E-Bay Vault

[katzrul15]

Just received another Survey about e-Bay "vault"

I get the 31,000 sf temp controlled facility, but doubt this will ever apply to me as a Seller?  It is just for trading cards, correct?  And 31,000 sf is not a "huge" facility.

How much will e-Bay be charging a Buyer to leave it in the "vault"?  Have they said?  Hoping it really is "insured" for what is should be - with all the shoe thefts lately, this could be a temp-controlled nightmare.

I don't mind the surveys, but I have no intention of ever using e-Bay vault that I can think of.  Shouldn't they have done surveys before they committed to building this thing??  (and where will it be again?  Hopefully not in the desert heat and hopefully with great security/alarms and back-up generators).

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@katzrul15  I believe it will be in Delaware. I don't think there is an actual charge to "store" an item in the vault. I believe they are starting with trading cards, but will be expanding into other items as well. Like you, I don't expect to ever use it, so I haven't been paying much attention to it. 

[katzrul15]

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques 

The survey alluded to a "buyer" being able to use to "store" their purchase.  Maybe that is why I was getting the survey, except I do not buy trading cards, expensive handbags, expensive watches, etc.  

Am betting they will charge to store it for the Buyer......interesting concept there.  

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@katzrul15  Could be.  Or it could start out free, and a fee gets added later. In any event, we should get more details fairly soon If ebay sticks to its timetable, it is supposed to open for business this quarter, so that gives them the rest of June.  Of course, ebay isn't famous for sticking to its stated schedules, but this schedule wasn't just announced to sellers, it was announced to the investment community, so I suspect ebay doesn't want to miss the deadline.

[katzrul15]

@my-cottage-books-and-antiques 

Well, let's hope it meets lift-off as this has to not be a "free" venture for them.  Someone will need to "pay" for this temp-controlled building and honestly, I would like for it to be the Sellers and Buyers who "USE" it and not those of us, who never will (yes, I know as I type this out, that is a pipe dream in its' self)

[southern*sweet*tea]

Okay, I have obviously missed something.   What is the vault and why on earth would anyone want Ebay to store anything for them?   I'd bury it (whatever "it" may be) in a coffee can in the back yard before I'd let Ebay store it for me.

[katzrul15]

Coming soon: the eBay vault | eBay.com

Announcing the eBay Vault and What’s Next for Our ... - The eBay Community

[katzrul15]

@southern*sweet*tea 

It starts with Trading Cards and if you "buy" an item that is stored there, as a "buyer" you can continue to have it stored there.

31,000 sf temp-controlled building.  Did not realize until Cottage posted that it is in Delaware....lol

[southern*sweet*tea]

@katzrul15 

Thanks for the links!

Delaware - my son and his family live in DE.  He says the humidity is just as bad there as it is here in MS, only it doesn't get as  hot.  Maybe they should have chosen some place in the desert heat, at least it's dry lol  nothing like storing paper items in a wet sponge.

I hope they've invested in some world class dehumidifiers!

[katzrul15]

@southern*sweet*tea 

I hope they have great back-up generators and a great theft/security system.

Or hopefully, they bought really great insurance for the items they are storing on behalf of others!

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

@southern*sweet*tea 

I hope they have great back-up generators and a great theft/security system.

Or hopefully, they bought really great insurance for the items they are storing on behalf of others!

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Yep, all of the above and then some.

[lepke1979]

The vault is an interesting concept. But obviously meant for higher end stuff. My guess is if they do charge rent, it won't matter that much to the types that would use it.

Storage is probably fine. Probably no different than what they do at a museum or whatever to keep that stuff from going bad or whatever.

I'm more interested in how pulling and shipping the item from the vault might work. And more importantly how it's handled. The item is probably insured and it's not theirs. Being careful when pulling or packing is probably not the first thing they're concerned about. With a card. It's probably fine since it's probably in a plastic case. Throw it in a box and have it go registered and/or be signed. With something bigger or more fragile? *shrug*

[southern*sweet*tea]

I'm reading it as the item is already at the vault, and when the buyer pays it's  transferred to the buyer without actually leaving the vault.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Announcing-the-eBay-Vault-and-What-s-Next-for-Our-Market...

"Once an item is in the eBay Vault, customers know their valuables are secure and “instant sale” becomes possible. While many customers will keep their items in the vault for years, once it is in the Vault then ownership can transfer from seller to buyer in a matter of seconds – without the need to re-authenticate, re-package or ship the item anywhere. This unlocks a new way to engage with eBay: imagine instantly buying and selling cards and sports memorabilia as a great new rookie lands a play in the final minutes of a tight game."

So I guess the sellers send the stuff to the vault, and if the buyer wants to store the item there they can, which means they never actually see it until they decide they want it in their possession some point in the future.  That is a "trust" level I would never give any internet website - buying and storing an item unseen.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@southern*sweet*tea  While "the vault" is new to ebay, several companies have been doing this sort of thing for a while now, so I suspect the construction and running of the Vault , well, it isn't like ebay has to reinvent the wheel. Many people in the world of "collectibles as investment/speculation" are already familiar with (and trust) the Vault concept.

Most posters on this Board probably don't need to trust it or think much about it, since we aren't involved with the sort of stuff likely to be put in the Vault.  

[gracieallen01]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

@southern*sweet*tea 

I hope they have great back-up generators and a great theft/security system.

Or hopefully, they bought really great insurance for the items they are storing on behalf of others!

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Well, look at the bright side - it will probably be the best controlled and protected square footage that seller's money can buy!

(In DE?  Renting space from a 'freight forwarder'?)