(200x3)

    Audioquest Diamondback ICS
    Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

    "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
    -J. James
    · Share on Facebook
  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,985
    edited February 2003
    Options
    How can your account be hacked?

    Don't tell me you guys got the 'security measures' fake-ebay email, and actually entered your user name/pass word?
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
    · Share on Facebook
  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited February 2003
    Options
    yeah, i got my rt35i's off ebay...work fine to this day
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
    · Share on Facebook
  • nellis8166
    nellis8166 Posts: 292
    edited February 2003
    Options
    No Russ,
    I did not fall victim to the e-mail scam. Not sure what happened exactly when I got ripped off. Ebay still to this day can't give me a strait answer on that one.
    Someone somehow got a hold of my email address and password and changed the email address that all my correspondences through Ebay go to. That is the only way that I found out. I got an e-mail saying I changed my e-mail address and I never did. Thought it was a glitch so I simply changed it back, the **** did it again. Checked my auctions and a bunch of bogus stuff was posted under my account. Friggen guys were in Italy. I really don't get how Ebay can have a confirmed home address for me and then let someone from halfway accross the world post stuff on my account. You would think that it would set off some red flags.

    Regards,
    Nat
    RTi10
    CSi5
    RTi28
    SVS PB12-ISD2

    Denon 2106(pre/pro)
    Adcom 5503(200x3)

    Audioquest Diamondback ICS
    Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

    "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
    -J. James
    · Share on Facebook
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 52,305
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Nat,

    When you paid with PayPal, did you use a credit card? If so, you could dispute the charge. The credit card companies are pretty good about resolving those issues and giving you a credit.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on Facebook
  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited February 2003
    Options
    and second, e-bay has coverage up to $200.00 on items not received and so on, pay-pal also has buyer protection, seems strange, also that seller sounds like ge was running a line on you, I don't see how anyone could hack an account?? you get e-mails for every auction you post, everychange you make, 4 years selling for me and no probs, I have also purchased from an online dealer for polks with no problems, I wouldnt spend thousands but a few hundred and for the savings but sorry i have to save where i can, E-bay would have taken care of this had it been a security thing, regardless.... they are to big to be letting people get screwed on their site.. bad for business
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2

    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
    · Share on Facebook
  • dharding
    dharding Posts: 61
    edited February 2003
    Options
    deleted
    · Share on Facebook
  • nellis8166
    nellis8166 Posts: 292
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Well, I guess I am the one out of a million that got screwed. American Express denied the dispute with some stupid legal loop hole and I got sick of going back and forth with Ebay six times a day. After a while it just was not worth it.

    Regards,
    Nat
    RTi10
    CSi5
    RTi28
    SVS PB12-ISD2

    Denon 2106(pre/pro)
    Adcom 5503(200x3)

    Audioquest Diamondback ICS
    Kimber Kable 8tc biwire(mains and center)

    "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall."
    -J. James
    · Share on Facebook
  • scottvamp
    scottvamp Posts: 3,277
    edited February 2003
    Options
    Originally posted by nellis8166
    Well, I guess I am the one out of a million that got screwed. American Express denied the dispute with some stupid legal loop hole and I got sick of going back and forth with Ebay six times a day. After a while it just was not worth it.
    Regards,
    Nat
    You said it - more bidding/saving for me! :D
    As my father told me (liked auctions) too many people -nolonger an auction. People start buying stuff higher than retail.
    I've bought and sold material through Ebay, using PayPal, for years now. Never a problem.
    Yep!!!! ---
    · Share on Facebook