posted on April 18, 2001 08:10:22 PM new
Can anyone tell me about their experiences with half.com? I want to know the bad and good aspects before I sign up and buy something from them.
posted on April 18, 2001 10:33:14 PM new
As you may know, half.com is owned by ebay and when you search for books, videos, cds on ebay, you will almost always find a search link to the half.com site. I mention this both for the contributor to this forum who is always criticizing half.com threads, and to explain its slow loading and quirky operation.
I both sell and buy on half.com and just as you should read a seller's feedback on ebay, you should do the same on half.com. Half.com has some sellers who fail to confirm, mis-grade their offerings and otherwise disappoint customers. Other sellers do a superlative job. Checking the feedback comments will tell you a lot.
Since you can not email the seller directly, this is the only way you have to gauge the likelihood of being happy. Also, half doesn't make it public, but if you buy a like new cd and it is not, you won't get a refund unless it is at least 2 grades off.
So read the formal definitions of like new, good, acceptable etc. before buying. They also take a cut of the shipping, so most of the merchandise goes media mail, which used to be called book rate.
You can save a bundle there, but as always, caveat emptor.
posted on April 18, 2001 10:43:57 PM new
I have purchased 5 or 6 books from Half, and I have been very satisfied with all the purchases. Of course, I looked for sellers that had a high rating--if there was no difference in price, I took the one with the better rating.
posted on April 19, 2001 12:08:50 AM new
I have purchased several books on half.com and have been very satisfied. The only thing I would mention is the packaging. If you are very concerned about bumped corners and creases, you may be disappointed. In my experience many sellers package well enough for reading copies, but not for someone who is picky about condition.
posted on April 19, 2001 07:36:35 AM new
Ratings do not provide the whole picture on half as it takes a long time to get even a single rating--most buyers do not bother to rate their transaction. I have over 700 positives on eBay, but am unrated on half even though I have bought and sold there.
In general buy a good or better rated item, acceptable is too vague to be trusted unless the seller is a known quantity.
posted on April 19, 2001 08:29:07 AM new
Aside from the fact that half.com's recent security upgrade made it impossible for my older computer to access the site, my experience with buying there has been mostly positive.
I've bought about fifty books so far. Here are my complaints, which aren't too bad given the number of purchases:
* Two books have arrived damaged due to poor packaging; thankfully I was still able to resell them and didn't have to go through the return process as I understand it takes a long time and can be very frustrating.
* One book arrived in a thin cardboard gift box but miraculously was unharmed.
* One seller substituted another book for the one I ordered.
* One seller cancelled my order within an hour of placing it, but the explanation given was that the time of confirmation had elapsed.
* Most sellers send even hardcover books in padded envelopes. Lot of potential for damage, IMHO. I cringe whenever I get them. That's how the aforementioned damaged book got that way -- padded envelope rather than a box.
As for praise:
* Many books have arrived within days of placing the order. Most are sent media mail, and they seem to travel even faster than Priority items.
* Most of the seller descriptions are honest and accurate.
* It's an extremely convenient service.
Now if only they could fix it so I can use the site again ...
posted on April 19, 2001 12:27:52 PM new
Spazmodeus,
Is is possible that you simply need an upgraded browser? If they went to 128-bit encryption, that may be what's preventing you from accessing the site.
posted on April 19, 2001 01:44:08 PM new
I have a few items listed on Half.com
Up until this past week, I have had no problems either buying, or selling items listed on the site.
However... This past week, I had sold an Architectural book of mine, from my own library, for $32.50. I replied/confirmed the sale (around 1am - my usual time on the net) and packaged and sent the book that morning. Later that evening, I received a message from Half that I had not as of yet confirmed the sale and it would be cancelled. I have the copy of my original confirmation. I confirmed - in a frenzied mindstate- 5 additional times. By the next day, the item was officially listed as cancelled. Item already sent. *sigh* Lesson - WAIT for return Confirmation From Half.com BEFORE sending item. However, to Half.com's Credit.. I notified their highly impersonal feedback service of the situation, and they said I would be compensated for my sale. That was yeseterday. I will have to wait and see if it is a full compensation. Also, despite numerous sales/purchases - I have no feedback record.
Otherwise...the items I have purchased have been very good quality - but always in the New or Like New catergories.
Good luck and Happy Hunting... =)
posted on April 19, 2001 02:01:55 PM new
Maybe this should be a seperate topic, but I'm hoping that someone here can answer my question anyway.
I listed a slew of books that I no longer wanted and have sold four of them so far. The first two are shown as being sold and credited to my account. The other two, depsite my logging onto their website to do the confimation, are still stuck in the pack & ship mode. Does anyone know how long the books will hang in this state? The other two didn't seem to hang that long.
posted on April 19, 2001 02:06:08 PM new
It takes Half about a week to update stuff.
New question: If Half.com is now the "smartest place' to buy and sell CDs and books and all this other stuff, what does that make eBay? I'd say eBay should be renamed quarter.com.....or maybe 30cents.com
posted on April 19, 2001 07:15:33 PM new
I have been satisfied with half I have probably bought a dozen books
I had one that took forever to get here I checked the postmark and the seller had shipped right away media mail was just slow
They have a wish list feature that works well I was looking for a out of print book I registered it and got a e-mail this morning saying it was listed at 27.50 a quick search on ebay found them selling for 40.00 to 60.00
the one compalint I have is that they don't tell you where the seller is located so you really can't judge shipping time
posted on April 19, 2001 09:09:37 PM new
I no longer sell on Half.com, but I have to disagree with the poster who said 'looking at feedback will tell you a lot'. In many cases, all Half.com feedback will do is mislead you, since you only get one side of the story. i have made over 120 successful sales to buyers and only have ONE feedback....from a buyer with a few screws loose who says 'it's been a month, the book has not arrived, seller is a fraud". Umm...her book was sent BOOK RATE... a month is perfectly normal, and my 300+ pos/no neg feedback on Ebay would certainly attest that I am no fraud. However, Half.com would not remove this ridiculous feedback, so now potential buyers have zero way of knowing that I am indeed a good and honest seller. I washed my hands of Half.com after THAT fiasco.
The only people who seem to leave feedback over there are a few tacos short of a combo.
posted on April 20, 2001 04:20:40 AM new
I like half.com, when it's working!!! Hasn't for me for the last few weeks.
Buyers can't log in, even I have problems staying logged in. Sometimes have to re-log several times during one session.
posted on April 20, 2001 10:23:23 PM new
Half.com is usually wonderful for buyers, but I'm definitely rethinking it on the sell side. Half.com is probably as surprised as anyone about how competition has driven down prices on old books or CDs where there's a glut of supply out there. So what's half.com do? Widen its margin on the shipping fee.
What seems to be happening is that they're getting overloaded with listings for stuff for which there's a glut; I'll bet their items listed vs. items sold ratio is on the decline.
Now watch 'em bellyache about supposed "costs" to keep items listed for months and months that don't sell, and to try to introduce a fee for that.
